Meet Piotr, one of our Optimizely experts and Tech Leads

Piotr is one of our awesome developers and Tech leads. And like all our Tech Leads, he has a helicopter perspective and sees opportunities that strengthen our customers' business. Piotr has been with us for a year now and we asked a few questions about his journey and why he likes Epinova.

Tell us about your background

I started my career as a PHP developer back in the year 2008, so quite a long time ago - especially in IT years. Back then, there was no strict distinction between front-end developers and back-end developers. Thanks to that, I have a strong front-end understanding even to this day (well, maybe except for CSS). Nowadays, we would refer to such a position as a full-stack developer, but in the past, it was simply referred to as a developer.

In 2011, I began working with Scandinavian customers, and I have continued this trend ever since. During that period, I gained experience as a Team Leader and made the switch from PHP to Microsoft's dotnet. I would like to mention that I had the fortune of working with very skilled individuals - from co-developers and project managers to tech leads, from whom I learned a great deal.

You have worked at Epinova for one year now - tell us about your journey

I was warmly welcomed at Epinova, and after completing some warm-up assignments, I joined the Elite team as a senior backend developer. In addition to backend tasks, I also enjoy working with React components. In my opinion, this combination of skills is very beneficial – understanding how front-end applications work makes it easier to create a better back-end part.

Elite hotels new website

Elite Hotels had a working website, but there were many challenges. Reservations were created in an external system, which limited the ability to track, optimize and further develop the entire customer journey. The solution also had a high technical debt, which made the work of editors difficult and was expensive to maintain.

Together with Elite Hotels, we have created a brand new website based on Optimizely DXP and the Epinova framework. The solution gives editors great freedom and flexibility in creating and designing websites without the support of programmers. Now we are in the middle of implementing Optimizely ODP to help the customer getting more insights combining data we have in the platform with new offerings and personalization.

Currently, I continue to assist the Elite team occasionally, but most of my time is dedicated to another assignment where I hold the role of Tech Lead. This assignment involves a solution we inherited from another vendor. Surprisingly, the code is new and well-maintained, rather than burdened with technological debt. So far, I’ve worked on two projects, and there may be more to come – we’ll see what the future holds.

What makes Epinova different from your previous experiences?

What I appreciate about Epinova AB is its relatively small size. We are certainly open to expanding our team; however, we prefer to focus on attracting the most qualified candidates rather than rushing the recruitment process. I have visited our Stockholm office on multiple occasions, and each time, I am struck by our strong connection with Optimizely. At Epinova, we have several staff members who were previously employed by Optimizely (or Episerver) and maintain positive relations with individuals from Optimizely.

How would you describe the culture here at Epinova?

As previously mentioned, I was warmly welcomed at Epinova, and it seems that this welcoming spirit has remained consistent. The company’s atmosphere is incredibly friendly, and at times, it feels almost like home – particularly when I reminisce about our conference in Italy last year. Not only was it a professionally
enriching experience, but it also provided an opportunity for team bonding and creating lasting memories.

What makes you proud "every day"?

My daily goal is to ensure our clients are happy with their choice of Epinova as a vendor. Striving for this ensures that everyone involved is content. The moments when I receive feedback from our clients are what make me proud. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts have not only met but exceeded client expectations, reinforcing the value of the relationships we build with them. From a developer’s perspective, imagine coding a significant functionality for a week or more. When you finally run it and see that it works on the first try – that’s an exhilarating feeling.

What is important to you as a family father?

I have two beautiful daughters – the older one is 10 now, and the younger one is almost 2. Being their father is a big challenge. Between school (or daycare) drop-offs, sicknesses, homework, and playtimes, finding time for all of that can be quite demanding. Fortunately, it all pays off with a cuteness overload! 😊 At this point, it’s worth mentioning that we have a lot of young parents at Epinova, so we understand and support each other.

What do you do in your free time?

Starting this spring, we’ve equipped ourselves with brand new bicycles, complete with a bike seat for our little one. So far, we’ve been thoroughly enjoying our rides. However, our plans extend beyond just local exploration. With a bike platform attached to our car, we’ll have the opportunity to venture beyond our immediate surroundings. In addition to spending quality time with my family, I also enjoy watching my favorite TV series and following YouTube channels.