In this episode of the Power Platform Podcast, Mark and Malin sit down with Microsoft MVP Melissa Hale, a Power Platform developer at Curve whose journey into tech is anything but typical.

Before writing apps and automations, Melissa studied zoology, worked in zoos, researched snake venom, and even spent time counting parasites in a veterinary lab. After a difficult period during her PhD, she decided to completely change direction—jumping into a coding bootcamp and landing her first developer role before the course was even finished.

The conversation covers Melissa’s fascinating career pivot, the realities of breaking into tech without a traditional computer science background, and how curiosity and community helped her build a successful career in the Power Platform ecosystem.

Along the way there are plenty of unexpected stories—from feeding reptiles at the zoo and teaching horseback archery at a Californian summer camp to becoming a Microsoft MVP and speaking at conferences.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to change careers, or how people really find their way into the Power Platform world, this episode proves that the path into tech doesn’t have to be conventional.