Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dana Solitaire. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dana , so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I first encountered imposter syndrome during a Girls Who Code summer program before my senior year of high school. Surrounded by peers more advanced in app and website development, I felt out of place. This sense of inadequacy increased when I began my undergraduate program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where I compared myself to exceptionally talented peers, like one who had created video game mods I enjoyed as a child.
As a freshman, I landed a summer internship at eBay, where I was among the youngest interns. In hindsight, this achievement should have signaled my competence, but imposter syndrome persisted. After taking a leave of absence from RPI to earn an associate’s degree at a local community college, I returned to face the university’s rigorous curriculum. The challenge developed my work ethic, and by the end of my time at RPI, I had been locked in the library a few times. My acceptance into Amazon’s prestigious internship program began to erode my self-doubt. I reasoned that if peers I admired were rejected from a program I joined, I could not be an imposter.
The following summer, I interned at an AI startup and wrote a custom programming language compiler; a feat few software engineers accomplish. This achievement shattered my imposter syndrome. Now, whenever self-doubt creeps in, I tackle a challenging, impressive project to reaffirm my capabilities. Creating something most others cannot ensures I no longer feel like an imposter.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Most days, I wake up, make a cup of tea, open my laptop, and jump into coding. Whether I’m working on a video game or an AI side project, I spend most of my time trying to figure out why my code isn’t doing what it’s supposed to. Trial and error are a huge part of my career, and constant experimentation is just my way of life.
I’ve recently become interested in transitioning from traditional coding to leveraging AI tools in software engineering. What first got me into AI engineering was ChatGPT. After using it, I started looking into how it works. The idea that a computer can read a statement, figure out what it means, and give a relevant answer is really cool. I’m deeply passionate about building AI products that help people spend less time on work and more on what matters.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Integrity, Determination, and Fearlessness are values that have been the most impactful in my journey. Without these values, there were moments in my life when giving up was an option, and I might have chosen it. My advice to people early in their journey is to take risks and work hard when things get tough. Take time to write out your values and commit to embracing them. Always ensure you’re making decisions that align with your values and avoid peer pressure.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
I would devote myself entirely to my non-technical passions. I’ve been a musician and songwriter for over 20 years, so I would start an indie rock band with my friends and release an album. I’ve also been thinking about volunteering at an elephant sanctuary for a few years. I would travel the world, focusing on less-visited countries with beautiful cultures and landscapes. Additionally, I would dive deeper into my photography work and release photobooks from my adventures.
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