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A FractionalCTO bridges the gap between founders and developers to help keep your tech strategy aligned with your business goals. This helps your startup stay agile and competitive in a fast-paced marketplace.
What does it mean to be a CTO for a startup? Should a startup CTO spend their time programming? Exploring new technologies? The role of a CTO varies as the company matures. But be careful, and mind the gap – the Founder-Developer Gap, that is! It’s understandable - a hands-on developer can produce a product.
I talk to roughly 2 or 3 new startups every week who need advice from an experienced CTO. Of course, I provide part-time CTO services. But the reality is that I engage with about 5 new startups each year which means that I end up working with less than 5% of the startups where I provide these free consulting sessions.
I talk to roughly 2 or 3 new startups every week who need advice from an experienced CTO. Of course, I provide part-time CTO services. But the reality is that I engage with about 5 new startups each year which means that I end up working with less than 5% of the startups where I provide these free consulting sessions.
I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (ChiefTechnologyOfficer) in very early stage companies. In December 2007, I described how I commonly take on an Acting CTO Role in a Start-up. That’s why Roger Smith puts the focus of the CTO on programming for the earliest stage.
Because more technology people probably read startup blogs I’m guessing this post will come under more scrutiny. The terms “CTO&# and “VP Engineering&# have such stigmas associated with what they are that I’m sure some people will feel uncomfortable with the definitions I’ve put forward. Experience.
I've posted quite a few things on the topics associated with being a Startup CTO. Here are some resources that come from other sources: Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering? Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do? Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do?
There was a lot of passion in the room last week when I presented Working with Developers at the Stubbs Precellerator. I guess it should not be a surprise that Founders have lots of challenges working with developers. But my developers want to go into way too much detail. In fact, they often don’t really understand the business.
He wanted to get input from me on what he's doing, and he wants to begin to ask developers what it would take to build his product. I asked some of the same questions I ask in my Free Startup CTOConsulting Sessions and then I get to a very common conversation: Me : Do you have specs? Founder : Ummm. what do you mean?
I've posted quite a few things on the topics associated with being a Startup CTO. Here are some resources that come from other sources: Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering? Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do? Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do?
Los Angeles-based Break Media , the online video and content publisher headed by Keith Richman, said today that it has tapped Andrew Doyle as its Chief Financial Officer, and David Subar as ChiefTechnologyOfficer. Subar was most recently CTO at Oversee.net, and also has been at PeopleLink and Interthinx.
I''m spending more of my time recently working with non-technical startup founders who are having challenges with their software/web/mobile development teams. Common Signals I''ve written previously about Symptoms of a Weak Development Team. Rogue developers with their own agenda. One of your better developers leaves.
When I talk with early-stage companies, often the discussion starts with them asking me about Hiring a CTO for Your Startup , or Finding a Technical Cofounder for Your Startup or How to Find Programmers for Your Startup. In many cases, during my Free Startup CTOConsulting Session with them, we discuss where they are in in the process.
Almost every day I'm talking to early stage startup founders (see Free Startup CTOConsulting Sessions ) about what they plan to do. Many of these founders have talked with several developers or development firms about their plans. Team – is there or will there be multiple segments in the development team?
Almost every day I'm talking to early stage startup founders (see Free Startup CTOConsulting Sessions ) about what they plan to do. Many of these founders have talked with several developers or development firms about their plans. Team – is there or will there be multiple segments in the development team?
Pasadena-based robotics developer Miso Robotics said this morning that it has named Christopher Kruger as its new ChiefTechnologyOfficer, and also named several new members to its board of advisors. Current CTO Ryan Sinnet will become Chief Research Officer at the company.
Based on my posts Startup CTO or Developer and Acting CTO , Chris O’Meara wrote an interesting post Startup CTO: Could It Work? They tend to know where to find good help in terms of employees and consultants. Common sense says you'd do your best to hire or otherwise permanently engage that lead developer.
Even when they have talked to multiple developers or development firms, we’re often the first to ask basic questions like “Who are your customers?” ” or “Are you developing for desktop, tablet, mobile, or all three?” The innovator/developer relationship needs to be a conversation.
Are you a non-technical startup founder who’s about to go have a conversation with a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) or Technical advisory type person? Maybe you are going for a reality check on your current situation - wondering if you have a Weak Development Team or a Startup Founder Developer Gap.
It was like having a bunch of mini- Free Startup CTOConsulting Sessions all in one room. Structure development contracts appropriately or directing the in-house team appropriately. Structure development contracts appropriately or directing the in-house team appropriately. Do you really have control of the development?
So, here goes: Dr. Tony Karrer Over the past 15 years, Tony has been a part-time CTO for more than 30 startups. Most notably, he was the original CTO for eHarmony for its first four years making him partly responsible for more than 4% of the marriages every year. Tony has a Ph.D. He is a frequent speaker at trade and industry events.
If you are on the lower complexity end, the key is defining small chunks of work that can be done quickly by a developer. Equity-Only CTO and Equity-Only DevelopersTechnology Roles in Startups Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering? Third party products are used appropriately.
I've done four Free CTOConsulting Sessions in the past month with startup founders who all had run into variations of the same problem. They didn't feel they had visibility into timelines and costs for development of their software. The teams involved didn't seem to be exhibiting many of the Symptoms of a Weak Development Team.
