By David Brannan

In 2002, my wife and I embarked on a journey we had been dreaming of for years—building our own home. There was something exhilarating about watching it rise from the ground, wall by wall, knowing it would shelter our family one day. However, as any homeowner will tell you, construction projects have a knack for derailing even the best-laid plans. 

Ours was no exception. About two-thirds of the way through, we hit a major snag. The construction loan we had secured was slowly drying up, and while the house was structurally sound, we had a gaping hole in the budget where the heating and plumbing systems needed to be. Without these essentials, our dream house was little more than a glorified shelter, and winter was fast approaching.

I remember vividly the day I sat down to review the bids we had received for the heating and plumbing work. Each one seemed more impossible than the last. The lowest, if you could even call it that, came in at over $40,000. It felt like staring at a mountain I had no way of climbing. Frustrated and exhausted, I knew that we would not be able to lock in our loan unless we came up with an alternative solution.

That’s when I started thinking about Michael Hirt. Michael wasn’t just a guy I knew casually; he was a respected instructor at the University of Fairbanks, Alaska. He trained journeyman plumbers and mechanical administrators, and his name was well-known in the trade. But his job took him all over the vast state of Alaska. He was constantly on the road, traveling to remote corners of the state, from icy mountain towns to villages that felt perched on the world's edge. 

Despite his expertise, I knew the travel was wearing him down. I’d heard him mention more than once how difficult it was to balance his teaching responsibilities with the endless travel. And that’s when the idea struck me: what if I could solve his travel problem while he solved my plumbing problem?

I gave him a call and pitched him my idea. “Michael, I’m in a bit of a bind here,” I started. “I need someone to finish the heating and plumbing in my house, but I can’t afford the going rates. You’re the best at what you do—what if you finish the job, and in return, I’ll build you an online app? Something that will let you train your students remotely, so you don’t have to travel as much.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. I wasn’t sure how he’d react to the idea. This was 2002, and the idea of an online training platform wasn’t exactly commonplace. But Michael was nothing if not a practical man. “Let’s talk about it,” he said, and we scheduled a meeting.

When he came over, we walked through the house, discussing what needed to be done. Michael, being the professional he was, took everything in stride, jotting down notes and muttering about supply lines and manifolds. I did not doubt that he could handle the job. But as we sat at the kitchen table to talk about the app, I could see his eyes light up. He started rattling off ideas—what if the app could provide lectures and allow students to take quizzes and tests? What if they could access training manuals remotely? 

I had my work cut out for me. But that night, after Michael left, I knew this partnership could change our lives.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind. During the day, Michael worked on installing the heating system and plumbing, and I shadowed him, learning more than I ever thought possible about how water flows through a house. He was a master at his craft, and it showed in every precise weld and well-placed pipe. 

But when the sun went down, it was my turn to work. I stayed up late into the night, coding furiously, piecing together the online app that would allow Michael to teach remotely. I’ll admit, the technology in 2002 wasn’t what it is today. Building an online platform from scratch was no small feat, especially one that had to be user-friendly enough for tradespeople all over Alaska. But the challenge was thrilling. 

When Michael finished the work on my house, the app was ready for him to test. I remember the look on his face when I showed him the prototype. It was as if I had just handed him a key to freedom. He was no longer bound by small airplanes, highways, and backroads of Alaska—he could now teach from his office, home, or anywhere with an internet connection.

The app worked better than either of us had hoped. Michael drastically reduced his travel time and soon told his colleagues about the new tool. We had struck gold, but I knew this was just the beginning.

The success of Michael’s app planted the seed for something bigger. I realized there was a much wider market for a platform that could manage training, exams, certifications, and more. But I couldn’t do it alone. That’s when I reached out to two brilliant minds to help me take this project to the next level.

The first was David Shadovitz, a database guru who worked for Northrop Grumman in Los Angeles. David had a talent for turning complex data into something simple and usable, and I knew he could help us scale the app. The second was Laura Arguello, a cutting-edge programmer from Argentina with an uncanny ability to see around corners regarding coding. Together, the three of us rebuilt the original program from the ground up. 

We launched it as Exam Professor, Inc., and what started as a favor to a friend soon became a full-fledged business. Our platform allowed educators, trainers, and institutions to create and manage exams online, making it easier for students and professionals to learn, take tests, and get certified—no matter where they were.

But we didn’t stop there. Over the years, we rewrote the program multiple times, keeping up with new technologies and expanding its capabilities. In 2024, we purchased David Shadovitz's 20% share in the business, and Laura Arguello and I became equal partners. Today, it’s known as EProfessor, offering everything from courses to tests, all in one place. What began as a small solution for one person has become something that helps people across industries and countries.

Looking back, it’s incredible how a budget shortfall on a house project led to creating an integrated learning platform. Sometimes, the most unexpected challenges lead to the most unexpected opportunities. All I needed was a crisis, a little vision, and help from very skilled and talented friends.