Meet the Team: with a Musical Twist

At Ready Player Me, we're proud to have a team of 74 smart and skilled individuals. Their expertise extends beyond their professional roles; bringing a variety of additional talents to the table, making our 🐺 wolfpack both unique and dynamic.

As we celebrate National Hug a Musician Day today, I am excited to introduce and recognize the musical talents that many of our team members have.

24% of the Ready Player Me team is involved with music. 🪗 Out of these, 72% play an instrument: guitar, keys, piano, djembe, drums, flute, and accordion. 🎤 We also have 4 singers and 7 in-house DJs!

🥁 Meet Toms Rīts

Toms is bringing his innovative approach to UI/UX Design at Ready Player Me from Riga 🇱🇻. A fun fact about Toms: despite his last name "Rits" meaning "morning" in Latvian, he admits that he's far from being a morning person. 🫣

"Working here is never boring. Each week is filled with fresh opportunities and challenges. What I find most rewarding and joyous is the constant evolution and learning. It's great to witness the company's growth."

Toms draws a parallel between his work and his lifelong engagement with music. "The process is similar to music, which has been a part of my life since childhood and continues to thrill me. Whether it's playing instruments or recording ideas in my home studio, the beauty lies in the endless learning and exploration. There's always something new to create or discover."

🎧 Meet Sander Kadajane

Sander joined the wolfpack earlier this year as a Software Engineer in the Player Experience domain. Here's what he has to say about working at Ready Player Me:

"What I appreciate most about this experience is the strong international team dynamic, characterized by trust, support, and openness. It's more than just a regular 9-to-5 job; it's about collaboratively facing challenges and turning them into triumphs. Additionally, as RPM is a remote-first company, it offers the flexibility to work from anywhere — whether it's from the comfort of home, an office, or even the Kingdom of Thailand."

"Beyond engineering, my greatest passion lies in music production. I've been immersed in the world of music since childhood and began producing in high school, now boasting around 15 years of active involvement. Over the years, I've released music on various labels, including vinyl and cassette tape publications, and have explored a wide range of styles and genres under different aliases and through ongoing projects. My work is mostly underground, covering everything from jungle to punk rock. At home, I've set up a studio with synthesizers and drum machines. More recently, I've expanded my musical repertoire by incorporating more conventional instruments. My latest release features me as a one-man band, playing all the guitar parts and even providing vocals. In addition to producing music, I occasionally perform live, DJ, and host a monthly radio show on IDA Radio."

🎸 Meet Jorge Ramírez Serrato

Jorge began his tech journey in Colombia 🇨🇴, helping his dad assemble and configure computers. Today, he is a key part of the Monetization & Ops domain team as a Software Engineer. He shares:

"What I find most enjoyable is the pioneering nature of our work. Both the area and our value proposition feel like uncharted territory, not just for me, but for many in the industry. This brings with it a host of technical challenges and learning opportunities. There's a lot to figure out, but if we get it right, we're not just solving problems - we're leading the way for others to follow."

Jorge, apart from his technical skills, has a deep passion for music, a journey that began in his childhood.

"I've always had a keen interest in music, though I never envisioned myself actually making or playing it. This all changed in my late teens when I stumbled upon an old, somewhat broken guitar in my grandmother's house. That discovery marked the beginning of my self-taught musical journey. I even played in a metal band back in my hometown, where I was affectionately known as "el zurdo" (the lefty), due to my uncommon left-handed playing style. Currently, playing music serves as my escape, a way to decompress and distract myself from the stresses of everyday life."

🎸Meet Aleksei Ustinov

Aleksei relocated to Tallinn from Siberia and is an enthusiastic cyclist! 🚲 As a Mobile Software Engineer in our Monetization & Ops domain, Aleksei brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to his work. I don't know about you, but his LinkedIn profile picture always leaves me with a sudden craving for cotton candy. 🍬

"I like working at the intersection of art and programming with the autonomy and the opportunity to experiment with various ideas. I love that we're all about helping developers create awesome experiences and letting people express themselves through virtual identities."

"When I was 13, I started drawing cartoons. It wasn't long before I realized I needed music to complement them. This led me to explore creating music using a computer, and simultaneously, I began learning to play the guitar. During my final years of high school, I was part of a metal band with friends. These days, my iPad and guitar serve more as tools for meditation and a way to bond and jam with my five-year-old. Yet, I still find time to record pieces for myself occasionally."

It's clear that our team is not just shaping the future of virtual identity and gaming technology. Our diverse backgrounds, spanning various cultures and geographies, forge a community that's not just about technology, but also about shared passions and dreams. This National Hug a Musician Day, we're reminded of the unifying power of creativity, which fuels not only our work but also the joy and inspiration in our lives.

There are even jokes and whispers going around that, with all this talent, we could put together our own band. Who knows? Maybe that's not too far off in the future! 🙃