Oops! Tech Giants Make Mistakes Too
On why mistakes don’t define you.
The one singular tweet that changed everything.
Okay, maybe “changed everything” is a bit (or most probably, a lot) of an overreach, but I’m guessing all of us or at least a lot of us, can remember this tweet and the circumstances that surrounded it. And for those who don’t, I will jog your memory.
It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and we were all going on with our lives as usual, probably working like I was or binging a favorite show or whatever it is you do on a Saturday afternoon. We opened our WhatsApp to try sending a message when we realized that messages were not sending or getting delivered. If you are anything like me, you probably spent some minutes wondering whether it was MTN showing their claws again. But alas, on opening other applications, you find out that, for once, it wasn’t MTN being a pain. The near-impossible had happened. WhatsApp was down.
And not just WhatsApp, but the entire Meta (or Facebook- as it was still called at the time) universe was down.
Don’t worry. We will not be delving into the engineering mishaps that caused this downtime.
I remember being perplexed by the whole situation. How could Facebook be down? I had viewed Facebook as this on-its-own league, imperious app. The ninth wonder of the world, if I may.
But even as close to perfection as the app is and as brilliant as its engineers are, they still make mistakes. And that is the message I am trying to convey today.
And oh, by the way, if you were wondering how the tweet at the start relates, it’s because Twitter (or should I say their marketing team?) saw an opportunity and seized it. That tweet became one of their best-performing tweets of all time. Because, I mean, it was literally everyone on Twitter that day. There are tens of lessons we could drive from this tweet, but that is not the focus for today. Tell me if you would like me to delve more by dropping a comment on this letter, and I will create something special for you on this topic.
But back to our discussion, this incident made me see just how mistakes are unavoidable, and no matter how hard you try, you are bound to make mistakes at various points in not just your life but also your career.
I remember when I just started my coding journey, I was hard on myself. I didn’t allow room for mistakes. I would spend minutes berating myself for any mistake. Why couldn’t I remember this concept? Why did I spend hours hard-fixed on an approach when there was a simpler and better one? And many other ways I could find to criticize myself.
That incident made me sit back and reflect. It is okay to make mistakes. I mean, if a tech giant with billions of dollars and thousands of brilliant employees at its disposal could make mistakes, what’s to say that I, a small girl from Ibadan, Nigeria, am not allowed to make mistakes?
This is your sign today to let yourself have the grace to make mistakes. Mistakes don’t break us, they build us. As humans, our social construct is to make mistakes.
As you take more steps in your career today, remember to make it easy for you, breathe, and give space for mistakes. Is it a success story if there aren’t a couple of mistakes or mishaps along the way?
Leaving you today with some incredibly hilarious memes that we got from the incident.
Enjoying this so far?
WHAT’S GOING ON AT ECX…
For our Unilag subscribers, welcome to Week 4 of the new session. We hope you're ready for this next part of your journey of knowledge, growth, and adventures. Stay tuned for engaging events and insightful resources that ECX has prepared for you.
Now, let's dive into the latest buzz:
ECX MERCHANDISE
ECX 4.0’s merch is just around the corner. Anticipate our epic merch designs that were made with just your needs in mind. We are keeping the details under wraps for now, but here is a little secret: it’s not just about merchandise. It’s about a revolution in how you perceive and experience it.
Stay in touch with subsequent newsletters for the official announcement. In the meantime, consider this your fashion-forward mission and whip out those budgeting skills because when ECX 4.0 merch hits the scene, you will want to be prepared to make these must-haves yours!
ECX TRAINING
We have successfully had two physical classes over the last two weeks. If you had signed up for this, we do hope that you took the necessary steps to make yourself available for all classes, prepared your mind to learn, and plan on staying consistent.
Embark on a journey through the dynamic landscapes of technology, engage with your fellow enthusiasts, and forge enduring connections. A multitude of enriching activities and networking prospects await your participation.
Moreover, this platform serves as a stage for us to joyously acknowledge the remarkable team responsible for orchestrating every facet of this training program. Join us in celebrating the collective effort that brought this extraordinary learning experience to life once again.
Opportunity Knocks—Who's Hiring?
If you’re looking for where to send that resume you spent all weekend polishing and shining, we’ve got you!
Here’s a short list of who’s hiring:
Turing is hiring a Mobile Developer
Tezza Business Solutions LLC is hiring a Front-end Developer Intern
Kora is hiring a Data Engineer
Gomoney is hiring a Data Analyst
Turing is hiring a Back-End Engineer
LearnlyApp Edtech is hiring a Flutter Mobile App Developer
Upcoming Tech Events in November
Techies, assemble! November is a busy month to meet, connect, and network.
Mark your calendars for this upcoming tech events:
NITDA CO-CREATE Africa Tech Exhibition 2023 is a 2-day event starting on the 28th of February, bringing together top technology key players, investors, innovations, and innovators. Register here.
Tech Unite Africa is a conference, exhibition, and networking platform for the African Tech industry. The event will feature many speakers – veterans, and trailblazers in the tech sector who will share ideas and provide mentorship for upcoming tech start-ups. Register here.
DevFest Lagos 2023 is a 2-day event starting on the 24th of November. It is an annual technology conference that brings together developers, technology enthusiasts, and industry experts from Lagos and beyond. Register here.
Advertise With Us
Interested in becoming a sponsor or partner? Not only do we reach thousands of subscribers by means of this newsletter and our social media, but we also appeal vastly to a community of students across Nigeria who are interested in the tech space.
Reach out to us via mail to check out our detailed proposal. We look forward to partnering with you.
Connect With Us
We trust that you really do not want to miss out on the amazing opportunities and offers from ECX. Hence, we encourage you to follow and stay engaged with our channels on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter X.
If you’d love to pass across any feedback on our newsletter, kindly leave a comment or reach out to us via email. We would love to hear from you.
Here’s a little bit of programming humor before you go;
Did you enjoy reading this? Don’t be stingy; share with friends who could benefit from it.
With Love,
ECX 💙💛❤️
Mistakes really don't define
Interesting.