We are excited to showcase an employee each month! We have some pretty great people here at Counterpart, why not share the wealth? This month, we are showcasing one of our developers and Founder, John Davis!
What do you do at Counterpart?
I am a senior software engineer at Counterpart. I am also one of the original Founders of the company. I am currently developing software for Long’s Bakery as part of an on-going project to automate all aspects of the operation of the bakery.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by building long-lasting relationships with our clients. Part of that involves learning their business and applying that knowledge to the software design and implementation. Every business is unique and can really benefit from custom software, and developing a strong relationship with the client allows me to get to know the business and assess the software (and sometimes hardware) needs.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I really love seeing a project or even a feature within a project solve the needs of the business and be embraced by the business users.
What has been your favorite project so far? 
My current project, Long’s Bakery, is my favorite project so far, in part because of those relationships I mentioned previously. Also, I started working on this project at the very beginning when the business only had an outdated Point Of Sale system to manage two locations with up to 1500 customers a day. Learning the unique needs of the bakery and developing a system of applications to manage the business, improve productivity and provide data to help with production decisions has been really fun. Seeing how well the cashiers, bakers and administrators have embraced the new system and being able to take their feedback and improve it over time has been an extraordinary experience beyond that of any other project.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I used to live in the Chicago suburbs and like many people I was a huge Michael Jordan fan. One day my wife and I were getting on a commercial flight at O’Hare when the entire Chicago Bulls team got off the plane. I got to see Michael from maybe 10-15 feet away, and I realized that compared to the other players he was not so tall :).
What are three words you would use to describe Counterpart?
Relationship would be the first one, because that is the number one component of our client interaction. Partner goes hand-in-hand with that. Passionate would be the third (or as passionate as nerds can get). We want to get to know our clients and partner with them to reach their short-term and long-term goals, We want to help them achieve their vision for the business they are building or enhancing. And we are passionate to accomplish those things in the best way and with the best solution possible.
What is your proudest moment at Counterpart?
Honestly, every successful project, every happy customer, every person reached by software we have developed and systems we have put in place, and every relationship that continues on even after the project is over is my proudest moment. As a Founder of the company, all of those things make me incredibly proud, to be able to say this is the company that I helped to create! The accomplishments are definitely not mine alone, but I am so proud of every person who has helped to bring them about over the many years since we founded this company
What are your hobbies outside of work?
Obviously, hobbies are kind of tough right now for all of us. I love to watch movies and TV shows, but definitely miss the big screen. I love to read and listen to audiobooks, and that is something I have been doing a lot. I am involved in my church, but that is very challenging right now. We have a grandson and my wife and I see him every chance we get. He is a total joy!
If you could visit anywhere in the world you’ve never been, where would you go?
I would love to someday go on a ZERO-G Experience® flight, which I think would be really cool. Otherwise, visiting some of the most scenic places where some of my favorite fantasy movies and TV series were shot would be amazing, specifically Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones.
If you could pick one superpower, what would it be?
I think Teleportation would be my main pick, especially if others could go anywhere with me.
What are three material things you couldn’t live without?
1. Reading material (audiobooks, e-books, actual books)
2. A PC with Internet access (I depend on it for most of my information, plus I’m not sure I can live without Amazon 🙂
3. Sunshine (I don’t think I could easily live through the winters of Seattle or even worse Alaska)
What is your favorite tv show/movie and/or book?
Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones (specifically season one, in part because it kept to the book so well)
Favorite Movie: The first Star Wars movie (1977, I saw it in the theater in college and it was awesome!)
Favorite Book series: The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson (book 4 comes out in November)
Favorite author: Brandon Sanderson
Check out more about John Davis, what he does, and his history with Counterpart in his company profile here!
