When a fractional CIO is the right call
A CIO looks inward: the systems your people use every day, what they cost, who has access, and whether they would survive a bad day. Most established companies have those responsibilities spread across an office manager, an outside IT provider and whoever is closest to the problem.
It usually fits when:
- Nobody can say what you pay for, or who owns it.
- New hires take days to set up, and former employees still have access.
- A customer, insurer or regulator is asking security questions you cannot answer.
- Your IT provider closes tickets, but nobody sets the direction.
Not sure which role you need? Read CIO versus CTO.
What you get
- An inventory of every system, vendor, license and device, with an owner for each.
- An IT roadmap and budget tied to the business plan.
- Identity, device management and backups set up properly and tested.
- Management of your IT provider and software vendors.
- Regular reporting to leadership.
More detail is on the fractional CIO service page.
Proof
- SottoPelle Therapy: more than ten offices on separate, infected networks became one centrally managed operation, and one person supported more than 80 employees with almost no support calls.
- Epic Golf Club: a full move from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, with every staff laptop joined, secured and managed from one place.
- Mr Target: managed laptops, a rebuilt office network with failover internet, and company phones on Microsoft Teams.
Frequently asked questions
How is a fractional CIO different from a managed IT provider?
An IT provider runs the day-to-day: tickets, patches, devices. A fractional CIO decides what should be run, at what cost and to what standard, and holds the provider to it. The two work well together.
Do you replace our IT provider?
Usually not. I manage the provider you have, and recommend a change only when the service or the price no longer fits.
Can you help with HIPAA, NIST 800-171 or CMMC?
Yes. I prepare companies for those frameworks and build the controls. See security and compliance.
Do you work outside Phoenix and Scottsdale?
Yes. I am based in Scottsdale and work with companies across Arizona.