How I Turned My Hobby Into A Career
From jobs in the Netherlands, Poland, and the UK, I gained extensive knowledge and experience. But then, the question became: What’s next? The answer: Mobiquity’s European Headquarters in Amsterdam.
Coen van Mourik: “In the tech world, you can keep a tight rein on your career, or you can go with the flow and wait for what comes up because you typically run into quite a few opportunities. What most people do is often a combination of the two. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and wanted to become an investor but fell in love with the Internet. During my studies, I built a financial website and ran into an investor who asked me to help him create a social investment platform in Poland. I lived in Poland for a while, was offered a better position in London, and moved there. I collected a vast store of knowledge and experience, but I began to ask myself: Where would I feel most comfortable? I looked around for some time and then decided to move back to Amsterdam and join Mobiquity.”
No gimmicks
“Around our office, we always say that ‘There is too much technology’, and while this might seem surprising coming from a company focused on technology, that is what I think, too. All too often, we see more and more technology that doesn’t add real value to people at all. Instead, it’s there because it’s possible to deliver. This doesn’t make me excited. Often, it can be quite inventive — like a smart hairbrush. It can also be fun to change yourself into an emoji; however, for me, in the end, these are all just gimmicks.”
Blockchain for artists
“As a User Experience Consultant, I am often the person who completely disrupts the app. Yes, it looks good, the client is satisfied, and we can all go home now. That’s a possibility. Alternatively, you say, let’s take a good look at how the end-user experiences the app. Is it hard to use and full of friction, or can you use it effortlessly when you’re in a rush? Also, if it works with such ease, what would amaze the end-user? That is the track I prefer to be on: creating value that is truly useful in the long run. For example: the blockchain for artists.
The blockchain for artists will be a spectacular development for all parties involved — the artists themselves, collectors, museums, and art lovers. The open, decentralised database that we can build with the use of blockchain will allow us to store information about a work of art such as who made it, where it originated, where it is located, and its purchasing history. Everything about a work of art becomes fully transparent to everyone. That is where the current innovation frontiers are. That’s my kind of thing.’
Staying relevant
“For me, it is not just about having a steady career and income. It is also vital to enhance my craft, which is yet another reason I chose to join Mobiquity. Here, there are all kinds of groups, call them clubs, of people who are involved not only in their work but also looking at what else is possible with, say, VR, AI, blockchain, or virtual assistants. People like to make their hobby their work and vice versa. I’ve learned that being at the cutting edge of technology is the only way to maintain your market value in this business. Working together with other forward-looking people makes this possible. Thanks to Mobiquity, I am allowed the freedom to make that happen. This type of creative environment is what I have always wanted, even when I didn’t know I did.’
We hope you enjoyed reading this, and don’t forget to follow us if you’d like to read more interesting stories.
If you are looking for an Interaction Designer opportunity, come to join us at Mobiquity:
