Looking back on 2022 in Smarf Solutions: A year in review
When we look back now, 2022 was a good year for us. We had just started out as a software development and RFID technology company and we were able to grow our team quite quickly, establish our online and offline presence, and make progress on internal products.
As we approach 2023, here are some highlights from the past year.
Gathering a strong team of senior software developers
In 2022, we gathered a strong team of mostly senior developers. In fact, 50% of our team are senior engineers who have previously worked in bigger companies and on large projects. We’re happy to have them here as we’re a much smaller company.
After having talked to them about what attracted them to SmaRF Solutions, they told us that they liked the idea of a strong company culture. Our culture is based around experimentation and close team spirit.
Everyone was given the opportunity to contribute and everyone has a say. The fact that they can be involved in the company’s direction from the get-go and that they were approached by the CEO directly helped them decide to come and work with us.
Worked both client work and internal projects
We started as a service-based software development, but our goal is to become a product-focused company one day. There were already some ideas in place when people joined (thanks to our partner Panos Inzenjering).
Of course, building something in parallel with client work demands good processes. We proudly say that we managed to create that balance.
Read more – Balancing client work with in-house projects
Started building a knowledge base
Mentorship for junior developers is often a bottleneck in many companies. Luckily, our people like to share knowledge. In fact, to make the process of teaching easier, we started working on an internal knowledge base for quick reference.
From time to time, we’ll publish articles about the tech stack we use (and best practices, tips and tricks) in hopes our website becomes a 101 guide for colleagues in the industry (and our future employees).
If you follow our company page on Linkedin, you can expect nuggets of programming wisdom from time to time from our developers.
Establishing offline and online presence for a software development company
In terms of marketing, we started boldly. We created a clear, fluff-free website and an ambitious marketing plan – all according to business goals and targets. We promote efficiency and believe careful planning should be at the core of everything.
Our CEO, Aleksandar Pantovic, has an active followership on Linkedin and has been able to connect to industry professionals by posting regularly. Our Linkedin company page has also been growing steadily.
Our blog covers a variety of topics on software development and RFID technology. If you’re just starting out with marketing, we suggest at least being active on social media and building social capital.
We also hosted meetups in the community to connect with people who were interested in learning more about software development and took part in Panos Technology Days – an internal event of our partner that brings together the biggest TelCo companies in the region.
A good year, especially considering that it was the first year
We hope to have an even more productive 2023, make more progress on our in-house products, and grow more. Strengthening the internal culture further is a must, especially in the light of a global talent shortage. We’ll invest more in building strong local communities. Serbia has a lot to offer globally.
We wish you happy holidays and may these wonderful times bring you prosperity, wealth, and happiness – both personally and in your business.