My involvement with Inspected.com began when I was contacted by Son Nguyen, the newly hired CTO, who expressed his enthusiasm for the project. Despite the unconventional nature of being invited to San Diego without prior research, I was intrigued by the idea that Inspected.com aimed to solve. Impressed by Son's vision, I decided to accept the opportunity and embark on an exciting professional adventure.

Upon arrival, Son greeted me in a brand new white G-wagon, showcasing his determination to make a lasting impression. We discussed the project while en route to the hotel, where I was accommodated in a comfortable room at the Sheraton hotel in San Diego. The next morning, we gathered in the conference room, and the project officially commenced. I had the pleasure of meeting Sebastian via video call, a knowledgeable individual who was also joining the team. Our conversation focused on the high-level overview of the project rather than technical details. With the groundwork laid, Son entrusted me to kickstart the project by setting up our AWS hosting infrastructure, acquiring the inspected.cloud domain, and developing the NextJS front-end application based on Son's Figma design

As Son delved into data modeling for the database, I focused on crafting the user interface for the login page. I worked diligently on my MacBook Pro, utilizing multiple monitors for increased productivity. Upon completion of the UI, I presented it to Son, and his expression revealed a sense of relief, perhaps affirming his confidence in my abilities. In the following days, I delved into detailed videos and documentation provided by Son, familiarizing myself with the home improvement industry and gaining a comprehensive understanding of the day-to-day operations. Simultaneously, I established the backend system using the NestJS framework, leveraging the advantages of TypeScript as the main programming language. PostgreSQL was chosen as our database, while Ant Design served as our front-end UI framework.

Several weeks later, Sebastian decided to pursue another opportunity, leaving Son and me to navigate the project. Son hired Vlad, a developer based in Florida, who, despite initial reservations on my part, became part of our team due to limited options and time constraints. I assisted Vlad in setting up his local development environment and familiarizing him with our tech stack. However, communication and productivity issues arose, and Son ultimately made the decision to remove Vlad from our GitLab repository. Meanwhile, I made substantial progress, completing the UI implementation from the Figma design and focusing on essential features such as video calling using Twilio Video API.

MAs I grappled with the challenge of switching camera views on mobile devices, I engaged in trial and error to overcome the lack of clarity in the Twilio documentation. Eventually, I succeeded, and Son was pleased with the video calling feature. To strengthen the team, Son introduced Matt, an old friend and fellow senior engineer, who seamlessly integrated into our workflow. Over the course of six intense months, we worked relentlessly, culminating in the successful completion of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Son frequently traveled to the main office in Florida for meetings, while I continued to contribute for another six months, refining the application, adding new features, and optimizing performance. The app we developed became a valuable revenue generator for Inspected.com.

Throughout the project, I encountered challenges, including Son's tendency to jump to conclusions and provide constructive feedback in front of others. Despite frustrations, I contributed significantly to the success of Inspected.com. Ultimately, I made the decision to pursue new opportunities, leaving behind a company that had secured over $2 million in funding and was on track to becoming a billion-dollar unicorn company. While my time with Inspected.com was filled with hard work, dedication, and the satisfaction of seeing the MVP come to fruition, the challenges I faced taught me valuable lessons about effective communication, team dynamics, and problem-solving.

One of the key challenges was dealing with Son's tendency to jump to conclusions and provide constructive feedback in front of others. While it tested my patience and caused frustrations, I learned the importance of maintaining composure, addressing concerns in a professional manner, and finding opportunities to have open and private discussions to resolve any misunderstandings.

Despite the challenges, I played a significant role in the success of Inspected.com. Through my expertise in web development, I contributed to the creation of a robust and efficient application that generated revenue for the business. The satisfaction of witnessing the impact of our work on the company's growth was truly rewarding.

However, as my journey with Inspected.com progressed, I began to reflect on my long-term goals and aspirations. With new opportunities on the horizon, I made the difficult decision to pursue other ventures, leaving behind a company that had secured substantial funding and was poised for remarkable success.

In conclusion, my experience with Inspected.com taught me invaluable lessons about teamwork, effective communication, and perseverance. It was a journey that allowed me to sharpen my skills, contribute to a significant project, and make lasting connections with talented individuals. While I decided to explore new opportunities, I look back on my time with Inspected.com as a period of professional growth and a testament to my capabilities as a seasoned senior software engineer.