Serendipity —  How I Got Into AI by Accident

Life is funny sometimes. On one hand, you work your butt off towards something your entire life, only for circumstances to take it away. On another, you try to achieve something, but end up getting a completely different outcome that ends up being a greater reward.

This article is about Serendipity, my encounter with it and what I learned from it. As my first blog post, I’m hoping this article will firstly encourage you, and secondly, get you to know me a little bit better.

Serendipity

The Oxford Languages dictionary puts it this way. Serendipity is:

the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

So, it is tied to unexpected and good outcomes. 

The story of Play-Doh’s invention is a classic example of serendipity — an unexpected but fortunate discovery.

Play-Doh?

In the 1930s, a man named Cleo McVicker worked for the Kutol Products Company, a Cincinnati-based manufacturer of soap and wallpaper cleaners. During that time, coal was the prevailing heating source, and its soot would stain walls. To clean these walls, people used a putty-like substance that Kutol produced.

As folks adopted natural gas heating, coal heating became less common and vinyl wallpaper gained popularity, the demand for wallpaper cleaner plummeted. Kutol Products faced a significant decline in sales and was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Enter Joe McVicker, Cleo’s son. In the early 1950s, Joe discovered that his sister-in-law, a nursery school teacher, had been using the wallpaper cleaner as a modeling clay for her students. She found it easier for the children to mould compared to traditional clay. Recognizing its potential as a children’s toy, she suggested adding some colour to the cleaner and marketing it for this new purpose.

Joe took her advice seriously. He worked on improving the formula, making it more suitable for children by removing the detergent component and adding a non-toxic colouring agent. In 1956, the newly formulated compound was rebranded as “Play-Doh.”

Fast-forward the marketing and product ideation process, the product became an instant hit, and what began as a struggling wallpaper cleaner turned into one of the most beloved and enduring children’s toys.

The McVickers’ serendipitous transformed their company’s fortunes and created an iconic brand that continues to delight children worldwide. By 1958, it’s estimated that Play-Doh’s sales reached over $3 million — the equivalent of almost $33 million today…not bad. Not bad at all, Joe.

I remember reading this story a few years back and it instantaneously struck me: my career is the Play-Doh story.

My Encounter with Serendipity

Prelude

As a student, I never excelled at one subject. Sure, I did well across (my immigrant parents were thrilled about that) but I never felt a calling. You know, the type where you get excited about and just feel an unexplainable pull toward?

That was up until I reached CEGEP (a transitional 2-year degree before going to University in Quebec) and sat through my first economics class: Macro Economics. It involved explaining the arcane using logic, math, market movements, and human behaviour…it just clicked right away. I jumped at the opportunity of taking all the econ classes that CEGEP had to offer.

When university registration season came around, I did not possess the math prerequisites. Under normal circumstances, I would have acquired them, but a very unfortunate childhood trauma made me believe I wasn’t a “smart math kid”. I’ll write about this in another article. In any case, I enrolled in a bachelor’s in international studies — a multi-disciplinary program (law, economics, political science and history) that allows you to major in one of them. I naturally majored in economics.

As the end of the program drew nearer, I started, once again, researching what I’d like to do. In my mind, a master’s in economics was where I was going. However, those pesky math prerequisites caught up to me: if I wanted into the program, there was no way around it. So off to summer school, I went…and I loved every second of it.

To my great surprise, Linear Algebra, and Calculus I and II were my vibe. I vividly recall the excitement the professors brought into the subject they were teaching. It was difficult not to catch their enthusiasm. But beyond their enthusiasm, I faced and conquered a self-esteem fear that weighed on my shoulders since grade nine: I WAS that smart math kid.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not claiming to be a genius, and those courses are not advanced when compared to engineering and mathematics degrees. My younger brother was the math genius of the family: barely studying and acing his exams, while I tarried countless hours to have a grasp of the same concepts, and hopefully get the same results he did.

To me, passing these courses proved that I loved being around numbers, even though it meant hustling. Hard.

Little did I know that I was about to embark on a journey that would bring me pain, but so much joy and fulfilment.

How it all unfolded

I remember sitting on the final Calculus I exam bench and answering an optimization-type question. It involved a rectangle, Suzan building a fence, costs and proposing the optimal fence positioning to minimize the cost of building.

