Inspired by her father’s work, she taught herself to build an app

Ayumi overcame challenges in iOS development through her determination, alongside helpful resources that allowed her to publish her first app. Her journey highlights the power of accessible learning and a supportive community for aspiring developers.
Written by

J.C. Yee

Updated on

Oct 31 2024

Table of contents

    Editor’s Note: The CWC Success Story campaign features our students’ diverse and unique journey. Every type of success has a place in this campaign: overcoming initial learning setbacks, landing exciting developer jobs, releasing iOS apps, or simply feeling the joy of learning a new skill. Whatever stories our students have, we all celebrate them here. If you have a story to tell, please share them through this link!

    Ayumi Nuguroho, a Tokyo native with a background in hospitality, faced challenges in learning iOS app development due to the limited availability of comprehensive, beginner-friendly resources in Japanese. She discovered CodeWithChris (CWC) and its engaging, step-by-step video tutorials, which provided her with the essential knowledge and confidence to successfully publish her app, my-bookmarks. Ayumi’s story illustrates the impact of accessible, well-structured content on aspiring developers and emphasizes the importance of determination and community support in achieving personal growth.

    Learn more about her story below and connect with Ayumi on LinkedIn.

    “I always had a passion to create something that help make things easier”

    Ayumi grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and is currently on a working holiday in Australia, where she works part-time and studies coding. Her background extends to the hospitality industry as well as at a computer networking company, where she realized  how pivotal the role of the internet had become in contemporary life.

    In fact, her experience with the company ignited her curiosity about the IT sector, which eventually sparked a desire to take her career in a new direction.

    Motivations and Ambitions

    Ayumi’s father, a systems engineer, played a significant role in fueling her motivation. Growing up, she noticed his ability to instigate meaningful change and support communities through technology, which to this day leaves a lasting impression on her.

    Inspired by his impact and fueled by her innate passion to create solutions that make tasks easier and more efficient, Ayumi set out on a journey to teach herself coding. With no formal background in IT, she gravitated towards online video content, ultimately choosing iOS development at the beginning of 2024 to help with her newfound ambition to create her own app.

    Ayumi with her app, my-bookmarks.

    Ultimately, she aimed to launch a fulfilling career as a developer in Australia, contributing to a vibrant tech community while continuing to carve her path as an innovator.

    Path to Discovery

    When Ayumi began learning iOS development, she encountered several challenges. Despite her enthusiasm, she struggled to find beginner-friendly resources that explained the intricacies of coding and app structure.

    The available content she watched on platforms like YouTube often lacked depth and clarity, making it difficult for Ayumi to develop her own ideas and projects. Additionally, the high cost of formal education in iOS development in Japan posed a significant barrier, forcing her to seek alternative learning options.

    Eventually, Ayumi discovered CodeWithChris (CWC) while searching for comprehensive iOS development tutorials. CWC’s content stood out for its range of videos, manageable video lengths, and detailed explanations. The platform’s step-by-step approach provided Ayumi with a solid foundation in Swift programming and Xcode, making her learning experience more engaging and effective.

    She resonated with the way Chris teaches, as he “delivered calm and clear instructions, often addressing common errors and offering motivational advice”.

    Ayumi added that “his relatable teaching style and the inclusion of cultural references, such as Japanese food and Tokyo, added a personal touch to her learning process.

    At this point, Ayumi already had a grasp of the intricate challenges of learning iOS development, yet she faced each obstacle with enthusiasm. She even found joy and new insights at every stage of her learning journey.

    Ayumi’s App: my-bookmarks

    With the knowledge and skills gained from CWC, Ayumi successfully developed and published her app, my-bookmarks, on the App Store. This innovative app addresses the common problem of book lovers and language learners who often forget new words or phrases.

    Some screenshots of Ayumi’s app, my-bookmarks, where it highlights the bookmarked sections of a book and a sample interaction of how adding a bookmark looks like.

    The app helps its target users by storing, organizing, and searching for their favorite literary sentences. by allowing users to store, organize, and search for their favorite literary sentences.

    Finding what resonates with you most

    Ayumi’s journey serves as an inspiring roadmap for anyone starting out in iOS development. Her first piece of advice is to remain patient and persistent, even when faced with obstacles. Learning a new skill, especially one as complex as app development, requires dedication and time. She emphasizes the importance of finding educational resources that resonate with you personally.

    A screenshot of Ayumi’s workspace on Figma, where she initially designed the user interface for her app, my-bookmarks.

    “Watch the shortest YouTube tutorial you can find and see if it sparks something in you. If you feel even only a 10% spark, then it’s already a good enough sign for you to keep going!”

    Ayumi encourages aspiring developers to embrace the journey rather than rush through it. For those moments when progress feels stagnant and motivation dwindles, Ayumi’s sage advice is to take a pause.

    “If it’s feeling overwhelming or less enjoyable, it’s perfectly okay to step back,” she advises. She finds solace in Chris’s motivational words: “Don’t focus on what we are not able to, focus on what we have done and how much growth we did from the start and now.” Ayumi believes in the power of reflection—highlighting that, while change may seem elusive between day one and day two, observing the shift from day 0 to day 100 reveals significant growth.

    Ayumi also used ChatGPT to generate some ideas for her app’s features and user interface.

    She adds, “In today’s mobile-centric world, imagine the pride in creating something that functions on everyone’s phone.” Embracing the learning curve with patience and optimism can turn challenges into milestones on the path to success.

    Conclusion

    Ayumi’s inspiring story demonstrates the power of accessible, well-structured learning resources in overcoming challenges and achieving personal growth. Through CWC, Ayumi not only developed technical skills but also gained the confidence to transform her ideas into reality. Her success serves as a testament to the importance of persistence and community support in the learning process.

    Looking ahead, Ayumi is excited to continue her development journey and contribute to the tech industry in Australia. She remains a strong advocate for CWC, encouraging others to explore the platform and pursue their own aspirations in iOS development.

    If Ayumi’s story resonates with you, explore the world of iOS development with CodeWithChris. Join our community and start your own coding adventure today!



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