Tommy Hopkins

Senior Backend Software Engineer

Transitioned from a scrappy startup environment to enterprise software development, learning how to build systems that serve millions of merchants at global scale. I found my groove working deeply on specific problem domains. First on Channels (external marketplace integrations) and later on Platform Inventory (the foundational layer that tracks what merchants have to sell).

What I loved most was the depth of focus this environment allowed. Instead of jumping between different parts of the product, I could really understand the nuances of inventory management and external channel synchronization. I learned how to navigate the complexity of large engineering organizations, collaborate across multiple teams, and build systems that needed to work reliably for businesses depending on them for their livelihood.

Software Engineer, Backend

VC-backed San Francisco startup, acquired by Square in July 2020

This was my real introduction to the startup world, and what a ride it was. Stitch Labs aimed to be the central hub for inventory, orders, and logistics for online brands. Essentially the operating system for e-commerce businesses selling across multiple channels. I joined when we were about 20 people and lived through the company's growth to over 100 employees, multiple funding rounds, and the evolution from serving small businesses to moving upmarket to larger brands.

I wore many hats and worked my way up through different roles, from debugging customer issues in support to eventually building core platform features. The team was incredibly close-knit - we were all figuring it out together, iterating on the product based on real customer feedback, and learning how to scale both the technology and the business. It taught me how to work in ambiguous environments, move fast without breaking things (most of the time), and really understand what customers needed versus what they said they wanted.

Support Engineer & Technical Escalations

Triaged and performed initial investigation for complex inventory-tracking issues. Partnered with engineering for handoffs and delivered occasional small fixes, accelerating resolution time and informing backlog priorities. This role taught me to see systems from the customer's perspective and became invaluable for my engineering work later. There's nothing like customer support for learning how software actually breaks in the wild.

Various Roles

Full-stack contract projects, Account Manager at The Resumator (JazzHR), and other early career experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area that taught me the fundamentals of building software and working with customers.