Management

We think of pricing as a simple logic of distance and quality. But after diving into a rare data-driven analysis of the €2 billion Alpine transfer market, I realized the real cost drivers are invisible forces: structural inefficiencies, information asymmetry, and the surprisingly high price of consumer trust.

I've always been fascinated by markets that defy simple logic. Why does a cup of artisanal coffee cost $7? Why is some enterprise software priced per seat, while another is priced per API call? These aren't just arbitrary numbers; they are the surface-level results of deep, often hidden, economic forces. Recently, I stumbled upon a perfect example of such a market in an unexpected place: the private ski transfer industry in the Alps.

Remote work in IT has long ceased to be unusual. But it is one thing to assemble a distributed team, and quite another to make it work comfortably for the participants and the company's results.

The article shares a story about distributed teams with a flexible culture, trust, and freedom, and how we achieved this.

Becoming a lead isn’t just another line in your resume,  it’s a mental shift. It’s the moment you go from being a developer to someone responsible for your code and the entire team. Next, you’re also listening, mentoring, negotiating, motivating, and knowing how to find common ground even in challenging situations.

Today, I’m a Dev Lead at EXANTE. We develop internal services for a select group of internal stakeholders. But my journey started long before that — with informal leadership, a few mentorship flops, and plenty of lessons learned the hard way.

Here’s what that path looked like.

This article presents a business-driven approach to software architecture, focusing on maximizing profitability through technical decisions. It advocates for:

Distributed, stateless services with immutable models for scalability

Isolated third-party integrations without disrupting core logic

Simple, modular design 

Best for:

✔ Tech leads designing scalable systems
✔ Managers optimizing dev efficiency
✔ Stakeholders evaluating ROI on architecture

It’s Never Too Late: My Start into DevOps

Summary

Learn about the challenges, growth, and lessons gained — from juggling work, studies, and a pet project to achieving a dream.