Inside TradeZero with Zahran Kabir

Inside TradeZero

Meet the people behind TradeZero, gain insight into the latest industry happenings and?learn how we create our products and services with a customer-first focus.

Today's Q & A is with Zahran Kabir, Lead Engineer (front-end engineering).

How did you get into coding and working with TradeZero?

I was originally on a pre-medical track in college but I always felt more passionate by anything tech-oriented. I felt in college I was just studying and finishing exams with no real purpose. One day I was helping fundraise at the US Open (congratulations to Djokovic for extending his record of most Grand Slams by the way!) and met an engineer working there. I asked him more about his career and the steps he took to get there and I realized this was my calling. From that moment on I pivoted to Computer Science.

Professionally, my journey has taken me across the country. I've had the privilege of being involved in various endeavors, from spearheading technology initiatives at a small pharmaceutical company as their CTO, to serving as the main technology consultant for congressional and senatorial candidates in Nevada, and the first engineer hire at a startup in San Francisco.

Unfortunately, life took an unexpected turn when my mother was diagnosed with lymphoma, prompting my return to New York. That's when TradeZero entered into the picture.

I engaged in discussions with their team, including several developers and the CTO, and was captivated by their vision for the role. They emphasized a philosophy of empowerment and creative freedom for engineers, and they were incredibly receptive to my ideas and recommendations. I spoke with CEO Dan Pipitone and Partner John Ferrara and witnessed their unwavering passion and deep commitment to the company and felt the strong sense of camaraderie within the organization. It was at that moment that I realized TradeZero was where I truly belonged.

What have you achieved at TradeZero that you’re most proud of?

There have been many features that have been successfully released during my tenure at TradeZero, but those accomplishments were not individual. I am beyond lucky to have some of the most talented engineers you’ll find in the industry. I am proud that the team we’ve built together not only has the ability to produce features rapidly to empower the active trader but also give engineers the freedom to explore and experiment.

As a coding engineer: how do you ensure you always put the customer first?Ultimately, our primary focus is to elevate the client experience. To achieve this, we've implemented various tools aimed at enabling clients to voice their concerns and preferences while also providing them with resources to enhance their trading capabilities.

For instance, we've introduced a Feature Request form within the Client Portal, allowing traders to express their desires for improvements in our trading software. We make a concerted effort to prioritize these features,particularly those identified by customers as pain points within the software. One fundamental principle I sought to instill within our team is the importance of avoiding isolation within a technical bubble, for lack of a better term. We maintain close collaboration with our 24/7 Customer Service team to gain insights into any inconveniences clients may encounter and explore potential solutions.

Additionally, we work in tandem with the Marketing and Strategy teams to ensure that the features we release align with client sentiment, as informed by their research. As the frontend team, we recognize that we are often the initial point of contact for clients with TradeZero. It's imperative to us that their first impression is a positive one, encouraging them to remain TradeZero clients for years to come. In fact, we have such confidence in our software that many of us on the team are clients ourselves!

How much will AI change your role in the future? Can it offer more value to customers?

Undoubtedly, there will come a time when AI profoundly influences the roles of software engineers. However, as of now, this transformative impact has yet to materialize due to the relative infancy of the technology. I’ve observed numerous errors when utilizing tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard for various development inquiries. On occasion, these tools even recommended non-existent, fabricated solutions.

In my personal experience, they excel at providing surface-level knowledge on diverse subjects but fall short when it comes to deeper insights. This critique is not intended to undermine the potential of AI; it remains aremarkably potent tool. Nevertheless, users must possess expertise in their respective fields and validate the solutions offered.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing this career path?

Whether you’re 10 years old or 60, It's never too late to start learning. Start by building a strong foundation in computer science fundamentals. Understand data structures, algorithms, and how computers work at a low level. One of my favorite courses to recommend is CS50 from Harvard. Its a very engaging course that will give you an understanding as to whether you want to keep moving forward or not. Although a formal education might open doors and provide a structured learning path, you can still self-teach and be successful. After you get a good grasp of a language and want to start a project, I highly recommend building something in an industry you’ve always been passionate about. For me, my first personal project I worked on was an IMDB type application specifically for Television shows.

Build a portfolio with projects that showcase not just your passions but also various features that could be in demand by the industry at the time. Contributing to open source projects also gives experience on collaborating with other developers. Remember that everyone's journey in software engineering is unique, and there's no one-size-fits-all path. Adapt your approach to your interests and goals, and don't be discouraged by setbacks or challenges along the way.