About
In software, the hardest problems are human ones.
Two decades of writing code, leading teams, and advising executives taught me the biggest problems in software are rarely technical. That's the real work.
Tobias
I started as a developer, and I still care deeply about technical quality. But that’s rarely where the biggest gains are.
The changes that move things furthest are about the people building the software and the business around it: how a team works, how an organization grows without losing what made it good, how technical decisions connect to what the business actually needs.
That’s what moved me from writing code to leading teams to advising the people who fund the work. It’s still the throughline of all the work I do: helping people and organizations get better at building software.
I teach and consult with one aim: to leave a team more capable than I found it, rather than more dependent on me.
About the name: “Seastone” renders my Swedish surname, Sjösten (sjö = sea, sten = stone). Any maritime symbolism is coincidental.
Track record
Experience
- Developer since 1996, software professional since 2004
- Most recently: Head of Software Engineering at STIM
- Founder of Kollegorna, Smartburk, Athlegan, Seastone
Clients
Unibet, Greenpeace, Veidekke, Redeye, STIM, Fireball Whisky, Passagen, Dagens Juridik, KTH, ERV, Medievärlden, Götenehus
In their words
A full-stack boss — from leading big organizational change to whipping up a server in Go with Vim in minutes. Always calm, genuinely enthusiastic, and never micro-managing.
He created a safe and encouraging space to grow… it's hard to find a better Go developer who combines their technical and educational skills with their leadership talent.
The best manager I've worked with. What stood out most was his combination of strong technical leadership and genuine care for people.
Tobias always strives to find the best solution to every problem, and he's not afraid to challenge the status quo — with a healthy balance between theory and pragmatism.
A very efficient developer who delivers high quality on time. His grasp of what business stakeholders need, plus a supportive attitude, makes him a pleasure to work with.
A brilliant mind for engineering — he approaches each solution with an eye on its long-term impact, preferring to solve problems the right way over quick fixes.
A creative and pragmatic engineer who quickly comes up with effective solutions. Having him on the team in our early days was a key factor in our success.
Someone you can always turn to — for a technical problem or a tricky situation in the team. There's an honesty and humility to his leadership that makes people feel safe.