Most companies do not need a full-time CTO. They need someone senior enough to decide what the technology should be, experienced enough to know what it will cost to get there, and close enough to the work to make sure it ships. That is the role I fill.
I have founded, co-founded or helped lead more than 20 companies as founder, COO and CTO, so I approach your technology the way an owner does: as something that has to earn its keep. I do not hand over a strategy deck and leave. I architect the system, direct the people building it, and in many engagements build the core of it myself.
What you get
- A technology roadmap tied to the business plan: what to build, what to buy, what to retire, and in what order.
- Architecture decisions made once and made well, with a single source of truth for your data at the center.
- Build-versus-buy and vendor calls from someone with no product to sell you.
- Oversight of agencies, developers and IT providers, so their work adds up to one system instead of several.
- Security and continuity treated as part of the design, not an afterthought.
- A seat at the leadership table: plain-language reporting to owners, partners and boards.
How the engagement runs
- Assessment. I review your systems, data, vendors, security and team, and interview the people who do the work.
- Roadmap. You receive a written plan with priorities, sequencing and the decisions that need an owner's sign-off.
- Execution. I lead the work: directing your team and vendors, and building the platform and automation directly where that is the fastest route.
- Operating rhythm. A set number of days each month, regular reviews, and one person accountable for technology outcomes.
- Handoff or continuation. When you are ready for a full-time leader, I help define the role and hand over a documented system.
Proof
At Epic Golf Club, a national private golf membership with more than 1,000 members, I took over technology when member data lived in three places that never agreed. I rebuilt the company around one platform: a single codebase for web, iOS and Android, a central database, a back office, and more than 120 production workflows.
At Mr Target, I have grown the technology with the company through four generations of custom platform, from a garage to a business of more than $10M. Storefront, back office, Amazon, shipping and supply chain now run as one system.
Frequently asked questions
When does a company need a fractional CTO?
Usually when technology decisions are being made by whoever is closest to the problem, and the systems no longer agree with each other. The signals are covered in When Is the Right Time to Hire a CTO?, and the scorecard gives you a quick read on where you stand.
How is this different from an agency, an MSP or a dev shop?
Those firms sell projects, seats or builds. A fractional CTO is accountable for the outcome and can direct all three. The comparison is laid out in Fractional CTO vs Agency vs MSP vs Dev Shop.
What does a fractional CTO cost?
It depends on scope and the number of days each month. CTO Salary vs. Fractional CTO Cost explains the engagement models and how to compare them with a full-time hire.
Do I need a CTO or a CIO?
A CTO builds the technology the business competes with. A CIO runs the technology the business operates on. At this stage many companies need one person who can do both. See CIO vs CTO and the fractional CIO service.