Interview: Young Web Developer

Joshua Paylaga
23 years old
Chief Technical Officer and Co-founder of Cazoomi

Around September last year, I got to meet a set of new friends because. We were just in a karaoke bar singing while some of them are drinking hard liquor for fun. Of course I do not drink whenever I am outside of my own comfort zone.

Some of these guys that I made friends with are IT experts. Anyway, few weeks after, I got to meet Joshua Paylaga who happens to be an IT expert as well. It was his 23rd birthday so he invited us all to celebrate with him in a restaurant near our house.

I only know few things about him at that time based on what he and his friends disclosed to me. He is a young web developer who earns more than what he needs. He has a girlfriend and they are in long distance relationship. We seldom talk only because I think his girlfriend has access to his account and is very doubtful about my friend Joshua. He ia just a quiet but a nice guy as well.

Last week we exchanged text messages about work, politics, and whatever we could think of to kill time (while he is busy working at 1am and while I try to make myself sleep). I asked him if whether or not I could interview him for a book. By the way this is all strated when my friend Angelo asked me to help him out for their fund-raising as a contributor and editor. Angelo is working in a nongovernmental organization and part of his fund-raising event for a public school is to sell motivatonal book. So you see, I asked Joshua to help me contribute his story as well.

Finally, after few attempts I got to meet Joshua and interview him. Here is how the interview went. (He was speaking in Bisaya and English at the same time, so for the sake of non-Bisaya speakers I am going to translate the conversation for them).

Me: The journey towards success starts from your passion to do something, right? Joshua, is it alright if you share it to me how your passion in web-developing started?

Joshua: My love for technology started when I was still in high school (Lourdes College High School). I was so into it that my guardian (my auntie and the rest of my family) thought that I am a person who has no intention to grow. I really had no time for other stuff. At that time, due to circumstances, I failed at school. Because of what happened to me, the perception of my auntie worsened. They thought of me as a drug addict and relies on my friends alone. They even that I would not succeed in life and become a vendor in a public market. Somehow, they thought that i should somehow need to overcome and become someone better in the eyes of people.

But you know what, I had foresee that the IT industry would boom in the near future. The demand in IT industry is really high but only few are excelling on that field. It is highly technical to the point it is either your software run or not. There is nothing in between. If you master that craft, you can take any challenges. So you see, my high school life is more like I was preparing myself for my chosen career.

Me: How about when you reached college?

Joshua: I studied at Xavier University for an undergraduate course. I started as a freelance web developer because I honed my skill through the years of practice. I earned money from that as well. I do not want to depend myself from anyone. My family and I had a misunderstanding because they thought i am doing nothing in my life. They thought i would also fail in life because my mother is mentally challenged.

At that point of my life, it felt like no other person could understand my point of view because most of the college friends were with their friends, some were focused in their academics. Meanwhile, I was still focused on honing my IT skills. I failed in my minor subjects but excelled on my major subjects.

Me: I understand how you felt at that time, but I am pretty sure you do not feel the same as right now. By the way Joshua, whats in the now? What do you do? Or the things you did before gaining what you have right now?

Joshua: I continued my passion as a programmer in Cebu City knowing that I do not have high marks in my studies. I do not have the support from my guardians because they were worried I was not that capable and equipped. They somehow thought again I would not succeed.

I was alone. My budget was limited and most of the companies fixated on the grades attained at school to the point they overlook my test results in the company. They do not even want me to proceed to tests.

After a month of searching, a company saw my potential. I was able to exhibit my capacity in this chosen field. It was a startup company. When i left, the number of clients increased. The reputation of the company increased as well. Yet, there is no perfect company so I left. I went back again to being a freelancer developer. And now I work in Cazoomi as their COT.

Me: For you what is success?

Joshua: Success is to be able to master your craft and support yourself. It is increasing your potential finacially. Aside from that, you are able to help the organization you are at. And most importantly, it is to help others to become successful -- discipling others to become better.

Me:For you, do you refer yourself as successful?

Joshua: Yes, because i was able to rise on the corporate ladder quickly.

Me: What is one thing in your life you wish to be also successful?

Joshua: In my life today, I have considerable amount of money due to successes I have made. I am one of the leaders in the company. I am able to mentor people who also wants to succeed like me. What I want to have is a value of family. Throughout my life, they disagreed with the decisions i made. I wanted to be closer to them or somehow had been close to them.

Me: Do you consider yourself happy from what you are experiencing?

Joshua: I consider myself happy although there are things that I lack because there is no such thing as perfect life. it is fulfilling for me that I have attained this much.

Me; What do you wish to do for the community?

Joshua: I would like to help educate people more about technology. I want them to know the advantages of technology especially on the business world.

Me: That is kind from you, Josh. What would you like to tell to your 12 year old self?

Joshua:Have a balanced happy life so that you are not stressed out when you grow up.

Me: How do you see yourself 10 yrs from now?

Joshua: Two things: either I would be the CEO on the company and have this company grow bigge, or I would retire early and rely on the businesses I had established because having a life is also important.

Me: For you what is most important principle in life that you abide?

Joshua: Hard work and good planning pays off.

Me: What are the things in life you have regretted?

Joshua: I regretted that during my childhood that I was not close with my family. The value of family has not inculcated that much (in my life).

Me: To the people around you, what is your one message for them?

Joshua: Follow your passion and set your direction.

After the interview, I really learned a lot about him. We can always succeed if we bear in our minds that we can do it. Aside from that, we must prepare ourselves to do more than what is required, because surely hardwork pays off. Some people maybe very lucky that is why they excell, but others work hard for it.

I am amazed with people who excell at school, but I am more amazed with people who are able to touch and change lives.