Stories Of The Web

When the industry shifts, the conversation has to shift with it.

That was the spirit of our latest Stories of the Web meetup with Cătălin Mustață, Technical Lead at Stripe.

There’s a lot of noise around AI right now. Predictions, fear, hype. But what we wanted was something simpler and more honest: a grounded conversation about what it actually means to stay relevant as an engineer in 2026.

Cătălin didn’t talk about tools or shortcuts. He talked about mindset.

About the shift from software engineer to product engineer—builders who don’t just write code, but take responsibility for outcomes. People who use technology as leverage to solve real human problems, not just move tickets across a board.

We explored questions many people in the room are already thinking about:

🧠 Why technical excellence is now the baseline—and product intuition is the real differentiator.
🛡️ How to work with AI instead of worrying about being replaced by it.
🧱 Why the metric that matters most isn’t “lines of code,” but value delivered.
👀 And what operating at a Staff+ level actually looks like inside high-stakes environments.

But maybe the most important takeaway was this: the future doesn’t belong to the fastest typers or the biggest frameworks, it belongs to engineers who understand why they’re building something—not just how.

To everyone who joined us, asked thoughtful questions, and stayed around for the hallway conversations after the talk — thank you. Those moments are what make this community feel alive.

And to our hosts at Stripe: thank you for the space, the openness, and the continued support for these real conversations.

The industry may be rewriting itself but nights like this remind us we’re figuring it out together.

See you at the next one. 💛

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When you’re small, every word matters. Every decision matters. You don’t get to hide behind big budgets or giant teams. You have to be clear.

That was the heart of our conversation with , a friend, a builder, and someone who knows what it’s like to turn complexity into something people actually understand.

He didn’t give us shortcuts. He didn’t sell us hype. Just a candid look at how to think strategically when you don’t have 20 marketers at your side.

We talked about:
🎯 Choosing your fights (wisely).
🧠 Crafting messages that stick.
🤖 Using AI without losing your voice.

But more than anything—it was about owning the fact that being small isn’t a weakness. It’s an advantage if you’re willing to be sharp.

To everyone who showed up, asked questions, stayed late, and shared a meal with new friends, thank you. You’re the reason this community works.

And to our hosts at Stripe: thanks for the space, the view, and the trust to keep these conversations real.

Let’s keep finding clarity. Let’s keep telling better stories.

See you at the next one. 💛

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📣 Next up at Stories of the Web — we’re talking signal over noise. And the person bringing it? None other than my longtime friend and marketing mind-sharpener, Călin Spiridon.

Călin’s the kind of guy who can turn “vague gut feeling” into “clear go-to-market plan” before you even finish your coffee ☕️

🎯 CEO of
💸 €10M+ in budgets managed
💡 Strategic consultant for early-stage teams
🧠 And most importantly — he makes strategy make sense

His talk “Punching Above Your Weight Class: From Intuition to Structure” is built for anyone trying to sound like a brand before you have a brand team. Founders, builders, engineers-turned-marketers — this is for you.

📍 Stripe Offices, Cotroceni
📅 Thursday, 3rd of July, 18:30
🥐 Food + smart people = always included
🔗 Link in bio to RSVP

Come get clear. Come get inspired. Come hang.