Sometimes behind a wonderful mustache á la Jacques Clouseau, we are greeted every morning during our team meeting by a no less wonderful smile that belongs to Jan Aubert, Programmer and Data Analyst at Nousmedis. In today’s post we will have the pleasure to get to know him better and find out who hides behind that smiling attitude that brightens up our day.
After training in advertising and computer engineering, Jan joined the team in 2023 and, since then, he has never ceased to amaze us with his zen-like disposition and his great qualities as a client manager. He will reveal his secret superpower below, but if you ask his colleagues, they are sure to highlight his innate charm and personal elegance and his language skills, which make no client resist his overwhelming charisma. How could you not want to know more about him after this introduction? ☺
Do you have a morning routine or habit that prepares you for the workday?
I declare myself a specialty coffee geek; I like to buy it in beans and grind it at home. In the mornings, I make myself a cup with the Italian coffee maker and, together with a good book, I sit down to enjoy it. Before getting to work, as a kind of meditation, I like to do the dishes and start typing with a clear and calm mind.
What is your role at Nousmedis?
I am a programmer and data analyst. I automate catalogs and analyze customer data in order to offer them a solution that fits their needs.
What are the 3 professional skills or qualities that you think are most valued at Nousmedis?
I consider that I have a good ability to adapt and that is something that Nousmedis values very positively. Although the final product is similar, each client has its particularities and it is important to know how to adapt to them. I also believe that I am proactive, something that, in an environment as changing as ours, is important to always be one step ahead and implement the latest versions of the tools we use. Finally, the ability to work in a team. At Nousmedis we work in collaborative projects and it is important to know how to communicate and coordinate with the rest of the team.
What is your secret superpower at work?
I think my secret superpower is anticipation. I’m good at anticipating problems before they occur and coming up with solutions before they become an obstacle.
What is one of the projects you have enjoyed the most in the company and why?
One of the projects I enjoyed the most was the creation of an EasyCatalog import channel. I had to program a script to import the client’s data and adapt the structure to the EasyCatalog format. It was a technical challenge that allowed me to learn a lot about the tool.
Which catalog would you like to automate?
I would like to automate the IKEA catalog. I think you will understand me if I talk about my fond childhood memories, hand in hand with my parents, among the furniture and showrooms of the megastore. Going there to spend the afternoon there was one of my favorite plans. Because of that and the complexity it would require, I think it would be exciting as well as fun to get to automate one of their catalogs.
Do you think that the days of printed publications are numbered?
No. Although there is a growing tendency to complement digital publications, I think there will always be a market for print. There is something special about having a book or catalog in print; something that cannot be replicated on a screen. In addition, brands that are positioned in luxury markets will continue to go for print publications because if the design is good, they are part of the shopping experience.
What do you envision the future of catalog automation to be like?
I believe that catalog automation will continue to evolve and become an indispensable tool for companies that want to stay competitive in the marketplace. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will make it possible to automate increasingly complex tasks and personalize catalogs as much as possible. Although paper will continue to be important, the trend is for more and more catalogs to be published in digital format.
Can you share a recent accomplishment, either personal or professional, of which you are particularly proud?
I have managed to learn to play ‘Shark Smile‘ by Big Thief on the guitar, a song that I really like and that has taken me a lot of time and effort.
Tell us a funny anecdote you have experienced at Nousmedis or a favorite moment.
Once, in a meeting with a client, we forgot to turn off the microphone. We started talking about personal “little things” and the client listened to us. It was a really awkward moment, but the client seemed to take it with humor and it helped us to improve our trust with him.
If you could swap roles with anyone on the team for a day, who would you choose and why?
I would choose Virginia, our graphic designer. I would like to learn about the creative process so I can contribute my technical point of view. The truth is that I’ve always been attracted to the world of design…
When you are not working, we can find you…
Reading a book, playing the guitar or jogging along the Carretera de les Aigües.
Recommend a book, a podcast, a series, a movie you’ve been obsessing about lately.
I recommend the series ‘Blue Lights‘, on Movistar+, a police series based in a complicated neighborhood of Belfast and focused on the personal relationships between them. I haven’t looked at my cell phone in any episode, something that hasn’t happened to me since ‘Breaking Bad‘.
What is the best advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
The best advice I have ever been given is not to be afraid of failure, that it is an opportunity to learn and improve. My father gave it to me when I was a child and it has stayed with me all my life.
If in addition to Jan you want to meet the other members of the team, don’t miss the rest of the interviews in our Blog!