About me

I've been making things since 1981.

Drawing, music, photography, websites, software for big companies, and now AI.

years building websites: 23
people photographed: ~1,000
photography graduates: 200
photo studios: 2
global corporations: 5

I won and kept all these clients mainly because I had good websites and my own systems that helped me run the business.

Scroll through the years ↓

1981
Hello, world.
1985–1995
Crayons, a guitar and a Commodore
As a kid I drew all the time and played musical instruments.
Around 1990 I first got my hands on a computer and wrote my first lines in BASIC. Since then I've loved both technology and creative work.
1997–2004
Screwdrivers and a master's degree
At 16 I was assembling and setting up Windows 95 computers for customers (and vacuuming a lot of dust out of them).
Then came five years at the Technical University of Košice, crowned with a master's degree.
2003
My first website. In Flash.
It was animated, playful and full of sound.
I've been building websites ever since. The technologies changed, the websites stayed.
The real 2003 Flash site
2004–2010
Big systems, big clients
I worked on Slovakia's tax information system with millions of records. Then I spent four years at Allianz working on insurance databases, calculators and user interface design.
2010–2015
Photographer. Two studios. A thousand faces.
For a few years, the camera became my main tool.
Under the name Talking Pictures I ran two photo studios, photographed about a thousand people, and around 200 people went through my photography courses.
I also exhibited my work, for example at my solo show Pure Beauty in 2014.
2010–2015
I did everything a small business needs
Alongside photography I made posters, price lists, flyers, logos, CD booklets, e-shops and whole websites for local businesses. Sometimes even interiors.
Looking good wasn't enough. It also had to help the business sell.
2015–2016
Back to software, all in
In 2015 I decided to focus on modern web development. JavaScript, Angular and later React.
In 2016 I flew to London for The Business Show with a badge that read “NICK STEC — ENTREPRENEUR”.
Today it makes me smile.
2017–2026
Software for big companies
As a front-end and full-stack developer I worked on projects for Caterpillar, Swiss Re, UNIQA, VARDEN and Škoda.
We built sales tools, natural-hazard maps, insurance calculators, healthcare booking and a large logistics platform.
Working in big teams taught me to do things properly: security, code review, testing, deadlines and ownership of the result.
I bring the same to smaller projects today.
- Caterpillar
- Swiss Re
- UNIQA
- VARDEN
- Škoda
- Allianz
After COVID
A laptop, a backpack and a boat
When the world opened up again, I took my work with me.
I bought a sailboat in the Caribbean and started living as a digital nomad. I worked from all kinds of places, from the Caribbean and New York to Asia.
I could do it because my work and my business ran online.
Always
Music, curiosity and old books
Outside work, I'm still curious about far too many things.
Music
Keys, guitar and other instruments, recording and the odd live gig.
Curiosity
When something grabs me, I go deep. For example, I dug into Chinese characters to understand the Tao Te Ching better.
Mind
I read philosophy and psychology and practise qi gong and yoga. The longer I run a business, the more I see that understanding people matters as much as understanding technology.
千里之行，始於足下
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Tao Te Ching
Today
Today I use all of this on your project.
I research your business, write the words, design and build the website and, if needed, add AI, a CRM or automation.
Or I'll teach you how.