Gnarnian [nahr-nee-uhn] noun: An employee of The Gnar Company

In our Meet The Gnarnians series, we unravel the stories, experiences, and passions that drive the folks on our talented team at The Gnar. Through a collection of interview-style questions, you’ll get a sneak peek into daily life on our fully-remote team, some epic origin stories, and answers to some questions as weird and wonderful as our team itself.

The Basics

Where are you located? Charlestown, MA

What is your Role? Software developer / grumpy old man

When did you join the Gnar? 2016

If you were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, who are three people you'd want on your team?

1. My wife Lauren: she's the most practical person I know. The kids we can leave behind.
2. Nick Maloney. I'm not saying he's already prepared for this exact scenario, but he's probably pretty close.
3. Zach Galifianakis. I just feel like someone would need to lighten the mood.

What’s the last song you played or are listening to right now?

"Rust" by Lagwagon is generally running through my head a few times a week.

In your role, do you have any specializations or areas of focus you really enjoy doing?

From a technical perspective I'm a Rubyist and a Javascripter. I have had a lot of fun and made a lot of web applications armed with these very powerful tools. Being a full-stack developer means I never get tired of writing back-end or front-end code, as I get a pretty good mix of both all year round.

From a career perspective, I have always gravitated toward the people side of the work. Building software is fun, but seeing what it means for a founder and their users is what makes the work exciting for me. Consulting has given me an opportunity to build software and build relationships at the same time.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

If I didn't work at the Gnar, I would probably be starting a coffee roasting business. I have been a hobbyist coffee roaster for some time now, and have put most of my Gnar anniversary gifts towards grinders, roasters, espresso machines, even a refractometer! Google that one.

What has your experience been at Gnar?

I was the first full-time hire at The Gnar, more than six years ago. When I first met Mike (I already knew Nick), the company was located in the conference room of another company. There was a big white board with all of the client work organized on it, two large desks, about six chairs, and cables everywhere. I said to myself ""this is definitely where I want to work.""

Since that day I have upgraded offices four times, and I have watched the team grow from four to twenty-five. And throughout all of this change and growth, my sense of belonging and pride in the company has only grown. It's been a pleasure thus far.

What's your favorite part of working at Gnar?

The people. First and foremost, if Mike and Nick were not the people they are, this company would not be what it is. The trickle-down effect is that we have hired really great team members. Strong developers, designers, and relationship managers, of course. But as importantly, we've hired people with interesting perspectives, different ideas, and bold opinions. And mutual respect is table stakes. It makes for this evolving culture of growth and energy, pulled in a slightly different direction by each new hire.

Also clapping. There's a lot of clapping.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out in your industry?

Ask questions early and often. Whether it's a question to a colleague about writing code or a question to a client about a requirement, make sure you understand exactly what is happening and what is needed. Nobody will ever fault you for wanting to get it right.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?

I really enjoy gardening when I'm outside and reading fiction when I'm inside. I grew up in the Rocky Mountains, so winter sports are a big part of my life. I have used the term "gnar" many times prior to working here.

Learn more about The Gnar and our team.