You told us you want to know more about the people behind your projects. You got it. This is the 19th profile in that series.
Name
Adam Kunzler
Title
Developer
How do you help clients?
I help design and architect applications, and write code to provide solutions for clients’ requirements and expectations.
What led you to here?
I spent a lot of years working for larger companies on really big projects. I experienced burnout from it and wanted something different. Specifically, I wanted to work for a smaller company that worked on smaller projects where I could be exposed to multiple technologies. I wanted to play a bigger role than "coder in a cubicle" and step into a more comprehensive role that allowed me to write code, learn new skills, encourage professional development, and share what I've learned with others. I also wanted flexibility and a solid work/life balance. I found that at Far Reach.
Tell us about your background or training.
In high school, a friend convinced me to take a programming class because we could write our own computer games. A few weeks into the class and I was hooked. I spent obsessive hours programming and playing around with code. Eventually I earned an associate degree and still spent a ridiculous amount of time on my own learning new languages and writing little applications. I eventually landed my first job in the industry, and I still love writing code and learning new tech.
What is your work mantra?
"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." – “The Little Engine That Could”
What guides you?
Lots of things. The dominant guiding factor in my life has been continuous self-improvement. This applies to my personal life and to my professional life. If I can make small changes that improve who I am and incorporate them into my life consistently, I believe I'll be a better person, a better partner, a better father, a better friend, and a better developer. This involves lots of learning—something I think is very important and also something I am very passionate about. Finding a balance between my professional life and personal life is also a huge guide in my life. There is overlap there, but I also have other hobbies that are non-tech related that I give myself, too.
What are you reading?
I'm in the middle of Adaptive Code via C#: Agile coding with design patterns and SOLID Principles. I'm also working through another book by Bill Bryson.
Who do you follow?
I really enjoy Seth Godin, Dave M. Bush, and Scott Hanselman.
What's your favorite app?
Google Maps...I get lost really easily.
Where do you see the field going in 1-3 years?
I'm probably biased here, but I feel like with the improvements of ECMA Script/JavaScript and technologies like NodeJS there is going to be a big shift to these technologies providing a unified language of sorts...that being JavaScript. I think we'll see these changes in smaller, custom web applications. But we'll also see larger applications taking advantage of this technology as well. The advantages are smaller footprints, less cost, consistent language, and others. There will always be a place for .NET and Java, but JavaScript is stepping up and will be taking on a larger, more dominant role in the industry.