Why did you start The Factory?
We’d worked together at a few customers and saw the same pattern: the work landed when we understood the customer’s business first, then used cloud technology and a DevOps way of working to support it. The result was tighter collaboration with their teams, faster delivery, and room to keep improving. We wanted to keep doing that, on our own terms.
What did it take to get started?
An introduction put us in front of Reza and Roy, the founders of the CC Group. The CC Group is a set of companies focused on different parts of IT: data engineering, cybersecurity, software development: but no DevOps or cloud company yet. We pitched our idea, they backed it, and we co-founded The Factory in February 2019.
The CC Group’s back office takes care of a lot of the operational overhead, which let us focus on building the team and the work itself.
What is the most important value within The Factory?
Joep: Respect for each other. No one is above anyone else. It’s also one of the things we look for when we hire.
Mike: The team gets along, and that’s not a slogan: it’s a place where people can grow technically and personally, and where the friendships extend beyond work.
Joep, when do you feel things are going well?
Two ways. With customers, when we’ve understood what their business actually needs and our engineers have built something that fits. With our own people, when they’re shaping their own path here: technical depth, a side interest like photography or cooking for the team, whatever it is: and when they’re part of the decisions that affect the company.
Mike, you’re CTO at The Factory. What does that look like in practice?
The formal title is CTO, but I wear several hats. The technical side is about staying clear on where the platform and consultancy work is going: which tools and patterns are worth standardising on, where we should invest, what we shouldn’t bother with.
For a consultancy, the engineers are the company. So we put real time into the team: certifications, knowledge sharing (we run a monthly internal session called “What the Factory”), mentoring, and pairing people on the right engagements. The work I’m most proud of isn’t mine: it’s what the team delivers because we back each other.
What shaped you into who you are today?
Joep: A stable, supportive family. Both my parents had careers they cared about and were involved in the local football club: my father is honorary chairman. That set a baseline: be proactive, take ownership, build your own success. My wife, parents, and sister (who runs her own business) keep me on that track.
Mike: Entrepreneurship runs in the family: my parents had their own business and I admired how they managed it. The other big influence was sport. I karted from age 6 to 25 and competed in motor- and autosport at a high level, including a championship. Becoming an F1 driver didn’t happen, but the discipline, focus, and willingness to lose well stayed with me. We call that mindset a “Cup fighter” at The Factory.
What is something which needs more attention?
Joep: Stopping to acknowledge what’s already gone well. I move on too quickly.
Mike: I focus on what can be better and tend to skip past what’s already good. Worth reminding myself it’s fine to ease up and enjoy the wins.
What does the plan look like over the next ten years?
Joep: We’ll see. For now, the priority is hiring engineers who fit how we work, so we can keep delivering for customers and give the team room to grow.
Mike: We’re still a young company: 2024 marks our five-year anniversary. We’ve grown, but there’s plenty left to do.
One thing to the people who work at The Factory?
Joep: Don’t drift. Decide where you want to go.
Mike: Work takes up a lot of your time: so spend it on something you genuinely care about.