David Crawford

David is a natural born problem-solver. When he needed to learn how to type as a kid, he turned to a Mac SE 30 and the Mavis Beacon software that came with it. He liked his hand-me-down computer, because it allowed him to accomplish goals in a simple, easy-to-understand way. Before long, he was making mods for the old Star Wars Battlefront games using Lua. It was the beginning of a lifelong love of code.

As an information systems major at Grand Valley State University, David expanded his software knowledge, both in theory and in practice. Beyond being exposed to a variety of languages and technologies, he was able to work with actual clients during his capstone project. The experience taught him the value of customer feedback and the real-world benefits of rapid prototyping.

After a series of roles at various organizations, David was hired as a software developer at Bravo LT. In addition to client projects, he formed the consultancy’s blog strategy, using it to showcase their expertise and focus on the developer community. He also shaped the company’s internship program and, along the way, changed code assessments for interviews to focus on real-world problems and help identify top talent.

David’s move to MichiganLabs was based on three main factors: our consultancy approach, the teamwork and collaboration that infuses our culture, and the overall energy and outspokenness of our members. Every day, it is a joy being able to solve interesting problems and build something useful, together.

Like many of our members, David has a variety of outside interests. Two that come to the top are digital art and writing. His self-published books range from children's historical fiction to theology to fantasy. He has also served as a high school eSports coach and continues to maintain a blog.

In his downtime, David looks after Button Quail. He’s also into genealogy. A descendant of William Brewster (leader of the pilgrims during the Mayflower voyage), he delves deep into his family history. It turns out problem-solving and building something useful run in the family.

Personal interests