It started with someone else's mistake. Watching a maintainer accidentally force-push to a contributor's branch during a live Twitch stream showed me something unexpected: even experienced open source maintainers aren't perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. That moment of vulnerability made open source feel approachable for the first time, and inspired me to make my first contribution. It was a small step that would unexpectedly reshape my entire career trajectory, taking me from curious observer to OSPO team member to OpenFeature maintainer and CNCF Ambassador.

But this isn't a fairy tale of overnight success. Along the way, I learned hard lessons about online and offline communication, faced obstacles including travel restrictions, and discovered that getting started is often the hardest part. What made the difference wasn't avoiding mistakes—it was finding welcoming communities across Java, cloud native, and beyond that helped me grow through them.

Join me for a candid look at an open source journey, where preparation met opportunity, mistakes became learning moments, and community made all the difference. Whether you're considering your first contribution or wondering if open source is worth the investment, this talk will show you why engaging with these communities - despite the challenges - can open doors you never expected.