From Retail to Building zkTLS Applications: My Unconventional Journey in Tech

You know those perfectly linear career paths some people have? Yeah, mine isn't one of those. Before I wrote my first line of code (professionally), I was arranging mannequins at Max Fashion, coordinating events, and handling tech support tickets at Infosys. Each of these seemingly unrelated jobs taught me something I still use today.

The Winding Road

Visual merchandising taught me about user experience before I knew what UX was. Event management? That was basically project management with louder music. And those countless hours at tech support? They taught me empathy for users - something that shapes how I build products today.

The Tech Journey

Started as a designer - Figma was my best friend, and I thought I'd found my calling. But curiosity is a funny thing - I kept wondering how my designs came to life in the browser. One CSS tutorial led to another, and before I knew it, I was diving deep into JavaScript.

The Reclaim Chapter

These past two years at Reclaim Protocol have been like living in a movie. I still remember my first day - nervous as hell, joining an international team, building something that hadn't been done before. But you know what's amazing about being at an early-stage startup? The growth is exponential.

Remember that shy guy who used to double-check every line of code? He's now confidently architecting features used by thousands. It's not just about coding though - being one of the early employees meant wearing multiple hats:

• Setting up our first hacker house in Hyderabad (turns out, finding good coffee machines is crucial for developer productivity 😄)
• Hosting events and demos (nothing teaches you about your product like explaining it to others)
• Being part of the journey from whiteboard ideas to production code

The Hacker House Days

The Hyderabad hacker house deserves its own story. Picture this: a bunch of developers, designers, and dreamers under one roof, building the future of data verification. But it wasn't all code and commits - we were living the true Silicon Valley startup life, just with more biryani.

We'd code during the day, but nights? Those were for adventures. We explored every pub in Hyderabad (for research purposes, obviously 😉). There was this one time after a late-night movie, someone suggested, "Hey, what if we went to the airport?" Next thing you know, we're at the 24/7 airport lounge at 3 AM, having impromptu architecture discussions over drinks. Those are the moments you can't plan.

The hacker house became more than just an office - it was our playground, our think tank, and sometimes our therapy couch. We'd solve our toughest technical problems during midnight snack runs to Maggi Point, debate product decisions over chai at Nimrah Cafe, and somehow our best ideas always came after someone said "just one more drink."

Those early demo days were something else. We'd be fixing bugs minutes before presentations, running through the office like caffeinated ninjas, but somehow always pulling it off. One time, we pushed a critical update literally as people were walking into the room - the kind of stuff that would give any sane developer a heart attack. But that's startup life for you - chaotic, exciting, and somehow it all works out.

Looking back, those intense moments built more than just code - they built unbreakable bonds. We weren't just colleagues grinding out features; we were a family of misfits, building something we believed in, and having the time of our lives doing it.

More Than Just Colleagues

Reclaim holds a special place in my heart for reasons that go far beyond the product we're building. When my father passed away in a terrible car accident last year, I was completely devastated. The trauma hit me hard, and I lost all motivation. Getting out of bed, let alone writing code, felt impossible.

What happened next showed me the true character of this team. My colleagues didn't just send the standard "take all the time you need" messages - they actively stepped in to help. My boss personally checked in daily, and when he learned about the sudden financial burden, he didn't hesitate to offer support from his own pocket. No paperwork, no corporate red tape - just genuine human care.

For weeks, team members took over my responsibilities without complaint. They shielded me from work pressures while I tried to find my footing again. There were days when a simple message from a colleague was the only thing that got me to open my laptop.

That's when I realized Reclaim isn't just the place where I work - it's a community of people who genuinely care for each other. The code we write together is important, but it's these moments of profound humanity that truly define us. It took months for me to get back on track, but their unwavering support made recovery possible.

This kind of culture can't be manufactured or written into company values - it emerges from the character of the people involved. And I'm profoundly grateful to be part of it.

The Empathy Thing

You know what's funny? The most valuable skill I've learned isn't technical at all - it's empathy. Not the fluffy kind you read about in LinkedIn posts, but the practical kind:

• Understanding why a junior dev is struggling with that PR
• Getting why a designer is passionate about that 2px difference
• Seeing things from the user's perspective when everyone else is focused on the tech

It's like having a superpower that lets you see through people's actions to their actual intentions. And in tech, where egos can get pretty big, this stuff matters more than you'd think.

Being a Knowledge Sponge

My friends joke that I have "main character syndrome" when it comes to learning. If I get interested in something, I go ALL IN. Last month it was mechanical keyboards (sorry to everyone who had to hear about switch types). Before that, it was typography (did you know the history of Helvetica is actually fascinating?).

But here's the thing - this habit of diving deep into random subjects has helped me so much in tech. Because sometimes the best solutions come from completely unrelated fields. Like how studying comic book layouts helped me think differently about web design.

The Talent Thing

One thing that still amazes me is how much raw talent there is in tech. I regularly come across people who just blow my mind with their creativity or technical skills. And you know what? Instead of feeling threatened, I've learned to just fanboy over it.

Some of my best friendships started with me sliding into someone's DMs like "yo, that thing you built is INSANE!" No agenda, no networking - just genuine appreciation. It's surprising how many amazing conversations start that way.

What I Got Wrong?

Oh boy, where do I start?

• Thinking I needed to know everything before starting something
• Being afraid to ask "dumb" questions (there aren't any)
• Taking myself too seriously (still working on this one)
• Not sharing my work because "it's not perfect yet"

What I Got Right?

A few things I'm glad I figured out along the way:

• Your non-tech background is a strength, not a weakness
• Being genuinely curious about people and their work
• Sharing knowledge freely (what goes around comes around)
• Making time for non-tech stuff (you need a life outside coding)

First Passport Stamp: Istanbul

2023 was special - my first international trip! We flew to Istanbul for EthIstanbul (yeah, my first flight ever was international 😅). Picture this: a kid from a small town, suddenly in this ancient city where Asia meets Europe, representing our team at one of the biggest Web3 conferences.

The best part? It wasn't just work. Our team took a week off after the conference to explore. We wandered through the Grand Bazaar, got lost in the streets of Cappadocia, and even won a hackathon prize while we were at it - building a location-based treasure hunt game. Talk about mixing business with pleasure!

Those late-night team dinners in Istanbul, watching the sunset over the Bosphorus, and those impromptu strategy sessions in Turkish cafes - that's when it hit me how far I'd come from my retail days. From arranging mannequins to building zkTLS applications with an international team - life has a funny way of surprising you.

Photo Gallery: A Year of Firsts

2023 in pictures - what a year it's been!

Monday blues!

That magical morning in Cappadocia ✨

Where the magic happens - our Hyderabad hacker house

Furry friend and good food!

Early morning cafe vibes

EthIstanbul - Post hackathon Scene!

Because sometimes you need to celebrate the small wins 🎉

What's Next?

The beauty of an unconventional path is that you never know what's around the corner. But I do know this:

• I want to keep building stuff that matters
• I want to help others who are on their own weird, wonderful journeys
• I want to stay curious and humble
• I want to keep learning from the amazing people around me

A Thank You Note

To everyone who's been part of this journey - from my retail days to my current team at Reclaim, thank you. Special shoutout to my colleagues who became good friends along the way, the open source community that taught me so much, and every person who took a chance on the guy who used to dress mannequins.

And hey, if you're on your own unconventional path in tech, my DMs are always open. Sometimes the best journeys aren't the straightest ones.

P.S. If you read this far, you probably need a hobby. May I suggest mechanical keyboards? (I'm kidding... mostly 😄)