From Interior Design to Mindful Tech: Farah’s Journey of Growth and Reinvention

For Farah, breaking into tech wasn’t just a career switch, it was a personal transformation. “Grounding. A journey of grounding, growth, and learning to trust myself through change,” she says. Before entering tech, Farah worked as an interior designer on hospitality projects for hotels and cruise ships. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she challenged herself to pivot by completing a software engineering bootcamp and transitioning into a technical role. A later layoff during a company reorganization pushed her to reassess what she wanted to build next.

Farah was drawn to tech for its fast-paced problem-solving and creativity. “I realized I was good at seeing patterns and really enjoyed problem solving,” she explains. “I loved how quickly you can build, test, and iterate compared to the long timelines I was used to.” Through her learning journey, Farah shifted her mindset from waiting to feel ready to learning by doing. “Getting comfortable with new technology quickly, and trusting that clarity comes through doing, changed how I approach learning,” she says. One of her standout projects focused on retrieval of augmented generation architecture. While initially intimidating, the project became empowering as she committed to building and seeing its real world impact.

“When concepts that once felt overwhelming started to feel familiar, I realized I had built real momentum, not just technical skills, but resilience,” Farah shares. As of January, Farah now works at SEI as an AI and Technology Enablement Consultant, applying her technical skills and problem-solving mindset to help organizations adopt and work with emerging technologies. Today, she is also continuing to build Ritually, an app that creates custom mindful routines and explores how emerging technology can support emotional wellbeing.“I strongly believe that peace is a skill and that it should be accessible to everyone,” she says.

Reflecting on her journey, Farah credits community and perseverance for helping her push through self doubt. “The first step is the hardest. Pushing yourself to begin, even when the outcome feels uncertain, is where the real growth happens.” Looking ahead, Farah plans to continue expanding her skills, staying curious, and embracing new challenges while remembering to enjoy the process along the way.