TechLab by Bol

By Anthony Moendir & Tim BeerenTechnology

TechLab by Bol episodes

February 19 The Future of Shopping
What happens when AI agents start shopping for you? Maurice Jongerius, Product Director Consumer at bol and 15-year e-commerce veteran, takes us on a journey from 1% mobile traffic in 2010 to the AI revolution today. We explore how search is evolving from filters to natural language, why trust matters more than ever, and what "vibe coding" says about creativity in the AI era. If you're curious where retail is headed in the next 2–3 years, this episode is your crystal ball.

What this episode covers
• The two big shifts: social commerce vs. AI • Why trust is more important than ever when you can't tell what's real • The future split: routine purchases handled by agents vs. complex journeys with human-in-the-loop • The rise of "vibe coding" and what it means for creativity
33 min
January 27 From Lawyer to Engineer
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”
42 min
January 06 Reinventing Yourself
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 covers
We 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.
38 min
October 21, 2025 From Engineer to Engineering Manager
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
26 min
October 03, 2025 Enterprise Architects at Bol
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 podcasts
Want 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
47 min
August 08, 2025Organising our internal conference Spaces Summit
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 covers
The 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
38 min
July 10, 2025Meet the Social Media Team (Gerda) from Bol
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 covers
Meet Gerda, the alter ego from bol
A day in the life of a community manager
Lots of fun stories and anekdotes
How to stay relevant in a fast paces environment
41 min
June 18, 2025Young Professionals at Bol
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 covers
The 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
36 min
May 27, 2025Everything about Design Sprints
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 covers
The sprint mindset: Why constraining time unlocks creativity
Day-by-day breakdown: How to scope, sketch, prototype, and test in 4 days
Real 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-negotiable
Tools & resources: Where to start your own sprint
45 min
May 06, 2025 All about Product Analytics
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
47 min