Meet Geoffrey: Our Totelly Human Tech Lead

Hey there, I’m Geoffrey, Totelly’s tech lead, and the guy who somehow makes sense of all our wild ideas. I jumped into this adventure in 2020 when Tanja, our CEO, casually asked if I wanted to join her new project over dinner. “Sure, why not?” I thought. Fast forward through a few pivots (and a lot of coffee), and we’ve turned Totelly into what it is today - a platform that’s all about real-life connections. Our latest spin is Totally Facilitated, where facilitators can set up their events, and people like you can easily find and join them through our app. It’s been a crazy ride, full of surprises, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Working at Totelly feels more like hanging out with friends than your typical job. We’re this close-knit team that’s cooked together, traveled to random places like Iceland and Romania, and shared way too many inside jokes. It’s a no-nonsense vibe - just a bunch of people who genuinely like working together and have each other’s backs. We’re all about building cool things and doing it in a way that feels real and fun.

I didn’t join Totelly thinking it would be life-changing - I was just excited to work with Tanja again. But then, the more we built, the more I realized we were creating something bigger. We’re living in this hyper-connected world where everyone’s online but feeling disconnected. Totelly is about flipping that on its head, bringing people back together in the real world, where things actually matter. And honestly? It’s made me rethink a lot about how I see life, work, and community. It’s been a grounding experience, and I’ve learned to value those face-to-face moments that no Zoom call can replace.

When I’m not trying to wrangle code into submission, you’ll find me making music or scribbling down some poetry - yep, that’s my escape. I’ve taken a bunch of classical singing lessons and have always loved writing my own music. I’m into the classics: Nick Cave, Meat Loaf, Leonard Cohen, Sinatra... you know, the good stuff. Music keeps me sane, and it’s where I find a lot of inspiration, which sneaks its way into how I approach everything else.

As much as I love tech, I believe it should make life better, not harder. That’s why at Totelly, we’re keeping things simple. We want people to find an event, sign up, and then actually go out and enjoy it. No endless app loops - just tech that works in the background so you can focus on what’s real. Leading this team, I try to keep things honest and straightforward. We respect each other’s input, we make decisions quickly, and we don’t waste time on stuff that doesn’t move the needle. My approach? Be real, listen more than you talk, and keep things fun and meaningful.

Right now, I’m balancing my work at Totelly with my own startup, Neurotic. It’s a lot, but I’m having a blast figuring it all out. I’m on this personal mission to find purpose beyond just work - to keep things simple, stay close to the people who matter, and, most importantly, enjoy the ride. So, that’s me - just trying to build cool stuff, keep it real, and have a good time while doing it.

“The Road Not Taken” - by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.