Steve Taplin

CEO at Sonatafy, AI/ML led Nearshore Software Development synced with US time zones for maximum Productivity & Collaboration | Forbes & Entrepreneur Author

I am the CEO of Sonatafy Technology, where we help CTOs and engineering leaders fix software delivery problems that slow teams down and put outcomes at risk.

Most organizations do not fail because they lack talent. They fail because delivery lacks ownership, structure, and senior technical leadership.

At Sonatafy, we focus on predictable software delivery through a combined US-based and nearshore model. Our teams operate through managed delivery pods, CTO-level consulting, and outcome-driven execution designed to clear backlogs, reduce technical debt, and restore delivery confidence.

I spend most of my time working with technology executives who are dealing with stalled roadmaps, growing backlogs, legacy modernization, DevOps bottlenecks, and distributed teams that are busy but not effective.

In addition to leading Sonatafy, I host the Software Leaders Uncensored podcast, where I have candid conversations with more than 160 software leaders about what actually works and what does not when it comes to building, scaling, and delivering software.

I am also the author of "Fail Hard, Win Big," a book grounded in real-world experience building and scaling companies, focusing on resilience, execution, and the lessons learned when things do not go according to plan. Many of the principles in the book directly apply to leadership, decision-making, and delivery inside modern software organizations.

My perspective is shaped by decades of building companies, scaling engineering teams, and learning the hard way that execution beats strategy when accountability is missing.

If you are a CTO, VP of Engineering, or technology executive looking to improve delivery outcomes without adding chaos, I am always open to thoughtful conversations.

Chief Executive Officer & Board Member

Sonatafy Technology is a premier nearshore software development services company that provides its clients with expertise in Cloud Solutions, Web and Mobile Applications, E-Commerce, Big Data, DevOps Practices, QA, IoT, and Machine Learning.   With current and past signature clients such as IBM, FOX, Cisco, TaylorMade, Caterpillar, Alcatel, and more. Sonatafy Technology helps software teams perform at their best.

Software stocks are sliding on the narrative that AI is about to gut SaaS.
 
That narrative is wrong.
 
AI is not ruining software. It is reshaping it.
 
Salesforce, Snowflake, and other platform players are not being replaced. They are embedding AI directly into their ecosystems. The data, compliance layers, workflows, and integrations still live inside enterprise software. AI runs on top of that foundation.
 
AI without enterprise systems is noise.  Enterprise systems with AI become force multipliers.
 
This is not the end of software. It is a reset for companies that fail to evolve.
 
The real risk is not AI.  It is standing still.

CEO, Sonatafy Technology | Software Delivery Done Right | Host of Software Leaders Uncensored Podcast | Best-Selling Author, Fail Hard, Win Big | Forbes & Entrepreneur Contributor

Open article: After weeks of getting bashed, two software giants can make the case for why AI won't kill them by businessinsider.com

After weeks of getting bashed, two software giants can make the case for why AI won't kill them

One of the most dangerous signals inside a technology company is a growing backlog.
 
On the surface it looks like productivity.
 
Lots of tickets.  Lots of work happening.  Lots of sprint activity.
 
But if the backlog continues growing while engineering headcount increases, something deeper is wrong.
 
This is what I call 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
 
Teams appear busy, but fewer capabilities are actually reaching production.
 
The real issue is usually coordination overhead.
 
As engineering teams scale, dependencies multiply, meetings increase, and integration complexity rises.
 
Execution slows even though activity increases.
 
Great engineering organizations design systems that protect delivery flow.
 
They do not simply add more developers.
 
#SoftwareDevelopment   #EngineeringLeadership  #TechLeadership

Great conversation with Michael Cieri on The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast!

View company: The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast

From product decisions to engineering priorities, designing for SMBs means meeting customers where they are, not where we assume they should be.

Host Steve Taplin and Michael Cieri, EVP of Software at BILL, emphasize an important point many leaders miss: SMB customer challenges are unique, and addressing them requires focus, empathy, and a genuine understanding of how these businesses truly function.

Check the full episode in the comments!

#AI
#BILL
#Podcast
#SteveTaplin
#MichaelCieri
#SonatafyTechnology
#SoftwareLeadersUncensored

Product failure rarely starts in engineering. 
It starts with a misaligned product strategy.
 
