Meet our Associate Program 2023 Roadies

Meet the fantastic Associate Program crew! This year, we had a fantastic bunch of Associates both in Finland and Sweden. Let me introduce to you Betty, Simon, Markus, Anna, Ruut, Alisa, Juho and Niklas!

Juho Kangas, Development

School: Hive Helsinki | Major: Software development

Why Columbia Road?

When I applied for the associate program, honestly, I didn’t know much about Columbia Road. Eve and former Hiver Melissa had visited Hive earlier and left us with good impressions of the company, so it was an easy decision to apply for the associate program when the very noticeable campaign was running in Helsinki. 

After applying for the first round and reading more about the culture of Columbia Road, I really started to like the company as a whole. The company values sided with mine really well, and I started to have the feeling that Columbia Road could be much more than “just a job”. Also, the culture inside the company felt very inviting and warm. I started to like Columbia Road very much and got this dread that I should’ve put so much more effort into the first round because this really is a company I want to work in. Maybe the bit more relaxed approach to the first task was a good thing in the end, and fortunately, I got invited for the next round of interviews.

The final interview with Sonja and Jose gave me a better insight into the technical part of the company and the freedom of technologies I could use when working in Columbia Road as well as the day-to-day life in the company. I left the final interview with a very good feeling and clear intent that from all the companies I applied for, Columbia Road would be the one I wanted to work in above others.

What did you learn during the summer?

During the summer, I learned a lot about community-led organisations and the freedom and trust Columbia Road puts into its people. There was definitely a learning curve when there’s not really a person who tells you what to do, but I quickly learned how well an environment like this fits me and how it makes me perform on the highest level!

I also learned a lot about what consulting really means for a developer; it’s not just writing code but using all of your knowledge from outside the technological aspect to help the client achieve their goals.

Since in Columbia Road it’s very easy to talk to anybody, there’s not really a division between different competencies, I learned a lot about marketing technologies, sales development and project planning/execution. It’s really cool to see the whole process of a project from start to finish.

What are your plans for the future?

In my personal life, it’s to go on a lot of climbing trips and do mountaineering. I love trail running, so training towards ultra marathons is also on the list. 

In my professional life, when I have more experience, I would like to start putting myself into more leading roles in projects and be confident in voicing my opinions even with big stakeholders. I have always been active in student life, so I can’t wait to be part of new tech excursions in CR and to tell students about life in the company. Also can’t wait to meet the new AP Roadies! 

I have always loved public speaking and teaching. I was asked to come to Hive Helsinki to present a masterclass on JavaScript backend technologies. I would love to see those become recurring events to support Hive studies and also in my professional life.

Anything else on your mind?

Very happy to see that my initial feeling about Columbia Road was not only met but exceeded! This summer has been amazing, and the AP gang has been the best possible! 

Ruut Putkonen, Development

School: Self-studied | Major: Web Development

Why Columbia Road?

I knew people who worked for Columbia Road and heard a lot of positive things about the company. They mentioned especially the great people and the culture that is lively and encourages taking responsibility and learning together. For me, it was also important to work in the workplace with young and multicultural people. 

Another thing that made me want to work at Columbia Road was the variety of challenges and opportunities available since every project is different and requires you to learn new technologies fast.

What did you learn during the summer?

During the summer, I learned about new technologies, new industries and teamwork skills. I also learned about working as a consultant, which was completely new to me. It was, in the beginning, a bit scary to work with the clients because I thought somehow that I should be a super professional with ready new ideas, but it turned out that I was just doing well when delivering agreed tasks and being proactive when seeing something I could fix. So I learned not to stress too much because I could always talk to any colleague or ask for help from them. Now I feel that consulting work is something that I want to continue doing.

What are your plans for the future?

I will continue working at Columbia Road and get more learnings and gain a deeper understanding so that, in the future, I will be able to advice clients even better. At the moment, I want to learn everything I can about consulting and software development in this awesome and professional community. 

