At Splended, we approach technical development as more than just transferring knowledge. It’s about creating clarity, reducing hesitation, and building confidence especially when the subject matter is complex and evolving. This was the spirit behind our collaboration with Genelec, where we set out to strengthen their internal Kubernetes capabilities and support the growth of an engineering team that can learn and support each other independently.
From “Where Do We Begin?” to “Let’s Go”
The team at Genelec was already experienced and highly collaborative, but like many in tech environments, they faced a familiar challenge: when there’s so much to learn, it’s hard to know where to begin. In addition, the skill levels typically vary within a team so it may take time to put everyone on the same level. Kubernetes can feel overwhelming at first, not because of a lack of willingness to learn, but because of its breadth and depth. Our goal was to introduce concepts, but also to help remove the friction at the start and clear a path forward. We began with discovery sessions to understand the team’s context, needs, and current workflows. From there, we designed a training and implementation path that would fit into their existing work, rather than adding to their mental load.
Learning Through Doing With the Right Guide
This is where Jouni Rajala from Polar Squad came in. Jouni’s technical depth and calm, grounded style gave the team a reliable foundation to build on. From Docker fundamentals to more advanced Kubernetes architecture, he guided the team not only through the “how” but also the “why” behind each decision. It’s one thing to explain how a deployment works, it’s another to do it together in a real-world environment, with room to make decisions, reflect, and adjust. Jouni brought exactly that space, getting excellent feedback from the team on how he “was able to answer all their questions.”
Confidence, Coaching, and Collaborative Growth
What made this collaboration successful was not only the individual learning that took place, but how it supported the team’s shared capacity. We saw Genelec’s experts grow into internal champions: people others can turn to for advice, guidance, and practical support. Their ability to coach each other grew, and with it, their sense of ownership. The team strengthened the way they learn together. This kind of capability doesn’t fade. It scales.
Looking Ahead
The feedback we received was consistent: the structure helped, the practical support was key, and the sense of progress was real. Most of all, the team felt more confident, both in using Kubernetes and in continuing their learning as a group. What began as a training initiative became something deeper: a collaborative effort to remove barriers, grow champions, and embed a culture of shared learning. We’re proud to have supported Genelec in this phase of their growth and grateful to Jouni for the mastery and presence he brought into the process.
