Last week I parted ways with WeaveUp, the software company I helped build over the past seven years. Joann acquired the company in March of this year and, due to changing priorities at Joann, the team at WeaveUp was recently downsized.
I was the fifth person to join the company, hired as the sole QA on the development team. My job was to build an automated regression suite in Ruby to test the main web application. It was a dream position for me. I had total freedom to build the suite, run tests for the application, and solve problems the way I wanted.
That autonomy continued throughout my career at WeaveUp. I learned what it takes to build a software company from every angle: QA, application development, DevOps and infrastructure, client relations, project management, product design, hiring, and much more. I worked on every codebase in our stack, helped manage our transition to containers and Kubernetes, and came up with UX solutions for some of our most complex user flows. There were opportunities for me to contribute and make an impact at every level of the business.
WeaveUp not only allowed me to grow my skills and develop my career in tech but also to work with and build an incredible team. I was directly involved in hiring every new member of the team over the past few years. That team and the culture we created are a point of pride for me, especially regarding our accomplishments over the past year. We were running fast, making great things, and having fun doing it.
My time at WeaveUp was the best job I’ve ever had, no question about it. I went to work every day excited to build awesome things with awesome people, and we did just that. A special thanks to our president, Flint Davis: you strived to provide an excellent workplace for me and everyone on the team. Thanks for the chance to grow and succeed in my journey through the tech industry.
This kind of transition always comes with challenges. Thanks to everyone for all the love and support, especially my incredible wife, Victoria. I couldn't do any of this without you!
What's Next?
It is nice to have a chance to slow down for a few weeks. I'm fortunate to have this time to recharge before diving into the search for what's next. I can focus on being with friends and family over the holidays, not to mention catching up on my Steam backlog. Maybe even start a blog?
I'm not sure what direction I'll take for the next step in my tech career, but all the options in front of me are exciting. I'm looking forward to exploring them after the new year. If you've got any leads or recommendations, hit me up on LinkedIn.