Looking back on 2023

Personal milestones

In 2023, I reached three significant milestones. The first was celebrating my 40th birthday, a low-key affair by choice, especially since the following day brought a more momentous milestone: the birth of my second child. Family means everything to me, and just like in my professional life, I strive to be the best dad possible. Working for Living Map , a company that prioritises personal life, aligns perfectly with my values. It's a key factor in why I'm here. The year's final milestone came in October when I completed my rookie year as CTO. This has been a rewarding experience, driving the company and our products forward, shaping innovative solutions and contributing to our collective success.

Company growth but a lean team

While Living Map has expanded, particularly in sales and marketing, our Product Development and Project Delivery teams have focused on efficiency and lean operations. I’m a firm believer that large teams of Product Managers and software developers aren’t always necessary for high-quality software projects. Our diverse outputs in frontend, backend, and mapping over the past year are a testament to this approach. The company experienced a 40% growth in headcount last year, increasing from 28 to 42 employees. However, our efficient team structure and solid planning allowed us to allocate a significant 71% of this growth to enhance the sales segment of our business.

Launch of new UI

A major achievement of the year was the launch of our brand new map UI, aptly named the “Living Map Platform”. Our third generation of UI and a complete ground up re-write. We took aim at our major outdoor competitors in Google Maps and Apple Maps, and strived to build an indoor-oriented mapping experience that would compete on this level. It was over a year in the making since we outlined the project proposal in September 2022, to finally launching to the public in October 2023. Feedback from clients and users has been very positive, and I’m thoroughly proud of my team’s dedication and the quality of what they’ve produced.

Launch of new high-profile customers

This year, we launched several key projects, marking a positive shift after the tough ‘Covid Years’. These launches provided a major motivational boost for the team, enabling them to once again see the maps and software they produced being released into new venues. Building something tangible, and see it being used positively in a public space is certainly a rewarding experience. Looking forward, 2024 is shaping up with more important launches in Q1 and Q2, and an interesting lineup of potential projects to follow.

Closing out 2023

Closing out 2023, it's been a year of big personal moments and progress at Living Map. I'm excited to see what 2024 brings, both at home and at work. Here's to another year of meaningful achievements and new adventures.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!