A what? Yes, a webecologist. I study the online ecosystem.
Nah, just kidding. Sort of. I have a master’s degree in Ecology and Evolution, but my occupation is web designer. I build and design WordPress websites for small businesses. There is not really a relation between my job and my studies. What they have in common is that I both like them a lot. I loved studying biology. Very day you learned something new about life, the world and how things work. It was fascinating. It turned out I really liked to learn things, but not really liked to do research to find new things to learn. Research to me is very repetitive lab work, progress is in baby steps and you will end up knowing a great deal about a tiny subject. On top of that career progress in Evolution science is strictly regulated; there is a clear path involving long hours, many job and country switches and eventually ending in a job as a professor. Or dropping out of the race at some point. That was not what I wanted. And a job in a corporation? You are kidding me! It’s 2011, crisis and I studied Ecology & Evolution!
I already knew how to make WordPress websites because I enjoyed making them about my hobbies. Then I expanded that to making websites for businesses around me. So even before I finished my master’s I had the idea to start my own business in making websites. Of course it could fail, but hey, I was 22 years old and already finished studying. I had some time to waste. And the possibility that I could have my own business, determine my own working hours and work from home was really appealing.
And it turns out it’s great. My business is going strong since 2011 and has been growing every year since. I can support myself. I can determine my own working hours. I have learned a lot about websites and about business. I feel great. The only thing I miss is science. Hence this website.
I think there are many parallels between evolution, websites and business.