How did you find out about buckle up?
I think it was quite a coincidence. I was looking for a new job and went on LinkedIn. My friend Majo, whom I had known since high school, posted that he had started working here a few months before. I visited the website, sent my resume and here I am.
Since when / how long have you been at buckle up?
It's been three years recently.
How did you feel about Pezinok before you joined buckle up? Has anything changed after?
In fact, I didn't perceive Pezinok in any way before :). I only knew a part of the town because of The Pezinok Run, but I never visited the town center before. And what has changed? Hmmm, I still haven't become a wine drinker, I still mostly prefer beer. But the guys have already taught me to recognize at least white and red wine :D. Sometimes I go for a run to the nearby "hills" after work. However, I still like Trnava more. :)
How do you commute to work? (car, train, on foot, bicycle… + duration, benefits)
It depends... however, in 80% by train. To and from the train station I ride a scooter, which shortens my commute time, especially the part from home to the train station in Trnava. In Pezinok, buckle up is located close to the railway station, so it's fine. :) We also tried to ride bicycles to work, but we will probably have to wait for better cycling tracks. By train it takes me about 40-45 minutes to get from my bed to my chair in the office. When I go by car, it takes about 35 minutes, mostly without any traffic jam. I consider it advantageous when I can combine my commute with an exercise.
What was your greatest challenge at buckle up in the beginning?
It took me a while to get used to the Mac. I hadn't worked with it until then, but there weren't any pitfalls. Well, I don't remember any big challenges, so there probably weren't any :D.
Which thing at buckle up surprised you the most compared to other agencies?
I don't have much to compare with, but I like the systematics and that things are in order. I like the benefits, team events - often very imaginative, the relaxed atmosphere, and the fact that we communicate among each other as equals.
Which trip with buckle up do you consider the very best?
They were all top! In my 3 years at the agency we visited Amsterdam, Edinburgh, New York, Prague, Budapest and Vienna. I hope I mentioned them all :). But if I had to say which place I liked the most, surprisingly, it wouldn't be New York. It is definitely worth seeing, but for me it is too big a city with too many people and all that hustle and bustle. Edinburgh and its surroundings were great, and Budapest is very close to my heart, I like it very much and have visited several times.
As agency we support several community activities. Which do you like best?
For me, it's definitely the Pezinok Run, as I like running. So whenever it works out, I'm happy to participate.
Where did you work before joining buckle up / what experience did you gain in other jobs?
While working at a construction site, I learned how to clean bricks. I might have gone too far with that one :D. Worth mentioning, for example, is ESM Yzamer based in Trnava, which I spent some time working at, although the company's operation is very different from what buckle up focuses at. I worked there in marketing, creating graphic materials, managing their website, etc. It was definitely a good experience, but I was more into coding and online stuff, so I needed a change.
Benefits of working in a smaller agency?
For me, these are definitely good working relationships. In my opinion, one can get much more personal than in a large corporation and become closer to people. Comments or solutions to any issues, which may not even be directly related to work, do not go through various different people, but we talk about it in person.
What is your role in buckle up?
My main task is to make inappropriate jokes and sometimes I get into front-end. Just kidding! I know a little bit of everything - maybe even more of one or two specific things. I can help with graphics if our Rišo, the graphic specialist, is flooded with work. I use HTML, CSS, SASS on a daily basis, then it's Javascript and things derived from it. I have truly grown fond of the VUE.js framework, which we also started actively working with and developing projects in.
Is there anything interesting that you currently work on?
Currently, various interactive games and quizzes, for which we used the already mentioned Vue.js.
What about anything new you would like to learn?
Every day I like to learn something new from different areas. Related to work, however, I would like to improve my current knowledge and at the same time follow the latest news on the "front-end market", so that I do not miss anything new and interesting. And of course I want to have an up-to-date general overview.
What was your latest success on a project?
Success is difficult to measure and can be perceived subjectively. I'm happy if a project is completed successfully and within the given deadline, and I also manage to learn something new down the road. Whether the project itself is successful does not only depend on us, but it is a combination of different factors, from the idea to the promotion.
What was the most interesting challenge you have overcome in the last six months?
I got married. Or doesn't that count? :)
What do you like to listen to at work?
I mostly listen to Rišo at work. : D Not really, it's different, I love rock and metal. However, I can listen to anything that is not overplayed (Last Christmas by Wham is an exception :D), for example even classical music. Sometimes I listen to podcasts - something funny or about sports.
How do you prevent burnout?
I do sports. It cleans my mind nicely and brings different thoughts. I don't take myself too seriously. I also try to see life from a different perspective and not to make a big deal of things that I cannot affect.
What was the most embarrassing experience you had at work?
Since I'm not exactly a party animal, I don't endure much. There is a photo circulating at work taken at Filip's party, in which I am shown reading (with my eyes closed) the Chinese instruction manual for a microwave. :D
Coffee or tea?
I drink coffee more often. At buckle up I eventually learned to drink something other than instant coffee, because we have a decent coffee machine and premium coffee, especially from Slovak roasters. However, I do not have any prejudices against tea.
What do you like best about the buckle up team?
As I mentioned before, the personal relationships. Everyone knows something else better and we always have something to learn from each other. Nobody (I hope) minds that we make fun of each other quite often - yes, sometimes even inappropriately.
Which benefit do you like / make use of the most?
I like the extra time off (paid) during Christmas. I like our team events and trips. Then there are various financial benefits and bonuses. It is possible to take an employee loan - for example, for housing. :) We can also share various paid software or services.
Which apps do you have installed on your smartphone?
I most often use Strava, Garmin Connect (I like various statistics and as far as sports are concerned, I like to track my progress). In addition to the usual social apps, I use, for example, Snapseed to edit photos, Pocket to save articles, and Denník N to keep up with what is currently happening. Spotify, Netflix, HBO Go, Apple TV - those are a must for me, being a fan of TV shows and music. Wallet for Apple Pay and Trello for my forgetfulness and planning. And some more. But I don't have any games downloaded, for example.
What can drive you insane?
Questions like this! :D Just kidding. Just a few things, mostly those that would drive any regular person crazy.
What is your favorite quote?
It's not a quote, but I really like the poem by Rudyard Kipling - IF (or its Slovak translation by Feldek). But if I were to choose a quote, then it would be the following one by Leonardo Da Vinci: "No young person is so clumsy that they will not succeed in at least one thing if persistent."
What do you like to do in your free time?
I do sports - mainly running, then I like to hike in the mountains and sometimes ride a bike. I like watching good movies and TV shows and listening to music, sometimes I get to read a book. When I have time enough, I like to cook, too.
Which country would you like to live in and why?
I am quite fascinated by the United States, especially smaller cities. There is some beautiful nature there. To live in, I like the town of Madison in Wisconsin or Flagstaff near the Grand Canyon. In Europe, maybe in the Nordic countries.
If you could give a message to your younger self, what would it be?
I don't really regret anything in my life, especially because it all brought me to where I am now. For example, I once gained quite a lot of weight, so I could mention that, but I won't because thanks to it I started to run regularly, I met many new friends and also my wife. We founded the civic association Bernohy, which connects people who want to exercise and in which we organize running trainings and races. I also don't regret any of my former jobs because they brought me to buckle up. One needs to believe that even if you are having a hard time at a specific moment, it's just a way leading to something better and you need to "master it".
Which advice helped you the most in life?
Don't eat yellow snow.
