After a few smaller contracts in related areas, I joined Hugin Sweda and moved into field service. It was a role that taught me a great deal — not only technically, but also in working with people, adapting to different situations, and solving problems directly on site.

The company mainly worked with POS systems, related software, and technology used in the hotel industry. My job involved installing client-server systems, server racks for Oracle clusters, and interfaces to third-party systems such as telephone, air-conditioning, and other POS solutions.

Because our partners and customers were located all across Austria, the role involved a lot of travel. For me, that was actually part of what made the work enjoyable. I like driving, and it gave me the opportunity to see many different environments, requirements, and ways of working. Meeting a wide variety of people and learning how to respond to their specific needs was also an important part of the experience.

Looking back, this role helped me grow in a very practical way. It strengthened my technical skills, but just as importantly, it taught me how much good technical work depends on communication, flexibility, and staying calm when things do not go exactly as planned.

At one point, I saw an opportunity to learn more about what it takes to run a business. I left my employment and started working as a small independent entrepreneur, mainly to gain experience in sales, accounting, and self-management. One interesting detail is that my former employer, Hugin Sweda, became my main customer during that time.

I continued in that role until I had the opportunity to join the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information.