Meet Adina: From Childcare To Coding

*One of my earliest coding days, building my first projects with my little sidekick Oli (my first Frenchie) always curled up on my lap. Long hours, lots of learning, and the best company I could’ve asked for.

Dracula might or might not be my ancestor 🧛‍♂️

Hi! My name is Adina Cumpanici, born in Transylvania, Romania, raised in the UK, and currently living in the US.

The First Chapter: Childcare

Many people may not know, but I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a developer. In fact, I started my career chasing a very different passion - working with children. With a degree in Early Childhood Studies and over four years of experience as an early years educator, I learned lessons and skills that still shape the way I work today: communication, creativity, patience, empathy, problem-solving, and the reminder that we all need a bit of play in our lives, no matter how grown up we are.

A Surprising Turn

Eventually, the education industry left me feeling burned out and stuck. Unsure of what came next, my husband suggested something that made me laugh out loud at first - coding. Me? A developer? It sounded far-fetched at the time. I’d grown up in a culture where tech wasn’t exactly seen as a path for women, let alone encouraged.

But the more I reflected and thought about it, the more it made sense. I’m a visual learner, logical thinker, natural problem solver, and detail-oriented to a fault. So I gave it a try… and quickly FELL IN LOVE with it. I always saw coding as a puzzle in my head and whoever knows me, knows how much I enjoy a good puzzle 🧩.

Learning the Ropes

I started learning through online courses and building small projects, slowly growing in skill and confidence. Then came my first client job, then another, and over time, I built the confidence (and skills) to take on larger clients, agency roles, and more complex work. One of those roles gave me the freedom to dive into design too - developing a solid eye for layout, color, and user experience.

Finding My Niche

But after a while, something was missing. I wanted focus, direction… a niche. Then somewhere along the way, I discovered Shopify and the world of e-commerce. And just like that, it clicked, that was it, what I was looking for and what I decided to specialise in. I really enjoy blending structure with creativity, helping businesses build solid, good-looking storefronts that are also intuitive and easy to use. I get to solve problems, bring ideas to life, and empower founders to grow their businesses online. Most of all, I get to be me.

Where I Am Today

Today, I specialise in front-end development with a focus on e-commerce, specifically Shopify. I don’t label myself as a designer, but I do have an eye for design and the skills to back it up. I like working closely with my clients, staying flexible, and keeping things simple and human.
This career has given me freedom - the kind of freedom I never imagined possible. Freedom to work from anywhere. Freedom to express myself through design and code. Freedom to keep learning, keep building, and keep helping others grow.