My journey into programming began many years ago in Congo, my homeland. Inspired by my older brother, who studied mathematics and informatics, I first encountered programming with QBasic on his computer. Starting with simple shapes and drawings, my curiosity about how things worked quickly blossomed into a lifelong passion for creating.

In those early days, having a computer was rare and costly. That limitation sparked my ingenuity—I built mechanical inventions using whatever materials I could find. Every small achievement fueled my passion, pushing me to innovate further. My proudest creation from that era was a simple walking robot powered by a servo motor. Although it could only manage five to ten steps before falling, it was a significant accomplishment that ignited my enthusiasm even more.

Moving to Norway in 2009 opened a world full of possibilities. I began studying Information Technology at NITH (now Kristiania University College), excitedly diving into projects and dreaming of creating the next big thing. However, my early attempts often failed due to limited knowledge about proper software development, maintenance, and scaling.

At university, meeting my friend Bendik introduced me to mobile app development—a new frontier that I found deeply exciting. I enthusiastically explored frameworks and languages like PhoneGap, ActionScript, Native Android, Ionic, React Native, and eventually Flutter, which became my favorite. The tougher the challenge, the more energized and focused I became.

A pivotal moment in my journey came during my studies in Belgium. I met two ambitious students, and together we launched “Bruxelle by Night,” a startup that became one of my most cherished experiences. The project was exhilarating—we constantly engaged with users, integrated their feedback, and tackled new challenges. But over time, the constant repetition of fixing bugs caused by frequent changes wore me down, slowly diminishing my initial excitement.

Today, looking back, I deeply regret leaving “Bruxelle by Night.” At the time, I believed new challenges were the only solution to maintaining my interest. I now understand that my frustration stemmed primarily from the absence of proper automated testing. Each new feature introduced unexpected bugs, creating repetitive and exhausting cycles of fixes. Selling the project felt like losing a dream, and seeing my Belgian friends continue successfully without me only reinforced my regret. Today, I recognize clearly that the right testing strategies could have prevented many frustrations, preserving my passion and possibly altering the project’s outcome.

Upon returning to Norway and completing my bachelor’s degree, I continued exploring entrepreneurial opportunities, including co-founding VIPICASH in 2017—a company specialized in money transfers. This experience was incredibly valuable, teaching me about teamwork, resilience, and mastering essential tools like Git with the help of my friend Janny. Although VIPICASH eventually closed due to regulatory challenges, the lessons learned profoundly shaped my approach to software development.

A consistent challenge in my projects has always been the tedious nature of maintaining and debugging software. Frequent updates introduced new errors, causing user frustration and demotivating the entire team. Over time, I realized the real problem wasn’t the coding itself—it was the absence of effective automated testing practices.

Through these experiences, I learned that automation testing is crucial, not just for technical accuracy but also for sustaining enthusiasm, productivity, and ultimately, project success. It’s easy for startups or MVP-driven projects to overlook testing initially, but these shortcuts eventually lead to severe technical debt. Implementing robust automated testing from the beginning could have saved significant time and effort, allowing more focus on innovation and improvement rather than repetitive bug fixing.

Additionally, I’ve learned that in software development, the IT team often faces blame when things go wrong. To avoid this, prioritizing testing from day one ensures stability, reliability, and a more fulfilling development journey for everyone involved.

In future posts, I’ll explore automation testing techniques, share insights gained from my current role, and discuss how effective testing strategies can elevate both your projects and team dynamics. Stay tuned!