Paweł Machowski

Dev teams often mistake surface polish for strategic clarity. ​​A sleek UI might win design awards, but if it’s built on shaky assumptions, it’s just an expensive mirage. If your idea is going to support real users, scale with your business, and withstand inevitable pivots, it needs more than aesthetics. It needs structure. It needs a blueprint. If a project kicks off without a validated plan that accounts for business goals, user needs, tech constraints, and delivery realities, things can go sideways fast. A presentation slide is made to sell an idea. A blueprint is made to build it. ❌ Slides don’t clarify scope. ❌ They don’t define trade-offs. ❌ They don’t align delivery teams with decision-makers. A blueprint does all of that and ensures that every hour spent building moves you toward something that works, lasts, and supports the business. At Mavric, we believe innovation should serve your business, not the other way around. Our role is to bring strategic thinking and technical expertise to your vision, staying grounded in your goals every step of the way. Strategy beats sizzle in every successful software build. Build it right, or don’t build it at all. Are you building from a blueprint or a pitch deck? #productstrategy #softwaredevelopment #digitaltransformation #buildbetter

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Half a decade ago, I bet on a country most companies overlooked. I was searching for the right place to build scalable, high-performing software teams. The usual answers came up: Ukraine, Romania, maybe Poland. But after months of research, on-the-ground visits, and dozens of conversations, I made an unexpected decision. I chose Albania. It wasn’t the obvious choice. But it had what mattered: a young, educated workforce. Strong technical universities. Aligned time zones. Fluent English. And a clear desire to build something bigger. Back then, hardly anyone was paying attention. Today, that’s changed. Albania has quietly more than doubled its IT exports. Thousands of engineers graduate each year. Certifications in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud are becoming the norm. The talent isn’t just available - it’s improving fast. And yet, most companies still haven’t caught on. Albania hits the sweet spot between cost, quality, and cultural alignment. Labor costs are still 30-50% lower than Western Europe. Government-backed incentives and infrastructure investments are growing. But that’s not the main reason to go. The real advantage? Untapped potential. Albania has smart engineers, a strong work ethic, and a welcoming culture. No hype - just real teams doing good work. Smart teams. Predictable costs. A shared rhythm with European work culture. Even digital nomads are choosing Tirana over Lisbon now - for the beauty, affordability, and welcoming vibe. Albania is not the loudest market. But it delivers. In a world of noisy trends, quiet consistency can be a serious edge. - At division5, Engjell and team help companies ship faster and scale smarter. We deliver software teams as a service - fast, reliable, and without the hiring headaches. Curious about Albania? Let’s talk.

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New podcast episode (in 🇺🇦Ukrainian) on whether you can move back from leadership to individual contribution. In this episode, me and Ivan Rohovchenko 🇺🇦 talk with Mariana Buchkovych — Senior UX/UI Designer at Fedoriv — about what it means to consciously step down from a leadership role into an individual contributor position. Why it’s not a setback but a strategic regrouping — and how to build influence without formal management responsibilities. We discuss the trade-offs between responsibility and freedom, the path to a role that actually fits you, salary expectations, personal comfort, and long-term career vision. Plus: the state of flow, types of influence, and how to tell the difference between a passing urge to step back — and a true decision. All links on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify can be found here: https://safonov.us/podcast

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Mobile app testing plays a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and optimal performance of the apps we use every day. We asked one of our QA engineers, Vadim Smolyakov, to share his insights on navigating the challenges of mobile app testing, along with the nuances of localization and accessibility testing. #QA #qualityassurance #testing #mobileapptesting #interview

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Great to be on Romanian TV again, sharing thoughts on the local IT market. Tech’s impact is real — it drives 8% of our GDP. That’s no small feat. It’s a signal that we’ve built something real. Tangible. Valuable. But of course, the big question I was asked — and the one we’re all quietly thinking — is this: "What’s next for IT in 2025?" Here’s my honest take: The market is shifting. Dramatically. Many companies have let people go. What’s left are the essential teams and the core projects. Gone are the days of “classic” outsourcing — now, the conversation is moving toward product, funding, and innovation. And no, AI is not stealing all the jobs. That narrative makes for good headlines, but not real business insight. We’ll still need engineers. Just not for the same kind of projects. The need will evolve, not disappear. That said, while the industry may slow in some areas, I’m still optimistic. We’re not facing a collapse, we’re facing a transition. New verticals, new models, new opportunities. But when I was asked what’s holding Romania back from becoming a real product-driven tech hub? My answer came down to two things: 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞. It takes guts to move from service provider to product builder. From stability to risk. From short-term cash flow to long-term value. 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥. Romania still lacks serious funding infrastructure. Too often, the checks are too small, the risk appetite too low. So the innovators — the ones building things that could actually put Romania on the global map — they go abroad. And sadly, their products usually stay there too. #OvesEnterprise #IT

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