Layla Porter, a former Pilates teacher and studio owner, had a career change from marketing to software engineering in 2013 after her father's sudden passing. She built a bespoke online booking system for her studio using a custom website and later transitioned into web development. With the help of online resources like FreeCodeCamp and Microsoft Virtual Academy, Porter dedicated herself to learning frontend technologies for eight months while still teaching Pilates full-time. After feeling ready, she applied for junior developer roles and was eventually hired at a local digital agency in 2016. She now serves as a Developer Evangelist at Twilio, where she mentors junior developers, volunteers with women's coding groups, and encourages people to get involved in the .NET community. Porter's journey showcases her perseverance, determination, and passion for learning and sharing knowledge with others.