Meet Najee: Coding and Building Better Tools at Health Street
Najee spends his days solving problems through code and helping improve the tools people use every day at Health Street. From software development to marketing projects, he works across different parts of the business while balancing family life and creative interests outside of work. We sat down with Najee to talk about his role, the challenges of building for a growing company, and what keeps him motivated behind the screen.
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Can you share a bit about the journey that brought you to Health Street?
I really struggled to find work that I enjoyed. I decided that if there was a career out there that could both pay the bills and align with my interests, I would do everything in my power to find it. So I quit my job and signed up for a 3-month intensive coding boot camp with no guarantee of a job on the other side. Fortunately for me, my wife, my toddler, and the baby we would soon find out was on the way, Health Street sponsored my participation in an apprenticeship program, and upon completion, I was hired full-time.
What's your day-to-day like as a Software Developer here? What do you enjoy doing the most?
I go to work with a pretty solid idea of what my day will look like, and within an hour, that plan is blown to bits. That's the nature of working in a small business; priorities shift. It's hard work, but I'm not alone; I'm part of an excellent team. My favorite part of development is seeing my code on the web and knowing that people's lives are being made easier. It brings me joy.
What got you into software development in the first place? Any cool stories from your early days?
A friend of mine left the banking industry and became a successful software engineer. He often talked about how satisfied he was with his choice, which piqued my interest. I first told him about my intentions to pursue a career in software in October of 2021. Funny enough, I received the offer from Health Street in October 2022. A lot can change in a year!
You work on frontend app development—do you have a highlight related to this?
Sure, a certain part of our app displays information in a table or list view. I wrote the code to make it easier to read and interact with on mobile devices. If you said that's only my feature because it's the easiest to show off to my family and friends (there's always a phone handy), you wouldn't be wrong.
You also help out with marketing and social media. How do you juggle both roles, and which do you prefer?
I have always enjoyed communication, and marketing lets me scratch that itch. On any given day, I try to prioritize the tasks that need my attention the most. I prefer development, but I could see myself more focused on marketing in a different life.
How do you think your degree in Multidisciplinary Studies helps you in your work here?
It doesn't really. I was just trying to graduate. 🤣
You enjoy playing guitar! How long have you been playing, and what's your favorite song to jam out to?
I've played guitar since my senior year of high school, with many on-and-off periods. Lately, I've been decidedly been "on." I don't have a favorite song to jam to, but I can sit for hours with an acoustic or electric guitar just seeing where it takes me. I love it as a mode of expression.
If you could have any superpower to help you with coding, what would it be and why?
My coding superpower would be knowing everything. If that's cheating, too bad. 😤
What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever Googled while trying to solve a coding problem?
Nothing, in particular, comes to mind, but there sometimes comes a point in the day or week where your mind is so tired you find yourself googling things you'd typically consider "easy" or fundamental.
What's your go-to snack while working, and do you have any guilty pleasure food?
I snack on almonds these days. I used to have a red licorice problem, but I stay away from the stuff now.
What's the funniest bug or error you've ever encountered?
How about a bug that gave me the most self-inflicted frustration? I bet it would be one where the error message clearly points out the issue, but instead of reading it, I try throwing spaghetti at the wall until something works.
