I actually started with a software called "Monzoom 3d / Pro" from Oberland Computer. That was a small company which I found a software package in a department store from when I was 14 or something like that. (roundabout 1998)
A couple of years later they went bankrupt and gave out a small broschure for reasonable priced 3d software alternatives to their customers with some smaller deals in there.
(it still is available here for free download nowadays, but of cause very old today: https://www.geoxis.de/monzoom/downloads.htm)
There was a deal for Maxon's Cinema4d "light" and a couple of other software... one was Martin Hash's Animation:Master which I especially liked because most other software back then was not aimed at character animation which Monzoom lagged too, while A:M was pretty much focused on that. And that is how I came to A:M.
Later I used 3ds and XSI (at work) too, but nothing came close to the ease of use of A:M and so I stayed.
I created a couple of animations for work (because they saw how fast I could create stuff with it ;)), in my studies and my diplom thesis and of cause a lot of different smaller and bigger work for fun.
Best regards
*Fuchur*