I wrote my first line of code when I was 14. In 2005, I launched a download site called netyukle.com — that was my first step into the digital world.

Since then, I’ve been building non-stop. Music sites, gaming hubs, e-magazines — I started and shut down project after project. Some were fun, most were failures. But each one taught me something.

After 18 failed attempts, I finally got it right. Metalheadzone.com was the turning point — a niche metal music site that hit 10 million monthly visits. From that moment on, I never stopped building.

I don’t romanticize the grind. I just kept showing up, kept launching, and let the work speak. Where I am today is the result of every misstep I refused to regret.

• H. Feyyaz Ustaer