Engineering Spotlight: Brant Morton
Brant Morton | Senior Software Engineer
Tell me a bit about yourself- who you are and what’s your background?
Hey, I’m Brant! I’m a Senior Software Engineer at Vouch on our Insurance Distribution team, where I spend my time building out our Insurance API. I was born and raised in Westlake, Louisiana, and after a few years of traveling around the lower 48, my wife and I landed at our current home base outside of Portland, Oregon.
Why did you choose to be a Software Engineer? Did you know you always wanted to be an engineer? What was your career journey like?
As a kid, I was always interested in STEM subjects, and growing up along the Gulf Coast, I had a great deal of exposure to the oil and gas industry. This combination led me to believe that the most fulfilling career path for me would be as a Chemical Engineer in an industrial plant. Thinking I knew exactly what I wanted, I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from McNeese State University, took a few internships, and went on to work at an oil refinery in my hometown after graduation. I quickly realized that the career path I was on, was not where I wanted to be.
I wanted to solve hard problems. I wanted to express creativity. I wanted to build things. The internet told me that I might like Software Engineering, but I didn’t want to go back to school for Computer Science. Fast forward a few months — I took a trip to San Francisco, and my Uber driver told me that he was an Engineer and had co-workers that were self-taught developers. This sent me down a rabbit-hole of online resources on learning how to code, and all of the sudden, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I began learning the basics of Python through online learning platforms. Eventually, I’d pick up HTML, CSS, and JavaScript fundamentals. After my day job, I’d work on side projects and build websites for local businesses to have a portfolio that would one day impress an employer. After ten months of effort and hundreds of job applications, I finally landed my first Software Engineering position with an EdTech SAAS startup.
I worked remotely for this company for a few years as a Full Stack developer. The company had a fantastic engineering culture, and I had great mentors along the way. It was a wonderful opportunity to build impactful products with new technologies, and learn what it’s like to work in a fast-paced startup. Eventually, I felt that I was ready for new challenges, so I joined Vouch as a Senior Engineer.
What do you like to do outside of work? Any hobbies or activities?
I spend most of my free time hiking around the magical Pacific Northwest with my wonderful wife and our mischievous dogs. I also spend a lot of time bouncing around local coffee shops and pondering on who pulls the best espresso, which is an endless journey in this part of the United States. When I’m not home, I’m probably camping in my van across our country’s vast wilderness, at the driving range trying to fix my golf swing, or catching a baseball game.
Why did you choose to join Vouch? What attracted you to Vouch & was it what you expected? What are you looking forward to?
While working at my last company, a Vouch recruiter reached out and asked if I’d be interested in a role working in a technology stack that I was familiar with. I hadn’t heard of Vouch at the time, but Vouch’s engagement in the startup ecosystem impressed me. The recruiter really sold me on the company’s values, and it was apparent that Vouch’s commitment to putting people first and facing challenges head on were directly aligned with what I wanted in my next company. I was interested enough to go through the interview process.
After going through the loop and meeting all of the folks I’d be working with, it was immediately clear that this was a place that I’d want to work. Two things were consistently apparent in the interviews:
- These people were really collaborative and always willing to help others. It was evident that I would have the support needed to continue to grow in my engineering career.
- I would be challenged in the best way. Challenging the status quo of business insurance is in the fabric of the company. People at Vouch are ready for tough problems. They’ll beat them and learn a lot along the way.
After a year at the company, the aspects of Vouch that initially attracted me have proven to remain my favorite parts of working here. I’ve encountered endless amount of growth opportunities, and I’ve been so supported along the way. The business is growing rapidly, and as we move into the next phase of growth, I’m looking forward to even more complex challenges we have on the horizon.
