Who Am I?

My friends call me coach, due to my desire to help and my ability to communicate ideas effectively...or my penchant for 80's sportswear. I love learning and understanding; from games, reading and a dedication to self-knowledge.

At heart I'm on a quest to understand myself and everything else. I try and live out of my comfort zone and seek out the difficult in order to improve. I moved into tech to challenge my inner engineer, to give myself greater opportunity for progression and for the opportunity to work with exciting, progressive businesses.

• 💻 Ruby | Javascript

• 🌐 Rails | React | HTML | CSS | JavaScript | Bootstrap

• 🛢 PostgreSQL | MongoDB

• 🔧 Atom | Visual Studio code | Git

Not My Cat

A social media app for cat lovers, allowing users to create cat profiles with location. Using Google Maps APIs, geolocation and gamified logic.

I was responsible for implementing the Google Maps API and geolocation features, developing the database and backend routing skills and leadership, positive attitude and modelling.

Not My Cat Frontend
Not My Cat Backend

Chitter

A twitter clone allowing users to create a profile and post their thoughts to the world.

I created full stack functionality in database storage, front-end authentication and user creation. I produced DRY, test-driven code following OOP principles

Charger

Oh My Dog! Hotdogs (October 2018 - January 2021)
General Manager of Commercial Pop-ups

• Built and delivered lean delivery processes, responsible for sites with turnover in excess of £1 million yearly. The changes I made to service flow and food delivery resulted in a year on year increase in turnover of 20%.

• Driving customer focussed improvements in quality of service and staff training through analysis, I developed new company wide processes improving staff retention and customer satisfaction.

• Automation and digitalisation of management processes, I made improvements in staffing and ordering that increased profitability on one site by 837%.

Resourcing Group (August 2015 to August 2017)
Recruitment Consultant

• Customer centric relationship development using solution driven questioning to understand and fulfil their needs resulting in doubling the gross profit of my desk to £3000 per week.

• Outcome focussed and data-driven in compiling a creative technologies report looking into how we might better use technology to reach clients and candidates, resulting in an increase in candidate engagement.

• Ownership of customer needs using strong communication to open them up to new possibilities in recruiting, allowing me to apply industry knowledge to help them make the best decision for recruiting.

Collaboration - I am able to organise and empower others as well as communicating ideas effectively. My experience in running street-food kitchens shows great skill in motivating teams to work in high pressure environments.

Engineering - I have an outcome focussed approach to problems, ensuring I can take a measured approach to finding solutions. This has allowed me to identify areas of gain and quickly develop solutions to improve performance and decrease inefficiencies.

Customer-Centric - I am very adept at understanding a customer or client’s needs and communicating reactively to build a rapport and common goal.

I've pushed my self to improve through self-knowledge. As a result I have sought out experiences such as Native American healing ceremonies and 10 day silent meditation retreats, confronting fear and discomfort in path to learning.

This has led to improvements in my ability to analyse and improve my weaknesses. An increase in self-belief, happiness and creativity. As well as an ability to see the positives in a situation and instead of giving into frustration, and working out small steps to make a difference in a problem.

• How that looks at work.

At Winter Wonderland 2019, we had a site in the busy street food area. I was responsible for recruiting and training as well as integrating new processes on site. I managed a 15 person team, working 60 hour weeks both managing and helping the team.

We were 50% busier than anticipated. We improved year on year sales by 55% due to improved processes and commercial visibility on-site. I increased year on year profit for the site by 830%. We were light on the ground with managers but I found a way to manage all processes and I focussed on what I could positively affect leading to an amazing outcome.

My reflections after the event led to me completely overhaulng the recruitment, training and on-boarding processes and traning others in the new processes.

I am campaigner personality type, wanting to progress and empower others to do so. Through working in sales, customer-service and reading and travelling I have developed an ability to listen and question effectively and empathise with others. I am also a strong communicator so I am able to communicate ideas effectively back to people.

This means that I am able to lead customers and colleagues forward as a team, it also means when I have to communicate a difficult idea I am able to do so in a way that people will take on board constructively and want to action.

• How this looks at work

This has benefitted me when working in sales. I have been able to build rapport with clients, question and listen to their needs and use my in-depth knowledge to influence them to make positive decisions.

In addtion when leading teams and having to communicate ideas, and criticism. I have a confident and positive approach ensuring I look to empower others.

• OOP, TDD, MVC, DDD
• Agile/XP
• Ruby, Rails, JavaScript
• RSpec, Jasmine

• Marine Geography (BSc)

I collect vinyls and music in general. I am self-taught in producing music, broadcasting radio shows and I'm learning the piano. I'm a pretty decent home cook, I think my Italian could challenge your average Nonna and my Chinese and Indian food would stand up to most takeaways.