The Architecture Behind the Mindset
At first glance, this might look like a random collection of tech pioneers, musicians, and retro games. But to me, they form a very concrete framework for how I solve complex business problems.
The common denominator is not nostalgia or random favorites. It is people and works that understand the underlying rules so deeply that they can bend them — and who refuse to conform to the premises of others. Some built the world's most important operating system in a basement. Others set audience records at the Hultsfred Festival or learned new programming languages in a day. Some won world championships with a warmth that never let success take over. And some taught me that the hardest — and most important — thing you can do as a creator is to kill your own darlings when something better requires the space.
To me, there is no difference between building a scalable IT architecture and composing a complex piece of music. Both disciplines require understanding systems at a micro level, and then assembling them into something that works seamlessly at a macro level. The musicians on this list are here because, at their level, they are systems architects just as much as they are artists.
These people and works are not just sources of inspiration — they are the very methodology behind the R&D project I am now building.
Jan-Henrik Haukland
My tech mentor when I was young. The man behind Fri Surf and Technical Director at sol.no during their glory days. Sent me to The Gathering and gave me a CD-R with Red Hat 5.2 and WordPerfect in 1998 – the spark that started it all.
Aleksei Pazhitnov & Tetris
The creator of the perfect game and an ultimate lesson in geopolitics. He coded the game on a state-owned machine, and the Soviet state (via the ELORG agency) took ownership of the code. A brutal reminder of who actually owns the infrastructure we use, and why digital sovereignty is crucial today.
Linus Torvalds
The architect behind Linux and Git — two of the most influential technological contributions of modern times. But it's not just the engineering that fascinates me. It's the honesty. He is the man who stood at a Debian conference and said he couldn't manage to install Debian. Who said "Fuck you, NVIDIA" directly from the stage — and was absolutely right. Rough around the edges, yes. But genuinely down-to-earth and real in a way that is rare among people at his level. He reminds me that being a visionary doesn't have to mean being unapproachable, and that uncompromising honesty and uncompromising quality often go hand in hand.
Jing Venås Kjeldsen
We worked together at Fanbooster, and I constantly bugged him with code snippets when I couldn't be burdened to wait for the development team in Sofia. What fascinated me was the speed – he learned new programming languages in days, not weeks. He also taught me that foundations can actually be replaced: while I had always been conservative regarding stability and footings, he showed me that development can be fluid and adaptable. Seeing him go from being the sharp, quiet developer I knew, to standing in front of investors with a completely unique voice and building Superside into what it is today, is one of the most inspiring journeys I have witnessed up close.
Olav Eggum
Serial entrepreneur and one of the founders of Fanbooster. A mentor who taught me the concept of 'hurrying slowly' – a deep wisdom I constantly try to integrate. He represents the uncompromising execution power that is often missing in purely technical environments: if you sent a message, there was always an answer and an action. In a world full of people who think and talk, he reminds me that it is those who actually act who build something of value – and that true B2B sales is always about relationships and integrity.
Roger Jensen
One of the country's true business originals in the export of heavy machinery. He taught me the value of being 'calm' – keeping emotions under control even when enthusiasm is high. Where large companies rely on heavy legal departments, he navigates complex international markets with a striking pragmatism and ability to cut through noise and focus on the core of a deal. His best advice is as simple as it is demanding: Don't listen to anyone else. It's advice I take with me when challenging established truths in the tech industry.
Isabelle Ringnes
I worked with Isabelle in 2013 when we – against all odds – mobilized the grassroots and got the majority in Oslo to vote YES for the 2022 Olympics (even though the politicians eventually pulled the brake). Even then, it was clear how fierce she was – I have rarely seen such raw work capacity and grit; a true powerhouse who never disconnects, even while sitting with bubbles in France. Seeing her enormous journey as a tech founder, voice, and leader in the years since has been massively inspiring. She combines strategic overview with an unwavering execution power.
Pelle Ljungberg
Vocalist in Crawling Duck Johnsen for a few years, and a decade older than the rest of us. He had already set an audience record at the Hultsfred Festival with Venus Outback when he joined us. We talked a lot about creating — I had songs I had been tweaking for years without releasing them. He gave me three words that have followed me since: Kill your darlings. It is the hardest advice to follow, and the most important. Daring to discard what you have invested the most in — because something better requires the space — is as relevant when building systems as when writing music.
Jonas Neubauer
7-time World Champion in Classic Tetris, and one of the most down-to-earth people I have ever met on the internet. I followed him intensely when the Classic Tetris World Championship exploded on YouTube. What fascinated me was not just the championship — it was that he took the time for everyone. We talked about Final Fantasy XI when no one else in the chat cared, and about drums. I recommended a bass drum pedal to him once. He bought it. When I finally got myself an NES and Tetris, I waited excitedly to tell him about the purchase and thank him for the inspiration. Jonas never logged on again. He had passed away. A legend who showed that extraordinary mastery and genuine human warmth are not contradictions.
The Matrix
I saw it three times in the cinema when it came out in 1999. I had never experienced anything like it — a movie that literally changed how I looked at systems and control. Today, the aesthetics might be a bit dated, but the story is more precise than ever. A world where the infrastructure controls everything you think is free, where most people never see the code behind reality — and where stepping out of the system requires you to build something completely of your own. It is no longer science fiction. It is a pretty good description of Europe's digital situation in 2026.
Frank Zappa
A musical genius with a unique worldview and a rare intellectual sharpness. He had the courage to stand by his opinions, and although he could be harsh, he was always accurate and "to the point". His ability to challenge established truths is a constant inspiration.
Anika Nilles
A drummer with an almost superhuman flair for details and polyrhythms. I've followed her for years, and meeting her at a masterclass in Oslo only confirmed my deep respect for her extreme, uncompromising dedication to her craft. She has taken the journey from being a "YouTube phenomenon for nerds" to touring the world with legends like Jeff Beck and Rush. Living proof that undeniable skill in systems and details breaks through all noise.
Nobuo Uematsu & Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy is my favorite series. I have put hundreds of hours into it, and ironically, it's rarely the story itself that draws me in, but the systems. And the music: Nobuo Uematsu is a fantastic modern composer. Creating such emotional masterpieces from 8-bit, reaching his absolute peak in the 16-bit era, is a masterclass in building depth with limited tools.
Daft Punk
Their music is timeless, but it's their choice to step aside that fascinates me most. By performing as robots, they shifted the focus away from the individual, allowing the product itself to stand undisturbed at the center. It's a powerful reminder that when the quality of delivery is superior enough, you don't need to shout the loudest to be heard.
Fun fact: NES Tetris (1989)
As one of the very first in Norway (4th registered), I have 'maxed out' (999,999 points) the original Tetris for the NES. My friend and rival, Gerhard Adler from Kongsvinger, followed up with his first maxout the day after me – making us the 4th and 5th in the country within 24 hours, over 30 years after the game's release. This is the ultimate test of system understanding under extreme pressure. At the highest speeds, pieces fall faster than human reaction time allows. Since you only see one piece ahead, it's not about long-term planning, but about building an architecture robust enough to accommodate any piece that might come. It's a constant struggle to maintain order in a system designed to end in chaos. What you see on the scoreboard screen — the name I enter — is a small, personal greeting to Jonas.