Scaling Success with a Shift: Navigating Between Hardware and Software
Switching from hardware to software—or flipping the script from software to hardware—is no small feat.
It’s a bold leap that demands new skills, a fresh mindset, and the grit to tackle unfamiliar challenges.
Whether it’s the allure of faster innovation cycles in software or the tangible impact of building physical tech, these transitions are reshaping careers in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
To dive into the real stories behind these shifts, we asked tech leaders and professionals:
“Have you or someone you know made the jump between hardware and software? What sparked the change, what hurdles did you face, and how did it transform your career?”
In this post, their candid experiences reveal the motivations, struggles, and game-changing lessons that come with crossing the hardware-software divide, offering insights for anyone eyeing a similar pivot.
Read on!
Nikita Sherbina
I personally made the leap from hardware to software about three years ago.
After spending nearly a decade designing embedded systems, I realized that software was becoming the driving force behind innovation in our industry. The switch was driven by my desire to have a broader impact on product development and user experience.
The biggest challenge was shifting my mindset—from focusing on physical components and constraints to thinking in terms of scalable, flexible software solutions. I also had to learn new programming languages and development methodologies quickly.
This transition expanded my skill set and opened up leadership opportunities I hadn’t imagined. It’s shaped my career by giving me a unique perspective that blends hardware practicality with software agility, allowing me to bridge gaps between teams and drive more integrated, customer-focused solutions.
Nikita Sherbina
Co-Founder & CEO, AIScreen
Hristiqn Tomov
I transitioned from software engineering to hardware development after years of building applications that always seemed to hit a wall with device limitations.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I wanted to understand what was really happening at the silicon level. My first project involved designing firmware for a microcontroller, and I quickly discovered how unforgiving hardware timing can be.
Unlike software, where a missed deadline might mean a delayed feature, a timing bug in hardware could lock up the entire system or even damage a component.
One of the biggest technical challenges was debugging. I was used to breakpoints and stack traces, but suddenly I was relying on oscilloscopes and logic analyzers to trace signals and diagnose faults.
I remember spending hours tracking down a race condition that only appeared when the device was under heavy load, something I’d never encountered in pure software.
This move forced me to think about efficiency and constraints in a new way. Every line of code had power and memory implications, and design decisions had to account for physical realities like heat dissipation and signal integrity.
It’s made me much more methodical and detail-oriented, and I now approach software with a deeper appreciation for the hardware it runs on.
Hristiqn Tomov
Software Engineer, Resume Mentor
Georgi Petrov
I made the leap from the hardware sector to software a few years ago, and the transition was both exciting and challenging.
The biggest driver was the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and the chance to be involved in creating scalable, flexible solutions that could reach a global audience. In hardware, the focus was more on physical constraints, manufacturing processes, and logistics, but in software, it was about developing dynamic, adaptable solutions to meet user needs.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was shifting my mindset from thinking in terms of tangible products to focusing on user experience and software architecture. It forced me to learn new skills and adapt quickly.
However, the transition helped me see the bigger picture—how hardware and software are becoming increasingly interconnected.
The experience broadened my perspective and made me more versatile in my approach to problem-solving and innovation. It’s definitely shaped my career in a positive way, giving me a deeper understanding of both worlds.
Georgi Petrov
CMO, Entrepreneur, and Content Creator, AIG MARKETER
Max Shak
Yes, I’ve made the leap—not directly from hardware to software in the traditional sense, but from a background deeply rooted in physical product marketing to building Zapiy, which is firmly planted in the software-as-a-service world. That transition required a complete mindset shift, and it’s one that continues to shape how I lead and grow the company.
Early in my career, I worked closely with brands focused on tangible, physical goods—consumer electronics, wearables, and retail tech. The focus was heavily on physical supply chains, inventory cycles, and unit economics. It was all about manufacturing timelines, shipping logistics, and managing real-world constraints. You learn to think in quarters and build around concrete product release schedules.
When I pivoted into the SaaS space with Zapiy, it was because I saw an opportunity to solve recurring business problems with far more scalability and adaptability than hardware allows. In software, iteration is faster. The user feedback loop is tighter. And distribution is far more efficient when you’re not tied to physical production. But that flexibility also introduces its own challenges—especially around user expectations, speed of innovation, and competition that moves incredibly fast.
The hardest part of the switch was reorienting my operational instincts. In hardware, perfection before release is critical—you can’t afford to “update” a physical product after it ships. In software, you need to move fast, release early, gather feedback, and improve continuously. That demand for agility pushed me to adopt leaner processes and build a culture around testing and learning, rather than getting stuck in long product cycles.
