Naomi Thomas is the CEO of ∞edu, and she’s building the future of tech education. Naomi’s journey in tech began at 6 years old when she built her first computer. Today, she’s leveraging gamification, mentorship, and incentives to help students learn tech skills, ∞edu not only captures interest in tech, but more importantly, retains it.
Naomi is on a mission to make a positive impact. Here are three things she's learned along the way.
1. There is so much beauty in the unknown
Oftentimes, we get so caught up in planning and scheduling out every detail of our goals. We then discover that things don’t always play out the way we envisioned them. In most situations, change happens for the better. Give yourself room to evolve in your plans and actually enjoy the process. As high-performing achievers in the startup world, founders tend to give themselves unnecessary deadlines. Structure is good, but remember to live in between. The journey is never linear and always transitioning, so expect the unexpected. There is so much beauty in the unknown. The best is yet to come!
2. Take the leap, and live life on your terms
The most important risk I took was to pursue entrepreneurship full time out of college. I had always dreamed of working for a company like Google when I graduated. Instead, I started a web design company while in school and fell in love with the customer/client experience, creating something out of nothing, and setting the foundation for my company with a blank canvas. But it didn’t happen overnight. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and I was up for the challenge. Becoming a founder was the best decision I’ve ever made. Entrepreneurship gives you permission to live life on your terms. There is no blueprint. You are the guiding light- which is simultaneously a blessing and a curse.
3. If you have dreams and the desire to achieve them, don’t let anyone or anything stop you
I have gotten lost many times, forcing myself to redirect toward my north star and dig deep into my purpose. I made many mistakes and what I learned from them molded me in every way that it needed to. I have no regrets jumping into the real world right away with no boss or structure. My clients were my bosses and delivering high quality services was my number one focus. I now have the autonomy to design the life I love, see friends and family more often, and most importantly make an impact in the world. If you have dreams and the desire to achieve them, don’t let anyone or anything stop you.
Naomi Thomas
Naomi Thomas is the CEO of ∞edu, and she’s building the future of tech education. Her career began when she participated in Computer Science Institutes at UC Berkeley and UVA in high school and worked with Google for a year in college. Her background in computer science and business management has enabled her to develop and be a part of several different technology-driven initiatives ranging from hosting STEM workshops for K-12 students to product managing mobile/web app development projects for startups. She is extremely passionate about using her voice as a guide to help encourage other young women to pursue careers in STEM.