From Math Tutoring to Lead Developer: The Growth Story of Our Robi (Robert Jarec) at Notus

Imagine you've just finished high school. You know only the basics of HTML and CSS, and you've touched JavaScript only a couple of times. You're taking a gap year after high school with no clear plan for what comes next. And then you get a call that changes everything.

That's how the story of our Robert Jarec began.

Back in high school, he met Filip Žic and Vanja Vuković, the founders of Notus, when he went to Vanja for math tutoring. They were just starting Notus at the time, building their first websites and doing design work. Even then they brought up the idea of him joining, but with such modest knowledge he didn't dare promise anything serious. A year later, the call came.

"We have a new office and we need photos for the website. Come over, and we'll also talk about an internship." That moment was his ticket into the world of development, with no way back.

First Tasks and First Steps

"I don't remember exactly what my first task was. Probably something small, something nobody else wanted to do."

But for him, everything was exciting and new. He loved exploring, and through learning day by day he found his way. It wasn't easy, but it was challenging.

"Every time I had to solve something because there was no other option, that was the moment I grew."

From Junior to the One Everyone Relies On

At some point juniors joined the team, and they needed a mentor. It wasn't easy to balance his own tasks with their questions, but it was clear that his role was changing.

Today, a few years later, our colleague is no longer that insecure intern. He is a lead developer, the one the team relies on when a decision needs to be made, a project needs direction, or a complex task needs help.

His day now looks completely different.

The morning starts with reviewing everyone's tasks, talking with PMs, redirecting and assigning work. Only once everyone else is taken care of does he turn to his own responsibilities. His time is no longer just his own; it belongs to the whole team. And that is exactly where he finds meaning.

"The days come with a lot more responsibility, but I wouldn't want it any other way."

What Set Him Apart?

It wasn't technical knowledge. That came with experience, day by day. What set him apart was initiative, responsibility, and persistence. Kristijan Burnik played a key role here, a mentor and great colleague who taught him that a problem is not an obstacle but an opportunity to develop a way of thinking.

How meticulously he worked is shown by the fact that he would sometimes wake up with a dream of the solution to a piece of code. The projects he worked on stayed etched in his memory, the way important life episodes are remembered.

"Maybe that's why I can't remember what my wife planned for the weekend."

Author's note: we hope his wife won't read this :)

Where To Next?

Today he is directing his focus toward the strategic development of the team and its processes. He sees himself less and less in writing code and more in architecture and in leading the team, in what makes a difference not only for projects but for all of Notus.

A Message for Those Just Starting Out

The same guy who once knew only HTML and CSS now has a simple piece of advice for those just beginning:

"Use everything that exists today: the internet, AI, documentation. But it's just as important to keep questioning your own knowledge and keep the desire to learn, because technology never stops, and only those who keep learning stay in step with it."

Our Robi's story is not one of ideal conditions, perfect knowledge, or a safe path. It's a story about initiative, dedication, and the willingness to take responsibility.

And that is exactly why he is today more than a lead developer: he is an example of how personal growth can shape the culture and strength of an entire team.