The experience taught me the importance of adaptability. The core business principles stay the same—solve a real problem, understand your customer, build value—but how you deliver that value can differ dramatically between hardware and software. That perspective has been invaluable in scaling Zapiy and helping our clients bridge the gap between traditional business models and digital growth.
So if you’re on the fence about making the leap between hardware and software—either direction—know that the learning curve is real, but so is the growth. It forces you to think differently, lead differently, and ultimately, build with more versatility.
Aamir Qutub
I started my career working as a mechanical engineer in India, designing bus chassis for the automotive giant Tata. Sounds far from AI and software, right? But that’s actually where my journey toward tech began.
One day, my manager handed me a massive stack of printouts with a checklist for quality control—it was all manual, repetitive, and prone to error. I couldn’t help but think, “There has to be a better way.” That small moment lit a spark. I began teaching myself coding at night and, after moving to Australia for my MBA, I transitioned entirely into software, eventually founding my own tech company.
Here’s what I learned from making the leap:
The mindset matters more than the medium—engineering logic helped me become a better problem-solver in software.
Hardware gave me empathy. Software folks often overlook the physical world their innovations must live in.
The biggest hurdle? People doubting your credibility—until you show results.
Jason Hishmeh
“Shifting from software to hardware is like going from playing chess on a touchscreen to carving the pieces by hand—every move suddenly matters a lot more.”
At heart, I’m a software guy — but I got pulled into hardware as we started building IoT products that required more than just clean code. Suddenly, I wasn’t just speculating about architecture diagrams — I was thinking about sensors, chips, and field durability. It was a wake-up call.
In hardware, there is no “we will fix it in the next release.” If something does go wrong, you’re rolling trucks, not pushing updates. That experience has influenced how I build software to this day. It made me disciplined, more intentional. I think more about edge cases, reliability, and perhaps most importantly of all what it actually means to “ship” something. The truth is that it made me a better engineer — and a more reflective leader.
Jason Hishmeh
Co-Founder, Varyence
Amir Husen
While my current role is in legal content, I’ve seen colleagues make the leap from hardware engineering to software development.
A key driver was often the allure of faster development cycles and the perceived broader applicability of software skills in today’s market. Challenges faced included a steep learning curve for new programming paradigms and software development methodologies (like Agile), and sometimes a cultural shift in team dynamics.
However, their hardware background often provided a unique advantage in understanding system-level interactions and performance optimization, shaping their careers by making them more versatile problem-solvers with a holistic view of technology stacks.
Amir Husen
Content Writer, SEO Specialist & Associate, ICS Legal
Sergios Sergiou
I made the leap from hardware to software after several years as a computer repair technician.
While I enjoyed hands-on problem-solving, I became increasingly drawn to the creative and scalable nature of software development. Debugging software felt more abstract than replacing faulty components. But over time, I found satisfaction in building solutions that could reach many users, not just fix one device at a time.
The switch has broadened my career opportunities and taught me to think more systematically.
My hardware background still helps—I understand how systems interact from the ground up, which gives me an edge in debugging and optimization. The transition was challenging, but incredibly rewarding.
Rob Dillan
When I began EVhype, I moved from hardware to software, eager to tie in my interest in electric vehicles and cars as a whole with the burgeoning tech environment.
I had done hardware product development work before, but the way software and data analytics were advancing so much more rapidly in EV was intriguing.
Of course, dealing with gigantic data sets and embedding machine learning algorithms to get better predictions and insights.
This transformation transformed my career by broadening my problem-solving tools and deepening my understanding of software as a lever to streamline operations.
It also forced me to assemble a strong team, capitalizing on the ability of software to scale EV structures in an efficient manner.
Rob Dillan
Founder, EVhype
Jacob Hale
I came from tech. I used to write scripts, clean databases, and automate boring stuff. It worked, but I didn’t feel much.
Then I helped a neighbor close on a messy property deal and saw what impact it looked like. A few months later, I left software and started buying houses full-time.
The shift was rough. Software was clean. Real estate isn’t. People ghost you. Emotions are high. Nothing moves the way you want it to. But I learned to deal with that. I got better at reading people than reading logs. Now I solve problems you can see: roofs, timelines, finances.
And the result is something real, not just a status update. I left software because I wanted work that looked me in the face and didn’t hide behind a screen.
Jacob Hale
Lead Acquisitions Specialist, OKC Property Buyers
On behalf of the Techronicler community of readers, we thank these leaders and experts for taking the time to share valuable insights that stem from years of experience and in-depth expertise in their respective niches.
If you wish to showcase your experience and expertise, participate in industry-leading discussions, and add visibility and impact to your personal brand and business, get in touch with the Techronicler team to feature in our fast-growing publication.
