Confluent Developer ft. Tim Berglund, Adi Polak & Viktor Gamov How Tim Berglund Found His Calling | Ep. 2
Sep 29, 2025
Tim Berglund, a prominent figure in streaming data and developer relations, shares his fascinating journey from a Burger King broiler steamer to the tech world. He recounts his early passion for coding, discusses a challenging firmware project, and his transition to web development. Tim sheds light on building unique data tools for passive components and his growth in engineering management. He reflects on the evolution of technology, the rise of open source, and the importance of embracing one's career journey amid feelings of imposter syndrome.
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From Burger King To Coding
- Tim Berglund's first job was as a Burger King broiler steamer and he hated it.
- He quit when school resumed and used that time to focus on his real interest: programming.
Started Coding At Ten
- Tim started writing software at age ten, learning BASIC and 8086 assembly.
- He knew early on that software would be his lifelong vocation.
Firmware Failure On 8051
- Early in his career Tim wrote firmware and worked on an 8051 microcontroller project that failed.
- That failure taught him limits of C on constrained hardware and motivated a shift in focus.