Starting a Business: A Tough Journey
Starting a business is no small feat. Statistics show that 20% of businesses fail within the first two years. Growing a business beyond these odds is even more difficult. Mike, the owner and lead developer of WebEase, a WordPress service agency based in the U.S., has faced these challenges.
After a decade in the industry, Mike’s biggest hurdle has been finding and keeping skilled employees, especially developers. Recently, Mike’s experience hiring a senior developer turned into a cautionary tale for other business owners.
Meet WebEase
WebEase is a WordPress service agency with a team that includes sales, marketing, customer support, operations, and design staff. However, Mike remains the sole developer, handling both the business and the technical work.
The increasing workload led Mike to seek a senior developer to help manage customer requests and add new features to the service.
The LinkedIn Connection: Enter Dave
Mike found Dave, a senior developer, on LinkedIn. After exchanging messages, emails, and conducting a Zoom interview, Mike hired Dave. The onboarding process was smooth, and Dave quickly set up the required software stack. Initially, everything seemed perfect.
However, within two weeks, communication issues arose. Dave became unresponsive on all channels, causing Mike to worry.
A Shocking Revelation
Things took a dramatic turn when Mike received a message through the website’s Contact Us form from a third party in Ukraine. They claimed they hadn’t been paid for work done for WebEase. Mike was confused because he had no knowledge of any Ukrainian workers.
The message mentioned Dave, and Mike soon discovered that Dave had subcontracted the work to an overseas company without informing anyone at WebEase.
Digging Deeper: Uncovering the Truth
To understand the full extent of the problem, Mike logged into the company’s GitHub repository and used the Git Blame tool. This revealed that unknown developers had accessed WebEase’s codebase, raising concerns about missed deadlines and potential security risks.
Mike acted quickly, stopping all payments to Dave and informing him of the findings. Dave denied any wrongdoing but threatened legal action against WebEase. Mike stood firm, asserting that Dave’s actions were fraudulent and jeopardized the company’s integrity.
The Aftermath
Mike documented the entire situation with numerous screenshots of emails. His credit card company sided with him, stopping all payments to Dave and even reversing some charges. Dave eventually went silent, leaving Mike to reflect on the red flags he missed during the hiring process.
Mike now has to review all the code touched by Dave and the subcontracted developers, further delaying new features for his customers.
Lessons Learned
Mike’s experience is not unique. Many business owners face similar challenges with bad actors trying to make a quick buck. Mike’s story underscores the importance of thorough vetting, effective communication, and protecting the integrity of your codebase and business operations.
His hope is that other business owners, especially in the WordPress community, can learn from his ordeal and take steps to avoid similar pitfalls.
