Hello,
I’m Spencer Merritt.
and I’m an addict.
For some it’s crack, but for me it’s code. I’m absolutely hooked on building the highest quality websites as well as apps for the web, mobile and even desktop.
how I develop
WordPress
I've been developing highly customized WordPress sites since 2014, with a MASSIVE emphasis of making the admin panel the absolute easiest experience possible to manage your site's content. I'm also well versed in WordPress plugin development.
Vue
Vue JS is my go to choice when needing to build interactive UIs. I've been using it since 2016 and am always looking forward to my next opportunity to use this incredibly elegant javascript framework.
JavaScript
Every developer tends to have a love/hate relationship with JavaScript. Call me an optimist, but I don't mind it so much. JavaScript keeps you on your toes and working with it is usually pretty simple and easy. Certainly a language that I have learned to love quite a bit over the years.
Sass
Sass stands for "Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets" for good reason! It makes writing website and app styles faster and easier than ever, and that is exactly why I choose to write all my styles using Sass.
UI Kit
My go to front-end framework. Sure I've used Bootstrap, Foundation, Bulma, Tailwind and many others, but for the last 2 years I keep coming back to UIkit. It just does everything I need and nothing I don't, and with the new release of version 4 around the corner, it'll only keep getting better.
PHP
PHP has come a LONG way since it's early days, and with the release of version 8, it's faster and more powerful than ever before! It is the server-side language that I am most familiar with, especially since it's what powers WordPress and Statamic, my go to Content Management Systems.
Statamic
Statamic is a full featured CMS, built upon Laravel and Vue. It uses a flat file storage system, so you could say it's fast, like really, really fast! Not sure what CMS is right for you? One word, Statamic!
NodeJS
I've been getting deeper and deeper into Node JS, especially after using it so heavily for the Electron apps that I've been building. I fully intend to dive even deeper into this powerful JavaScript runtime platform.
Laravel
Described as "The PHP framework for Web Artisans", Laravel is not only the most elegant PHP framework available, it goes toe-to-toe with just about any other server-side framework out there. It's beautifully structured architecture makes backend programming not only easier, but really fun too!
Firebase
I've used Firebase for several projects over the years as it provides incredibly easy to use features in it's "Back-End as a Service" suite. The realtime database for instance that makes instant, reactive server-side updates easier than ever before. A great tool for any developers toolbox.
Electron
Electron allows a web developer like myself to develop native desktop apps using the web languages that I already know. What's not to love? So naturally, I've been building desktop apps with it in my spare time and it's been a blast!
Git
Gotta control your versions, am I right? If you write code, you better back that stuff up, and I write ALOT of code. Like most other developers I use Git to store the different versions of everything I build and have been doing so since I began developing.
why I Do it
Simple. I like it.
I even like, like it.
Oh, who am I kidding, I LOVE IT!
Ever since a friend recommended I try web development, back in 2011, I can’t get enough. Sure, it comes with its fair share of headaches, but what doesn’t? It’s learning and overcoming the hard things in life that create the most opportunities for growth.
I love it so much I even spend my free time on it! Researching, learning, trying, failing, teaching, coaching, you name it… when it comes to development, I’m probably into it. Anyways, you get the picture.
where I've Worked
I started off as a self-taught freelance developer. I sunk my time into tutorial websites and learned as much as I could along the way. Building sites for friends, family, and I eventually started to drum up the business of local companies. I still enjoy developing freelance to this day, as long as the project is a good fit and it doesn’t conflict with my day job.
A good friend of mine was hired on at Fluid, an advertising agency based in Bountiful, to start their in-house development team. Shortly after he was hired, he reached out to me with an opportunity to join the team as a junior developer, and we were off and running!
One year later he moved on to another position leaving a void in the dev team’s leadership role. I plead my case to take over the department, despite only one solid year as a “professional” developer, and Fluid gave me a chance.
I then ran the development team there for 3 1/2 more years. Building dozens upon dozens of websites, along with several other developers that I was fortunate enough to be able to work with. I really enjoyed my time at Fluid and the friendships that I acquired there.
Responsibilities included:
- Creating and improving process for all web development projects.
- Managing, coaching and mentoring the other developers working on my team.
- Hiring new developers when needed.
- Meeting with clients before, during and after thir projects came through to ensure quality and efficiency.
- A member of Fluid’s Leadership team, which oversees every aspect of running the business as a whole.
- Building websites, lots and lots of websites!
I enjoyed my time at Fluid and was not looking for another job, but I received an email from Firetoss, another ad agency nearby, wanting to discuss an opportunity they had for a leadership position there. I figured, I would hear them out and see if it was a good opportunity for me and my family, and after 4 interviews, and several phone calls with the CEO, I was convinced that it was.
So I took the leap and landed as the Director of Development at Firetoss. I cannot say enough about the people that I am lucky enough to work with there. We sort of fly by the seat of our pants over at Firetoss, but since when is that a bad thing, right?
Responsibilities include:
- Taking an existing team of less experienced developers and turning them into grizzled veterans.
- Implementing superior technologies than where currently in use, or not in use at all.
- Innovating the development process as a whole, and it’s integration within the company.
- Creating and improving process for all web development projects.
- Managing, coaching and mentoring the other developers working on my team.
- Meeting with clients before, during and after their projects came through to ensure quality and efficiency.
- Also building lots and lots of websites!
Another casualty of the “Covid Effect”, Firetoss was hit hard and had to resort to outsourcing its development. I was charged with training the new team up, and saw the writing on the wall that I might not have a long future there as well. So I began looking for a new gig and was incredibly lucky to come across Voltage.
Voltage is primarily a development shop, so collaboration with other developers and a development first approach was very exciting. I work on a team of senior developers, building and maintaining various sites for high end ecommerce clients.
While at Voltage I’ve taken my previous experience building ecommerce sites in WordPress with WooCommerce, and added additional platforms to my toolbox, working on sites built upon Shopify, BigCommerce, and HubSpot CMS.
I hate job hopping, and I do all I can to try and put down roots with whatever company I am working for. I loved my time at Voltage, and the people there where some of the best I’ve worked with. However, when Max Connect reached out to me about an opportunity for a position developing in-house applications, along side members of my former development team at Fluid, it was an opportunity too good to pass up.
At this point, there are about 8 or so former Fluid employees that I have worked with in the past, now working at Max Connect. That combined with developing applications with technologies like Laravel and Vue, as well as the other incredible people at Max Connect, it has become an absolute perfect fit, so much so, that I actually look forward to working each day!
when I'm Available
Send me a message, let’s chat!
Not ready to take the plunge yet? That’s cool, browse around the site to see some of the projects I’ve developed as well as the technologies that I use to do so. Then if things look good from there, come on back and drop me a line!