Introducing: Michel de Groot
Michel has worked as a front-end developer at Garden Connect since 2007. We’re happy to introduce you to him in this blog!
New system
Michel works as a front-end developer on the new Garden Connect Platform. In 2007 he started as an intern, and after half a year, his colleagues called his school to ask if he could do his second internship at Garden Connect as well. The plan succeeded, and the rest is history!
After finishing his studies, Michel started working full-time for Garden Connect. ‘Funny enough, I’ve never had a job interview in my life. I wouldn’t even know how that works. I had several functions and jobs, but all within the same company.’
Legendary Christmas parties
Something Michel would never forget, is the down-to-earth feeling at Garden Connect during his first years. ‘ The local butchers would stop by on a Friday afternoon to have lunch with us. Our office was like a local meeting point! And, of course, the Christmas parties were legendary.’
New standards
I’m proud of the new standards that we’ve developed over the years. Everything we do right now really works, and I’m very glad that we can pass that on to our new team members. That’s one of the things I like most about my work.” Before, arriving at work was like entering a living room. ‘We were with 5 colleagues, and we used to take off our shoes at the front door. It’s incredible to see where the company is at the moment, and I’m very glad to be part of that. Various teams, more than 40 employees. That’s amazing!’
Personal development
Over the years, Michel’s approach to his work has changed: ‘Before, I used to be the one making HTML and CSS. Now I realise how much I enjoy explaining things and sharing my experiences. The last couple of years, I’ve really been doing what I enjoy doing most.’ At home, Michel is not surrounded by a lot of green: ‘I only have succulents. They are easy to take care of and don’t ask for a lot of care.’ During his time off, Michel enjoys watching sports or video games. Besides that, he loves visiting concerts, the cinema, and the theatre.
