Employee stories: Marius Mucenicu, Python Developer, on Values and Living Technology

Marius Mucenicu is our first employee and he had a valuable contribution to the growth of the company. He is a Python Developer, based in Cluj-Napoca, with a passion for technology.

We sat down with him virtually to hear about his journey at AscentCore. Here’s what Marius had to say about his growth path, values, and passions.

What is your favorite tech?

In this day and age, we don’t just use technology, we live technology. I’m fascinated by anything state of the art, regardless of whether it’s software-based or hardware-based. If I were to pick one winner from each category they would be:

Favorite software: Python, which is one of the top three most popular programming languages on the planet. The software has long maintained the philosophy of “batteries included,” and has a rich and versatile standard library which is immediately available, without making the user download separate packages. This gives Python the leg up in many projects.

It’s used in various application domains, including, web and internet development, scientific and numeric computing, education, business applications and so much more. Some notable real world examples of Python-powered projects include some of the most widely used and popular platforms out there, like Google, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, Spotify, Dropbox, and Quora. And, the first image of a black hole was made possible using Python.

Favorite hardware: Smartphones and computers, which have become an inseparable part of our daily lives. I think these are the highest achievements of humankind. It’s much more impressive than going to the moon and back or discovering the Higgs Boson particle. If you go and look at the technology that’s in your pocket or on your desk, you’ll find that these devices are powered by billions of transistors (man-made objects) that are on a scale of a few hundred atoms across from end to end, and you can buy them in the shop for a few dollars. This is a fantastic feature of technology and in my opinion, the most amazing achievement we’ve made so far.

What is a typical work day for you?

Normally I like my days to be predictable, which might sound boring. But when it comes to work, I find that having a routine gives me a sense of control and improves my focus, organization and productivity. The vast majority of my work hours - about 90 percent - are spent coding while the rest is split between attending meetings and responding to emails. Some of my after hours hobbies include outdoor exercising, reading, eSPORTS and of course I reserve some time for friends and family, without which I would definitely reach a breaking point.

Why did you choose to work at AscentCore?

I’ve been in the full-time workforce for about six years and I spent time working for a company that was developing software for web hosting companies which was intended to be an alternative to the ones offered by the big companies like Amazon’s AWS, Microsoft’s Azure, Google’s cloud etc. While that project is ongoing, and is quite remarkable, I was with it from inception and after it got released, I felt like my time there was done. I felt like I needed to find a new place where I could put my knowledge to good use and help others achieve their goals and that led me to AscentCore. I was the first employee hired and I feel fortunate and privileged to be part of the company from the very beginning.

What is your favorite AscentCore value and why?

It’s a combination of integrity, relationships, and results. Sort of like a triquetra, because they are all connected and part of the daily cycle of a work day. All these values require that we offer our best to advance the company’s mission and vision.

It’s important to be trustworthy because you’re part of a team that depends on you. At the same time, strong relationships between co-workers move the needle forward; as the saying goes: team-work makes the dream work.

We prove ourselves to our customers - and each other - by delivering results. We aren’t just friendly folks, we mean business and we deliver as promised.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your role?

Try not to be the smartest person in the room. Because if you are, chances are, you’re in the wrong room. It’s important to always stay humble and hungry for knowledge.