Lucas on being the first employee in a fast-growing startup
Let them eat cake, the famous Princess Marie-Antoinette once spoke. And right she was because that’s precisely what we did to celebrate the third anniversary of our very first team member Lucas. With ‘barely’ three years on the clock, he has already completed a pretty significant path. Because let’s face it, in a start-up, time moves forward two, or better yet, three times faster. That calls for an interview!
Tell us, Lucas, how did you end up here?
I met Chris at an event when I was still studying Industrial Design. With some fellow students, I presented a game we had developed for people with dementia. Coincidentally, Chris was at that same event, and we ended up talking. At that time, I was working on my thesis on acoustics, and Chris was looking for a student who knew something about design and acoustics. It was the perfect match. Although we mainly worked at the JUUNOO system itself that summer, we immediately felt that this could be a collaboration for the long term.
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And then you stuck around there?
Not right away. I first completed a postgraduate degree in Innovative Entrepreneurship for Engineers. During that year, I interned at Renson, a fantastic company, but I felt my heart was with the start-up world. The fact that you get much responsibility, have more variety in your job, and can create an impact did it for me. After one more summer as a job student, I ended up staying, and I haven’t regretted that decision for one moment.
How has your job changed over the years?
At the very beginning, I was mainly involved in the technical outcome. I drew up projects, ensured materials were delivered on-site, and executed the projects. I spent much time on site. Although it was fascinating, it was almost impossible to combine with the further development of our modules. At a certain point, we hit our limits. That was the sign for us that we urgently needed more people. The rest is history.
What was it like, suddenly having a team of 25 colleagues?
It actually went very smoothly. Every time someone joined, a kind of burden fell off my shoulders. In the beginning, I was really thrown to the lions. I learned a lot from that period, but now that our team is bigger, I can maintain my focus more clearly. And let’s be honest: we have an incredible team here at JUUNOO. When we weren’t that big, we used to joke that cliques would suddenly start forming, but that never happened. Yes, sometimes we have internal struggles, but I guess you will find that in every company. Just talk it out, have a drink together and go for it again. It’s nice to see everyone getting along so well.
To every engineer, I would say: spend some time on site yourself, experience it with your own senses.
What has stayed with you most after all these years?
Once, I was on site every day for a month. During that time, I learned how to manage people, got to know our system more thoroughly, and encountered real-life situations I did not expect on paper. It was a valuable time for me. That’s why I would say to every engineer: spend some time on the construction site and experience it with your senses. As long as you don’t experience situations, you will likely forget them for future projects.
Do you still have some crazy plans at JUUNOO?
I hope to spend more time in New York, discover the possibilities over there, and organize training. I was there for a week during springtime, and it really opened my eyes. It’s a very different market compared to Europe. Getting the opportunity to learn on the spot is a privilege. On the R&D level, there are also several exciting innovations planned. I won’t get bored here in the next few years (laughs).