> kevin_kraemer

about_me

from_finance_to_code

The first programming language that I learned up at university was Python. I started out converting excel sheets to simple Python scripts to streamline my assignments. I was having fun, and it didn’t really feel like a chore. My interest in programming grew even more thanks to the book "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python". I soon realized that short scripts could result in significant time savings and that really piqued my passion for programming.

My career began in finance. I started out as a financial risk analyst in a very small company. Automation was essential and there was little room to hide behind process or hierarchy. That environment fostered and encouraged independence. It taught me to take initiative and own my decisions. Being in a small company means you get to work on a bit of everything and in many areas. It eventually gave me the chance to naturally transition into software development.

what_i_work_on

Currently, I work as a full-stack developer in a company that is represented globally. I work once again within a small team that is developing a free web application to assist small businesses and startups with their management of intellectual property. I ensure that everything can expand and change by working across the stack, from frontend interfaces to backend services.

I enjoy shipping features, making quick iterations, and laughing while we try new things, break things, and improve as a team. Little bit of chaos keeps things interesting.

my_philosophy

My finance background shapes how I see software. In markets, nobody has perfect information. Prices move because people are constantly learning and adjusting. Building products feels the same to me.

I’m not into grand plans or perfect designs. Stock markets are highly complex systems. There are millions of participants and constantly changing feedback loops. It makes prediction impossible. They discount information immediately, and the ability to adapt is far more important. Life has a way of throwing surprises into your plans.

As such, I focus on building solutions that favor a balance of clear constraints and flexibility. Markets and nature share a pattern: fractals. Complex structures emerge from simple rules. I write software with this perspective and it is probably why I favor functional programming patterns.

In the end, I follow the mindset of getting something working quickly from A to B and then investing time to improve and polish it. I believe that getting a variety of feedback, just like in the stock market, is the best way to evolve software. Quick iteration beats perfect planning.

beyond_code

Outside of work, I’m curious and like learning new things, especially programming languages. My main hobby is road and gravel cycling. Ever since I bought power meters for my road and gravel bike, I have adopted this habit of following the same routes over and over again. I am on the competitive side, years of swimming and playing Dota 2 have shaped that side of me. Dota 2 practically ruined all other video games for me. These days I enjoy indie games and have phases where I get hooked on online chess. Hopefully, one day I go back to the fintech world with an interesting value proposition.

tech_and_tools_i_love

The languages I know and use, as well as the things I am currently investing time into.