๐ Hi! I'm Ferry. Nice to meet you. ๐
๐งโ๐ป About Me
A software engineer with nearly two decades in the industry, and founder of VerdantSparks. I love building software. This site is my digital garden, where I share my thoughts on technology, programming, and life.I specialize in .NET full-stack development, covering backend APIs, frontend, mobile apps, and Azure cloud infrastructure. Iโm at my best when bringing different technologies together into something that simply works.My current focus is on SaaS platform development and WhatsApp integration, crafting tools that help individuals and small businesses operate more efficiently. I believe every idea deserves a chance to spark โ and code is how I ignite them.I live in Milton Keynes with my wife and three cats. Originally from Hong Kong, I moved to the UK in 2024 to experience a different pace of life. I've also been living in Taiwan for two years, where I attempted to build a SaaS company during the pandemic.Fun facts: My name, Ferry, is a short-form of my legal name which is my family nickname that happens to sound like โferry boatโ (ๆธก่ผช โด๏ธ) in Cantonese. I love rodents as much as cats โ one of my fancy rats was named Hello ๐ญ. I once looked after more than 20 rescued hamsters.
๐ค Activities
๐ Career
I wonโt go into every detail here โ you can find the full record on my LinkedIn below.
๐ฐ Early Career โ Betting & R&D (2007 โ 2011)
Started in casino slot-machine development, working across Flash frontend and Java backends. Later joined Hong Kongโs largest charity organization, where I learned about how C# and .NET work in an enterprise context.๐บ๏ธ Period of Exploration (2011 โ 2015)
Built real-time betting and live-streaming systems for a mobile gaming company. Also explored client-facing roles such as consultant, system analyst, and product specialist โ experiences that confirmed my strength and satisfaction remain in hands-on development.๐งฉ First Entrepreneurial Attempt (2015 โ 2016)
Ventured into creating a dining POS system while creating a few mobile apps as a freelance developer โ my first taste of entrepreneurship. It revealed how much I value technical integration, hands-on problem-solving, and end-to-end ownership.๐๏ธ Architecture & Team Management (2016 โ 2018)
Focused on large-scale system design and digital transformation in the public sector. It was my first experience managing direct reports, where I learned how collaboration and teamwork can drive successful outcomes. The experience โ and an inspiring supervisor โ laid the groundwork for starting my own company.๐ฑ Founder & SaaS Experimentation (2018 โ 2021)
Founded VerdantSparks, a digital consultancy that grew to four employees. Later pivoted toward SaaS and built a Vet & Pet platform prototype during two years in Taiwan โ a period that strengthened my understanding of product design, pitching, validation, and resilience.๐ Growth in Technical Leadership (2021 โ 2023)
Joined a SaaS startup, witnessed the up and down from series A to B, shaping technical vision, cross-team collaboration, and culture under an inspiring CTO. It was a period of steep growth โ both technical and personal.๐ฟ Recalibration & Relocation (2024 โ Present)
After stepping back for health and balance, I relocated to the UK. Now working remotely for a large US corporation, I continue refining my craft while quietly preparing for my next career milestone. ๐๏ธ Tools
I started learning C# since 1.0 around 2002. Before the death of Flash, I was a rare certified ActionScript developer and won some competitions with C++.
๐ ๏ธ My Main Tech Stack:
- Language: C#
- Cloud: Azure
- Frontend: Blazor
- Mobile: MAUI
- Web: ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework, .NET Aspire
- AI: OpenAI API, Semantic Kernel
- Database & Cache: SQL Server, MongoDB, SQLite, Redis
- DevOps: GitHub Actions, Docker
- Testing: Xunit, Selenium
- Library & API: WhatsApp Business API, GoogleMap API, Hangfire
๐งฐ What I know but haven't used extensively in production:
- Language: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C++
- Cloud: Google Cloud, AWS, Firebase
- Frontend: Astro, Alpine.js, Angular, React, Vue
- Web: Node.js
- Database: MySQL, PostgreSQL
- DevOps: Jenkins, Kubernetes, Terraform
- Testing: Cucumber
- Game & Computer Graphics: DirectX, OpenGL, Unity
๐ค My Coding Environment:
- IDE: VSCode, Rider
- Coding Agent: GitHub Copilot CLI, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot Agent
- SCM: Git, GitHub
- Containerization: Docker
- API Testing: Postman
๐ป My Coding Equipment:
- Laptop: MacBook Pro 16 Nov 2023: (M3 Pro, 36 GB RAM)
- Monitor: BenQ RD280U 4K 28"
- Keyboard: Ultimate Hacking Keyboard v1
- Mouse: Magic Trackpad 2
- Headset: Razer Barracuda X Chroma
๐ Family
๐ฐโโ๏ธ My Wife Elaine
Elaine is a lovely, cheerful and clever lady. She is good at driving
๐ and cooking ๐ณ. She is my best friend who knows me better than
anyone since I met her when she was twenty. She married me at age
just twenty-four, giving me so much love and support for all the
years.
Elaine and I, celebrating my birthday. ๐ My Cats
- Sheldon โ A Scottish Fold ร British Short-hair who joined us when Elaine and I first met. Polite, not a picky eater, and very people-friendly โ our resident receptionist.
- Shamy โ A ginger-and-white domestic adopted a year after we married. Named after Sheldon and Amy from the Big Bang Theory; shy and quietly affectionate.
- Seven โ A tabby-and-white we rescued in Taiwan as a month-old kitten. Playful chaos engine, perpetually peckish, and the biggest of the three.
Sheldon 
Shamy 
Seven ๐พ Hobbies
๐ซ๐ป Hobbies with my wife
- ๐ฅ We enjoy cinema trips and Netflix at home.
- ๐๏ธ We like short walks around lakes and parks.
- ๐ Table tennis has been my favorite since primary school. After a 20-year break, Iโm back at itโwe play a few times a week at centre:mk
