I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, but I am all about intentional, directed focus.

As we kick off 2025, I wanted to share what I'm doubling down on this year, both as a software engineer at work and as a creator.

Maybe something here will resonate with where you're headed too.

On the 9-5 side

I'm coming up on one year in my role at Netflix, and I finally feel well rounded.

I have a solid understanding of the different teams/orgs/groups, what they do, and how my team and work fits into the bigger picture.

On the technical side, I know how most things work but more importantly, I know how to get the information I don't know.

Funny enough, it took being on call twice for me to get here.

I know it sounds cliche, but outside of doing the your diligence (training and reading documentation), the best way to onboard is just getting thrown in the fire.

Now that I understand both the business and technical sides, I'm ready to start driving larger-scale projects on my own.

Projects that take multiple quarters, require cross-functional collaboration, and deliver substantial business value.

Those types of projects only show up when you've spent time understanding the business, showing up in org level meetings, and building relationships.

So my main goal is to identify these projects (which I already have a few in mind) and drive them in public.

That means giving status updates, educating teammates, and making sure people understand the work I'm doing and why it matters.

I also want to provide more value to my team by picking up some of the not-so-glamorous work.

Up until now, I've shied away from those tasks mainly because I didn't have enough context to get them done in a reasonable time frame. But this year, I'm intentionally leaning into them.

I also want to follow through on ideas I have to make the team better.

These are operational improvements that will help fix some bottlenecks we've been living with for too long.

On the creator side

I'll continue working on my two main outlets: Beyond The Build podcast and Umacodes.

​Beyond the Build (shameless plug) is a podcast where my co-host and I talk about the non-technical parts of being a software engineer.

This year, we want to bring in more diverse voices to give us different perspectives. Think engineering managers, directors, recruiters, and people you don’t usually hear from.

We’ve already had some great conversations with folks ranging from technical advisors to C-suite executives at Amazon to a digital nomad who has worked in tech in 3 different countries and we just recorded an episode with a seasoned tech recruiter.

The goal is to keep expanding perspectives.

On the Umacodes side, I’m leaning more into conversational videos that tell stories and different view points, plus continuing the technical explainer videos that seem to resonate with you all.

Finally, I’m going all in on The Code Room.

This is something I’ve been building toward for a while, and it’s finally live.

I’m sunsetting my 1:1 coaching programs to focus entirely on growing The Code Room and supporting its members.

That’s where I believe I can create the most impact helping software engineers level up together.

I’ve intentionally kept my goals focused and attainable, something I preach all the time and genuinely believe in. Quality over quantity, always.

I’d love to hear what you’re focusing on this year. Hit reply and let me know, I actually read these.

Talk soon,

Uma

P.S. I’m running a launch sale this week on the CodeRoom: new members get $50 off their subscription for life. That means whatever price you lock in now stays with you for as long as The Code Room exists. See you inside.