The situation
The client runs a live online tutoring marketplace in the UK. Parents book tutors, lessons run over video, and payments are split between the platform and the tutors. The platform was already built and in use when the previous developer moved on. The owner is not technical and needed someone to take full ownership.
The challenge
A takeover is different from a new build. Real users are on the system every day, so nothing can break while you learn the code. The owner also had no clear picture of what state the product was in.
Step 1: audit before touching anything
I reviewed the whole codebase first and wrote the findings in plain English. The audit produced nearly 100 findings. I ranked them by risk, so the owner could see what mattered now and what could wait.
Step 2: fix the critical issues first
26 of the findings were critical. I fixed those before any new feature work. This is the least visible part of a takeover and the most important one.
Step 3: make releases safe
The platform runs with separate development and live environments, and errors are tracked with Sentry. Every change is tested away from real users before it goes live.
Step 4: ship every week
With the foundation stable, the work moved to new features. I ship updates every week and explain each one to the owner without jargon.
What the client said
The founder's recommendation is on my home page, and the Upwork review for this contract reads: “He takes full ownership of the work, understands problems quickly and always comes back with clear, practical solutions.”
Need someone to take over your project?
See how I handle a project takeover, or message me with a short description of where things stand.