In 2008, Australian long time Fi fan Michael Stratton took a small detour on his way to Spain for a holiday - just to come visit Stockholm and his favorite interactive firm. He spent a full day with the team, just hanging out and getting a better understanding of how Fi works.

“I was planning to spend a month in Spain”, Michael says, “and checked out how far Stockholm was from Spain. I mean, if you are going to spend thirty hours on a plane then what's another three? I'd been following Fi and their super-high-quality products since late 2004 when I experienced the Roadrunner portal website. For me it changed what the web could be and inspired me to have a new goal: To one day work with the team at Fi. So, I sent them an e-mail asking if I could drop by and say hello and a few weeks later my trip to Stockholm was booked!”

Hakim remembers Michael’s visit: “This guy was genuinely interested in our work and also brought a lot of knowledge to the table.”

After leaving Stockholm and returning to Australia, Michael kept tabs on what Fi was doing whilst working as the interactive specialist at Austereo, Australia’s largest broadcasting company. Michael joined the company directly after completing his studies in web design and development.

"The business recognized the emergence of new technologies and the diversification of how media was being distributed but didn’t have a strategy or team to do it. Starting with a team of only three people, I became the key point of contact for web development, design, specification documentation and the deployment for all interactive applications for the business. (ie: I was in at the deep end) and had to learn how to do everything – fast."

Lucky for Michael he used to be a professional swimmer so he didn't sink with this enormous challenge!

During his 4 years at Austereo Michael led the scope, I.A, creative direction and design and development for all interactive products and applications. He became a true all-rounder, developing skills in all areas of the business and a detailed, holistic understanding of digital interaction.

In the spring of 2009, Michael and his wife Chelsea decided to quit their jobs and move to Spain for a new adventure. Their intention was to learn the language, travel the country and absorb the culture. They balanced this with getting to know every bar in Barcelona and taking photos of random things like the crazy Spanish power line system. Naturally, Michael kept following the adventures of Fi and when he saw that we were hiring he saw it as a sign.

"I'm only three hours away now, instead of thirty hours" he thought and sent in an application.

As Michael had so much knowledge and experience in many of Fi’s services, we were of course interested in meeting with him again. After the first interview, we realized we had a quite delightful problem: he had so much experience we did not know which role to put him in!

We put him through several of the tests we run on our applicants and he passed all of them with flying colors. In October of 2009, Michael and his wife packed their bags again, this time to move to Stockholm.

"I love to make, fix and play with things. I love a challenge and working with the Fi team. They share the same passion for quality control and live for creating sites and products that make you think, feel and escape – no matter what age you are."  

Michael, called “Stratto” by his friends and co-workers, is now adding strength to Fi in a multi-position role where he makes use of all of his knowledge of programming, design, usability, user experience and producing.

Give a HUGE Fi Welcome to Stratto!
 
Do you have skills within development, design and production? Then you might be Fi’s next Interactive Guru!