Technical Debt is a Leadership Problem, Not an Engineering One - Maxim Silaev | EP 20

Why do most companies treat technical debt as a code issue when it's really a failure of strategy and communication? Enterprise architect Maxim Silaev reveals the hidden debt that stalls growth, drawing on two decades of experience untangling complex systems in FinTech and security.

In this episode, you will discover:

· Why technical debt is less about code and more about people, leadership, and decisions

· How to make smart technical decisions under pressure using a time-box and a "reversibility test"

· The critical lesson from FinTech and security: "Leadership in crisis is proximity, not perfection"

· The one practical thing a team can do this week to start managing their technical debt

· How to explain the risk of technical debt to a non-technical CEO or board member

· Why the biggest scaling mistake is a failure to align business and technical vision

For founders, CTOs, and engineering leaders scaling complex systems and making high-stakes decisions.

Connect With Maxim:

Website: arch-expert.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxim-silaev

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Technical Debt

04:52 Making Smart Technical Decisions Under Pressure

09:44 Practical Steps to Manage Technical Debt

12:11 Lessons from FinTech and Security

15:23 Communicating Technical Debt to Non-Technical Leaders

17:08 The Impact of Fixing Technical Debt

20:29 Common Mistakes in Scaling Technology

22:17 Building Systems That Last

24:54 Habits to Prevent Technical Debt

26:05 Innovation and Technical Debt Management

Support the Show:

· Fuel the podcast: iferia.nestuge.com/supportme

· Subscribe and leave a review!

· Share with engineering leaders and founders in your network

Want to Be a Guest on The Iferia TechCast?

· Reach out to Ezekiel on PodMatch

· PodMatch Host Profile: podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theiferiatechcast