Consulting CTO
for Software Startups

I provide services as an independent consultant. My clients engage me either on a project basis or on a retainer basis. Most companies hire me to work on a project-basis initially and then switch to an ongoing retainer model once we have worked together successfully through multiple projects. Projects have fixed fees based on achieving objectives that we agree on in advance. A retainer allows unlimited access to me for advice or consultation by designated people at your organization.

I encourage (and assist) my clients in engaging and paying their outsourced software development firms directly. I do not act as a financial pass-through to outsourcing companies. Companies pay me directly either for specific projects or on retainer.

After many years of consulting, I have stopped accepting work on a time-and-materials basis. Here’s why: I don’t want my clients to feel like they are making an investment decision every time they may need my help, and I don’t want to be seen as self-aggrandizing when I realize that I need to put in more time to get the best outcome. My clients are always best served by a fast improvement or resolution, not a slow one. After completing dozens of time-and-materials-based projects, I have come to realize that pricing by time unit is a fundamental misalignment. So I’ve stopped doing it.

Here is how the process now works: You reach out to me via my contact page. We have a video conference and possibly follow-up calls to determine if we are a good fit for each other. When I have enough information, I’ll make a project proposal that typically has multiple options, each with a fixed fee based on the value delivered. Want to learn more? Give me a shout!

No. I love the life of a consulting CTO, and when the time is right, I can help you identify and hire a full-time CTO. In my experience, most software startups don’t need a full-time CTO, at least at first. When you are further along in your growth curve, there will be much greater clarity about what technical leadership skills you need. At some point, a growing software company will require a full-time Chief Technology Officer, and I’ll be the first to tell you when I think it is time.

I can do a lot, but I do not offer fully-managed development. I have learned through experience that attempting to provide fully-managed development adds considerable risk to the project. As a consulting CTO, I can play a larger or smaller role depending on the project’s scope, the budget, and the team size. Even when I play a more significant role, your company still has essential responsibilities while defining, developing, accepting, and refining the software. Don’t let anyone tell you that they can deliver completed software to you without a significant time investment on your part.

Yes! I have a lot of experience stepping into messy situations where a key technical leader has just left (or been shown the door). I will quickly assess the current situation, identify gaps, and work with founders and remaining team members to get product planning, project management, and software development back on track. I can then work with the team to identify and vet a full-time replacement CTO.

No. There are thousands of software outsourcing companies (and perhaps hundreds of good ones). If you are already working with a company that you are happy with, I can work with them. I can also help you vet and benchmark new companies to see how well they align with your needs and how they stack up relative to other companies that I know well. The only thing I will not do is work with a company where I have had a bad experience in the past. I also don’t go back to restaurants where I have had food poisoning.

In the US market, it can take months to hire a small but highly skilled software team, and you are competing against thousands of companies who also want to hire (or hire away) comparable developers. Outsourced software development companies can build and scale overseas teams much more quickly and keep the team staffed over time. Overseas software engineers are generally less expensive than US-based, but the game today is about time-to-scale and time-to-market and less about cost arbitrage.

In the short term, hiring an experienced, independent, US-based advisor like me costs considerably more than depending solely on the resources provided by an outsourcing company. In the long run, my clients typically save many multiples of my consulting fees. In many cases, my clients can ship software that they would never have completed without my help. I encourage you to learn more about my background and see what my clients say about working with me.

I improve software development outcomes by concentrating on a few interrelated services and specialties. The four skill sets illustrated above describe my four areas of expertise and how they connect. A deep grounding in software engineering and development practices are needed to manage software outsourcing successfully. Validation of security and code quality are needed to deliver robust products, provide feedback to developers, and provide objective controls for investors and founders. None of these things matter if you build the wrong product for the market, which is why an understanding of Product Development/Product Management is essential.

Said another way, you can’t select the right technology without understanding the product requirements. You can’t choose the right outsourced development team without knowing the technology stack. You can’t know if your team is implementing your product well without review. You need deep technology skills and experience to understand technical reviews and improve the entire process. The skill set I bring to the table includes these four interlocking elements used to improve software development outcomes. Over the years, as one area has become stronger, the others have also strengthened and matured since they are interconnected.

I use these four skill sets to deliver three services on a consulting basis: Outsourcing Guidance for medium to large-sized software businesses, Consulting CTO for software startups (described above), and Software Investor Services, including code reviews and due diligence.

Learn more about me and my background and check out my testimonials to see what my clients think about working with me.

Yes. I have fantastic relationships with my consulting firm and agency partners. They are an essential part of my business, and I aim to provide not only excellent software development outcomes but also long-lasting commercial relationships that are mutually beneficial for everyone involved. I work with several companies this way, including a well-known firm specializing in software development outsourcing. Here is how it works: Your agency or consulting firm engages with me at as an independent contractor. I wear your company hat when meeting your clients. I can even add your company to my LinkedIn profile to become a part of your virtual team. I provide my outsourcing and technology expertise internally to your organization and externally to your customers.