The Blog That Launched a Life I Didn’t See Coming…

So here we are… I’m in that reflective kind of mood again (standard multitasking moment: staring into space while mentally time-travelling back to 2009). Why? Because I’ve been thinking a lot about where all this started and how much it still matters to me.

Back in 2009, I launched a little tech blog called Girls ‘n’ Gadgets. At the time, it was just something I felt called to do. The tech world wasn’t exactly teeming with women, and it certainly wasn’t built with us in mind! I wanted to change that, even in my own small way. A space for women, by women, where we could talk about tech without being drowned out or talked over. Without needing things in pink or sparkles to feel included (although, for the record, I do love a sparkly phone case).

What I didn’t see coming? How far it would go.

Through that blog, I ended up working with industry giants - Apple, Sony, Panasonic, Microsoft, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo… just to name-drop a few. (Sorry, not sorry.) The opportunities were wild. The events, the people, the gadgets I got to play with before anyone else. I lived and breathed it. And the best part? I met some of the most incredible people, many of whom I’m still lucky to call friends.

I was even named one of Nokia’s Remarkable Women! I was surrounded by other women doing genuinely awe-inspiring things across different industries. Cue full-body impostor syndrome. I remember thinking, Why me? Surely there’s been some mistake. But to be recognised for something that truly lit me up? That was one of the biggest, most meaningful moments of my life. I still carry it with me.

And then… life happened.

I had my son. And for a while, I tried to keep the blog alive… really, I did. But being a new mum, and then later having my stepson come to live with us, shifted everything. I became the textbook definition of “busy mum.” Somewhere between school runs, endless snacks, and keeping everyone alive and vaguely functional, the blog faded into the background.

Eventually, once my little one was off to junior school, I made a career pivot, this time actually into tech. Which felt huge. After all, I’d spent years writing about it; now I was living it.

Here’s the thing though - I left school with no GCSEs. Not because I wasn’t smart, but because we moved countries and life got complicated. And ever since, I’ve felt like I’ve had to prove myself… to everyone! But my husband (wise man, that one!) recently pointed out that maybe I’ve been trying to prove something to myself all along. That I’m not stupid. That I’m good enough. And honestly? He’s probably right.

It’s why professional rejection hits me harder than I care to admit. I don’t just take it personally, I internalise it. I’ve always been the capable one. The hard worker. The fixer. So when people can’t see what I bring to the table, it messes with me.

These days, though? I’m in a job I actually love. It’s absolute chaos and there’s never a dull moment, which is exactly how I like it. I thrive in challenge. If things were easy, I’d get bored and bail. But being in a corner of tech that sometimes gets dismissed? That’s been hard. People around me are getting made redundant. And having been through that twice in the last five years, it’s a very real, very anxiety-inducing fear.

If it happens again, I genuinely don’t know if I’ll bounce back this time. Not because I’m not capable, I know I am, but because trying to get the right people to see that is exhausting. I worry I come across too strong. Too much. Too eager. Like my passion somehow reads as desperation.

God, I really hope not!!!

But despite all that, the worry, the self-doubt, the endless mental overanalysis… I’m here. Reigniting something I’ve loved for a long time.

Last year, I finally gave the blog a much-needed glow-up. I rebranded it from Girls ‘n’ Gadgets to Tech Her Out - because, let’s be honest, both the tech world and I have grown up a bit since 2009.

It’s still about championing women in tech. Still about curiosity, conversation, and a bit of chaos. But now it’s also about navigating this space as a woman, a mum, a wife, a manager, and someone just trying to do the damn thing in a world that doesn’t always make it easy.

I would love to hear from people who resonate with this. Please feel free to send me a message or connect On my socials.

Swanny xx