uProfile November 2026 - Mitchell Nortje

How did you first stumble into the Umbraco Community—and what made you stay?

I would start off by saying I describe myself as an ambivert. Mostly introverted and happy in my own company. However, I slowly become an extrovert when I feel accepted or trust people. So as much as I have been using Umbraco on and off throughout the years, the introvert in me wasn’t actively seeking out involvement in the community.  I was just the “Umbraco guy” at my various places of work. 

My first experience of the Umbraco community was Codegarden 2025. I had just been made redundant from a job and team I loved. This is probably the lowest I have felt in my career and dare I say life. 

I was welcomed back to Spinbox Ltd and my boss offered to send me to Codegarden. If I’m honest, I accepted mostly just to get away from the routine I had fallen into over the last few years. I remember arriving in Odense with my colleague Matt, exhausted, frustrated and overwhelmed. I really didn’t want to go to the pre-party, I didn’t even know if I wanted to be there. Eventually I compromised by saying we can go for one drink. 

With hindsight, I can say that not going would have been one of my biggest regrets. It’s what kickstarted my journey in the community. It was there that Matt and I met Ben Szymanski and bonded over music, tech and general chat. Next thing I knew, the three of us were singing karaoke in an Irish pub well past midnight, with a keynote to attend a few hours later.

What makes me stay? As cliche as it sounds, it’s the people. People like:

Ravi Motha, seeing me skirting the edges of groups, noticed I was struggling and introduced me to a few people. 

Mathilde Høst, sitting on a bench at Umbraco Spark and setting her lunch aside, inviting me in for a cozy chat in the sun.

Paul Seal, who I had only actually met properly at Codegarden 2026 but openly invited me to tag along with him for the journey home.

Gia Matikainen, we never spoke in person but seeing her making the most of her first Codegarden and fully embracing the experience was great to see.

Joe Glombek, who made me feel like what I said mattered by quoting my blogpost’s in his talk.

The Gibe Digital team, who let me tag along with them at the Codegarden 2026 Awards Dinner.

I wish I had time  to name everyone and I don’t want this to come across as some sort of massive name drop. It’s a genuine love letter to each and every member of this community and the actions however big or small they may be makes someone feel welcome. 

What ties all of this together is a sense of belonging. Prior to Codegarden 2025, I was ready to give up on software development altogether. I was burnt out, tired and uncertain of the future. I started studying a counselling course and planned to exit out of the software industry. What I found at Codegarden, and in the community since, was something I never expected… a reason to stay.

What do you do in the Community? Any special areas you’re passionate about?

I’m really passionate about mental health, especially men’s mental health. Studying counselling while finding my place within the Umbraco community has helped me become a better version of myself. That change is what drives me to want to help others find it in themselves. I also hope that I can show that there is a space for the quiet / reserved types by sharing my own journey through blog posts and future projects I have planned. 

I’m still fairly new to the community. I started off as a lurker, and honestly I still am. I lurk on the Umbraco Discord, joining in on the “Good mornings” while it’s still technically morning, and every so often I pluck up the courage to chime in on a discussion. There’s something magical about that though: each small step makes the next one easier. The snowball effect.

Gaining confidence from lurking and a little nudge from a community member I then joined the Umbraco East Midlands Meetup and volunteered for something I never thought I’d do: my first ever talk, “Triggers, Actions, Done: An Umbraco Automate Primer”.  That then gave me the confidence to volunteer again and to do a longer talk at the NN1 Dev Club in Northampton later this month.

Favorite memory, proudest moment, or wildest experience?

My proudest moment sounds like a small one. My flight into Copenhagen for Codegarden 2026 landed late, and I was walking to my hotel at around 1am when I caught myself thinking, “Damn, I missed the pre-party.” Me. The guy who didn’t want to go the year before. The guy who would happily be in bed by 8pm. That’s when I realised how far I’d come. I found a bench to sit at and spent about 10 minutes reflecting on the year prior and what was ahead.

What are you working on right now, community-wise or professionally? (Tech talk welcome!)

Work wise I’ve been doing quite a few Umbraco 13 to 17 Upgrades day to day and some new site builds. On the community side, in October I released my first Umbraco Automate package. It was a small project to get me into package development but as mentioned above, sometimes small things snowball into bigger ideas. It’s on my GitHub and I’ve got plenty more package ideas brewing. I just need to put them into action so stay tuned!

I’m also working on my talk, “Solving for Y: The XY Problem in Practice”. It’s about how we often end up solving the fix someone asked for instead of the problem they actually have, and how asking better questions makes us better developers.

Your top 3 tips for someone new to Umbraco or the community?

• Be yourself. Quiet or outgoing, you are welcome and accepted as you are.

• Be patient. It can feel daunting joining an established community at first.

• Get involved. Ask, share, lurk, attend and contribute. Whether it’s a “Good morning” in the Discord channel or helping on the forums.

Fun facts

Got a fun fact, secret, or unexpected talent?

I am a serial hobbyist. I like photography, 3d printing, bag making, crochet, TTRPGs, gaming and reading.

What’s currently living on your desk?

4 empty mugs(I should probably take them downstairs) and a growing collection of artificial IKEA plants.

What book/series/game are you into right now?

The current book I am reading is for college which is: On becoming a person, Carl Rogers.

I’ve recently started binge watching a series on youtube called: Jet Lag - The Game.

Gaming wise, currently playing Solasta II but looking forward to Zelda: Ocarina of time Remake.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

The ability to sleep and actually wake up feeling rested.

What’s at the top of your bucket list?

Travel Japan, see Hokkaido and some of the non-touristy rural areas.

Favourite meal?

Mutton bunny chow, a traditional dish from my hometown of Durban, South Africa. Despite the name, no bunnies are involved: it’s mutton curry served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread.

What’s on repeat in your headphones?

I have nostalgia for a decade I wasn't even born in. I love 80s music, especially Japanese 80’s Citypop. Occasionally I have Ambient lofi music playing just to help me zone out.