Five minutes with Radek

As part of our Culture of Success Programme we’re going behind the scenes at Pocketworks HQ in our new Five Minutes with... features; celebrating our staff, what they do and what makes them unique. 

Five minutes with… Radek

I’m Radoslaw Stasiak (but everyone knows me as Radek), and I’m Pocketworks’ Android Developer and DevOps Engineer. I’m originally from Poland and have been with the company for five years.

As an Android Developer, I’m responsible for working closely with our clients to make their app visions a reality. I create user-friendly android apps from scratch by listening to our client’s needs and developing a product which seamlessly brings their company into the digital world we live in.

I’m also a DevOps Engineer which involves supporting our in-house developers and IT teams by reducing the time they spend on building, testing and distributing our apps and other products. (I basically set up systems to automate various processes – improving our efficiency and productivity.) I’m really enjoying this role because of the variety each day brings and it helps me expand my knowledge.

My current favourite app is brain.fm. It’s a great app which helps you focus, relax and meditate through music - depending on what you’re after. It really helps me get in the zone and I often listen to it on the daily commute to unwind. When I first joined Pocketworks, I was asked to pick a Star Wars avatar that best represented me – I chose R2D2. It felt appropriate as I was the droid that Pocketworks was looking for to help them develop their apps. I also think it has some resemblance to my name, and its personality in the Star Wars Saga reflects my supportive nature.

If I could design any app, I would love to create one which helps people collect, share and preserve traditional knowledge on natural medicines and esoteric practices from all around the world. Wouldn’t it be great to use technology to help bring these cultural traditions together so that they’re accessible to everyone?

Outside of work I enjoy creating music, exploring fields of philosophy and reading books about other cultures and civilisations – I find it fascinating! I also love going for long walks in the countryside and playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 on the PlayStation One - skateboarding is the purest definition of being cool for me. I’m a big fan of the Twin Peaks TV series and enjoy that it plays with the viewer’s imagination.

Moving to the UK five years ago was initially a bit of challenge for me, both in terms of adjusting to the culture and living so far from family. I’ve also had to learn how to spot the hidden beauty of the English weather. Looking back though I think it was worth it. There’s been a lot of hard work but also fun too. I’ve worked with so many talented people at Pocketworks and I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to make an actual impact on the world with the apps we develop. I’m happy where I am with my life and it helps me look to the future with great optimism.

Over the next five years, I’d like to work out what I enjoy the most in IT and focus on improving my knowledge of whatever that may be. I’d also like to find a way to combine my hobbies with IT – perhaps I’ll come up with something new that will benefit others?

If I was a biscuit, I’d be a Jaffa Cake. Like the Jaffa Cake, I’d say I’m difficult to read - I mean, is it a biscuit or is it a cake? I tend to hide my feelings and I can be full of surprises.