STUDENT STORY

From Full-Time Mom to Digital Creator

How Sandra reignited her career—and her confidence—after 17 years away

Meet Sandra Duarte

Storyteller. Late-night learner. Big-hearted dreamer.
Sandra Duarte, 48, is a former advertising professional navigating a return to the job market after nearly two decades dedicated to raising her family. With three kids—one with autism—and a deep love for communication, Sandra joined the NoCode program looking to prove something to herself: that it wasn’t too late to start again.
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“It was really worth it. I took a risk—and I left my comfort zone behind. I delivered my project. I overcame the fear. That’s something no one can take from me.”

Sandra Duarte
Student from Descodifica-te #3, 2025

The Challenge

Life took Sandra off the professional path for a while.

She’d been out of the industry since her early 30s, staying connected through the occasional freelance project and a recent refresher course in marketing. But tech had moved on—and fast.

She wanted to catch up, contribute, and reconnect with her creative side.
But self-doubt lingered.

“I punished myself for doing something that had nothing to do with the house.”

The Transformation

Sandra started small—just like she was told. A scooter before a car. A page before a platform.
She relearned digital tools, discovered new ones like Softr and Airtable, and created real solutions for real clients. Her favorite? A resource hub for books about autism.
She stayed up late, sometimes submitting projects at 11:59 PM, wrestling not just with tech, but with confidence.
But something shifted.

“At first, I didn’t believe I could do it. But I did it. It wasn’t perfect. But it was done.”

She now sees no-code as a tool to connect people—especially those who feel left behind in a digital world that moves too fast.And she sees herself differently, too.

Behind the scenes

Favourite tool

Softr (with Airtable integration)

Favourite mission

Autism & Education book database

Biggest challenge

Believing she could actually finish

Most valuable learning

Done is better than perfect.

What’s next for Sandra?

She’s excited to build landing pages that say more with less—and bring clarity to chaotic online spaces.

She’s also exploring training roles, hoping to share what she’s learned with others just starting out.

Project Highlight

In the final stage of the Cohorts, students have the opportunity to create a Capstone Project to showcase what they have learned across the journey. They have the liberty to use whichever tool they want or even explore new ones, promoting their critical thinking and proactivity. Always with the support of our Mentors.

Project name: Ioga para Crianças

Mission: Share the benefits of kids’ yoga in one easy-to-navigate page

Tools: Typedream, Airtable

Results: A long-time idea finally brought to life—clear, warm, and functional

Project Features
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Think it’s too late to try?

Sandra’s story is a quiet kind of courage—the kind that builds at midnight, that rises between family priorities, and that whispers, “Try again.” If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to reinvent yourself… it’s not.

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