Hello, friend! Marv has been talking about Rich, me, and our plans for a while now, so it’s about time I introduced myself.
My name is Jorge. I am an experienced Software Development Leader with a unique combination of strong technical skills, charismatic leadership, and a business-focused mindset. When I work with Rich and Marv, I see myself as the tactician—the one in the development room building useful and profitable software. I’m equally comfortable in development team meetings, debating technical solutions, untangling impossible-to-find bugs, refining problem statements and value propositions, or reporting to senior leaders, from “heads of” departments to managing directors or C-level executives.
My Journey into Technology and Leadership
My first memory of interacting with a computer dates back to my early childhood when my mum took me to her office at a data centre. Since then, I’ve always been interested in making computers do helpful things for people. I was also the kind of kid who would dismantle all his toys just to see how they worked. I’ve always been curious about how complex systems work, whether it’s a computer, an organisation, or an ecosystem.
These interests led me to effortlessly learn how to code at the age of 8. By 13, I was cracking software on my Macintosh, and later, I created a machine learning (ML) system to improve Google search results as my final year university project (back in the 90s, before ML was cool). Eventually, I was awarded a PhD for developing software that infers a student’s learning style and adapts learning materials accordingly.
In addition to my academic work, I’ve worked across various sectors, including emergency services, where I developed the software used for handling 999 calls and managing emergencies for the police and fire services. In fact, if you’ve ever had the misfortune of needing the fire brigade in the UK or Australia, there’s a very good chance that the software used to take your call and log your details was developed by me.
A passion for People and Purpose
While writing software might seem like my main passion, I’m actually more of a people person. What I really enjoy is steering, motivating, and coaching development teams to align towards shared goals, fostering a sense of purpose without pressure or stress. I believe technology, and software development in particular, often disconnects us from each other. For me, it’s crucial to build teams where interpersonal relationships are genuine, supportive, and strong.
I had the pleasure of contributing to this during my most recent position at a university in the UK, where I served as a development coach across several teams for 15 months. During that time, I witnessed productivity soar, stress levels drop, and a common sense of purpose grow within the team. It became a more efficient and enjoyable place to work, and I’m told my involvement played a significant role in that transformation.
I met Marv and Rich at the emergency services software company I mentioned earlier. We had a great time delivering challenging software, often under tight deadlines. While the work was intense, we always felt a deep sense of purpose, knowing our efforts made a real difference in helping people in serious trouble. We were serving not only our community but many others. This is essential for me: I need to know that what I do adds value to others and is both useful and appreciated. It has to be meaningful.
Challenges and Opportunities in Creating Value
One of the most frustrating things I encounter at work is when inefficiency prevents me from delivering value. It’s frustrating to spend time navigating through ineffective processes instead of getting things done. In such moments, I often find myself switching roles and talking to people across all levels of the business to identify both organisational and individual needs, and to streamline processes so that everyone can focus on their core tasks. The goal is always to reduce stress, increase productivity and motivation, and improve morale.
After meeting Marv and Rich, I transitioned to contracting, seeking more flexibility and control over my work. This allowed me to co-found a couple of startups with Marv. While we didn’t succeed financially, we succeeded in “learning things the hard way.” My key takeaway was that the software itself isn’t the most important thing—understanding users’ real problems is. Finding the best way to solve those problems and learning how to engage users so they’re excited to invest in your solution is what truly matters. In other words, focus on the customer and the value being delivered.
Reflecting on the Future: Community, Sustainability, and Fulfilment
Now in my 40s, I’ve gained some perspective and often reflect on the legacy I want to leave behind. I’ve developed a renewed focus on community, sustainability, and happiness. Teams are a part of a business community, so I frequently ask myself: How can we focus on creating value for customers while making work more meaningful? More fulfilling? More fun?
Now you know me, feel free to ask me anything! I have some questions too: Do you need help starting a new software project or unblocking an existing one? How do you keep your teams well aimed and motivated? Do you find yourself jumping through procedural hoops instead of getting stuff done? How do you make sure your team is delivering the right solutions? If you are dissatisfied with progress, team culture or added value, I invite you to reach out here or in LinkedIn. Whether you have questions, want to discuss challenges, or are interested in future opportunities, I’m here to help. Let’s explore how we can make work more purposeful and rewarding, together.
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