Steve McDougall
🚀 Senior Laravel & API Consultant | DevRel Engineer | PHP Core Committee | CTO-for-Hire
Senior Laravel & API Consultant with 15+ years building scalable web applications and leading engineering teams. Currently Technical Director at Lila Fuches and Core Committee member of PHP-FIG, shaping industry standards. Recognized technical writer (php[architect], Laravel News) and international speaker who's helped dozens of teams architect better APIs and scale development practices. Specializing in Laravel 10/11, API design, developer experience, and fractional CTO services for high-growth startups.
Work Experience
Architected a scalable Laravel SaaS platform with API-first design, enhancing maintainability and flexibility for a rapidly growing user base. Led comprehensive technical strategy including infrastructure modernization and CI/CD pipeline optimization. As fractional CTO, provided strategic guidance on hiring, roadmap planning, and product vision while directly mentoring developers to elevate code quality and team productivity.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Architected scalable Laravel 11 SaaS platform serving 10,000+ users
- ▶ Implemented API-first design reducing technical debt by 60%
- ▶ Led CI/CD improvements boosting deployment speed by 40%
- ▶ Mentored 5-person development team, improving code quality scores by 35%
- ▶ Lead and managed go to market technical strategy
Core Committee Member
Feb 2024 - Present (1 year, 8 months)
Shape PHP language standards by contributing to proposals and RFCs focused on framework interoperability. Engage directly with the global PHP community to drive adoption of PSR standards and best practices. Provide crucial real-world developer insights to guide standardization efforts that impact the entire PHP ecosystem.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Contributing to PSR standards affecting millions of PHP developers worldwide
- ▶ Reviewing and voting on critical PHP interoperability proposals
- ▶ Representing real-world developer perspectives in standardization processes
Technical Columnist
Aug 2023 - Jan 2025 (1 year, 5 months)
Authored monthly technical deep-dives on advanced PHP topics and architectural best practices for one of the industry's most respected publications. Simplified complex concepts for a broad developer audience using storytelling techniques and clear, practical examples. Collaborated closely with editorial teams to ensure technical accuracy and maximum reader value.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Published 12+ monthly deep-dive articles reaching 50,000+ developers
- ▶ Covered advanced PHP 8.x features, Laravel patterns, and architectural best practices
- ▶ Maintained 95%+ reader satisfaction scores through engaging technical storytelling
Managed cross-functional engineering teams delivering high-performance Laravel applications for major manufacturing clients. Implemented comprehensive process improvements including enhanced code review workflows and automated testing, resulting in significant bug reduction. Mentored engineers through structured career development programs and technical coaching sessions.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Managed cross-functional teams of 12+ engineers across 3 products
- ▶ Implemented process improvements reducing production bugs by 30%
- ▶ Delivered Laravel applications serving 100,000+ manufacturing clients
- ▶ Achieved 99.8% system uptime through robust CI/CD practices
Technical Writer
Jun 2022 - May 2024 (1 year, 11 months)
Published comprehensive articles on Laravel internals, package development, and architectural best practices for the Laravel community's primary news source. Produced educational content specifically targeting intermediate-to-advanced Laravel developers, focusing on real-world application and performance optimization. Actively highlighted innovative open-source projects and community contributions to foster ecosystem growth.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Published 25+ in-depth Laravel tutorials and best practice guides
- ▶ Articles averaged 10,000+ views with 85%+ completion rates
- ▶ Highlighted 50+ open-source projects, contributing to community growth
Led backend engineering for one of the UK's highest-traffic community platforms, architecting Laravel solutions for millions of users. Designed and maintained critical APIs that improved system reliability and dramatically reduced response times. Collaborated closely with product and design teams to ship engagement-driving features while mentoring junior engineers and establishing improved development workflows.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Led backend engineering for platform serving 1.5M+ monthly active users
- ▶ Optimized API performance reducing average response times by 45%
- ▶ Mentored 4 junior engineers, with 100% promotion rate within 12 months
Software Engineering Manager
Feb 2022 - Apr 2022 (2 months)
Oversaw talented engineering team building Laravel-powered systems for the UK and Europe's largest classic car marketplace. Introduced structured agile planning processes that improved team velocity and delivery consistency. Led infrastructure initiatives ensuring exceptional uptime while fostering high-trust, high-impact team culture through regular coaching and mentorship.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Led team building Laravel systems for UK's largest classic car marketplace
