Sometimes I wonder how I’ve come so far in tech, reaching a leadership position despite being introverted. I’ve spoken at numerous tech conferences, addressing audiences ranging from beginners to seasoned professionals—sometimes over fifty people strong. From the very beginning, I knew I had to embrace every opportunity that came my way.
So, have a seat, and let’s dive deeper into my journey as someone who took the long, winding road into tech.
Oh—how rude of me! We’ve been chatting for a while, and I haven’t properly introduced myself. People know me as Élio Muculo, a tech enthusiast captivated by how technology can shape lives and solve invisible problems. Watching my work being used—seeing that moment of impact and feeling a quiet pride—that’s my superpower. That’s how I become a superhero in this world.
Now that you know who I am, let me take you back to where it all started. My relationship with technology didn’t begin in a classroom or through a structured program. It started with curiosity—and a lot of trial and error.
It was just a basic laptop, and I didn’t own it—I could only use it for a few hours at a time. I’d type long lines of colorful code without understanding most of it, but always driven by a feeling that this was exactly what excited me. While many of my peers were out socializing and getting to know girls, I found peace in machines. I understood them. I could make them behave and adapt to the calm, ideal world I wanted to create. (Truth is—I was never really good with girls anyway, haha.)
The turning point came in my final year of secondary school. I participated in the second edition of our school’s science fair—and if my memory serves me right, we placed second. Our ICT teacher challenged us to build a website for the school. I was thrilled—this was my moment to finally show what I had been working on alone in my room. By then, I already had basic knowledge of HTML and CSS. I could speak the language of computers naturally. The website was built using drag-and-drop tools, but that didn’t matter. Seeing something I created come to life—even if only for a few hours—was magical. After that experience, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life: strengthen my bond with technology.
I tried to get into a computer engineering program but didn’t succeed. Instead, I enrolled in a technical programming course—which ended up being the solid foundation for the person I am today. The course was incredible. I simply put into practice what I had already taught myself. One excellent grade followed another, giving me a competitive edge once I reached university, since I already spoke the language of machines with real passion.
This phase marked the beginning of an incredible journey. I met brilliant minds, connected with amazing people, and soon my relationship with computers began generating income through freelance work. My first real solution? A website for a congregation. Watching that system in use was surreal—and a proud moment. After three years of working alone at my desk, I could finally say: I was starting to make an impact.
From that point on, there was no turning back—only moving forward, exploring, trying, and connecting with the world. I joined communities that not only shaped me but also introduced me to incredible people who opened doors in my career. It was through these communities that I was challenged to give my first public talk—something huge for an introvert like me. To my surprise, the feedback was very positive. I found my place. I discovered that I genuinely love sharing what I learn—and these communities were the perfect stage for that.
I didn’t take long to be noticed as an outlier. My first career opportunity came during my second year at university. It was time to find out whether this was truly what I wanted—or just emotion.
Thankfully, I was embraced by great colleagues and an excellent boss who gave me a chance when I knew almost nothing.
I overcame the doubts in my own mind about whether I deserved that position. And by the time I started feeling comfortable, I was already growing and improving at an incredible pace.
Through all these experiences, I’ve learned that consistency beats talent, curiosity opens doors, and humility keeps you grounded.
Now, I focus on empowering others through tech—mentoring on the fields I’m specialits on, speaking, and building solutions that matter to real people.
If you’re just starting out and feel out of place in tech, know this: there’s room for you too. Sometimes, the unconventional path leads to the most meaningful destinations.
Sometimes, we just need to sit down, look around, and appreciate how far we’ve come—before we start complaining again.
Props to my superheroes of tech: Ray Molide, Igor Sambo, Emidio, Alberto Azinar, Ivan Bila, Rosario P. Fernandes, and Dr. Inacio Ticongolo (a well-deserved mention for my teacher).
And to my first client, and everyone who contributes to making this tech ecosystem a place of growth, collaboration, and well-being—thank you.