Em

Why I build

“I’m Em, the person behind TheCozyDev. I didn’t grow up thinking I’d become a developer. I didn’t study computer science, I don’t come from a traditional tech background, and for a long time building software felt like something other people knew how to do. I work a normal 9–5, and somewhere along the way I became completely fascinated by the idea that I could create the things that existed in my head. I’ve always had ideas. Usually oddly specific ones. 😂 Little problems I notice in everyday life. Things I wish worked differently. Moments where I catch myself thinking, “Why doesn’t something like this exist?” For years, that would have been the end of it. Now I can actually try to build them. And I think that’s incredible. Most of what I know has been learned by doing. Trying something, breaking it, figuring out why I broke it, fixing it and then inevitably finding something completely new that I don’t understand. I’m still learning every day. I actually hope that never changes. TheCozyDev grew from that journey, but “cozy” means something quite specific to me. It isn’t just an aesthetic. Yes, I love warm colours, soft lighting, coffee, comfy spaces and making things look beautiful. But cozy software, to me, is about how technology makes you feel. So much of the internet is fighting for our attention. Notifications. Streaks. Infinite feeds. Urgency. Numbers. Engagement. Constant reminders that there’s something else we should be doing. I want to explore the opposite. Technology that feels calm. Software that respects your attention instead of trying to own it. Things that are useful without demanding that you build your life around them. I also don’t believe everything we create needs to become a startup. Not every idea needs a monetisation strategy, an MRR target or a pitch deck before we’re allowed to make it. Sometimes “I wish this existed” is enough. I think lowering the barrier to building gives more people permission to experiment, and I love that. I want a weirder, more personal internet again. One filled with things people made because they cared about them. Of course, I have a huge dream for TheCozyDev. I’d love for this little thing I work on around my 9–5 to eventually become what I get to wake up and do every day. But I never want chasing that dream to turn building into something I no longer enjoy. I want to stay curious. I want to obsess over tiny details. I want to build things that have personality. I want to ship things before I feel completely ready. I want to talk openly about the bits that go wrong as well as the bits that work. And most importantly, I want to keep making things that feel like they were created by an actual human being who cared. I’m not an expert. I’m just someone who realised I didn’t need permission to start. So I did. One idea, one mistake, one commit and an unreasonable amount of coffee at a time. ☕️💻