My Personal Journey to Becoming a Solutions Architect

I never set out to become a Solutions Architect; in fact, for much of my early career, I didn’t even know such a role existed. My journey began like many others, in a more traditional role as a software developer, working on various projects for different companies. It’s only when I look back now that I can connect the dots and see how my seemingly varied experiences led me to where I am today.

After earning my Bachelor's in Computer Science 🎓, I began my career in software development with a multinational consulting company, working on a major project in the banking sector 🏦. Early on, I found myself intrigued by more than just the code; I wanted to understand the broader context and see how all these technical pieces fit together to drive business outcomes. With that curiosity in mind, I pursued an MBA 🧑‍🎓, eager to expand my understanding beyond code. I wasn’t just interested in writing good software anymore; I wanted to know how technology could truly support and drive business success.

Not long after completing my MBA, I joined a startup that was building an HD video and messaging platform based on WebRTC. This was my first real taste of startup life, and it threw me into a world where I had to wear multiple hats. I started as a developer, but in a couple of years, I was making key decisions about our technology stack and the overall architecture of the product. I wasn’t just coding anymore—I was leading teams, setting technical direction, and ensuring that what we built could scale. I didn’t realize it at the time, but these were some of my first steps into the realm of solution architecture. I was solving complex, business-critical problems without fully understanding the role I was stepping into.

From there, my path led to a major e-commerce electronics retailer, where I started again as a software developer. Over time, I took the lead in several frontend projects, working on complex systems that connected various applications to Salesforce. Our goal was to pull data from legacy systems to provide a 360-degree view of the customer within Salesforce. This was a large-scale CRM implementation, and it involved intricate integrations. Through this process, I not only honed my coding skills but also gained a deep understanding of other business applications and processes. I learned the importance of aligning technical solutions with long-term business goals 🏁. It wasn’t enough to just solve today’s problem; we had to think about how these systems would evolve and adapt as the business grew. I worked on projects that had large-scale, multi-year implications, and it was during this time that I began to realize that the decisions I made as a developer were directly influencing the direction of the business. This experience deepened my understanding of how architecture needs to serve both short-term functionality and long-term strategy.

The turning point came when I joined as the Tech Lead for a multi-brand, multi-platform design system for a telecom giant. Unlike the clean-slate projects I had worked on before, this system was already halfway built, but it was riddled with problems and had no real consumers. It was my responsibility to ensure its successful implementation, guide teams in using it effectively, and drive its adoption across different brands and platforms. It was here that I truly started understanding the holistic nature of Solutions Architecture—how different pieces of technology had to fit into a business’s long-term strategy, and how systems needed to be scalable, reliable, and maintainable. This role cemented my path, and about two years ago, I officially embraced the title of Solutions Architect 🏷️. The role wasn’t something I deliberately pursued; rather, it evolved naturally from my background in development and my growing understanding of business strategy. It became clear to me that being a Solutions Architect is more than just solving technical problems—it’s about seeing how technology can drive business value, aligning technical solutions with strategic goals, and helping others see that vision too. Currently, I lead the modernization of the digital self-serve experience for the same telecom company. I oversee the transformation of legacy systems, manage critical customer journeys across 20+ applications, and lead multiple squads. My role involves driving strategic technology decisions, optimizing processes to enhance efficiency, and ensuring the reliability and scalability of the systems to support seamless customer experiences.

Looking back, my journey was a mix of fortunate events, determination, and constant learning. Each project, each challenge brought me closer to this role, even when I wasn’t aware of it. Today, I can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s a role that allows me to leverage both my technical skills and my understanding of business, helping companies navigate the complex landscape of modern technology.

This is my story, but it’s far from over. As technology evolves, so too does the role of a Solutions Architect. Every day brings new opportunities to learn, grow, and innovate 🌱. And I’m exactly where I need to be—at the intersection of technology and business, ready to design the future 🌍.