Auto Promo PH was my first real freelance project — and honestly, the one that gave me the confidence to keep going as a dev-for-hire. Starting it was a big leap from the stack I am comfortable with. I took on the challenge of building a full-stack web app using a new stack. At first, it felt like I was diving into the deep end, but I loved every minute of it.
The client wanted a simple platform where they could post car promos, and users could browse and inquire easily.
I went full MERN stack on this:
- MongoDB for the flexible schema and fast queries.
- Express.js for building out the REST API.
- React for the frontend UI — dynamic, responsive, and easy to maintain. Paired it with MUI.
- Next.js for SEO and easier routing.
The biggest challenge? Making the promo management easy for non-tech users. I built an admin dashboard with authentication and CRUD features — nothing too fancy, but it got the job done and was actually fun to build.
Also added:
- Image uploads using Multer and Firebase
- Basic form validation with custom error messages
- Email inquiry system for leads
Looking back, it wasn’t perfect — but it worked, it shipped, and the client was happy. That’s a huge win in my book.
Freelancing tip I learned the hard way: scope creep is real. Lock down your features early or you’ll be building a cruise ship for a boat budget.