Anything else on your mind?

What surprised me the most this summer was how everyone is so warm and truly caring. I especially enjoyed the onboarding week, our team's weekly meetings with the client that were never boring, and also discussing difficult topics with teammates and trying to solve them together. The summer went incredibly fast. I feel very grateful to have this work and excited to discover what opportunities and important learnings the future will bring. 

Simon Reza, development

School: Stockholm University | Major: Computer and Systems Sciences

Why Columbia Road?

When I was on the lookout for a summer program to kickstart my journey into software development, I stumbled across Columbia Road. The more I delved into the company's way of doing things, read those enlightening blog posts from the community, and soaked in their strong commitment to growth, diversity, and innovation, the more I knew that this was exactly what I had been searching for.

What did you learn during the summer?

My summer was a whirlwind of learning and trying new things, from diving into Salesforce projects and getting a grip on full-stack JavaScript to even dipping my toes into the world of Shopify. This tech-filled journey expanded my skills and pushed me to take on new challenges with enthusiasm.

What are your plans for the future?

Equipped with a toolkit of fresh skills and a new perspective, I'm all ready to dive into the world of technology and leadership at an exciting new company. The innovative spirit of Columbia Road has fired up my passion, and I'm eager to bring that energy into my upcoming ventures, fostering growth and driving positive change.

Anything else on your mind?

Beyond the screens and coding, there were some seriously fun moments. We turned up the fun with a Padel tournament that had everyone racing to win and a spicy hot sauce challenge that left us reaching for the ice water! These unexpected and hilarious moments reminded me that the team at Columbia Road knows how to turn an ordinary day into a memory to treasure.

As I step onto my next path, I'm taking with me the invaluable lessons, the laughter, and the unbreakable Columbia Road spirit, fully prepared to overcome whatever challenges come my way!

Anna Müller, Design

School: Aalto University | Major: Information Networks

Why Columbia Road?

Columbia Road is very active in the Aalto community, so I have been aware of the company since my freshman year in 2017. I was looking for new challenges and decided to apply as I have heard great things about CR as an employer from a friend working at the company. The culture at CR and its flat hierarchy were the factors that appealed to me the most.

What did you learn during the summer?

During the summer, I got to work on different kinds of client projects and learned a lot of design-related stuff, from Figma tricks to learning how to facilitate a successful project kick-off. During the summer, I got to improve my communication and consulting skills, boosting my professional confidence. My CR colleagues encouraged me to take responsibility for client projects and provided support when needed.

What are your plans for the future?

I will continue working for CR as a part-time consultant until I graduate from University, hopefully within the following semester. I’m excited to explore how I can grow as a designer and as a consultant at CR

Anything else on your mind?

The past summer was filled with warm encounters with new colleagues, and I wish to thank all Roadies, and especially all the other Summer Roadies, for making my first months here fun and inspiring!

Niklas Kröger, Development

School: Aalto University School of Science | Major: Computer Science

Why Columbia Road?

I had heard great things about Columbia Road’s culture and flat hierarchy. I wanted to experience the community myself. Columbia Road’s visual branding also stood out to me in a very positive way compared to most other companies in tech.

I saw consulting as a great opportunity to enhance my tech skills in different types of projects and to see how various companies work. 

What did you learn during the summer?

I got to sharpen my frontend web development skills, got to try out new technologies and dive into composable commerce and content management systems.

I also learned a lot about working in a team as a developer with other developers and designers. 

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to finish my studies at Aalto while working part-time at Columbia Road. I’m hoping to put the skills I learn in my master’s studies into use in real-life applications in various client projects.

Anything else on your mind?

It’s been a great summer! The highlight was definitely working alongside several more experienced developer roadies and learning from them as well as learning new platforms together. I got to know amazing people and learned a lot about software development and consulting, as well as a little bit about a few industries I was not at all familiar with before.

Betty Siu, Martech

School: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Design | Major: Visual Communication

Why Columbia Road?

