New Employee Spotlight: Fermin Lopez

Written by Luisana Batchelder

Our haku team continues to grow! Meet our newest member Fermin Lopez, who joins us in the role of Associate Software Engineer. Born in New Mexico, moved to Miami when he was 3. Fermin is Mexican-American and chose to do his coding Bootcamp in Mexico to learn more about his heritage and to improve his Spanish, let’s get to know more about him!


What is your role at haku?


I am an Associate Software Engineer here at haku. I'll be working on our apps, solving bugs, feature enhancements, UI changes, and that sort of stuff.


How did you get into the tech industry? 


I first became interested in tech when several unrelated people began to suggest that I learn to code. I’m very into logic games and puzzles, and so people seemed to think it would suit my personality. I began to learn the basics of how to make web applications and really loved the creativity and problem-solving necessary to build them.

I ended up taking a bootcamp with Ironhack in Mexico City, and once I completed it, I spent a lot of my free time honing my skills and working on interesting projects. 


What is your idea of a perfect day?  


My perfect day is simple, I would need to exercise, eat some great food, and spend time with people I’m close to. The rest of the details are less important, I could go to the movies, read a book, or maybe go to the beach.


What is one of your biggest fears?


I have only one somewhat irrational fear: a fear of flying, or more specifically of turbulence. The strange thing is that I developed this fear slowly, after traveling a lot and experiencing unusual turbulence a few times. It isn’t a debilitating fear but definitely makes flying less enjoyable. 


What has been a memorable life experience for you? 


When I was 21 I went backpacking around Europe, I went to Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, and Poland. I was staying at hostels for a few months and met surreal characters in foreign cultures. It was an experience that helped me learn about other people and pushed me out of my comfort zone.


What is something you will splurge on regardless of circumstances?


Unfortunately, there is nothing that can stop me from spending more money on food than I should. I’m not a good cook, and I love to eat, so whenever I see something good, I pretty much have no choice but to go through with buying it. 


What is a great piece of advice someone has given you or that you would share with someone?


A great piece of advice I've gotten is from a book: The Compound Effect. "The secret of your success is found in your daily routine."     


Do you practice any sports?


My current sport of choice is rock climbing. I’ve been climbing for two years now. It provides me with a fun outlet for exercise and community that always keeps me engaged. Besides that, I run occasionally and work out often, and in the past, I’ve participated in many sports, the most significant of which were track and field and cross country.


Who is someone you admire?


It’s hard for me to pick one person, but the first person who comes to mind is Kobe Bryant. I’m not a Basketball fan, but I find his philosophy on work ethic and goal execution inspiring.


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Want to explore an exciting career at haku? We’re growing our team and always looking for talented and outgoing individuals to add to our incredible haku family. Check out our openings here.