Growing the Company, Growing with the Company — Interview with Mike Laptiev, QA Manager at Waverley Software
As one of the first team members, Mike tells us how it felt to start working at a company that had just opened its office in Ukraine but has 2 decades of global software development experience. He also shares what the company was like 8 years ago, and what the most striking transformations were that Mike and the company underwent during these years.
Please, tell us when you started working at Waverley.
I started working at Waverley in the summer of 2012. It has been around 8 years now.
To be honest, it was a bit unusual in the beginning, because I came here from a big outsourcing company, where I had worked for quite a long time. That was a large, stable organization.
At the time, I already knew Eugene Bogatyriov (VP Engineering and Managing Director for Waverley Ukraine) and found out that he was opening a new company in Ukraine together with Matt Brown — Waverley’s Founder and CEO.
We didn’t have an office then, so it was different from what I was used to. Only a couple of people worked here: Eugene, the HR director, the accounting director, and one recruiter. I was among the first few technical specialists at Waverley Ukraine. The transition from a large corporation to a company that didn’t even have an office and had to conduct job interviews in a cafe was more than strange, as you can imagine.
But I saw great prospects and I knew the people I was going to work with, so I trusted them completely and decided to join, after all.
What do you remember about your first day at Waverley?
Since we didn’t have an office, during my first few days at Waverley I was at home, studying the documentation for one of the projects and getting ready for my business trip to the US. That was one of our first projects, an industry-leading Home Automation and Security company in the US. We still work with them.
At the end of my first month with Waverley, we went to the US to visit this client.
What was your role in the project?
I was the only QA engineer on Waverley’s side. I tested web applications, hardware, and mobile apps. We started growing quite rapidly, and I was in charge of hiring new QA specialists and building the team.
What have you learned working at Waverley?
When I left my previous company in 2012, mobile development was not as popular as it is now. I remember how badly I wanted to test mobile apps. My main motivation was to try various devices and get to know the world of mobile apps.
Having access to a variety of mobile projects and being able to build teams from scratch for such projects was a breakthrough and an unusual experience for me.
My professional routine changed as well because I was no longer focused solely on testing. My tasks were versatile, including operational assistance and even helping with the office setup. I noticed a significant boost in my professional development right after I left my comfort zone and engaged in different kinds of work.
In addition, I enjoyed working with different teams. We collaborated a lot with Waverley Vietnam. We also opened an office in Lviv, Ukraine. I conducted technical interviews and worked with remote team members. Now I lead the QA competency in Waverley’s CTO Office.
My responsibilities changed, too. I took more business trips and was involved in important negotiations, presale activities, and creating distributed teams from the ground up.
A few project teams that we started back then still exist and some of the people still work here.
My career changed radically and I am absolutely happy about it. I am convinced that, eight years ago, I made the right decision when I joined Waverley.
Which project do you remember the most?
Probably, my very first project, a Home Automation and Security company, since it was an unusual role for me at the time. We worked on remote monitoring and control of security, heating, and electricity for home management devices. We also helped the client develop embedded software for security panels and voice communication. It was a fascinating part of my career.
That was also my first solo business trip (before that, I went only as part of a big team of engineers). I knew I had to make a good impression and represent the company well. It was a great deal of responsibility for me. It was interesting and memorable.
My other project was Jibo, the first social robot for the home. It was named as the Best invention of the year of 2017 by Time Magazine. I was even recognized in the street after my interview for a well-known Ukrainian TV channel. A man who managed my apartment block came up to me and asked whether it was me who had been on TV the night before. It really was me.
I liked the Jibo project because I could work with interesting technologies. It was my first robotics project.
As for my current project, Oji Life Lab, an e-Learning system focused on Emotional Intelligence, I’ll remember it thanks to a great team, modern technologies, and a wonderful client. He’s an exceptional personality and I still learn from him every day.
There’s also Seagate, a leading data storage provider, which I’ve been in charge of practically since the day I joined Waverley. Seagate is an important strategic partner. The team is awesome and the client is now a lot more than just a client; I can call him a friend.
What’s your favorite memory from your life at the company?
I have two favorite moments. The first one is the very beginning of the company — a tiny, cozy office, the people who were more than coworkers, whose families you knew… I remember the warm, family-like atmosphere.
The second memory is from when the company reached a new level in its growth. In one moment, you could see how many interesting people were around you — people with different personalities, who worked on different projects: mobile, hardware, and much more.
My non-working moments with teams and people I’m ready to talk about forever… they just won’t fit into this article. They deserve an article of their own.
I wish for Waverley to stay the same people-driven company it is now — to keep this same attitude toward team members and the same energy. We are always ready to help each other and we treat each other with warmth and respect. This is of the utmost importance for me and my colleagues. And, of course, I am looking forward to contributing to more new and interesting projects like the ones we are working on now.
