What are Engineering Managers made of? Grilling, music, and code. Well, that’s at least true of Tanel Laud, one of our excellent Engineering Managers at Bondora! Read on to discover what life is like as a Bondorian manager, how he ended up programming, and what he loves most about his role in the company.
Bondora Superhero #37 — Tanel Laud
👦Bondorian since: January 2023
🔍Role: Engineering Manager in Core Group
💡Team: Product Engineering: Core
Tanel’s journey at Bondora:
I joined Bondora at the beginning of the year, and this is my first proper managerial role. So, the first thing I did was to get to know the team and the problems they experienced.
I also took on some company-wide initiatives (regarding developer experience and new frontend architecture 🏗️), which I’m still running now.
Tanel’s typical workday
I usually go to the office 2-3 times weekly to meet with colleagues. But when I have a lot of meetings, and I know most of them are via video call, I prefer to do them from home.
I’ve got a great home office setup so that I can be productive at both locations 🏡
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I feel like I’ve done well when projects are moving at a good pace, and I’ve removed all the blockers from my team members’ workflow so they only have to focus on doing what they do best.
And what makes being a developer at Bondora awesome?
I’ve always valued having great people with great attitudes to work with; if you have that, everything is achievable. We have that in Bondora. I highly appreciate our ‘no bullshit’ value. It saves a lot of time 🙂
How did you find your way into the world of programming? What has the experience been like so far?
As a kid, I was interested in computers and got along with them very well. I was the go-to IT guy in my small village. Once I graduated high school, I continued on that path.
I tried out universities to study IT, but I felt I could do it quicker by myself and working at the same time.
So I became a frontenddeveloper. I did that for 15 years, and now I’m an Engineering Manager, and I love it very much 🖥️
Best meme that sums up being a developer?
‘I can’t start programming before I …’
… turn on the computer 😜
What programming language is your favorite and why?
Javascript – it has been a big part of my career.
What is your best investment advice?
You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time – value the people who have come into your life and stayed. They stay there for a reason. Take time to hang out with them and create memories.🙂
My advice is to appreciate what you have and not feel too bad about what you don’t have.
Best cybersecurity/IT tip?
When all else fails, reboot 🔌
And now, let’s get to know Tanel even better!
What are some of your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
I am into sports (basketball and weightlifting). I play basketball every week ⛹️♂️
Also, one of my biggest passions is music. I play guitar, create music, and occasionally perform at bars/pubs with my singer.
I also like to grill a lot; I make my own marinades for the meat 🥩
👨🍳 Tanel’s tip: Don’t add water to the marinade. It evaporates too fast and ends up drying out the grilled meat.
What are your favorite games to play?
I used to be a gamer when I was 15, but once I started to learn guitar, I devote all my free time to that.
Which game have you clocked the most hours with on Steam?
I used to play FPS games.
Bacon: yay or nay?
Yay 🥓
What’s your favorite TV show/podcast?
‘Friends’ – every time I watch it, it’s funny 📺
What’s your favorite kind of music (to listen to while programming)?
I am into rock/metal music 🎸🎶
Do you have any pets?
We have a cat named Ronja. Sometimes at night, she comes and knocks on your forehead and then runs off 🐈
What superpower would you like to have and why?
That I can be in multiple places at the same time – I don’t like to miss out 😀
What’s something that you want to do but scares you?
Parajumping scares me, but I would still like to do it one day to overcome my fear 🪂
Thank you for allowing us to introduce you to Tanel! As part of our Core group, he and his team ensure that all the customer-facing features and processes work seamlessly. We’re happy to have had this chance to introduce Tanel and give some insights into his world and hobbies.
Tune in again next month to meet our 38th Bondora Superhero!
P.S. If you’re interested in joining us, head to our Careers Page to find your dream job at Bondora.