At signageOS, we are proud of the technology we build. But even more than that, we are proud of the community around us: the leaders, builders, and partners who share their stories, challenge ideas, and inspire new ways of thinking.
That is exactly what happened on September 17th, when we opened our doors in Prague to host a special Tech Talks panel:
“How Do CTOs Think?”
We welcomed three outstanding CTOs: Martin Cizler (Make), Marek Trunkat (Apify), and our own Michael Zabka (signageOS) for an unfiltered conversation about the realities of leading technology organizations today.
The discussion was open, practical, and refreshingly candid, exactly what the audience came for.
Key Insights from the Panel
The CTOs covered everything from leadership and culture to AI and developer productivity. Some of the most memorable takeaways included:
- Technical debt is not a problem until you know the interest rate.
- Bottlenecks are not only in the code. They are often in people, and sometimes even in the Chief Technology Officer.
- The most important skill for a Chief Technology Officer is explaining complexity with patience and clarity.
- Admitting mistakes is one of the most valuable soft skills in leadership.
- AI is powerful, but not a magic wand. It saves time, motivates, but its impact is still difficult to measure.
- GitHub Copilot has become mainstream, while tools like Cursor and Claude are still being explored.
- Developer productivity platforms (Make, DX) are emerging as a discipline of their own.
- Sometimes, a large-scale refactoring is the only way forward.
We also appreciated how Jan Sasinek opened the evening with a technical talk on testing and developer productivity, which sparked lively discussion and thoughtful questions from the audience.
A Conversation with Our Chief Technology Officer, Michael Zabka
Following the panel, we spoke with Michael about his journey and the lessons he has learned as CTO at signageOS.
What made you join the Tech Talk grilling session at signageOS?
It was an excellent opportunity to share something from my journey as CTO, from being the only developer at the start of the company to leading a team of dozens today. It has been a long road, full of ups and downs.
Why is it important to talk openly about mistakes made by CTOs?
Because nothing is ever simple. Every department faces struggles, and being transparent about the company’s needs helps people think differently. It builds understanding for the tough decisions we have to make.
What is the most overrated best practice in tech leadership?
That SCRUM is the only methodology for engineering teams. It has become such a buzzword that it has lost sight of the original idea behind agile development.
One word your team would use to describe you?
Patient.
What is the single most valuable mistake you have made in this role?
Hiring more people just to deliver projects that were already delayed.
Why It Matters?
For us at signageOS, events like this are not just about technology. They are about people, ideas, and community. Hearing directly from CTOs who lead fast-growing, global companies helps us reflect on how we build our platform, how we work with our partners, and how we support the developers who rely on us every day.
When technology leaders share openly about their mistakes, trade-offs, and lessons learned, the entire ecosystem benefits. It makes us stronger, more adaptable, and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
We look forward to the next round of Tech Talks at signageOS and to continuing these important conversations together.
Last but not least, a special thank you goes to the signageOS team for creating the perfect environment for this event.
— The signageOS Team
Thanks for reading!
Stay tuned until next month to stay ahead of the curve with signageOS. We’ve got more exciting news coming soon!
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