When I solved this problem, I remember thinking to myself “This is so much fun. Imagine solving puzzles all day and being paid for it”.

Well, once I (finally) finished all the math prerequisites, I remember Googling for master’s degrees. At one point, I searched for “Optimization” and up popped a degree in Business Analytics (Data Science). I intently read the description and course outlines and…my heart skipped a beat. This sounded so cool. I immediately applied and asked my teachers to write me letters of recommendation, which they graciously did.

You might pause and ask: why didn’t I go for a Master of Economics? Wasn’t it the whole point of doing the math courses in the first place?

Yes, twas.

What I liked about the course descriptions is they sounded mathematically grounded and involved giving a lot more support for predictions than what I have seen in my previous economics courses. Also, the breadth of problems was so interesting: time-series forecasting, optimization, building complex algorithms, etc.

I was accepted into the program but truly did not understand the wall I was about to hit.

The wake-up call

Day 1. Time-series analysis. The professor reveals the curriculum and casually mentions: “This is a master’s degree-level statistics class. I don’t teach a programming course. I expect all of you to know how to code. You will be graded on coding assignments throughout the semester”.

What a freak-out moment that was. I had never coded in my life. I don’t know what a “for” loop is. Compiler what?

And this wasn’t a one-time occurrence: Java code for CPLEX and “you should know how to write an objective function and constraints for a problem” during optimization class was another notable one.

All this to say, I stepped into a world I had no business stepping into (or so I thought). In my mind, it was going to be a fun experience learning about methods of solving problems using math. It was exactly that but on steroids.

I will talk about the challenges faced, the mental stamina and adaptability strategies that were required of me, as someone who didn’t know what AI was and had never coded in his life…and how you can overcome similar obstacles too.

Needless to say, I cannot be happier than where I am today. I went from being a teenager without a calling, to a young adult gunning for an economics degree, to a young professional with a master’s in data science to a senior expert in the field of cloud and AI.

I am now thriving and passionate about this fast-paced environment and wake up excited to solve difficult problems every day, just like my mathematics teachers did just a few years ago. I am paid to solve problems.

From my experience, I’d like to highlight a few key observations I hope will help you on your journey as well:

Lessons Learned

Don’t Stress About Time.

Many interns I hire or young professionals I mentor go through this panic moment. They are worried that they are “behind” other peers, need to get their act together and fill their schedule with 5 or 6 university courses each semester. Or else they’ll be too old by the time they graduate, the AI ranks will be filled, and employers will think they don’t hustle, because…[fill in the blank].

Taking more time to dedicate your attention to a subject and allowing time to take its course is never a bad option. If you thrive in the 5–6 course schedule: go for it. But just because others do it doesn’t mean you are less than or will be penalized for it. This is a myth.

For reference, I entered the AI workforce at 26 and graduated with good grades but I also have perspective through:

• – My multi-disciplinary background (broader knowledge about markets, human behaviour, political arena, laws, etc.)
• – Travelling to central and eastern Europe during a student exchange in Poland. I worked there and met people who are now part of my professional network.
• – Allowing serendipity to happen.

Believe it or not, this perspective made me the person I am today and my ability to help companies make use of AI unique.

Let the Process Guide You.

For some, the calling is clear. For others, such as me, it takes time. I’d encourage you to broaden your horizon and accept new opportunities that come your way; especially if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.

To keep with the illustration, you must be like Play-Doh and have the ability to be moulded and facetted into what is required…and what is required is solely defined by you and your aspirations.

Don’t Define Yourself Through Others.

My humorous and direct high-school ethics teacher once told us: “Grow up and take control of the wheels of your life”. Be inspired by those who are better, but never underestimate what you bring to the table. Your path is unique and no one else can walk it but you.

Your Attitude Matters.

In this article chock-full of advice I’ve received throughout the year, this must be the most impactful one. When I started my first post-graduate math class in Linear Algebra, the wise 70+ year-old professor explained in a frail voice:

“I know the subject might be challenging at times but try to address each problem with a smile. You’ll see…you will begin to enjoy solving them”.

What a powerful statement. If you can retain one thing from this article, it’s this.

Life will throw all kinds of things at you. You can either complain about it or solve the issue with a smile.

Who knew a kid’s toy would pull a company out of the grip of inevitable bankruptcy? It simply required someone with an open mind, ready to solve what came their way.