#204 | A-Players, AI Agents, and the End of the Old Junior: How Cutting the Team in Half Made It Stronger w/ Kuba Nowosielski @Systevio

▶︎ #204 | A-Players, AI Agents, and the End of the Old Junior: How Cutting the Team in Half Made It Stronger w/ Kuba Nowosielski (COO @Web Solutions NYC, CEO @Systevio) In this episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast, Alex welcomes Kuba Nowosielski: COO of Web Solutions NYC and founder of his brand-new venture Systevio, helping manufacturers with decades of history and large B2B distributors through real digital transformation. Kuba started working with AI over 15 years ago (long before it was fashionable), then proved himself in almost every role in IT, from business analyst and solutions architect to project manager and QA, before stepping into the C-level. What makes this conversation stand out is how bluntly Kuba talks about talent. He shares how his company redefined "senior" as someone who takes initiative and tries to be self-sufficient, scaled down by 50%, and became more successful than ever. He explains why he would choose one A player plus AI agents over three juniors, why his best hires had a portfolio instead of a job history, and why the worst advice he ever got was that fear earns respect. He also opens up about 15 years of remote work, the loneliness that came with it, and why community and mentoring give back far more than they take. If you're hiring on a tight budget, wondering where juniors fit in an AI-first market, or leading from behind a screen and quietly feeling alone, this episode will give you a sharper lens and a few uncomfortable but useful truths. Mentioned in the episode: "Turn the Ship Around!" by L. David Marquet" "From Code to People" by Aleksandra Lemańska ✉︎ FOLLOW KUBA ON: ⤵︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakub-nowosielski/ Web Solutions NYC: https://www.websolutionsnyc.com/ Systevio: systevio.com ✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎ LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska X: @lemanskills Get the Book! https://fromcodetopeople.lemanskills.com/ Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp www.lemanskills.com Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/