That is why Sonatafy Technology | Software Delivery Done Right, we introduced our Fractional CPO Enablement Offering.
 
Too many companies build features instead of outcomes. 
Roadmaps become wish lists. 
Engineering burns cycles. 
Customers do not feel the impact.
 
On the The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast, the strongest product leaders always have one thing in common. Ruthless clarity.
 
Fractional product leadership gives you that clarity without committing to a full-time executive salary before you are ready.
 
Product discipline is leverage.

Stay tuned! New episode of The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast drops tomorrow! Great talk with Todd Persen.

🎙️ New episode of The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast drops tomorrow!

In this upcoming episode, host Steve Taplin is joined by Todd Persen, CTO of Hydrolix, for a deep dive into organizational structure and leadership alignment.

Todd shares his perspective on the importance of keeping product and engineering as separate reporting structures while ensuring they remain in constant communication.

The balance is critical: clear ownership and accountability on one side, continuous collaboration on the other. When product and engineering challenge and inform each other consistently, teams move faster and make better decisions.

Stay tuned.

#AI
#Podcast
#Hydrolix
#SteveTaplin
#ToddPersen
#SonatafyTechnology
#SoftwareLeadersUncensored

New episode of The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast it's live! Great conversation, Martin Mrugal!

🎙️ Check out a new episode of The Software Leaders UNCENSORED Podcast!

This time, host Steve Taplin sat down with Martin Mrugal, CEO of Alchemer, to talk about the evolution of customer feedback platforms and why most companies still aren’t using their data effectively.

They dive into:
- How AI is transforming customer feedback analysis
- Why speed of innovation is now a competitive advantage
- The future of surveys (and why over-surveying can backfire)
- Turning customer feedback into operational improvement, not just market research
- Building a genuinely customer-centric culture
- Making tough CEO decisions, balancing customer demands with security and tech debt
- Why AI enhances development but still requires human oversight
Martin brings a pragmatic, operator-focused perspective on leadership, innovation, and making decisive moves in a fast-paced environment.

Check the full episode in the comments!

#AI
#Podcast
#Alchemer
#SteveTaplin
#MartinMrugal
#SonatafyTechnology
#SoftwareLeadersUncensored

Allan Leinwand

Chief Technology Officer at Webflow – Bringing development superpowers to everyone.
...my views are my own.

Previously:
• Chief Technology Officer at Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP) – Making commerce better for everyone.
• Senior Vice President of Engineering at Slack (NYSE: CRM) – Where work happens.
• Chief Technology Officer at ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) – The world works with ServiceNow. 
• Chief Technology Officer of Infrastructure at Zynga (NASDAQ: ZNGA) – Leader in social gaming.

Earlier in my career, I lived inside a VC firm as a Venture Partner at Panorama Capital (formerly JPMorgan Partners), focusing on network and systems technology investments.

I was Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vyatta, the pioneer in open-source networking, acquired by Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD). Prior to that, I served as Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Internetwork Engineering at Digital Island (NASDAQ: ISLD) and spent 7 years at Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) during its formative years.

Co-author of two books:
• Cisco Router Configuration (Cisco Press)
• Network Management: A Practical Perspective (Addison-Wesley)

Holder of a granted patent in data routing, with additional patents pending in network route optimization.

Current board and trustee roles:
• Board Member at Compass (NYSE: COMP)
• Trustee at Harvey Mudd College

Previous board director roles:
• Marin Software (NASDAQ: MRIN)
• Anaplan (NYSE: PLAN)

Specialties: Software development leadership, engineering management, cloud computing, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), AI product development, data engineering, internet architectures and infrastructure, distributed systems, and enterprise-scale technology strategy.

Advisor

Member of the strategic advisory board.

Great blog! I'll summarize it for you: 

Switch to Webflow, double your traffic.📈🙌

From audit to impact: How AI-powered SEO and AEO is accelerating organic growth.

https://lnkd.in/gYv_M6GQ

CTO @ Webflow | ex-CTO Shopify, ServiceNow, Zynga | ex-SVP Eng Slack | Bringing development superpowers to everyone

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