Taking Munchtime to The Finish Line

Leadership is not just a singular quality, but an amalgamation of multiple characteristics, one of them being determination. Ramya Kopalli joined our team in the fall of 2020 to help lead our application's development. Over the course of the past year, Ramya worked remotely and through the depths of the Covid pandemic to support our mission. She has not only stabilized the application's core structure but was tirelessly dedicated to seeing the successful submission of the Munchtime application to the iTunes store. A crowning achievement both for this hardworking teammate as well as our business. Here's more about Ramya!

1. Introduce yourself to the world!

Hello my name is Ramya Kopalli! I am the lead iOS application developer at Munchtime. I currently live in India (Andhra Pradesh) so I got the opportunity of working remotely. This is my first time building an application for a startup company from the ground up. I have studied at Vignan's Nirula Institue of Science for Women (Andhra Pradesh) and obtained my B.Tech degree in 2017. Some of my previous work experience includes working on e-commerce mobile applications based on both the iOS and Android. I really enjoy spending my time with family and friends and also love to spent some time for me. My favorite cuisine is Panner tikka. and I love dancing and working out!

2. What is your role at Munchtime and what kinds of projects are you working on?

As the lead iOS engineer at Munchtime, my role is to follow our development roadmap and ensure that the application is being built with the highest standards and with scalability in mind. I have taken legacy code from previous developers and built the applications core functionalities including two way confirmation, security and authentication, user interface and design and much, much more!.

3. What makes you passionate about working at Munchtime?

Being hands on with easy to manage challenges has given me a lot of exposure to different areas of development that I previously did not have access to. I am excited to see the application grow and get in the hands of real testers. The feedback and challenges motivate me to want to develop and improve the application based on user's experience (ie. build better). The opportunity of being able to define the roadmap and feel like my contributions are not only appreciated but also integrated into the application makes this opportunity feel like I am really part of the application and my ideas are taken into consideration as a developer. It feels like a privilege for me.(ie. really stand out for me). It has allowed me to achieve and built a right career at the right time and it added a plus value to my career than working in other companies (ie. more for my career than most other companies can offer)

4. What are some of the cool things you're excited to be working on currently?

Building the Munchtime application is a exciting challenge everyday its like exploring and building new things around application which is always fun and challenging.(ie. rewarding challenge). There are new problems and issues to discover and troubleshoot from front-end changes and conceptual problems that need to be ironed out in the workflow. Those challenges help me to think outside of the box and make me think in different methods so that I can complete the challenges on time. (ie. thinking outside of the box) and working with my boss has created an environment where I can expose my thoughts and ideas as a developer. How can we improve the application and help me to learn different things which will help me in my future. (ie. created an environment where we can bounce ideas). I feel confident every time testing is going on because it will rectify most of the issues and the application will be stronger. (ie. confident and encouraged) while building the app as every time we go through the process of testing it greatly improves our work. I know we're delivering the best possible solution to our end users.

5. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a developer at Munchtime?

I have never had the opportunity to really own a product from start to finish. Most companies simply look at you as a worker and limit your ability to contribute to only playing your part. Munchtime is different. I have been able to work at my own schedule, have the freedom to focus on challenges and define the scope of work for myself. It's truly a leadership position where I have been able to really take ownership over the product - something I've wanted! Professionally, I am excited to finally see our work on the app store and have users actually download it. It was a very proud day for me.

6. What impact do you think Munchtime can have to the world?

Munchtime brings people together over food. It's a very nice concept and experience for people who have not been able to go out and interact due to the pandemic. The application makes it easy for people to find things they want to talk about and share stories with one another. Coming from India, I can see Munchtime growing, especially what is happening in the world right now where many restaurants are closing recently. There is more opportunity for Munchtime to grow.  I will personally use it here once it's been released! I would be so amazed if any of my favorite youtubers or social media influencers use and love the app as well - that would be really, really cool.

About Munchtime:

Munchtime brings the world closer together one meal at a time. We are a platform for enhancing human connection through better social discovery. We believe in a future fueled by collaboration and storytelling, and we’re at the forefront of providing the tools to make that happen - all while uplifting local economies. Our technical and business advisors represent Fortune 500 companies in ad-tech, hospitality and retail. Our growing team, local government and restaurant partners reflect our diverse approach and grassroots model for sustainable growth. We’re located in Naperville, IL. To lean more, visit us at www.munchtime.co.

