Martin Koukal

My name is Martin and I come from Žďár nad Sázavou. As a child I was suspected of having too much energy, so my parents preferred me to play sports rather than take apart furniture at home.

I started with hockey, then I added cross-country skiing and somehow I ended up with world championship and Olympic medals.

In the meantime I finished grammar school in Žďár and failed to graduate in economics in Brno. I moved to Liberec in 2006 and so far it looks like I'm going to stay here. In my free time I do things that nobody would expect me to do - I do sports. Apart from cross-country skiing, running and cycling, I've returned to ice hockey because it's better to sit down with a group after sport. When I'm not running in the mountains, I can be found with a book, social networking or cooking for my two children.

What was before UXFans?

Many sports. Fifteen years in the cross-country skiing team, then three years in long-distance running. Four Olympics, eight World Championships and three medals - gold and bronze at the World Championships and bronze at the Olympics. And as a bonus, an eight-thousander (Cho Oyu, 8201m), which I climbed without oxygen because I like to see how far I can go.

I didn't leave the sport completely after my career - for a while as a manager, then as a national coach and head of national teams. But after 25 years, I decided enough was enough and started looking for what to do next. I tried my hand at B2B sales, PR and marketing in a corporate (insurance) company and finally settled down as an Account Manager at UXFans. And it looks like I've finally found the right path.

What brought you to UXFans?

Sports contacts. I knew about UXFans before, but then I came across their job advert by chance and also met Kuba, who I used to ski with and who works there. Word got around, I went for the interview and now I'm here.

What is your role in UXFans?

Officially, I'm an Account Manager, which means I try to connect the sports world with the technology solutions that UX Fans develops. Unofficially, I'm also learning the basics of IT - if I don't end up in business one day, maybe I'll find a new field.

Do you enjoy being part of UXFans?

Guys. There is a great group here, so not only do I look forward to work, but I also enjoy getting to know my colleagues after work - over a beer, at the gym, or at an office film night. As a newcomer to IT, I appreciate that I can always ask questions and get a helping hand (or at least an encouraging "you'll learn"). What's more, I'm not tied to a narrow definition of my role, so I have the space to explore and push myself in a direction I enjoy.