I was drawn to Columbia Road for its unique organisational structure. The community-led, flat hierarchy fosters a setting where everyone genuinely collaborates, supports, and learns from one another. Joining Columbia Road felt like stepping into a tight-knit family where the focus is on working together and driving innovative solutions.

What did you learn during the summer?

My experience at Columbia Road allowed me to broaden my martech stack, as well as gain insights into the depth of digital consultancy. The opportunity to engage with diverse digital marketing tools and strategies and put marketing technology to practical use was truly a valuable experience. Moreover, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams enriched my approach to problem-solving from different angles and reinforced the significance of adaptability and effective communication.

What are your plans for the future?

Looking forward, my goal is to develop into a versatile and adaptable professional equipped to thrive in an ever-changing landscape. I'm committed to continuously improving my skills, broadening my knowledge, and pursuing excellence across various aspects of my career.

Anything else on your mind?

Columbia Road made me feel at home from the very beginning. It's a place where authenticity is valued and enjoying the process is encouraged. They empower individual leadership within a community-focused structure, and their dedication to training, supporting, and ensuring a lively work atmosphere is a unique approach that sets Columbia Road apart from other organisations.

Markus Havia, martech

School: Aalto University School of Business | Major: Marketing

Why Columbia Road?

The youthful atmosphere, interesting variety of clients and possibilities for constantly learning more were all contributing factors for applying for CR. I especially appreciated the focus on work-life balance. There is traditionally this perception of consultants working around the clock, but here it seemed (and is) different.

In addition, I consider myself to be a creative person and felt too restricted at my previous workplaces. At Columbia Road, there is a lot more freedom for creativity and self-improvement. Even as an associate, you get to have a lot of responsibility and learn by doing. Finally, Roadies always seemed like a warm bunch of people with so much knowledge, and I was interested in learning from the best in the biz!

What did you learn during the summer?

Since I haven’t worked as a consultant before, there has been a lot to learn. Apart from learning new tools like Contentful and Ahrefs, I have also gotten to hone my skills in, for example, project management, meeting facilitation and client relationship building.

Furthermore, I have learned to work more proactively and be more strategic in how I divide my working days. Here you are responsible for how you spend your own time. While this freedom feels amazing, at the same time, it really has forced me to better plan what to do and when. Especially with many simultaneous client projects, self-management skills have been crucial to improve on.

What are your plans for the future?

I am glad to continue working at Columbia Road during the Fall. At the same time, I am slowly starting my Master’s Thesis. The current aim is to do my thesis for CR and graduate during the spring/summer of 2024.

While I have recently downscaled my “side hustle” photography business drastically, I am still planning to keep that part of my life too. A wedding or two per year is something I can still manage alongside daily work - not least thanks to the flexibility working at Columbia Road enables.

Anything else on your mind?

Huge thanks to all the other Associate Program Roadies who have been taking this journey together with me! We have had such a fun time together, whether it has been lunches, casual office conversations or afterworks.

Alisa Taskinen, martech

School: Tampere University, Computer Science | Major: Databases and Information Retrieval

Why Columbia Road?

Columbia Road stands out from the crowd. Inspiring and unique working culture was something that caught my interest, and I wanted to be part of it. I was looking for new challenges and projects to deepen my skills. Having a background in marketing and ecommerce (also a bit of consulting), Columbia Road seemed like a perfect fit for me.

What did you learn during the summer?

During the summer, I learned a lot about being a consultant and project management. It was great to work on different projects where I could develop my skills in CRM and marketing automation. It was easy to get on board with the projects, as I was surrounded by the most talented team. They were always ready to share their tips and knowledge. 

What are your plans for the future?

My concrete short-term plan is to complete my Master's degree in the coming year while working part-time at CR. In the big picture, I want to continue to develop my competencies and consultant skills. I've learned and developed so much in the past six months that I'm really looking forward to what the future holds.