A decade ago, Bitrise was a small startup with big ambitions and a handful of people behind it. To celebrate ten years of building together, we're sitting down with the folks who've been here from the beginning. Next up: Software Engineer Norbert Kovács 🎉
1. How it all started…
Q: What attracted you to Bitrise when you first joined?
As someone who was more or less at the start of my career at the time, I was naturally eager to learn and gain as much experience as possible. Bitrise felt like a good fit for that. But what convinced me more than anything was the team’s energy and the strong sense of determination and motivation that came across in everyone around me.
2. Ten years in, the journey so far
Q: What’s your proudest Bitrise moment from the last decade?
I was still only in my first year at Bitrise when we became the first Hungarian startup to join Y Combinator. That was a truly uplifting moment.
At first, I don’t think I fully appreciated just how big of an achievement it was. But it really sank in later, when the team came back from the US and shared their experiences. And of course when Bitrise really started to take off.
Q: What’s one thing you’ve learned over the past 10 years that surprised you or changed the way you think day to day?
I’d say I’ve grown most in understanding, building, and maintaining human relationships. It’s helped shape me a lot over the years, and it’s been just as valuable in everyday life as it has been at work. I owe a big part of that to the people I’ve met at Bitrise - although I still have plenty to learn. :)
3. Values, beliefs and what motivates you
Q: What do you love most about your work, and what keeps you motivated every day?
What I love most is that I’m always learning, both professionally and personally. What motivates me the most, though, is that after so many years, the company and the product I have helped to build feel almost like my own. And so, it's something I want to protect, care for, and nurture.
4. Culture: what it’s like to be part of Bitrise
Q: If you had to sum up the culture at Bitrise in one word, what would it be? And why?
Family-like. I know that might sound a little cheesy, but I don’t mean it that way. At this point, thinking back to my first few years here gives me a warm, nostalgic feeling. I’ve known many of the people here for a very long time, and we’ve been through a lot together. So it genuinely feels like a family.
Q: What's the biggest change you have seen at Bitrise in the past ten years?
The biggest change has been the company's growth in size, along with the organizational and operational transformation that naturally came with that over the last decade.
Q: What’s a moment that made you think, “this is why I work here”?
When Ashton Kutcher walked into the office. :D Straight out of Hollywood. Jokes aside, I’m not really the kind of person who ties that feeling to one specific moment. I tend to value the bigger picture and the overall impression. And from that perspective, the culture and environment that have been built and established here are truly something to look up to.
5. The next chapter
Q: What excites you most about the next decade at Bitrise?
What excites me most is seeing when and how we’ll achieve our goals and dreams. And of course, once we do, what new goals we will set for ourselves :-)
Q: What’s the one thing you hope never changes, no matter how big Bitrise gets?
The direct and honest human relationships.
6. Final thoughts / reflections
Q: If you could travel back in time to your first day, what would you tell yourself?
The winning lottery numbers. :D But honestly, I wouldn’t say anything, because then maybe I wouldn’t be here ten years later.
Q: What makes Bitrise a great place to join right now?
I think my earlier answers already show why Bitrise is a great company to join. Even after ten years, I still haven’t fallen out of love with it, and I hope I’ll be able to say the same ten years from now.
Right now is an especially exciting time to join because, as part of a close-knit community, and by embracing the opportunities AI brings, we’re heading into a really exciting chapter where we can achieve truly ambitious goals together.
