So far in our spotlights, we’ve talked mostly to new and new-to-us businesses that have taken up residence at The Common Desk. A lot of our members, though, are satellite staff of larger companies with corporate offices in other cities or even even other states. Cody Tooker, the lead developer at Doodle Dog Advertising, is one of those no-longer-lone wolves.
Say a little about your company and what you do for them:
Doodle Dog is a Dallas marketing agency with a team in Austin as well. We have two full-time employees, one part-time employee and a few interns. I am the lead developer at Doodle Dog and do basically all of the development work.
Who are your customers and what makes them choose your company?
Our customers are anyone needing a new brand/website designed, created and built. 90% of our clients are in the wedding industry; planners, photographers, and designers make up the majority.
How and when did you get started doing this kind of work?
I have always been interested in computers in some fashion. In high school I began leaning towards web development and design and haven’t looked back since.
What are the two most valuable things you have learned since starting in your field?
I have learned that you must keep learning. The “new thing” changes each and every day in the web development field, and if you do not stay on top of it then you will be left behind.
What is the most satisfying part of your work?
When a project is completed and the site is handed back to the client, I know that my work was worth it. Helping someone else grow and transform their company is greatly satisfying.
What are your biggest challenges?
The biggest challenge in my line of work is making sure that each site is better than the last and not falling into any kind of pattern of doing the same thing for every client. We want each site to have its own look and feel, and when working with so many clients that can be a hard challenge to overcome.
How much time do you spend at The Common Desk in an average week?
I am here at Common Desk usually Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm. Occasionally I will have a day at home to work but mostly I like coming into the great atmosphere that is The Common Desk.
How much free time do you have? How do you spend it?
I try and keep work at work and personal life at home. This allows me to have lots of free time and to use that time how I want. I really enjoy the game of disc golf and try to play at least two rounds per week. I also am in a bowling league every Wednesday night and really enjoy it.
Are you working on a Mac or a PC?
At work I am using a Mac and at home I use a PC. I really have no preference as to which one is better or easier to use, but I do think they both have their own advantages and disadvantages in certain aspects.
What are two mobile apps you could not work without?
1-Since we at Doodle Dog are not in one central location, we rely heavily on an app called WunderList. It is a ToDo list style application that allows us to keep all of our work very organized.
2-I don’t think I could complete all of my work without Facebook and Twitter as we do a lot of social networking for our clients as well.
What’s your favorite place to eat in Deep Ellum?
There are way to many places to eat in Deep Ellum to pick just one, but since I love Mexican food I will have to say ALL OF THEM.
Disc golf photo by paul_houle, some rights reserved.
