#527 Building for Tomorrow: Sebastian Gierlinger on Engineering Agility, AI, and the Composable Future

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Sebastian Gierlinger, VP of Engineering at Storyblok, to explore what it really takes to build software and teams that stand the test of time. From composable architectures to developer-first design, Sebastian shares practical wisdom for engineering leaders navigating complexity, scalability, and AI adoption.

The conversation moves beyond code—into mindset, balance, and how curiosity fuels sustainable innovation in a fast-changing world.

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👤 About the Guest

Sebastian Gierlinger is the VP of Engineering at Storyblok, the leading headless CMS platform empowering developers and marketers to create, manage, and scale digital experiences seamlessly. At Storyblok, Sebastian leads teams across product, design, developer experience, and infrastructure—driving the evolution of modern content architecture and developer workflows.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgierlinger/

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💡 Key Takeaways

• Composable Thinking: Why modular architectures give freedom, flexibility, and future-proof scalability.

• Developer-First Philosophy: How to balance developer experience with marketing and design usability.

• AI in Engineering: Where AI adds real value—from bug hunting to workflow acceleration—and where caution is still needed.

• Fighting Complexity Creep: Why simplicity in infrastructure often wins over “trend-driven” tech adoption.

• Building for Tomorrow: How to leave your path open—designing systems that adapt rather than age.

• Shape Up Methodology: How Storyblok keeps developer motivation high and stress low with six-week build cycles.

• Leadership in Tech: From learning Rust to staying relevant—why curiosity is a core trait of modern engineering leaders.

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🎯 What You’ll Learn

• The mindset shift from monolithic systems to composable, headless architectures.

• The role of developer-first platforms in scaling innovation.

• Real-world examples of cost and performance gains from digital modernization.

• How to lead engineering teams through AI-driven change without losing quality or morale.

• Why being technology-agnostic is essential for long-term sustainability.

⏱️ Episode Highlights

00:00 — Introduction and guest overview

02:00 — What is Storyblok and how headless CMS transforms content delivery

04:30 — Moving from legacy to composable architecture

06:00 — What “developer-first” really means

09:00 — The secret to creating unfair advantages in engineering

11:00 — When to trust AI—and when to stay cautious

14:00 — The rise of “bug hunting” with LLMs

15:00 — Understanding “complexity creep” in DevOps

19:00 — Building today with tomorrow in mind

22:00 — Customer success story: Diamond Shipyards transformation

25:00 — How AI and automation are reshaping content workflows

27:00 — Balancing delivery pressure and team motivation

30:00 — Using Shape Up methodology for sustainable pace

31:00 — How engineers can grow into leadership

34:00 — Framework fatigue, tech choices, and staying agnostic

40:00 — Why outdated libraries can break your security frameworks

42:00 — Final advice: stay curious, stay flexible, build sustainably

🧭 Resources Mentioned

• Storyblok: https://www.storyblok.com/

• Shape Up Methodology by 37signals

• ISO/IEC 27001 Security Certification Framework