Meet Kevin | SharePoint and Power Platform Expert

Kevin: In five years, we could be working in Primend’s Australian office

* Cover story of The Incredibles 2021

Primend’s Dev Team is in full swing – more and more companies across the Baltics are looking to incorporate their solutions. During the first coronavirus lockdown, they proved that they are a strong team and are more committed to each other than ever before, despite the distances. There are both experienced and new ‘primendians’ among them, and today we talk to Kevin (with Primend since 2020) on various topics – the first working day, the perfect Sunday and favourite cars. 

What brought you to Primend?

I started as an intern. Since my internship abroad was cut short due to the coronavirus crisis, I needed a new place quickly and Primend agreed to take me. I came and stayed.

What did your first working day in Primend look like?

I joined Primend during the first lockdown. The first meeting was on Teams and on my first day I was working in one room while Nikolai was in another room.
(Kevin is a younger brother of Nikolai Deket, a former member of the development team – ed.)

But how did you even get into IT and why did it fascinate you?

Though my older brother sat behind the screen all the time, as a kid, I didn’t care about computers at all. Instead, I chased others outside with a knife. Everybody laughs again. I went to school with the idea that maybe I would become interested eventually. The second year came with IT subjects and then I realised it could be something for me. (Kevin graduated with honours from Rakvere Vocational School this spring and was invited to be recognised among the best graduates in Estonia by the President of the Republic of Estonia – ed.)

Let’s broach the next topic gingerly. What have been the biggest failures in your work so far?

I was given a big project to manage, and it failed so badly that it became a minus project. But I learned a very good lesson about how to be very careful when giving promises to a customer. It is always the case that you have to draw a line somewhere. There was no project manager either, so it was an educational experience to clean up the mess. 

How are mistakes handled in Primend?

We have a superb team lead, Heikko. If something happens, we promptly notify him and he always supports us in seeking solutions.

What has been the biggest discovery or surprise about Primend?

That’s a good question. I like to walk around the office. And then you look at how people communicate with each other. And in general, events show how people fit together. Somehow people are chosen in such a way that they suit each other.

If the development team were to make a film, which one?

I would suggest 6 Underground. They are like agents who are basically all dead. But they have new identities. No one may know they are alive, but then they go on a mission and save everyone and kill the bad guys. We have the same thing: though we haven’t been in the office for so long, at the same time we do great things. Nobody knows exactly what we are doing and whether we exist at all.

What did you dream about 5 years ago, for example?

Well, I was in 8th grade then :). But a few years later I was faced with the dilemma of whether to become a road worker, a welder, or IT specialist (in Kevin’s family of 7 children, all of these three occupations are represented – ed.). I initially opted for road work, but I didn’t like it and then I went to study IT.

Let’s move on from work. What does your ideal Sunday look like?

Since I really like driving, I’d spend some time driving around. I generally don’t eat breakfast, but of course on Sunday I would ideally eat pancakes with milk.

Who makes these pancakes?

Since I live with my aunt, I would hope that she would make the pancakes. 

And what happens next?

Then I would take a little rest and then go back to drive. I usually drive aimlessly and end up somewhere on the beach or on the cliff. I like to drive on roads that are small village roads. Sometimes, alone, sometimes with friends. Then I get home, then I look at Netflix. I really like some good documentaries or my favourite series Lucifer. And then sleep.

Let’s start to wrap up our conversation. Some final thoughts. What would you ask yourself as magazine cover star?

I’d ask why Primend?

But why Primend?

The people who are here together. Absolutely cool, when you come to the office and say ‘hello’, everyone is friendly and nice. You just have to feel it.