Unpacking the life of front-end developer Johanna - Polina Testing!

Meet Joanna Bridget. She has been with us since she graduated Standford with a Masters in computer science with an informal minor in hustle and bustle 6 years ago. Now, an integral part of the Jedisoft office in London, she thrives as a front-end developer. When she is not at Jedisoft, she runs a successful yoga retreat tucked away in the countryside for spiritual nourishment. Whilst out in the countryside, ever so eager, Joanna discovered a source for homemade woollen socks. And with her minor in hustle and bustle, her Etsy shop is now in the UK top 20 selling the aforementioned socks. Learn more about Johanna below and get a glimpse of our team.

Joanna in action in our London office with our CEO, Paul, cracking agency jokes per usual.

Why did you join Jedisoft, and what has kept you here?

I had the privilege to do internships and meet companies small, medium and large during my time at college. Through these experiences, I instantly knew I wanted to join a small-to-medium-sized firm after graduation and did just that with Jedisoft.

The allure of a smaller team was the ability to gain hands-on experience, network and work alongside “core” employees, have the opportunity to grow with the organization as it scales, and be granted the opportunity to climb in the ranks and gain exposure to other departments for further career growth.

Fortunately, all my expectations of a smaller team were met at Jedisoft, and I find myself still marvelled at the journey I have had since I joined 6 years ago. In my time, the company has grown from 30 people in West Hollywood to 220 people in 5 locations across 3 continents. I myself have relocated twice and it has been an amazing experience.

Though we have had a growth spurt, the leadership team have kept the "family" feeling alive in our culture. No task is too small or too big for anyone in the company and to this day, I see our CEO, Paul, coding from time to time. This aligns very well with my inner ethos and as my peers are likeminded, we have become close friends over the years.

This on top of my own increased responsibility in the company, leading the front-end team for the largest client of the company whilst having the flexibility to have a balanced life outside work has kept me firmly attached to Jedisoft.

What are some of the unique challenges you face in your role, and how do you overcome them?

Software development requires a significant amount of problem-solving, and my role requires me to be nimble and innovative, finding the best solutions to a particular problem at hand together with our client teams.

These problems range in complexity, and as a result, coming up with solutions isn’t always a walk in the park. In fact, more often than not, it’s an uphill battle that requires me to be attuned to the latest technologies and methods available.

As a result, I’m always in a state of learning, keeping my ear to the ground to identify trends and solutions developers outside of the organization are using, in addition to collaborating with my team and other colleagues, each of whom provides a unique perspective on a given problem.

I also find it easier to overcome challenges if you have other impulses outside of work as you see things in a different perspective - although not easy to juggle activities, it has been key to my growth and learning at Jedisoft.

What is your most memorable moment at Jedisoft?

Last year, I was able to attend our new office opening in Paris, and it was my first time travelling to France, which was an amazing experience.

Learning more about the products we have helped build through time, how the client companies have evolved, seeing the sales process in action and up close, and getting to meet my peers from across the globe in one place was an invaluable experience.

The culture at Jedisoft was palpable at the opening in Paris: we are a deeply, technical company across departments but everyone is hardworking, very smart and competent, but they are also fun and easy to work with. It’s really the people here who wow me the most.

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

I have a passion for yoga as I have found it key for myself to balance and complement an often intensive workday. Like most things in my life, I go all-in when I feel passionate about something and 3 years ago I started organising a weekend yoga retreat for my busy London friends in the countryside.

That retreat has now organically grown to a community of 1500 plus people where we organize retreats at various spots around the UK on a monthly basis. It has been a great avenue for me to be social, keep my passion for yoga alive and in focus whilst living a balanced life.

However, I would not be me if I didn't find a side hustle whilst doing a bit of yoga. Now, I had the most remarkable experience when I got the snuffles during one of the retreats and went into town to buy something warm and cost, only to discover a wool merchant. The woollen socks I purchased made me feel so much better that I bought a couple for my friends.

They loved it, and it dawned upon me that more people may feel the same. That was the beginning of an adventure where my Etsy shop has grown to be one of the leading shops in the country. The community we have built around the shop and being able to help a local merchant whilst satisfying my inner thirst for creating value (read hustle) is a privilege.

At one of Johanna's many yoga retreats, this time in the costal town of Cornwall.

When are you the happiest?

That is an incredibly hard question as I feel so very happy in multiple scenarios, but I think what gives me the utmost boost of dopamine is to contribute to someone else finding a solution to a problem they face

That could be anything from me supporting our clients with a UX roadblock churning traffic to introducing someone who is overwhelmed to discover the benefits of yoga to facilitate a more mindful and tranquil lifestyle. I hope that makes sense in a way.

What are your top three life highlights?

Interesting question and I have 3 life events noted below in no particular order that should sum it up.

I was fortunate enough to pay down the home-mortgage for my parents after the growth of my Etsy shop. This was an incredible moment for us a family. To see their happiness and joy when I told them the news still moves me today.

My brother winning silver with his curling team during the winter olympics in Sochi. We always made fun of him for the curling, but that was an immensely proud day that I will always treasure and I was lucky enough to be there in person to witness it.

Moving to London was a life-long dream of mine, and the day I sat on the plane to embark on my new adventure in the city I always wanted live made me so happy and grateful. I can't thank Jedisoft enough for the opportunity as London has exceeded all my expectations!

Johanna on a rare weekend at home in Shoreditch checking Etsy shop analytics as one does.

If given the chance, who would you like to be for a day?

If I could, I would be 50 cent for the day. I know it is an unusual answer for someone like me but I loved his music growing up (still do for that matter) and I always wondered how his day-to-day life is as 50 cent.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?

I do not know if this classifies as a historical event, but my parents always told the most infectious stories about their time in Norway during the Olympics in 1994 - I would love to have been there as it seems like the happiest and the cosiest time combined with sports in a winter wonderland!

What are your three most overused words/phrases at the moment?

This is ultimately my favourite question as I am so guilty of this. Everyone in the office knows that I am overleveraged with the overuse of phrases and words. At the top of my head, the top three goes like this:

-"Ultimately"

-"Honestly, fake news"

-"No way, are you serious?"

Get to know Johanna and her peers at Jedisoft!

We are thrilled to have Johanna part of our team at Jedisoft as she represents the very best fo our people and is a great reflection of the personalities we attract at the company. If you would like to ask Johanna any questions about the front-end team at Jedisoft or meet any of her peers, please connect with us and we will make sure to introduce you.