“We’re a lot closer to each other now. Before, you rarely knew what others were working on or what their challenges were. Since we’ve adopted the Squads and Guilds model, our communication has improved significantly.” Arvydas Minkštimas, .NET guild lead at NordLocker

NordLocker has added a few big features recently and a bunch of minor ones. Most of what you see was probably started here, at the .NET guild. Today, we’re sitting down with Arvydas Minkštimas, the guild’s lead, to talk about what it is like to be at the forefront of NordLocker growth, its challenges, and ways to keep the team engaged.



Hello, Arvydas. To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us what you do?

Hey, I’m Arvydas. I’m the .NET guild lead at NordLocker. I started working in tech during my university years – that’s 15 years ago. About two years ago, I joined NordLocker.

For those who don’t know the Guild model, can you explain what a guild lead does?

It just means you have to oversee the work different teams do within the guild. As a .NET guild lead, I write and review code but also follow the development process and make sure any problems that arise are dealt with quickly.

How did you join NordLocker?

It’s funny actually. I was already working in the same building when I found out our company was being acquired. I didn’t have big hopes or cybersecurity experience, but I got an invitation for an interview and decided to come.

After I found out that I would be working on a new product, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to join. The rest, as they say, is history.

You mentioned the lack of experience with working in cybersecurity. Was it hard to get into? Do you, as a guild lead, have to follow news about threats closely?

Learning about cybersecurity was very interesting. Now, I don’t need to know what’s happening in cybersecurity every day, but if I find something useful, I share it with my colleagues. And sometimes, if there’s a good event, I’ll encourage the entire team to participate.

But cybersecurity is not just for people working in the field. We all spend a big part of our lives in the digital space. That’s why I believe everyone should be following technology and cybersecurity news at least a bit. Otherwise, we are giving tech companies a free pass to do anything they want with our data.

It’s been two years since you joined NordLocker. You’ve seen it grow and implement major features, but you also saw the switch to the Squads and Guilds model. How did you find adapting to the new workflow and, more importantly, to the leading role?

Well, the team hasn’t changed as much as it may sound. The majority of the .NET guild was what we called the Windows team. We know each other quite well and we’re always happy to help. So, in that sense, we’re the same team that is not afraid to put forward ideas and where everyone contributes towards the quality of the code.

The only thing that changed is that I got a few extra responsibilities, started working more with managers and other guild leads, and now have to know what everyone in our team does.

So, what impact did the new model have on your team?

We’re a lot closer to each other now. Before, you rarely knew what others were working on or what their challenges were. Since we’ve adopted the Squads and Guilds model, our communication has improved significantly.

That’s great to hear. While we’re talking about guilds, can you tell us about yours?

With nine people, the .NET guild is the largest one at NordLocker. The core of the team consists of the former Windows team, so it won’t be a surprise that one of our main priorities is working on the NordLocker desktop app. When the idea for Web Access was born, our guild also helped build it.

Now, the .NET guild is split between teams working on the desktop app and on the cloud storage improvements, and the developers. So, people working here are experienced in various areas too. And now this guild is oriented towards two different projects – our main focus, of course, is the Windows desktop app, where most of the developers are working, but we also have a separate team working with current cloud replacement. 

As NordLocker is growing, a lot of guilds are looking for reinforcements. What positions are they looking to add at the moment?

Yes, it's very exciting seeing NordLocker grow this fast. Finding macOS/iOS, Android, PHP, and C++ engineers right now is the highest priority. But if somebody reading this interview is interested in our work model, cybersecurity, or working at NordLocker, I highly encourage you to reach out even if your position isn’t specified.

What would a normal day look like in your guild? Do you have daily meetings or do you communicate effectively in another way?

At NordLocker, .NET developers usually work on their tasks in squads, but they’re also a part of the guild. So, if there are any issues, we’ll work on a solution together.

As far as communication goes, my personal mantra is that the fewer meetings there are, the better. We may sometimes have too many meetings at NordLocker, and that takes away from development time. So, the .NET guild members only meet once every two weeks to keep each other up to date, while personal issues can be solved individually.

We’re in a good position to do it this way because we’ve known each other for about two years. We already know who’s best to ask certain questions, so most issues can be solved with a quick chat.

Sounds like it’s fun to work in the .NET guild. But what about the challenges?

The last two years were all about implementing new features, deciding which ones to remove, and thinking what to work on next. Last quarter, we moved our focus more on the app redesign and architecture changes. We prepared a plan and now our biggest challenge is implementing it properly.

I’ve also heard that your team is very fun to be around after work. Do you get together often?

We’re certainly quick to organize something. Like when a company event was canceled due to Covid, we made our own, non-official event with some beer and games.

But do we get together often? We would like to find the time more often, but life happens. That’s alright. We already meet at every NordLocker and Nord Security event.

What about you personally? Any interesting hobbies?

Like I said, finding the time can be hard. A lot of my energy and time go to my three kids. But we’ve recently bought a house near a forest. It’s a great place to escape the city, go fishing, or simply relax in nature. And it’s always easier to return to work when you’ve had a chance to clear your head.

Are you looking for new career opportunities?



Interested in seeing yourself in a new role? Join our growing team and help make the world safer. Contact Ema ([email protected]), our talent attraction partner, or visit our Careers page for all the available positions at NordLocker.