AQ'S Corner

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner WordPress Generative AI

This weekend, my mindset shifted. For a while now, I’ve had an idea for an app, something with purpose, value, and real-world impact. But like many aspiring builders, I’d been stuck in the loop of a single limiting belief: “I can’t build my app because I’m not a developer.” And honestly, I got tired of hearing myself say it. So I decided to do something about it.

Step One: Relearning Git & Understanding GitHub Pages

I rolled up my sleeves and started where it mattered, version control. I revisited Git, the powerful version control system that helps developers track and manage changes in their codebase. While I had used it in the past, it was time for a refresh. I went back to the basics, committing, pushing, cloning, and rebuilding my muscle memory from the command line up.

Then I found GitHub Pages, and it clicked. GitHub is the platform that hosts repositories and enables collaboration, but GitHub Pages is the feature that lets you deploy a front-facing static website straight from your repository. It was the moment I realized I didn’t need to have a full backend or complex server setup just to start. I could publish something, and that’s infinitely better than publishing nothing. My site’s front page is live now, but I have the repository private for now. It’s simple, but it exists. And that’s more than I could say last week.

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner

Step Two: Learning Visual Studio (VS) Code

After getting Git and GitHub back under my fingers, I decided to dive into Visual Studio Code, a robust, open-source text editor developed by Microsoft. I’ve used basic text editors before (Notepad++, Sublime Text) as a Software Tester, and while those tools served me well in the past, VS Code felt like the next level. With its extensions, integrated terminal, Git features, and real-time syntax checking, it was like walking into a modern workshop with every tool at my fingertips. There was a learning curve, yes, but also a sense of homecoming.

The Realization: MVP Is About Momentum

I have two degrees in technology, my first in Computer Science, but I haven’t programmed consistently in a while. The industry has evolved. There are new languages, frameworks, and tools I’m just now learning, let alone use fluently. For a long time, that intimidated me.

But this weekend, I gave myself permission to not be perfect. Instead of trying to build the whole app overnight, I focused on laying one brick at a time, getting closer to a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that I could show, test, and iterate on. The MVP isn’t about bells and whistles, it’s about traction. Direction. A beginning.

Mindset Matters

I owe part of this mindset shift to the Ice House Entrepreneurship class I’ve been attending. The conversations, the materials, and the videos featuring real entrepreneurs showed me something I hadn’t considered: even the most successful founders didn’t wait until they knew everything to begin. Not to mention the class is run by two Entrepreneurs from the Madison Consulting Firm. 

Hearing their stories reminded me that I don’t need to master every line of code. I need to start, make progress, and know when to ask for help. I’ve still got a long road ahead, but now, I’m walking it.

What I Gained

Besides a basic front page, here’s what I built this weekend:

• A refreshed understanding of Git and GitHub Pages
  
• Hands-on experience with Visual Studio Code
  
• Confidence navigating the command line
  
• A tangible step forward in building my MVP
  
• A stronger, more empowering mindset
  

And let’s not overlook the practical bonus: these technical tools I’m brushing up on look great on a resume, too.