What does it take to build an international career in tech when English isn’t your first language?
In a recent episode of The Non-Native Leader, hosted by Daniele Ponzo — Technical English teacher for leaders and IT professionals — our founder Sofia Vicedomini shared her journey from a curious child in Rome to software engineer, CTO, international consultant, and founder of her own consultancy.
This conversation goes far beyond language. It explores focus, resilience, neurodivergence, international mobility, and what truly makes software valuable.
Where It All Began: Windows 95 and Curiosity
Sofia’s first computer ran Windows 95.
Her first game? Prince of Persia.
What began as play quickly turned into experimentation. On Windows XP, she started learning Fortran, Visual Basic, and Turbo Pascal — not because she had to, but because she was bored.
And boredom, as she explains in the interview, is not a problem.
“Boredom is the key to creation.”
While playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, she began writing multiplayer plugins using Pawn, a C-like scripting language. She wasn’t just consuming technology — she was modifying it.
That mindset — understand the system, then improve it — remains central to how we approach software today.
Neurodivergence and the Logic of Code
Diagnosed as autistic and ADHD only two years ago, Sofia reflects on how computers offered clarity during a childhood that often felt misunderstood.
Code was predictable.
Logic was binary.
Problems were solvable.
That early refuge became a professional strength.
From building bootable USB tools to reverse-engineering legacy enterprise systems, the pattern has always been the same:
Identify the pain point
Deconstruct the system
Build a structured solution
Deliver impact
From Rome to Scotland: Building an International Career
After studying software engineering in Rome, Sofia entered consultancy early, contributing to national-scale digital identity infrastructure in Italy and later to enterprise projects connected to:
She later became CTO of a funded startup at 22, MyLab Nutrition, developing algorithm-driven supplement personalization.
Seeking broader horizons, she moved to Scotland to join NCTech, a scale-up specializing in 360° LiDAR imaging and supplier to Google.
Scotland felt like home — until geopolitical and social shifts reshaped the environment. Brexit, evolving regulatory landscapes, and increasing public tension influenced her decision to return to Italy.
Across her career, she has lived in Italy, Scotland, and France, working across Europe from Portugal to the Czech Republic — fourteen relocations in total.
International experience, in her view, is not about geography.
It is about adaptability.
Output Over Appearances
In 2023, Sofia transitioned fully into independent consulting, collaborating with companies including:
Her reputation?
“Not always reliable about meetings — but always reliable about output.”
It’s a candid reflection that aligns with a broader philosophy: value creation matters more than performative busyness.
Today, she is formalizing that experience into a structured consultancy & software development company focused on building scalable, secure, and impactful software solutions.
The Advice That Resonated
When Daniele asked what advice she would give to someone seeking an international career, her answer was refreshingly unconventional:
Buy a feature phone.
Disconnect from constant notifications.
Reclaim boredom.
Protect your attention.
“One hour you spend on social media is one hour you do not invoice.”
Attention is capital.
Focus is leverage.
The Core Principle
If there is one idea that defines both Sofia’s journey and our company’s philosophy, it is this:
The key to good software is solving a pain point.
Coding is the tool — not the purpose.
At Vicedomini Softworks, we design solutions around real operational challenges, not around trends. Technology is valuable only when it removes friction, reduces risk, or unlocks growth.
From modding video games in adolescence to architecting enterprise systems across Europe, the principle has never changed — only the scale has.
If you would like to build software that prioritizes clarity, impact, and long-term value, let’s start the conversation.