Clarity before velocity
Speed compounds when the team shares a precise model of the problem.
About
Engineering, architecture, and product judgment in one seat.
I’m Pavel Smolin, a Staff-level product engineer with 10+ years of experience building production software across AI, fintech, Web3, web, and mobile.
I specialize in taking complex products from idea to production: architecture, TypeScript and Node.js backends, React and React Native applications, LLM systems, integrations, reliability, and performance.
Recently I’ve focused on production AI systems: multi-model orchestration, LLM pipelines, structured outputs, streaming, evaluation, cost optimization, and agentic workflows. Council, the multi-model product I built and run, is where most of that work happens, and where I write up what the data shows.
I do my best work in small, high-performing teams where engineering, architecture, and product judgment overlap. I can challenge a requirement in the morning, shape an architecture at noon, and ship production TypeScript in the afternoon.
How I work
Measure, then decide
Production data settles arguments that opinions can’t. I look before I build.
Ownership over ceremony
Make decisions visible, communicate early, and stay accountable for the outcome.
Tools I recommend
These are referral links: if you sign up through them, I get a reward.
RevenueCat
Council’s in-app subscriptions run on RevenueCat. If you’re adding subscriptions to an app, it’s where I’d start.
Wise
I use Wise for international payments. Sign up through my link and you get a free Wise card or a fee-free first transfer; the exact offer depends on your country.