Humans of TapMango: Christine

What is your position at TapMango? How has it evolved since you started?

I’m a software developer! I started at TapMango as a Customer Support Representative in 2019 before being promoted to Customer Success Manager in early 2020. Later that year, I decided to go back to school for computer programming – I stayed on part-time during my study terms and was granted the opportunity to work as a developer for TapMango during my co-op terms. Once I graduated in 2022, they brought me on as a full-time developer, and here we are!

What are some aspects of your role that you really enjoy?

I’ve always wanted to pursue a career where I knew I could have a positive impact on others – working as a developer, I get to implement features and improvements that help a variety of businesses succeed! I also get to work on internal projects that help things run smoother for the Customer Success/Support teams. I love problem-solving – which is basically the entirety of my role. Whether I’m coming up with a way to do something that’s completely new, or fixing a bug, there’s nothing better than that feeling of accomplishment when I figure out a solution.

I learn something new every day – literally. I get to work on various aspects of the platform, exposing me to new learning opportunities.

Not to mention I get to work with an amazingly supportive team! They challenge me, answer any questions I have, provide constructive feedback on a regular basis, and have contributed immensely to my progression as a developer.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done yet? Why not?

Visit Cape Town – my mom was born there, I have family that still live in the area that I’ve never met, and I hear it’s beautiful. It’s a huge trip that I’d want to do with my mom and brother, so there’s a lot of coordination involved – we’d likely plan to go for a month, so there’s also the time and finances to consider. One day though! It’s on the bucket list.

If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Shawarma. But not just any shawarma. Specifically Shawarma Corner in Milton, Ontario. The owner knows my order by heart because I used to go there 3 times a week…

What is something your work colleagues don’t know about you?

The ones I’ve worked with since I started know this, but I don’t think most know that I originally went to school for music. I was in the voice program at Laurier University majoring in composition and minoring in business – for a long time, I wanted to own my own studio and record my own music.

What is one piece of advice you would tell 8 year old you? (on career pursuit, life, laughter, and love)

Honestly, I feel like if I had a conversation with 8-year-old me, she’d have better advice for 28-year-old me than the other way around – I’m sure she’d tell me to stop overthinking and live more in the moment the way we did when times were simpler. If I had to give one piece of advice though, I’d tell her to treat herself the way she’d treat her best friend. Be kind to herself, hype herself up, enjoy her own company, and if she wants to pursue something, promise herself she’ll do it to the best of her ability and keep that promise the way she would for anyone she cares about – then she’d know she can trust herself. Hopefully, that’s not too deep for an 8-year-old 🙂

Top 3 binge-worthy shows, book series, or movies? (And Why?)

This is always the hardest question for me to answer! I’ll go with shows – in no particular order because I actually have a top 100 shows that all have an equal place in my heart… but I can only list 3.

1. Girls – it’s so unapologetically raw and hilarious. Lena Dunham’s character’s brutal honesty reminds me so much of my best friend.

2. Euphoria – Zendaya absolutely crushes it.

3. Marianne – I have to throw a horror show in here. It’s in French but well worth reading the subtitles – I can’t think of any other horror show that had me spooked the way this one did.