Leadership is not just a singular quality, but an amalgamation of multiple characteristics, one of them being determination. Ramya Kopalli joined our team in the fall of 2020 to help lead our application's development. Over the course of the past year, Ramya worked remotely and through the depths of the Covid pandemic to support our mission. She has not only stabilized the application's core structure but was tirelessly dedicated to seeing the successful submission of the Munchtime application to the iTunes store. A crowning achievement both for this hardworking teammate as well as our business. Here's more about Ramya!

1. Introduce yourself to the world!

Hello my name is Ramya Kopalli! I am the lead iOS application developer at Munchtime. I currently live in India (Andhra Pradesh) so I got the opportunity of working remotely. This is my first time building an application for a startup company from the ground up. I have studied at Vignan's Nirula Institue of Science for Women (Andhra Pradesh) and obtained my B.Tech degree in 2017. Some of my previous work experience includes working on e-commerce mobile applications based on both the iOS and Android. I really enjoy spending my time with family and friends and also love to spent some time for me. My favorite cuisine is Panner tikka. and I love dancing and working out!

2. What is your role at Munchtime and what kinds of projects are you working on?

As the lead iOS engineer at Munchtime, my role is to follow our development roadmap and ensure that the application is being built with the highest standards and with scalability in mind. I have taken legacy code from previous developers and built the applications core functionalities including two way confirmation, security and authentication, user interface and design and much, much more!.

3. What makes you passionate about working at Munchtime?

Being hands on with easy to manage challenges has given me a lot of exposure to different areas of development that I previously did not have access to. I am excited to see the application grow and get in the hands of real testers. The feedback and challenges motivate me to want to develop and improve the application based on user's experience (ie. build better). The opportunity of being able to define the roadmap and feel like my contributions are not only appreciated but also integrated into the application makes this opportunity feel like I am really part of the application and my ideas are taken into consideration as a developer. It feels like a privilege for me.(ie. really stand out for me). It has allowed me to achieve and built a right career at the right time and it added a plus value to my career than working in other companies (ie. more for my career than most other companies can offer)

4. What are some of the cool things you're excited to be working on currently?

Building the Munchtime application is a exciting challenge everyday its like exploring and building new things around application which is always fun and challenging.(ie. rewarding challenge). There are new problems and issues to discover and troubleshoot from front-end changes and conceptual problems that need to be ironed out in the workflow. Those challenges help me to think outside of the box and make me think in different methods so that I can complete the challenges on time. (ie. thinking outside of the box) and working with my boss has created an environment where I can expose my thoughts and ideas as a developer. How can we improve the application and help me to learn different things which will help me in my future. (ie. created an environment where we can bounce ideas). I feel confident every time testing is going on because it will rectify most of the issues and the application will be stronger. (ie. confident and encouraged) while building the app as every time we go through the process of testing it greatly improves our work. I know we're delivering the best possible solution to our end users.

5. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a developer at Munchtime?

I have never had the opportunity to really own a product from start to finish. Most companies simply look at you as a worker and limit your ability to contribute to only playing your part. Munchtime is different. I have been able to work at my own schedule, have the freedom to focus on challenges and define the scope of work for myself. It's truly a leadership position where I have been able to really take ownership over the product - something I've wanted! Professionally, I am excited to finally see our work on the app store and have users actually download it. It was a very proud day for me.

6. What impact do you think Munchtime can have to the world?

Munchtime brings people together over food. It's a very nice concept and experience for people who have not been able to go out and interact due to the pandemic. The application makes it easy for people to find things they want to talk about and share stories with one another. Coming from India, I can see Munchtime growing, especially what is happening in the world right now where many restaurants are closing recently. There is more opportunity for Munchtime to grow.  I will personally use it here once it's been released! I would be so amazed if any of my favorite youtubers or social media influencers use and love the app as well - that would be really, really cool.

About Munchtime:

Munchtime brings the world closer together one meal at a time. We are a platform for enhancing human connection through better social discovery. We believe in a future fueled by collaboration and storytelling, and we’re at the forefront of providing the tools to make that happen - all while uplifting local economies. Our technical and business advisors represent Fortune 500 companies in ad-tech, hospitality and retail. Our growing team, local government and restaurant partners reflect our diverse approach and grassroots model for sustainable growth. We’re located in Naperville, IL. To lean more, visit us at www.munchtime.co.