My path to Leverege began with a mechanical engineering degree and a first job at Double Robotics, where I assembled robots. These robots were essentially a screen on wheels, designed for video calls. While it was a good introduction to the tech world, I knew I wanted something more challenging and fulfilling.
That desire led me to Hack Reactor, where I discovered a love for programming. The fast-paced, hands-on learning environment was a perfect fit for me. Hack Reactor just suited the way I learned and how I engage with new material way better than college did. Unlike the traditional lecture-heavy college experience, Hack Reactor immersed me in practical application and collaborative learning.
My newfound programming skills landed me a role at a tiny startup, the third employee, working on a mobile app called Stash Smart. This app allowed people to store their belongings at local businesses, which was a pretty cool idea.
My desire to further expand technical capabilities led me to Leverege. What drew me in was Leverege's focus on automation with IoT in a way that enhances people's jobs rather than replacing them.
Why Leverege Clicked: Straight Talk and Unicorns
My interview experience was a major green flag. Talking with Steve and John felt easy and straightforward. There was also no b******* in the interview process, a welcome contrast to the often lengthy take-home assignments of other programming interviews.
Starting at Leverege, I was immediately struck by the team's culture. My birthday was a week after I started, and a coworker greeted me with a unicorn balloon and headband at my desk, which I thought was pretty funny.
Coming up to speed was easier in some ways and harder in others. Being in the office made it easy to ask questions and get help from colleagues like Quinn and others. However, the onboarding structure wasn’t as developed then as it is now, so getting my system set up took some time. I soon joined a customer project, which was overwhelming at first, but Steve provided the support I needed.
From Bug Fixes to Big Picture: My Work at Leverege
My day-to-day now is quite varied. I have one-on-ones with my direct reports, help out on BD calls, work on the Leverege Stack, and contribute to customer engagements and other areas where help is needed. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is tackling small Stack bug tickets. It's really nice to be able to knock out an issue and get a quick dopamine hit. Recently, I added the timestamp editor to the bulk edit in Amplify and a link back to Architect in Amplify, which made Hannah really happy.
Looking ahead, I'm excited about Leverege's shift to AI. With our roots in IoT, we have a strong background in sensors and connected devices. With the expansion into computer vision, I believe we're well positioned for advancements in computer vision.
Remote, but Never Disconnected: Life at Leverege
Leverege distinguishes itself with a supportive and transparent culture. Everyone is incredibly nice and helpful, fostering a culture of transparency. Because we're a remote-first company, communication and collaboration are key. We have to be proactive in sharing what we're working on and monitoring Slack to help each other out. The engineering team is full of fun-loving people like Tony and John, and there are always jokes flying around, especially during our daily standups.
This openness and support are a stark contrast to my experience at Double Robotics, where I was once reprimanded for asking an engineer a question. At Leverege, there are no stupid questions, and while we might tease each other a bit (like jokingly saying "RTFM"), it's all in good fun.
If you're considering joining Leverege, be ready to work on new things and dive into new issues with minimal oversight. While guidance is available, you need to be proactive in seeking it out. A self-starter attitude is definitely a plus.
Working remotely at Leverege has been convenient, mainly because I save time by not commuting. While I do miss the in-office camaraderie and lunches, we maintain a strong sense of connection through one-on-ones, Donut chats, and active participation on Slack. We even have fun Slack channels like the water cooler, small wins, and video games channels.
The engineering department is a tight-knit group. We have our daily standups and weekly syncs, but beyond that, everyone is easy to get along with. I appreciate the balance of keeping things light while maintaining high-quality work and coordination. I’m currently on the Stack team, surrounded by senior engineers who are always willing to help and share their expertise.
Some of the big engineering challenges we're tackling include computer vision, pulling video from edge devices, and new ML operations. These projects involve complex technical hurdles like bandwidth limitations, efficient data storage, and UI coordination.
If you're looking for a company that values its employees, fosters a culture of curiosity and support, and is doing cutting-edge work, Leverege might be the perfect fit.
~ Quick Facts ~
- My Leverege Shoutout: If I had to pick one person who makes Leverege special, it would be my manager, John Phelps. He’s not only a great manager with a wealth of DevOps and cloud server experience, but he also keeps things fun and has been a valuable mentor.
- Life Outside of Work: I enjoy video games, playing on a casual soccer team, and the tabletop game 40k.
- Content Recommendation: I highly recommend the video game Elden Ring.
- Could Give a TED Talk About: Video games, particularly my frustrations with the current direction of Western video game developers and microtransactions.
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