- ▶ Implemented agile processes improving team velocity by 25%
- ▶ Maintained 99.9% uptime for platform processing £50M+ in transactions
Leading developer advocacy initiatives, creating educational content, and building community around API observability tools.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Created comprehensive documentation and tutorials
- ▶ Spoke at international conferences and meetups
- ▶ Built developer tools and integrations
- ▶ Managed open source initiatives
Engineering Manager
Oct 2021 - Feb 2022 (4 months)
Led engineering initiatives across multiple client projects at a Laravel-focused digital agency, from discovery through technical delivery. Implemented comprehensive CI/CD automation that dramatically reduced release times while establishing rigorous testing and code quality standards. Played key role in hiring and onboarding while shaping a culture of technical craftsmanship and accountability.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Led engineering across 8+ concurrent client projects
- ▶ Implemented CI/CD automation reducing release times by 60%
- ▶ Established testing standards achieving 85%+ code coverage
- ▶ Successfully hired and onboarded 5 senior developers
Technical Lead
Apr 2021 - Oct 2021 (6 months)
Owned architecture and delivery of mission-critical Laravel-based financial products, including complex real-time data pipelines and third-party integrations. Worked closely with stakeholders to align ambitious business objectives with technical execution while enforcing high engineering standards to ensure code quality and long-term maintainability.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Architected Laravel-based financial products handling £10M+ transactions
- ▶ Built real-time data pipelines processing 100,000+ daily events
- ▶ Integrated with 12+ third-party financial APIs maintaining 99.5% uptime
Chief Technology Officer
Aug 2019 - Oct 2021 (2 years, 2 months)
Established technical foundation and product architecture for innovative SaaS platform. Led development from initial MVP through market-ready product launch, establishing development practices and technical standards that supported sustainable growth.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Built initial product architecture serving 1,000+ early customers
- ▶ Established development practices and technical foundations
- ▶ Led product from MVP to market-ready SaaS platform
Founder & Organizer
Jun 2018 - Jul 2022 (4 years, 1 month)
Created PHP South Wales to bring developers together regardless of background or experience level. Hosted monthly events featuring diverse speakers and topics, fostering continuous learning and professional growth. Built a welcoming community that became a launching pad for many developers' careers and established lasting connections across the Welsh tech scene.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Founded and grew community from 0 to 200+ active members
- ▶ Organized 40+ monthly meetups featuring international speakers
- ▶ Mentored 50+ developers through workshops and networking events
- ▶ Established Wales as a recognized hub in the PHP community
Combat Engineer
Oct 2007 - Sep 2011 (3 years, 11 months)
Served as Combat Engineer with frontline deployment to Afghanistan, specializing in route clearance and IED detection operations. Gained comprehensive training in mechanical and electrical engineering while developing exceptional problem-solving skills under pressure. Experience included operating complex military equipment and working effectively in high-stakes team environments.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Served frontline tour in Afghanistan as Royal Engineer
- ▶ Specialized in IED detection and route clearance operations
- ▶ Trained in mechanical and electrical engineering fundamentals
- ▶ Operated and maintained Challenger 2 main battle tanks
Skills
Advanced
Developer Advocacy
DevOps & Infrastructure
Intermediate
Frontend & Integration
Expert
Testing & Quality
Leadership & Communication
Architecture & Design
Publications
Time For PHP
PHP Architect
Deep-dive into Laravel application architecture patterns, featuring real-world case studies and performance optimization techniques that improved application response times by up to 60%.
PHP Is Listening
PHP Architect
Comprehensive exploration of AI integration in modern PHP applications, examining practical implementation strategies and real-world impact on developer productivity.
AI Llamas
PHP Architect
Analysis of large language models in software development workflows, featuring practical examples of AI-assisted PHP development and automated code review processes.
PHP Reflections
PHP Architect
Technical guide to leveraging Cloudflare's edge computing capabilities for PHP applications, demonstrating performance improvements of up to 40% in global deployments.
World Community
PHP Architect
Comprehensive guide to handling complex API requests in Laravel projects, featuring advanced routing patterns and middleware optimization techniques.