We had an interesting presentation at the LA CTO Forum by the CTO of a startup who chose Groovy / Grails as the framework for their startup. t prompted a good discussion around how CTOs go about choosing the programming language and framework for their startup. Get get help (see Free Startup CTOConsulting Sessions ).
The Strategic Technical Advisor looks at the business and determines what makes sense from a technology perspective in the short-term and longer-terms. The Tactical Technical Advisor stays on top of the development team to ensure that they’re team is building the right thing in a high-quality, efficient manner. And Maybe You Need Two!
I''ve written before about finding Web Development Firms in Los Angeles. I just got an email asking about exactly this: I''m with a new company that needs some software built, but doesn''t need (or have the resources for) a large staff of software developers. You will find firms that are design/interface heavy and light on development.
I’ve worked with 30+ early-stage companies in all sorts of capacities (and spoken to many, many more), so I thought it might be worthwhile trying to classify the various ways that I’ve engaged in different technology roles in startups. And a big factor is how big is the Founder Developer Gap.
You can’t afford and don’t want to hire a full-time CTO or architect. While Bob’s post focuses on Technology Advisors and the Startup Founder Developer Gap , we also discussed advisors more broadly. In Bob’s post, he tells startup founders to get smart on product design, software architecture and development process.
You’re sales person is getting blocked by the CTO who says she shouldn’t go above him but the CTO isn’t approving the deal. But “he didn’t have the budget to hire a developer until he had raised money!&#. He went out and found a developer and built a product. He looked stunned.
The conversation centered around a founder who's key question is "Where Do I Find a Developer for My Startup?" His goal was to find a programmer who would come in as an early partner and work as an Equity-Only Developer. Have you tested what you can without development? Ask a few CTO type people. Is it big data?
" Today I had two conversations with early stage startups (see Free CTOConsulting ). Vision Synching in a Lean Startup The Fallacy of Customer Development Entrepreneurs, Lower Investors’ Risk by Validating your Start-up Company’s Business Proposition Lessons Learned: What is customer development?
Calabasas-based BlackLine Systems , the developer of financial close software headed by Therese Tucker, is trumpeting its certification course this week, saying that it recently certified 22 consultants from KPMG as part of its professional services courses. Tucker is the former CTO of SunGard Treasure Systems. READ MORE>>.
Before I started my first company in 1999 I worked for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). You develop a cynicism that the future will be better. Soon after he was promoted to Senior Architect, our highest role without being CTO. This is part of my Startup Advice series. I knew that meant he wouldn’t come back.
Camarillo-based sensors and electronics developer Interlink Electronics has named two private equity and venture executives to its board, as part of an expansion of the group, the company said this morning. Levinson also was founder, CTO, and Chairman of testing and optical components company Finisar. READ MORE>>.
The conversation centered around a founder who's key question is "Where Do I Find a Developer for My Startup?" His goal was to find a programmer who would come in as an early partner and work as an Equity-Only Developer. Have you tested what you can without development? Ask a few CTO type people. Is it big data?
Formerly, he was Managing Director of both Product Management and of Business Development at Los Angeles Times Interactive. A 12 - year veteran of the online world, he has worked in sales, business development and content partnership functions for Yahoo!, Majid Abai, CEO of Pringo Majid Abai is the Chief Executive of Pringo, Inc.
Kryptos Logic provides services around managed security, penetration, security consulting, incident response, and other areas. The company is one of a number of cybersecurity companies based in the Los Angeles area, including such companies as Crowdstrike--the company investigating Russian hacking into the U.S. READ MORE>>.
Continuing my series of posts that I’ve been collecting that live at the intersection of Startups and being a Startup CTO : Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March here are the top posts from May 2010. They’re deep into Customer Development ,” he said. Innovative. Disruptive. We get it! Here’s why.
Vince: I’m an author, speaker and management consultant with a special expertise in online media sales. Today I lead a small consultancy that helps advertising supported develop and scale the revenue producing sides of their businesses. Our current focus is Actors and Actresses and we are moving into other verticals.
The old way was difficult, time consuming, and often expensive; referrals, calling up lawyers, going through initial consultations. They''re actually initial consultations, ranging from divorce to DUI. That''s how we ended up developing this technology, to take that initial step out of the process. But, how do you start?
We hear them explain that their current software development is expensive, deliveries are rarely on time, and random bugs appear. Common Signs You Need a Technical Review We’ve already mentioned the most common signs that you might need a technical review: Slow or late delivery: “I’ve authorized two new developers, and we’re still behind.”
The company--which develops software used for combining data from satellites, ground-based sensors, and their sources and applies machine learning and other techniques to improve analysis--said it added Chuck Beames, Karen Diener, Susan Helms, Moriba Jah, Keith Masback, Chris Mattmann, and Marissa Peretz to the new advisory group.
Steve Gilison worked as a market researcher and product manager at a startup where my company, TechEmpower , did the software / web development. I have about 11 years in the technology sector including roles doing market research, sales and product development. My focus has been marketing strategy and product development.
This strategy is called “organic growth,” yet it alone may yield only a fraction of the potential you could achieve, unless you add the additional strategies of partnerships and M&A (mergers and acquisitions). The initiator funds the innovators’ development activities and gives them the flexibility to work independently.
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