Skip to main content
MDEngineeringLeadership

Engineering leadership that scales teams & systems

I'm Mikael Danielian — I help startups and growing companies build high-performing engineering teams and scalable architecture.

Work With MeRead My Articles

Track Record

  • Started as a full-stack developer and progressed to VP of Engineering
  • Deep expertise across fintech, healthcare, SaaS, and e-commerce sectors
  • Hands-on experience with both early-stage startups and established companies
  • Continuously evolving with modern technologies and engineering practices

    About Me

    I'm an Engineering Leader dedicated to building scalable, efficient, and impactful software solutions. My expertise lies in microservices and event-driven architectures, leading teams in delivering high-quality products and innovative systems that solve real-world problems. My experience spans full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, and engineering leadership, from hands-on architecture design to mentoring engineers and driving technical strategy.

    I'm passionate about creating engineering cultures where teams thrive, technical excellence is the standard, and innovation drives business value. Whether it's scaling systems to handle millions of users or building teams that ship reliably, I focus on sustainable solutions that stand the test of time.

    Learn More About MeWork With Me

    Latest Articles

    Infographic of an error budget gauge pointing to exhausted while a barrier stops a rocket launch, showing the budget overriding a release
    June 09, 2026 / Mikael Danielian

    Error Budgets Are a Management Tool, Not an Engineering One

    Most error budgets die quietly because engineers introduced them with no authority behind them. The number only matters when it changes what leadership does. Here is how to wire budget burn into roadmap decisions, exec reviews, and feature-freeze conversations so it actually has teeth.
    Three SRE organization models side by side: a centralized team, embedded engineers inside product teams, and a platform paved road
    June 05, 2026 / Mikael Danielian

    SRE Org Design: Centralized, Embedded, or Platform?

    Centralized, embedded, or platform SRE? Each model solves a different problem and breaks in a different way. Here is how to pick one, and how to migrate when you outgrow it.
    Split diagram contrasting a vertical L1 L2 L3 support pyramid with tickets flowing sideways between many teams at enterprise scale
    June 01, 2026 / Mikael Danielian

    L1/L2/L3 at Scale: Where the Tiered Support Model Breaks

    The tiered support model works beautifully until it doesn't. At enterprise scale, tickets stop flowing up the tiers and start flowing sideways. Here's exactly where L1/L2/L3 breaks, and the three patterns that replace it.
    Infographic contrasting the firefighter who saves the fire with the fire marshal who prevents it, the prevention badge marked correct
    May 26, 2026 / Mikael Danielian

    Your First SRE Hire Is Not Your Best Firefighter

    The instinct is to take the engineer who saves every outage and crown them SRE. That instinct is wrong. The skills that make someone great at firefighting are often the same ones that keep your systems fragile.
    View All Articles

    Subscribe to my newsletter

    Join engineering leaders and builders getting weekly insights on technical leadership, system design, and building high-performing teams.

    No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Sent once a week.

    How I Can Help

    Software Architecture Consulting

    System design, microservices migration, event-driven architectures, and API strategy for teams building scalable systems that handle growth and complexity.

    Learn more →

    Ready to Work Together?

    Whether you need technical leadership, architecture consulting, or help scaling your engineering team, let's discuss how I can help drive your technical vision forward.

    Book a Consultation