The Launch Box Life with Steven Kertes

At The Launch Box, we are entrepreneurs serving entrepreneurs, but we took very different journeys to get here. In this series, readers will learn more about how we each live #thelaunchboxlife every day.

Steven, a Texas State University student, Computer Science senior with a Mathematics minor, specializes in agentic ML pipelines, full-stack development, and agile-driven workflows.

Explain your career path—how did you become an Intern?

I’ve always been passionate about technology at a young age, especially anything related to machine learning. I’m currently a senior at Texas State University pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. I also have previous experience in IT work and software development, but my main goal is to find a future in the AI industry.

Can you describe your personal self?

I’m a very detail-oriented person who strives for positive connections with my peers. I always try to bring the best out of people and I’m also very eager to learn new things from the company. When I’m not engaged with work, I’m a pretty big music nerd, playing the piano, guitar, and ukelele in my free time.

What are your top personal values, and how do you apply those to your work?

One of my top personal values is something I learned as a military brat, which is being early is being on time and being on time is being late. It’s something that pushes me to be accountable by getting work started early and maintain the motivation to push myself past my limits through trial and error. I welcome constructive feedback in order to improve and advance in this workspace. Another one of my personal values is having the commitment to develop my professional knowledge base and strive to learn more from my experiences and co-workers. I thrive in an environment where like-minded professionals can think outside the box and advance in this competitive and challenging space..

Why did you choose to join The Launch Box?

I was drawn to the mission and the vision of the company. The atmosphere feels family-like and I’m always feeling challenged by my leadership to be more creative

What is a common misconception you hear about being an intern?

Something that I always hear is that you need to know everything when you start. An internship isn’t about hitting checkboxes, but it’s about learning new skills and building a better version of yourself through the encouragement of your company and collaborating with the team.

What is the most fulfilling part of your role at TLB?

Being surrounded by mentors and networking in an advanced tech savvy field is highly fulfilling. Knowing that my coworkers have my back and will always challenge my ideals makes a huge difference in personal growth.

What about the future of TLB are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about seeing where the future will lead TLB and how things will evolve. Being a part of an ever-changing team with strong dedication and desire to achieve excellence inspires me to do more. I’m eager to see where the future takes us both!