My Startup Story: Dominik Hádl, Technical Director, Nodes

For our first interview with a fellow startuper we reached out to Dominik, Technical Director at Nodes, an amazing app agency setting the highest standard in Europe. Read more about his story on how can learning the right skills when you are 14 years old make a you a Director in your 20s.

Hi! Great to have you here, can you tell us a little about what you do for Nodes?

Hi! I’m a Technical Director at Nodes, which makes me responsible for the day-to-day operations, business development and hirings related to our Czech branch. Nodes is a late stage startup company currently operating in 9 countries across Europe. I’ve established the Czech subsidiary in early 2018 and grew our team to 10 people, while still actively working on client projects and developing whenever I get the time.

How did you get this role at Nodes?

I’ve joined Nodes almost 4 years ago when I decided to move to Denmark and start my Nodes career as a Senior iOS Developer. Eventually, I became the iOS Lead and moved to our London branch where I led a bigger team in multiple offices across Europe. Finally, to strengthen our expansion, I have moved back to Czech Republic to establish our presence in Central and Eastern Europe.

Do you have a corporate experience to compare your company with?

While working on various contracts and freelance opportunities I got to work in corporate companies for brief amounts of time and it certainly is a different point of view and mentality. Corporate companies often give you a feeling of stability and often low workload at the cost of self-realization and sometimes even value in the bigger picture. Startups can be a demanding environment to be in, however the skills you learn and the value you create can be extremely rewarding in my opinion.

What gave you the power to take on such important role? Was it your education, previous experience or something else?

Since I am mostly an autodidact, I’ve started working in the IT business when I was 14, so  by the time I finished high school I’ve already had significant experience. Thus it was mostly my experience that helped me get to where I am at this point in my life. I see education as a great start if you’re overwhelmed with learning by yourself or if you’re uncertain of your career path, however in the end you’re always going to have to work for it only by yourself. One of the things that also worked out for me is generally being nice and honest to people as well as trying to really go out of my way to help out.

What is it that you love about working for a startup?

Freedom, responsibility and the family-like environment. Each one of us is an integral and equal part of the company, everyone’s voice is heard and taken into account and lastly we are not just colleagues, but friends instead. Taking that and combining it with doing what I love really makes me look forward to every new day at work.

And tell me what is the hardest part?

Startups are generally a challenging environment, even more so when you’re in the business of consulting. The hardest part can be keeping yourself organized, efficient and able to take on your responsibilities one by one and deliver. If you’re willing to learn and move fast, this can actually be a very enjoyable experience and it provides rapid personal and knowledge growth.

Would you recommend working for a startup to other people?

I certainly would - it might not be for everyone, but I think it’s worth the risk and the experience gained and friends made will always be worth it.

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Thank you Dominik! 🙌🏻