Greetings!

I'm Douglas Takeuchi, known as DougTake, and I work as a software engineer in Tokyo, Japan. Since I'm new to posting on Hashnode, I'd like to start with a brief introduction.

Early Life

I was born in Tokyo in 1998, and I spent most of my life in Ushiku, a small town within the Tokyo metropolitan area with a population of around 800,000 people. During my teenage years, I had a strong passion for playing musical instruments and learning English.

However, unlike many developers, my interest in programming and technology didn't emerge until after I graduated from Gakushuin University with a degree in social science in 2020. I initially embarked on a career as a web marketer.

Web Marketing Career

In my role at the web marketing company, I was responsible for various tasks, including creating banner ads, writing landing pages, and analyzing data using tools like Outbrain and Facebook Ads.

Notably, I was the sole English speaker at the company, which led me to work on many English-related projects.

The experience at this web marketing company provided me with valuable skills that continue to benefit my career today.

Despite the valuable experience, I decided to leave the web marketing company in 2021 to pursue a career as a software engineer.

Transition to Software Engineering

My journey into programming began during my time as a web marketer when I started using Python to automate boring tasks. I began with simple scripts for data collection and output into CSV files, which immediately piqued my interest in the power of programming languages.

Subsequently, I started to work on more complex projects, such as developing a web scraper and creating my own project called "Kiite-me," a Q&A website tailored to my former university's students. This experience not only introduced me to the joy of programming but also showed me the immense satisfaction of contributing to people's lives through my creations.

In August 2021, after working as a web marketer over a year, I started my new job as a software engineering role at another company in Hokkaido.

Software Engineering in Hokkaido

Joining a company in Sapporo, Hokkaido, as a software engineer initially filled me with nerves, as transitioning from another field can be challenging. Fortunately, I was part of an incredibly supportive and kind team.

While I faced difficulties acclimating to the new environment, my colleagues were always there to assist me. Also, my motivation to learn and improve my skills allowed me to adapt relatively quickly.

By the time I left the company in September 2022, I had worked on numerous projects and solidified my foundation as a software engineer.

Kyash - A New Chapter

Although I cherished my life in Hokkaido, I eventually felt the need to prioritize product quality for an enhanced user experience, which was challenging to achieve in my previous company.

Consequently, I made the decision to leave the company in Hokkaido and join Kyash, a fintech startup in Tokyo, in November 2022.

Kyash is known for its digital wallet app, similar to Revolut, built with microservices in Golang. This job required different skills, such as knowledge of Visa's API and the Japanese payment system.

As anticipated, I acquired a wealth of knowledge and explored the intricacies of microservice architecture and the payment system in Japan.

However, a scandal involving the company emerged in June 2023, leading to various internal and external issues. Although I can't delve into the specifics, the incident urged me to prioritize delivering value to users without compromising product quality.

Consequently, I chose to leave Kyash in July 2023 and joined my current position at a company called "Olta" in August 2023.

Olta - Current Role

Olta, another Tokyo-based startup, primarily provides a platform for small and medium-sized businesses to factor their invoices. While the company is still small, it is experiencing rapid growth.

In my current role, I work on the backend of the company's new product, designed to enhance the cash flow of small and medium-sized businesses by offering corporate cards.

At Olta, I work with new tech stacks like GraphQL, gRPC, and Kubernetes. It's demanding but equally exciting. I've also taken on new challenges, including facilitating scrum events and organizing the developer team's study group. These endeavors require some time and energy but are highly rewarding as our team grows together.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post. I'll be sharing more about my career and tech-related insights in the future. I hope you enjoy reading them!

If you're interested, feel free to follow me on X/Twitter for more updates and insights!

Happy coding!