Mine is more of a step by step story. Worked customer service for internet banking at a major world wide bank. While there, I got into VB 4/ 5. Left that, took a contract job at a medical company doing visual foxpro. Left that for entry sys admin job and web development job. While there, I scored side work from a Canadian designer; did that 7 years on the side while at the day job. Was at the day job for 8 years; now I'm 100% freelance.