Our tech lead superstar, Krum Valkov!

QueensLab is one of Sweden's fastest growing companies in an industry where you can expect the work to be well-engineered with a touch of brilliant design, combining and creating pure excellence—just as it should be. With transparency and long-term thinking, you as a client can expect innovation with ease.

It’s time to meet one of our developers, Krum Valkov!

What do you find to be the most exciting aspect of QueensLab?

The unique combination of the working environment and the people in the company is the most exciting part of QueensLab. It makes every day feel like a little adventure. For me personally, variety is one of the most exciting aspects of life in general. Working with different clients and companies always allows for meaningful discussion. The exchange of experiences and knowledge between everyone involved makes it possible to see many new perspectives and possible solutions.

A typical day could start with a customer meeting discussing the technical challenges that need a solution that fits their business context and financial situation. After the meeting, I might be helping a colleague to solve a problem in a completely different situation. And then in the afternoon focusing on a long-term project or bug fixing. Finally, I would finish the day with a beer or two with some other colleagues talking about life, technology, and just having fun.

This kind of variety makes it so interesting and exciting for me to come to the office and be part of the daily life at QueensLab. In my opinion, the ability to engage in something new every day is one of the best feelings at any job

What advice do you have for prospective QueensLab candidates?

There are many aspects that are key to becoming part of the QueensLab family. I would identify three key areas related to being a great candidate: personality, knowledge, and passion.

Personality is one of the first things that can make you shine. When presenting themselves sometimes people try to show what they think that the others are looking for, but it often shows in a subtle way that it is not the real person behind. Being yourself is going to show a much more relaxed and honest perspective of everyone’s character.

This is much more valuable to become part of the team than to fit into a box to get a job. The best way to present yourself is to step out of the box, be honest and show the real you. We want to meet and work with different people who are unique and don't just follow the norms.

Demonstrating considerable knowledge in a particular field shows that the candidate can take their time and understand the intricacies of a subject. This is an important aspect of working on so many different projects, where everyone can contribute with something they have a deeper understanding of. Knowing a subject also shows that you can excel in a particular thing.

Having passion and drive in life is one of the most important personality traits that make a person develop and strive for excellence. A passion for technology, problem solving, helping people, teaching and sharing experiences. All of these can be great potential and can make any candidate shine in a special way if they can show what they are passionate about.

What is the favourite part about working for QueensLab?

The people at QueensLab are the main reason I feel so comfortable being part of the team. The team spirit and the company culture make me feel like I want to be there. I was friends with many of my colleagues before I started at QueensLab and I feel like everyone I met after joining is a big part of the family.

When are you the happiest?

I consider myself a selfless person and care a lot about the people around me. That is probably why I feel happiest when I can share something with others and help someone in some way. On the other hand, when I see a smile and an honest look of appreciation from the other person, it warms my heart so much that it is hard to put into words.

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

I like it when there is some variety outside and I can fully concentrate on something. Sports like badminton, tennis and climbing are some of the favourite activities I do with friends whenever I can. When you're climbing a 20-metre wall and all you're thinking about is your balance and your next hold, everything else disappears and that helps a lot to relax your brain.

Another shared experience is having a beer with friends and colleagues. Enjoying a few drinks and having fun every now and then is part of my culture.

What are the top three highlights of your life (so far)?

A trip to Germany with some friends where we visited Neuschwanstein Castle. The view of the Alps was simply breathtaking. I could just sit there for hours and look at the landscape.

During a summer internship in Silicon Valley, we rented a car and drove to Yosemite. We went on an all-day hike and enjoyed both the sun and the scenery and a little rain. The day was full of exciting moments and beautiful waterfalls.

During a summer holiday in Zakynthos, Greece, I dived in crystal clear water for the first time. It was a surreal experience to feel calm and see the underwater scenery that left an unforgettable memory.

If you were to write a self-help book, what would the topic be?

I would love to write about something that gives me meaning. One of the most meaningful things for me is finding solutions to problems. So the name of the book could be: Solving Life Problems from the IT Perspective. It would be about the algorithm that I use to find a solution that I use every day in developing IT solutions.

The algorithm is very simple in just five steps:

1. Find the concrete problem under all the symptoms
2. Think about and write down the root causes
3. List possible solutions and possible people who can help with solving the problem
4. Compare the options by writing pros and cons
5. Test, test, test

I would also include examples and personal stories in the book.

In my opinion, being able to make decisions is one of the pillars of a happy life and that way people will help themselves. I believe that self-help books should upgrade to community-help books because we are stronger in a tribe than being just by ourselves. Maybe this will also have a chapter in the book.

Finding a solution with several people provides the opportunity to see new perspectives. It also helps to find the third alternative where everyone is satisfied with the solution and it goes beyond consensus.

What is the first concert you attended?

In 2011, I went on a trip with 12 of my closest friends to the Bon Jovi concert in Bucharest, Romania. We travelled by car from the Bulgarian capital Sofia and slept in Rouse before crossing the border and driving to Bucharest to enjoy the concert.

It was a really hot summer day with temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius, and we were already in the square in the early afternoon hours before the concert started, but it was worth the wait, it was a great experience to sing some of our favourite songs together, and at the end everyone was very exhausted but very happy at the same time.

If you were an animal what would you be?

I would like to be a wolf, but with wings or just be able to fly. My family name means wolf and I always had a picture in my head of howling against the backdrop of the full moon. But the ability to fly is something I really want to have because I have dreamed of flying so many times.

Get to know Zane and the rest of the QueensLab team!

We’re delighted that Zane decided to join QueensLab – it’s been great having him on board! If you have any questions or want to get to know Zane or one of his colleagues from the engineering team, we are happy to put you in touch. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!