Bad Bug Bounties
PHP Architect
Practical implementation guide for webhook systems in PHP, covering security best practices and event-driven architecture patterns for scalable applications.
Generating Efficient PHP
PHP Architect
Detailed analysis of code quality tools and configurations for PHP development, featuring automated quality control systems that reduced bug reports by 45%.
Command Line Picasso
PHP Architect
Exploration of MVC alternatives in Laravel applications, examining when and how to implement hexagonal architecture and domain-driven design patterns.
Software Archeology
PHP Architect
Strategic approach to legacy code refactoring in Laravel applications, featuring techniques that improved codebase maintainability by 50% while reducing technical debt.
The Spectrum of PHP
PHP Architect
Comprehensive overview of PHP's evolution from web scripting to enterprise application development, highlighting modern language features and ecosystem growth.
Packing Up PHP
PHP Architect
Technical deep-dive into external API integration challenges, featuring robust error handling patterns and resilience strategies for production PHP applications.
Key Projects
PHP South Wales Community
Jun 2018 - Jul 2022
Founded and grew Wales' premier PHP meetup from zero to 200+ active members, establishing monthly events and bringing international speakers to the region.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Organized 40+ monthly meetups with 15+ international speakers
- ▶ Created mentorship programs supporting 50+ junior developers
- ▶ Established Wales as recognized hub in global PHP community
- ▶ Built sustainable community model adopted by other regional groups
Technologies
Open Source Contributions
Jan 2018 - Ongoing
Regular contributor to Laravel ecosystem packages and PHP community tools, focusing on developer experience improvements and API development utilities.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Contributed to 15+ open source packages with 100,000+ downloads
- ▶ Authored Laravel API development tools used by 5,000+ developers
- ▶ Maintained comprehensive documentation improving adoption rates by 60%
- ▶ Provided technical support and mentoring to package maintainers
Technologies
Technical Content Creation
Jan 2020 - Ongoing
Comprehensive content creation across multiple platforms, producing educational materials that reach 50,000+ developers monthly through articles, videos, and live streams.
Key Achievements
- ▶ Published 100+ technical articles across major PHP publications
- ▶ Created YouTube content with 25,000+ subscribers and 500,000+ views
- ▶ Delivered 30+ conference talks at international events
- ▶ Maintained 90%+ audience retention through engaging technical storytelling
Technologies
Awards & Recognition
PHP Community Recognition
Feb 2024PHP FIG
Elected to PHP-FIG Core Committee, representing global PHP developer community in language standardization efforts.
Outstanding Technical Writing
Dec 2023php[architect] Magazine
Recognized for exceptional technical writing contributions and ability to make complex PHP concepts accessible to developers worldwide.
Volunteer & Community
Co-organized Wales' premier tech conference, bringing together 200+ developers and industry leaders for knowledge sharing and networking.
- ▶ Managed speaker curation and event logistics
- ▶ Created inclusive environment for developers of all backgrounds
- ▶ Facilitated knowledge transfer across Welsh tech community
References
Matt Lody
"Always great to work with Steve. He's got exceptional knowledge of software and development, consistently staying ahead of emerging technologies. We've collaborated on multiple projects where he delivered innovative solutions on time with remarkable technical insight. His ability to simplify complex problems is outstanding."
David Lewis
"Having worked with Steve across different projects and conference organization, I highly recommend his development skills and technical vision. His expertise spans from data structures to modern front-end techniques, with deep API understanding. His leadership in PHP South Wales and Blue Conf demonstrates his commitment to inspiring and uniting the developer community."
James Lewis
"Working closely with Steve at Digital Profile was transformative for my career. He's an exceptional mentor and brilliant developer who accelerated my professional growth significantly. His guidance and technical expertise were instrumental in my development as an engineer."
Elliott Chapman
"Steve is a fantastic developer at the top of his field. During his promotion to CTO at Digital Profile, we successfully combined his technical expertise with business strategy. His ability to bridge technical and business concerns makes him invaluable for any organization."
Johan De Silva
"Steve is an exceptionally thorough developer who masters new technologies quickly and approaches problem-solving creatively. At Flipside, he consistently understood how individual components affected the entire system. Beyond technical skills, Steve brought daily enthusiasm and positivity that elevated the entire team."
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