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Field notes · September 2026

Where I started with an inherited music platform.

Music Exclusive needed security and payment problems fixed before launch. The first decision was which problems to tackle first.

← All writing

Music Exclusive is a music subscription platform. I joined to investigate and repair software built by a previous developer as the founder prepared for launch.

The problems included account-access defects, unreliable scheduled tasks, and failures in the steps artists and fans needed to complete. My first job was to understand which failures could cause the most harm.

Put account and data problems first

An account takeover issue needed attention before cosmetic cleanup. I prioritized access, identity, and payments, then worked through the rest of the findings.

Across two audits, I resolved 15 security findings. The recorded four-day launch-readiness work also included checking 27 steps across the artist and fan experience.

Make the next change easier to check

Repairing the immediate problems was part of the job. I also removed obsolete code and added automated checks so later changes could be reviewed against a clearer baseline.

For someone taking over unfamiliar software, my starting point would be the same: understand the existing behavior, identify the most consequential failures, and verify each repair before expanding the work.

The case study explains the scope of my contribution and includes the founder’s account of working with me.

Related work: Music Exclusive

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