Hi, I’m Abhisar Sinha, and I’m thrilled to share a bit about myself and my journey at ShapeBlue. I joined the company as a software developer six months ago, after a stint of over 12 years at NetApp, India. While my previous role allowed me to dive deep into the world of storage at a low level, my transition to ShapeBlue marks a significant and exciting shift in my career—it’s my first experience working in open source, and it’s been an eye-opening journey so far.

I had experience working on storage, but I always had a curiosity about how these systems function in larger deployments, particularly in the cloud. ShapeBlue offered me the perfect opportunity to explore this area while also allowing me to contribute to widely accessible and impactful projects.

The work culture at ShapeBlue also played a significant role in my decision to join. The flexibility to work remotely was something I found appealing. Having the autonomy to manage my own time and work from wherever I’m most comfortable is a plus. Moreover, transitioning from a large organisation to a smaller, more agile company like ShapeBlue has provided me with a new perspective. In a smaller setting, the visibility of one’s work is much higher, and so is the level of accountability. This environment has challenged me in new ways, pushing me to grow both professionally and personally. I see this as an incredible learning opportunity that will help me develop skills that I might not have had the chance to cultivate in a larger corporate setting.

My experience at ShapeBlue has been nothing short of positive. From the moment I joined, I was impressed by the onboarding process, particularly the training curriculum that was designed to help new joiners like me get up to speed with the technology, codebase, and usage of CloudStack. This was invaluable in helping me transition smoothly into my role and start contributing effectively.

One of the things I appreciate most about ShapeBlue is the team. Everyone here is incredibly friendly, approachable, and always willing to help.

Being part of an open-source community has also been a highlight of my time here. The features and improvements that I work on are not just confined to the company; they’re out there in the public domain, available for anyone to use and build upon. This aspect of my job gives me a real sense of contribution and pride, knowing that my work is making a tangible impact in the broader tech community.

Another aspect of ShapeBlue that I find particularly unique is its ownership structure. The fact that ShapeBlue is completely employee-owned fosters a strong sense of community and belonging. There’s a collective drive to succeed because we all have a stake in the company’s success. This sense of ownership is not just financial – it extends to the work we do and the relationships we build here. It’s a culture that encourages innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to excellence.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about the future and what we can achieve together at ShapeBlue. The past six months have been a period of growth, learning, and adaptation, and I’m eager to continue this journey. Whether it’s developing new features, contributing to open-source projects, or simply being part of a great team, I’m looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.