Spotlight On Chandler Keyes
Chandler Keyes is a Software Engineering Manager at Integral, the Founder of Kodeably, a Content Creator, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and an active member of Women Who Code Dallas / Fort Worth. Read about how she started her career and how she continues to motivate and help others in the community.
How did you get into your field?
I initially took zero interest in coding. My goal was to get my film major and become a video editor until I grabbed coffee with a great friend, Jaime Fitzgerald. Jaime enlightened me about the wonders of coding and how the tech field lacked one crucial thing; diversity. This conversation planted a seed that I never knew would grow into me being a software engineering manager today. Quickly after learning about the wonders of coding, I took an intro to programming course while at the Early College Alliance program at Eastern Michigan University. I quickly learned that I got the same feeling of accomplishment when editing videos after solving a coding problem. At that moment, I knew I wanted to start my coding career. The summer after I graduated from ECA, I decided to go through a 10-week coding Bootcamp at Grand Circus in Detroit, Michigan. This Bootcamp jump-started my tech journey. After graduation, I applied for over 200 jobs and was rejected so many times that I lost count, but 200 rejections weren’t enough to give up. In month three, I landed my first position as an Associate Software Engineer.
What made you want to join Women Who Code?
Being a part of a community packed with underrepresented individuals in tech is precisely where I need to be for many reasons; one of them is to help close the diversity gap. I joined WomenWhoCode, intending to connect with more women coders. My business, Kodeably, is meant to connect underrepresented individuals to their dream jobs in the tech field. And being a part of WomenWhoCode brings Kodeably closer to achieving this goal.
What is something you’ve accomplished recently that made you proud?
I achieved two milestones this past year that I couldn’t imagine myself reaching before. In January, my boss at the time asked me if I was interested in becoming a Software Engineering Manager. My impostor syndrome told me that I shouldn’t be where I am now until years down the road. Now that I have the opportunity to lead and empower my teammates, I’ve learned more about the beauty of being a leader, including empathy, patience, and active listening. Becoming my own boss is another milestone I achieved this past year. Starting Kodeably wasn’t as simple as registering the business name, building a website, and magically getting clients. I heavily relied on my mentors and the people who live an example of what I hope to become. I’m very thankful that I crossed paths with those people and bombarded them with questions when I could, and I look forward to continual learning from them in the future.
What do you do when you’re not coding/working?
Right when 5 pm hits, I prepare for my outside-of-work duties. I enjoy Krav Maga, as I attend self-defense and conditioning classes most of the week. A couple of times a week, I visit my trainer, who helps me reach my workout goals since work and business can sometimes get in the way of that. Outside of exercising, I enjoy art. I recently learned how to draw realistic figures (hands and eyes) and paint portraits. I can spend hours working on a project and not feel drained! The same applies to making videos too. While I’m not super consistent, one of the things I always enjoyed was sharing my knowledge with others through YouTube videos. I currently have two YouTube channels; CodingWithChandler and ChandlerKnowsBest (I stole the name from Tangled’s Mother Knows Best song).
What motivates you? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
In all transparency, what motivates me is results. I love seeing my directs grow, achieve a goal, learn something new, or receive positive feedback from someone other than myself. Whether or not I helped them, my job’s sole purpose was to ensure their needs were met, and I love seeing that happen! I also thrive on the results of my business and the software I build at my job. Whether I gained a new client, got someone hired, or solved a bug at work, it reminds me that I’m doing the right things and helps deteriorate that never-ending impostor syndrome.
What’s next for you? What are your goals?
Knowing that the advancement of technology is inevitable, I’m aiming to keep up with the wave of advancement by learning IoT (Internet of Things). One of my goals this year is to build my first IoT device, perhaps by using a Raspberry Pi, that fulfills a particular behavior. When time allows, I also hope to build Kodeably and expand my number of clients. While there were ups and downs at the start of Kodeably; including mistakes, and lessons, I learned early on about the type of businesses I want to work with, the variety of clients I hope to attract, and, more importantly, the people I should hire as an employee or contractor. I’m amazed at the amount I learned just by owning a business, and even if it fails, it’s an opportunity to build something better and only get closer to what I hope to achieve.
Connect with Chandler
Website: https://kodeably.com/
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandlerkeyes/
Kodeably LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kodeably/
Kodeably Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kodeably.inc/
Kodeably Twitter: https://twitter.com/kodeably @kodeably
Kodeably Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kodeably @kodeably
CodingWithChandler YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkeSKp49ycaZRlGKkCRRi1g
Connect with Women Who Code DFW
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