Beyond the Commit podcast

In Part 2 of Beyond the Commit, Pawel Dolega sits down with Jared Green (ex-Microsoft, ex-LinkedIn, now founder of Autar) to move beyond developer productivity metrics and explore what happens when AI hits the org chart.

They discuss:

• The maintenance gap — why most of an engineer's time is spent keeping software alive• Why Claude Code beat Cursor• Why GitHub Copilot underperformed at LinkedIn, despite a full enterprise rollout• Why Jared believes this may be the worst possible time to be sitting inside a big tech company

Beyond the Commit is brought to you by VirtusLab & SoftwareMill. The podcast features candid conversations with CTOs and senior engineers, expanding on insights from our technology blog read by 45,000 people every month.

This episode features a conversation with Jared Green - former developer productivity leader at Microsoft and LinkedIn, currently founder of AI startup Autar.The discussion explores how developer productivity is understood in modern engineering organizations, why software development resists simple measurement, and how developer experience, autonomy, and standardization influence the way teams operate. The episode also looks at the growing role of AI in shaping software delivery and engineering workflows at scale.A conversation for anyone interested in engineering culture, developer experience, and the future of software development.

From Disney Streaming to building a coffee cafe game in Unreal Engine - where customers throw things at you if you mess up their order!We continue the conversation with Jan Macháček, CTO at Cake Solutions, picking up where the story left off. We talk about what it actually takes to go from enterprise software to indie games, why AI kept failing him in the trenches, and the joy (and complexities) of building games!

In this episode, we dive into the real story behind scaling a tech company from modest beginnings to global impact and what it takes to get there.Paweł Dolega talks with Jan Macháček, CTO at Cake Solutions - a company that grew from a 3-person consultancy in a windowless Manchester office to a 120-engineer powerhouse, ultimately acquired by Disney. Along the way, Jan and his team played a key role in delivering Disney+.In this first part, we explore how that journey actually unfolded: the technical and organizational challenges of building at scale, what it means to support a product launch during a global pandemic, and how culture evolves as a company grows.Jan also shares the surprisingly simple (and very human) story behind the acquisition decision - one that took roughly an hour and happened in a pub.A candid conversation about growth, timing, and the decisions that shape a company’s trajectory.

In this episode, we explore how today’s technology leaders can stay sharp, innovative, and effective in a world transformed by AI and rapid organizational change. We look at what it really takes to remain close to the craft, how to judge AI tools by their actual business impact, and why the right team structure is essential for experimentation and long‑term growth.

Paweł Dolega talks with Ed Addario, CTO at Kuda - a seasoned technologist whose passion began at age 11 with a TRS‑80 and evolved into a career spanning mobile, cloud, AI, and over 15 years in fintech. Ed co-founded Navro and previously served as CTO at Currencycloud and Salary Finance. Today, he’s helping drive Kuda’s mission of “banking for every African on the planet.” He’s also an active member of IEEE and ACM.

Ed shares his perspective on staying relevant as a hands-on leader, building organizations that encourage innovation, and navigating the journey from startup chaos to scaleup discipline. He also reflects on the realities of attracting top engineering talent in a competitive global market.

In this episode, we explain the essential challenge faced by every modern software organization: technical debt. We analyze how to define it, distinguish between conscious strategic debt and unintentional "mess", and, crucially, how to manage and eliminate it to maintain development speed and team morale.

Our host, Paweł Dolega, discusses this topic with Sebastian Titze, CTO at Corify, an experienced technology leader. Sebastian, drawing on his career experience from working in the financial sector to consulting and management, shares his strategies.

He explains how to measure technical debt using metrics like cognitive complexity and change frequency, emphasizes that fixing tech debt must be framed as a business decision (ROI), and stresses the importance of organizational culture and team motivation in addressing it.

In the second episode, we turn our attention to the evolving role of the Chief Technology Officer, the challenges of tech recruitment, and the dynamic reality of the FinTech industry. Together, these themes highlight how technology leadership influences both organizational growth and the broader financial ecosystem.

Our host, Paweł Dolega, talks with Gilberto Taccari, CTO at Tot. With a PhD in Computer Engineering and over ten years of experience, Gilberto combines technical depth with business strategy. 

His career spans consultancy for major Italian banks, leadership at FinTech startups, and building high‑performing teams in competitive markets. Guided by a “build it right” philosophy, Gilberto shares how sustainable growth, smart hiring, and sound technology decisions can influence the future of finance.

In this premiere episode, we explore the software engineering career journey, from individual contributor to team lead and ultimately to engineering manager. Along the way, we unpack the essential skills, mindsets, and expectations that define each stage of professional growth.

Our host, Paweł Dolega, dives into these topics in a conversation with Michal Janoušek, a seasoned technology consultant and founder of PureBrew Tech. 

With nearly 20 years of experience in the tech industry, Michal has progressed from individual contributor roles to consulting and leadership positions across various levels. His perspective on career development, team building, and technical leadership brings valuable, real-world insight to the discussion.