One of those "wrapped" posts - 2025

Yes, I paid a buck for the wrap image below. 😆 And it even wrote out a "blog" post (that I didn't ask for)....but was missing a lot of important information. I love using AI as a tool, but I refuse to let it take over my thoughts and personality. Anyway, coming from me, thank y'all for your kind words and support this year. I’d be absolutely nowhere without it.

Community, consistency, and a sense of humor are how I've made it as far as I have. 4amClub is a regular occurrence in my life. Getting up to prep and study - all before hitting the gym, taking the kids to school, and heading to work - it's become a norm. My support network is why I am able to keep going, and my sense of humor helps during those lovely moments when imposter syndrome rears its ugly head.

There are "small" wins mixed in, but this is the mental checklist of ways I moved the needle in 2025, mostly in order of occurrence.

- RenderATL Ambassador
- DSD Cohort
- All Things Open AI
- Web Dev Challenge
- Epic Web Conf
- Torc Ambassador
- 100devs "Chosen One" series
- React Miami
- Emcee at RenderATL
- Huge improvements to the Tube Feed Tracker, received real user feedback
- LaraconUS
- CYC (AKA summer camp)
- All Things Open
- Podcast guest on Tech Commute mashup with Whiskey Web & Whatnot
- Speaker at MagnoliaConf ❤️ ❤️
- Volunteer and freelance opps
- Hitting publish on that video content

I was so lucky to see and grow my community multiple times in 2025 at several conferences, Discord channels, and on Twitter. I was lucky that people saw something in me and offered me wonderful opportunities. Mixed in were many, many interviews that I learned and grew from.

Regarding the images below, I'm proud of my badges (and thank y'all for being at the heart of them) but confused about the "top quote." If I had to pick a top quote, it would be Caleb's from the Laravel Podcast, that I posted a few months ago:

"I want to be someone that’s putting in the work, too, all year...so that...I’ve earned my place at the table instead of just being there because I make good jokes."

Alright, 2026, time to get that dang seat at the table. 🔥