2. FIVE LESSONS LEARNED
Markus Kobler
Since graduating Computer Science 2003
Going over some of the ups...
...and some of the downs
Its been interesting asking others about their five
4. 96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10
I didn’t have a job sorted yet so now what?
5. 96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10
Short term contracting at a startup
6. 96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10
Gave me a chance to find longer term work in London
7. Lesson 1 Is it best to go with the Big brand or the unknown startup?
8. 96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10
so I decided to go with the small guys
9. 96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10
3 1/2 years and 6 fold growth later
there was something wrong however...
10. Lesson 2 Some times you need to move on to keep learning
11. 00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14
So I decided to move to a consultancy
12. 00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14
which really meant working for
13. Lesson 3 Indepth understanding of domains (little ironic in the banking industry?)
14. 00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14
Unfortunately I was still on the same project after a year
the opposite reason I joined a consultancy
15. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
Its around this time that Taglab where looking for a new
Technical Director
16. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
So I agreed to join the board of directors as CTO
and take a stake in the company
17. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
It was not quite as great as it seemed...
18.
19. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
My predecessor had left for a reason
20. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
We had problems...
21. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
Some we created
22. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
actually quite a few
23. 01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
but also plenty we didn’t
30. 03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17
Which brings me to here and now
31. 03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17
So now what?
32. Summarising
Don’t feel you have to work at a big brand to be a big fish
In this industry you (must) never stop learning
Creating great software requires deep understanding of its domain
Great business’ depend on communication & teamwork
Be passionate about what you do
Don't be afraid of taking risks and aiming high
33. Image Credits
Cellar, 2008, Nick Mobbs - http://www.nickmobbs.co.uk/
Fork in the road - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tunruh/233316674/
30/365: January 30, 2010 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurenfarmer/4317277721/
The Deep: 1 of 8 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefharris/2616806578/
Bora Bora -- sunset champagne on our deck at Hotel Bora Bora - http://www.flickr.com/photos/gog/71962113/
Reserved 666 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelthing/190875121/
Bad Parking - http://www.flickr.com/photos/xlibber/3870106899/
Admire my parking skills - http://www.flickr.com/photos/enigmatic/345431689/
Crushed Celica - http://www.flickr.com/photos/rudiriet/231524995
LIP's ice climb - http://www.flickr.com/photos/mankitho/418398749/
Crown Jewel Ice Climb - http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaroneus/3123532091/
Ice climbing in Cogne - http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanwinkeljan/3260275442/
ice climbing on perito moreno - http://www.flickr.com/photos/22491205@N04/2520272951/
Ice climbing - http://www.flickr.com/photos/razzumitos/4125689785/
La vitesse à ski, c'est dangereux ! - http://www.flickr.com/photos/popov/3293177333/
34. Markus Kobler
Email: markus@markuskobler.com
Twitter: @markuskobler
Thank you for listening
