The Future Built by Women

2LEGO and GEMS

AS A PARENT, I adore LEGO kits and curated STEM and craft boxes. Granted, my patience may fray as my kids argue over who gets to place which LEGO brick on top of the other, but ultimately, I revel in the way everything coalesces. The designers of LEGO packages are sheer geniuses—it's astonishing how each piece fits perfectly to create a dinosaur, an airplane, or even a Harry Potter castle. LEGO bricks remind me of another passion of mine—Ruby Gems. Yes, I'm comparing LEGO to a programming language, but as a mother and a programmer, allow me this delightful indulgence.

LEGO's magic resides in how individual bricks work together to conjure up something extraordinary. Alone, they might not appear exceptional, but combined, they manifest an impressive creation. This insight led me to devise my GEMS framework, an acronym for grit, education, mindset, and support. It's been the backbone of my success and the bedrock for this book.

Embarking on my programming journey later in life than most, I knew I needed every available tool at my disposal, and this is where Ruby GEMS came in. Ruby GEMS are akin to prebuilt LEGO parts—they're crafted by someone else, but you can use them to construct your program. They're a godsend for programmers, saving precious time and effort, enabling them to focus on what makes their applications distinctive. Reflecting on my trajectory to selling my company, Allobee, I acknowledge that the GEMS framework was instrumental in my success.

As ...