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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSpeed is not the only success factor, however, as Martin\u2019s deep passion for tech also comes into play, though he may phrase it differently. \u201cI think it\u2019s more that I\u2019m into building things. I like complex, intricate systems, and in tech, there are infinite numbers of ways you can build complex, intricate systems.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At sixteen, Martin got his first job as a technical support worker at the UK office of ThoughtWorks, one of the world\u2019s leading technology consultancy. Initially, his primary responsibility was to build laptops and install the necessary software for new employees. It was enjoyable to some extent, but the first jobber craved something more complex and intricate. So, he started to play with it, automating as much of the process as possible. This initiative, of course, was noticed by the upper-level managers, one being Ajey Gore, who took the bright-eyed prodigy under his wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe taught me a lot of the stuff that I use today,\u201d Martin said of Ajey, who was Gojek\u2019s CTO and now works for Sequoia Capital as the Operating Partner, Technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By \u201cteaching,\u201d Ajey assigned Martin more and more complex projects, which he was excitedly up to the tasks. At one point, Martin was flown to the US and India to help with ThoughtWorks\u2019 international telephony system. And before he knew it, Martin started to work in a client-facing role, giving out technological consultancies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think Ajey saw someone technically competent and, more importantly, excited about this sort of stuff. A lot of people come to work because it\u2019s work. Some people come to work because they really want to work. I was the second type.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere was a time when we were in our Bangalore office in India, working on the telephony system to go outbound from the India office to the telephone network. We had a problem, so Ajey and I were in the office until 5 a.m. trying to fix it, tearing apart the cables, and doing cable tests. It was purely deep tech work, and neither of us had to stay there realistically, but we just enjoyed doing it. It turns out it was not our fault. The ISP connected the cable wrong, so we wasted our time. But I think that was what Ajey saw. Tech people can see tech people who enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After ThoughtWorks, Martin became a software developer in Montreal, Canada, for a year. Although the project didn\u2019t work out, he had fun and understood the business of digital products more. (\u201cSome software developers think they can get rich off just building a good application, and it doesn\u2019t require any marketing and sales effort, but those applications are few and far between,\u201d he reflected.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in the UK, Martin worked as a system administrator at a company for a while. Then he started to work as a contractor on many IT and digital projects for multiple companies. One of his more extended, significant projects included developing digital platforms for F1. (Yes, if you\u2019re a fan who likes to watch the motor race on tablets or any mobile devices, you have him to thank.) For this project, Martin also learned how to code in Ruby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this point, if we can learn one thing from Martin, it\u2019s this: don\u2019t ever stop learning and evolving. If there\u2019s a list of his competencies, here\u2019s how it looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tech support \u2013 checked <\/p>\n\n\n\n System administration \u2013 checked <\/p>\n\n\n\n Software development \u2013 checked <\/p>\n\n\n\n Coding \u2013 checked <\/p>\n\n\n\n DevOps \u2013 checked<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being a tech all-rounder, Martin was sought after by many companies, even a company in a country half the world away\u2014you guessed it\u2014Thailand!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA company in Thailand needed a travel system, so I moved to Thailand to build that system. It went from nothing\u2014literally the first line of code being written\u2014to this application that gets millions of searches per day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time he left the company, Martin was the DevOps engineer and CTO with an entire team running the travel system. They pivoted and scaled, and in Martin\u2019s own words, \u201cwe went through a full digital transformation, not only the company but I myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, with this full-stack experience, Martin is ready to take on the most exciting project: Bluebik Global.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBluebik is fantastic in what it does, we have a good reputation amongst the largest consultancy companies in Thailand. I want to take what Bluebik has built and done\u2014its reputation, its brand, the total package\u2014and bring that to the rest of the world and compete internationally with all the top consultant firms.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat sets us apart from other firms is the combination of tech and consulting abilities. They usually have very good consultants and may have their tech people, but tech integration is not deep enough in those organizations. On the contrary, the projects I run with Bluebik Global have tech people all the way up. I\u2019m the director of Bluebik Global, and I have extensive tech experience, and so does everyone working on the client\u2019s team. Our consultants\u2019 combined tech skills and people skills add more value to the projects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of people skills\u2014Martin is at his best leading by example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I talk to clients, I might be talking to non-technical people. I have to explain why the company should change its architecture in a way that non-technical people can understand and still be true to the underlying vision. I also have to explain it in a way that doesn\u2019t make them feel like I\u2019m all high and mighty. If there\u2019s an engineer on the client side, I have to ensure they understand that I\u2019m here to help them, not fight them, because they might not want me there. Better yet, I have to explain it in a way that the engineers want to work with us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe last project we had, we had a meeting set up for ten people, but twenty-four people joined. Those extra fourteen people heard the meeting was happening and just wanted to listen. This is all people skills. I can tell them what I\u2019m doing tech-wise, but it\u2019s useless unless I make sure they want to do it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Martin loves building and maintaining complex, intricate systems, he admits to doing less of that now as the director of Bluebik Global. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost of my work these days is recognizing what we need to do as a company on a high strategic level and making sure things run smoothly. Preparing for what you can\u2019t plan for. Expanding. Looking out for risks\u2014mitigating, but also taking the risk when you need to. So what I\u2019m doing right now is still building something, but it\u2019s not a computer system, it\u2019s a big operating model for a company, and that\u2019s where all the skills come into play, especially the people skills. I may not be able to convince you of something, but at least I will be able to explain. Make sure you understand it and get your point of view. From there, we have a shared understanding. A shared understanding can then be used to move forward. Working with my team, I don\u2019t like to be, \u201cLet\u2019s do it because I said so.\u201d I want to be, \u201cLet\u2019s do it because we agree it\u2019s the right way to do it.\u201d I want to have a good discussion with my team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These days, Martin rarely has any free time, but when he does, he goes flying the plane. \u201cI got a private pilot license for a small plane. I love flying because, firstly, when you look out the window, it\u2019s beautiful. Secondly, flying is relaxing. It\u2019s like a form of meditation. When you fly, you\u2019re not thinking about anything else because the task load is high. You\u2019re focusing on what you\u2019re doing, not about tomorrow, not about next week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn a way, flying is similar to running a business; you have multiple things you need to do simultaneously, and it helps prepare you for dealing with difficult situations. If the engine goes out when you\u2019re 5,000 feet up in the air, you must be able to perform all the emergency procedures automatically. Okay, nose down, look for a place to land, communicate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf something goes wrong when running a business, okay, assess the situation, understand it, and go forward with the best possible solution you can come up with at that moment. Many people scream or cry when something goes bad, but if you\u2019re on a plane and your pilot starts screaming or crying, that\u2019s a problem. You would want your pilot to be the calmest person on the plane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For anyone who wants to work in tech, here\u2019s advice from the pilot of Bluebik Global. \u201cBe inquisitive. Go find what excites you and what you want to learn more about, and move towards it. Move fast and break things. The tech industry is constantly evolving. So, get into the latest and greatest tech, understand it, break it, and fix it. All of these will give you the knowledge you need. I guarantee that every single tech person will break things. You will break production. You will take the website down. It\u2019s okay. It happens. That\u2019s the learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"2023](\"https:\/\/bluebik.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/2023-04-07_k.martin_Cover_copy_5-1-1024x683.jpg\")
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