Fractional CTO writing:
senior technical leadership in the mode your business needs.
Field notes on engineering leadership, fractional CTO work, and turning software into business growth. Written for founders and owner-led software businesses.
- 6 min read
CTO consultant: four things sold under one label
A CTO consultant can be an advisor, a seat, a department build or a delivery team. Four buys under one label, and how a UK owner works out which one to buy.
Read - 6 min read
How to evaluate a software development quote in an hour
You cannot judge an estimate you could not have produced. Evaluate a software development quote on the five things it must name, and what a missing one costs.
Read - 6 min read
Part-time CTO UK: what changes at 10 to 50 people
A part-time CTO in the UK is not a smaller version of a full-time one. What an owner-led business of 10 to 50 people gets, and what stays on your desk.
Read - 6 min read
Should we rebuild our software from scratch? Rarely
Should we rebuild our software from scratch? Rarely. Three questions that show whether the codebase is the real problem, or the decisions above it are.
Read - 6 min read
What a fractional CPO does when the roadmap is guesswork
A fractional CPO owns what to build, in what order and why. What the seat covers, how it differs from a fractional CTO, and the signs you need one now.
Read - 5 min read
Does my startup need a CTO? Usually not yet
Does my startup need a CTO? Usually not yet. What most startups need is senior technical judgement at the decisions that count, a cheaper and faster hire.
Read - 4 min read
Fractional CTO cost in the UK: what you'll actually pay
Fractional CTO cost in the UK runs £700 to £1,500 a day, or £2,000 to £10,000+ a month. What drives the price, and how it compares with a full-time hire.
Read - 5 min read
Fractional CTO vs consultant: who owns the outcome?
Fractional CTO vs consultant, advisor and NED: who decides, who delivers, and who owns the outcome. The four roles compared, and when each one is the right buy.
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Fractional CTO vs interim CTO: seat to fill or gap to close?
Fractional CTO vs interim CTO: an interim fills a vacant seat at full-time cost; a fractional builds ongoing leadership sized to your stage. How to decide.
Read - 4 min read
How to choose a fractional CTO (when you can't judge one)
How to choose a fractional CTO when you cannot assess technical seniority yourself: five checks, the questions to ask, and the red flags that end a shortlist.
Read - 5 min read
Managing a software team without a technical background
You can run a software team you cannot code-review. Managing without a technical background means verifiable outcomes, a fixed demo cadence, four questions.
Read - 4 min read
When to hire a fractional CTO: six signs it's time
When to hire a fractional CTO: the six signs your business has outgrown its technical judgement, what each sign costs, and when not to hire one at all.
Read - 5 min read
A successful company in the age of AI does these 4 things
AI made one software company four times faster and immediately created bottlenecks. Her next moves are the playbook for a successful company in the age of AI.
Read - 5 min read
What a fractional CTO actually does (and when you need one)
A fractional CTO is senior engineering leadership without a full-time hire. Here is what the role really covers, and the signals that tell you it is time.
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