TechLab by Bol

We sat down with Loes, who made the extraordinary leap from Attorney to Frontend Engineer at Bol. She breaks down her journey from drafting contracts in suit, to coding components in sneakers—and why a GDPR talk can actually be fun.What this episode covers• The “why” behind a radical career change • Legal vs. engineering—how contracts are like code • GDPR, but make it fun—the 6 rules every engineer should know • Practical advice—how to test if your career dream is serious, and when to “just be brave”

What happens when you realize you've tied your entire identity—and self-worth—to your job title? This week, we're joined by Vasileios Nikolopoulos, whose Space Summit talk became one of our most-discussed ever. We dive into the uncomfortable question: Who are you, when you’re not at work?What this episode coversWe explore the trap of turning hobbies into side hustles, the surprising power of boredom (backed by Harvard research), and the moment a late-night Slack message became a wake-up call. Vasileios shares his personal journey from growing up in a culture of "doctor or lawyer" to rediscovering joy in broken motorcycles and un-posted moments. This is a conversation about breaking free from the "grindification" of life and learning to listen to yourself again.

What this episode covers• The moment you have to stop coding and start coaching • The surprising amount of administration (so many spreadsheets! 📊) • How to build trust when your former peers are now your direct reports • The #1 tip for new managers: walking meetings • What no one tells you: office politics and the art of influence

Ever wondered who guides the technical direction for a company with over 1,300 microservices? In this episode, we sit down with Enterprise Architects Eleanor and Alexandra to demystify their role. We explore how they bring structure to massive scale, enable smarter decisions with Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), and why they believe that at bol.com, every engineer is an architect.What this episode covers• What Enterprise Architecture actually is at bol.com • From chaos to clarity: How ADRs (Architecture Decision Records) stop the "Who decided this?!" debates • Measuring architecture fitness: Using data to score encapsulation and reduce team coupling • The RAPID model: How we make big, enterprise-level decisions in weeks, not months • AI as the 6th team member: How we use AI to automate documentation and create podcastsWant to know more about the persona based model? Alexandra and Elinor created an AI generated episode on this topic! Have a listen here:• Persona Based Architecture - AI Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMi9us1Gd4M

oin us behind the scenes of Space Summit, Bol.com’s internal tech conference—where product and tech become speakers, crew, and innovators for a day. This year’s edition? Bigger, bolder, and now open to the entire product team for the first time!What this episode coversThe story behind Space Summit: From auditorium talks to a 1,100-person conference. By colleagues, for colleagues: How a volunteer crew of 10 pulls off a pro-level conference. 80+ talk submissions: From Tesla hacks to personal burnout stories. The secret sauce: How Space Summit builds community, trust, and even career-defining moments

Probably the most asked question so far. Who are the people behind the hilarious social media accounts from bol? A group of Gen-Z's or interns? Who is Gerda and what are the things they face from day to day. What this episode coversMeet Gerda, the alter ego from bolA day in the life of a community managerLots of fun stories and anekdotesHow to stay relevant in a fast paces environment

What if your first job felt like an extension of university - with less exams, more impact, and better coffee? In this episode, we get to know Berk and Petra. Two YP's who all ins and outs of the program. Get to know them, the talent program and how Bol supports high potentials in their personal journey.What this episode coversThe YP Program structure: From onboarding to graduation Work-life balance in your first tech job How Bol.com supports relocation and housing The application process decoded (no leetcode nightmares!) Transitioning from student to professional mindset Leadership opportunities within the program

Ever wished you could test wild ideas without months of meetings? In this episode, we crack open Bol.com’s design sprint playbook—where cross-functional teams turn chaos into shippable solutions in just one week. Perfect for: Product teams, designers, agile coaches, and anyone tired of "analysis paralysis."What this episode coversThe sprint mindset: Why constraining time unlocks creativityDay-by-day breakdown: How to scope, sketch, prototype, and test in 4 daysReal Bol.com case studies: From the "Branded Shelves" success to ideas that flopped (and why that’s good)Pro tips: Facilitator tricks, stakeholder buy-in, and why candy is non-negotiableTools & resources: Where to start your own sprint

Ever wondered how product teams avoid building features nobody wants? Meet Laura and Joep, Bol.com's product analytics experts, who reveal how data stops wasted effort and fuels smart decisions. Learn why a "fake door test" is their secret weapon and how failed experiments are actually wins in disguise!What this episode covers🔍 What you’ll learn:✅ Why "good enough" data beats perfect (but late) analysis✅ How a fake door test saved months of wasted engineering time✅ The 4 key skills every product analyst needs✅ Why failed experiments are secretly wins

This week, Ernst and Daniel from Queer Bol share how they're transforming workplaces - not with big policies, but through real, everyday actions. Like that time an educational poster in the bathroom made a colleague say: "I never knew this - thank you for opening my eyes." "It's not just about acceptance," says Daniel. "It's about creating space where people can truly be themselves." From rainbow pins to brave conversations, this is how small changes make big impact. What this episode covers• How Queer Bol started – from a simple question to a beautiful community • Why workplace inclusion matters – for employees, companies, and society• The impact of visibility – pins, posters, and safe spaces • Personal stories – overcoming challenges and fostering allyship • What’s next? – Pride collaborations, education, and expanding outreach• https://pro-now.com/en/ • https://coc.nl/en/ (One of the most important LGBTQIA+ focused organisations in the Netherlands) • https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/ • https://www.movisie.nl/publicatie/feiten-cijfers-lhbtiqa-rij (Lots of numbers and facts) • https://reports.hrc.org/being-an-lgbtq-ally (Great overview about what allyship means, plus a lot of additional useful info)