From career change to 42 Perpignan: our 3-year journey

The starting point: two backgrounds, one desire

Three years ago, we had very different professional paths. Élodie was an Apple technician, repairing iPhones, iPads and other devices. That experience gave her a taste for precision, detail, and a real understanding of how things work. Virginie was a manager in an airport, with a strong inclination for structure, organisation and team management. What brought us together? Curiosity about tech and a desire to understand how things really work, from the inside.

A career change is a leap into the unknown. You leave a field you know to jump into something new. It's both exciting and terrifying, I admit! But it's also a chance to build something that truly feels like us, and that has meaning for us.

42 Perpignan: learning by doing

42 Perpignan was our entry point into the world of development. This school without lectures, without teachers in the traditional sense, taught us one essential thing: you learn by doing. No theory without practice. No concept without implementation. And honestly, that's what we loved from day one!

The first months were intense, I won't lie. Learning to code, understanding algorithms, mastering data structures... it was a lot all at once! But also learning how to learn. Because in tech, technologies constantly evolve. What you learn today can be obsolete in a few years. The real skill is being able to adapt. And we understood that very quickly.

The challenges of a career change

A career change doesn't mean starting from scratch, don't worry! Our previous experiences brought us valuable transferable skills: project management, communication, the ability to work in a team. But we still had to learn how to apply them in a technical context, and that isn't always obvious.

The biggest challenge? Fighting impostor syndrome. When you change fields, you often compare yourself to those who've always been in tech. You tell yourself "I'm not good enough," "I don't deserve my place." You forget that you bring a different perspective, a way of thinking that can be valuable. It's a battle we still fight sometimes, but we're learning to manage it.

From school to agency: building together

After 42, we worked on several projects together. That's when we truly realised our complementarity. Élodie, with her eye for design and her interest in databases. Virginie, with her passion for DevOps, security and architecture. Two different profiles that complement each other perfectly. We complete each other, support each other, and learn from one another every day.

Creating EVie Dev just made sense, truly. After three years of collaboration, we knew our strengths and weaknesses. We knew we could rely on each other, without hesitation. And most of all, we wanted to propose a different approach: "Tech with Sensitivity". Tech that combines technical performance with human sensitivity. Because we believe that tech is good, but tech with a human touch is even better.

What we wish we'd known at the start

• A career change takes time: Don't expect to be an expert in six months. Learning is an ongoing process.
• Your previous experience is an asset: It gives you a unique perspective. Don't ignore it.
• Community is essential: At 42, you also learn from others. We kept that spirit of mutual support in the way we work.
• Failure is part of the process: You don't succeed on the first try. It's through mistakes that you really learn.
• Versatility is a strength: Don't limit yourself to one area. Be curious, explore, test.

Three years later

Today, we're proud of the journey we've made, and let's be honest, it's an incredible feeling! We created an agency that feels like us, with our values and our vision. We keep learning, training and exploring new technologies. Because in tech, learning never stops, and that's what drives us.

If you're in a career change or thinking about making the leap, our advice is: do it. Yes, it's hard and sometimes discouraging, but it's also one of the best decisions you can make. And don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions, doubts, or just want to talk. We'll be happy to share our experience with you, unfiltered.