- created and supported new whisk WordPress multisite using custom-built theme and plugins
- two full website re-designs made easy with the help of a custom-built CSS design system (BEM + utility)
- developed modern workflow and development process with Git and Github Actions
- PageSpeed optimization
- Technical SEO
- integration with core Whisk services via APIs
- assembled and lead a team of 4 to develop and launch first Whisk Recipe Builder WordPress plugin (now suspended due to core project pivot).
- part-time work with Whisk Widgets SDK (Publisher Integrations) and Widget Builder

Skills:
- PHP, WordPress, Gutenberg, JavaScript, REST API, SCSS, Github, GitHub Actions, Webpack, React.js, SEO
- Management

Result: website traffic and conversions increased up to 4 times

- Took over the complex betting marketplace project (with no prior knowledge in sports/betting) as Team Lead and Product Owner at first, then continued as Team Lead after 1.5 years of managing both.
- Hired and managed a team of 6 developers + copywriters. Kept everyone in the team till the end.
- Complete re-launch of the project in record 3 months, rapid ongoing development afterwards.
- Built a full-featured betting simulator literally from scratch on WordPress (backend) and Vue.js (frontend).
- Integration with numerous sports APIs, high-rate updates during online sporting events. Deep WordPress performance optimization through continuous profiling (xhprof) of every major release. Necessary to keep with heavy traffic spikes during major sporting events.
- Successfully tested 2 product fits (tips marketplace, betting simulator), found no traction and pivoted to the third (betting contests + SEO). Maintained high development/iterations speed at all times.

Stack:
- PHP, WordPress, REST API, Javascript, Vue.js, SCSS, Github, Github Actions

Skills:
- Management / Team Lead
- Frontend Developer
- Product Owner

Result:
Tested 3 product ideas. Project closed in March 2020 due to lack of funding (COVID)

I call it hybrid freelancing because even though I did have an LLC company with a banking account, office, taxes and everything - it was just me for most of the time. Doing both full-stack development and bringing contractor help for large projects that were too big/difficult for me at that time.

Previous experience with the design studio taught me the importance of delegation and incorporation. Having registered yet another company (Motivator LLC) for my own name I was able to be more flexible than ever, hiring contractors and taking on all kinds of projects and customers, including large corporations.

We launched several complex websites, such as alarmtrade.ru (ecommerce and product website of a largest car security manufacturer in Russia) or dostavkin.com (logistic services marketplace).

I also started working with American customers via Elance (now Upwork) and soon started as a part-time contractor for a small studio specializing on dental websites. A very useful skill that I learned during that period was remote async workflow. Proved to be handy in future.

WordPress became the CMS of choice for the majority of new projects, though some of the old ones are being developed on other platforms.

Result:
Learned about web-development, marketing, product development, SEO and ecommerce.