Building your own personal projects is fantastic. Building something that meaningfully helps people across the world? I don't know that feeling, but maybe one day I might! This talk follows my journey from building personal projects, to now building my first open-source library, and the many discoveries I've made along the way. Like how 'open source' isn't just one thing, but a strategic landscape of licensing and business models. Or how the motivations behind open source contributors are more complex than you might think. And finally, how launching an open source library is like launching a start-up. Whether you're building personal projects wondering if they could help others, considering your first open source contribution, or curious about the strategic thinking behind the tools you use every day, you'll leave with a clearer understanding of how to navigate the open source ecosystem - and maybe inspiration for your own journey from personal projects to projects that matter to others.