Tech Advisor
Advisor
Your startup is struggling to execute.
The tech isn't the problem.
You've raised funding. You have a product vision. But somehow, engineering feels like a black box. Deadlines slip. Features take forever. Your technical team and business team speak different languages.
The gap between engineering and business is where startups die.
I've built products at Meta, Instagram, and TikTok. I've also been the first engineer at multiple startups, scaling teams from founder-mode through Series A. Most advisors know one world or the other. I know both.
Which CTO problem do you have?
After 15+ years, I've seen the same patterns. See if any sound familiar:
How I help
I work with founders to:
- Diagnose what's actually broken (often not what you think)
- Bridge the gap between your technical team and business goals
- Coach your existing CTO/tech lead to level up
- Hire the right technical leaders when you're ready
- Build processes that actually work at your stage
I'm not here to replace your team or sell you a dev shop. I help you build the internal capability to execute, then get out of the way.
Who this is for
This is a good fit if:
- You're a CEO or founder who's lost confidence in engineering execution but can't pinpoint why
- You're burning runway on engineering that isn't moving the needle
- You need an outside perspective from someone who's seen this pattern before
- Your board is asking questions about technical delivery you can't answer
- You're preparing for a raise and need technical credibility with investors
This is not a good fit if:
- You're looking for a dev shop to build your product
- You want someone to take over engineering permanently
- You're not willing to make hard decisions about people or process
How we work together
Advisory Retainer: Ongoing partnership with weekly check-ins, async availability, and hands-on involvement in key decisions. Most clients start here.
Diagnostic Sprint: A focused 2-4 week engagement to assess your technical organization and deliver a concrete action plan. Good starting point if you're unsure what you need.
Hourly Consulting: For specific questions, interview debriefs, or second opinions on technical hires and architecture decisions.
Retainers start at $8,000/month. Hourly consulting at $350/hour. Early-stage startups: I'm open to equity-weighted arrangements for the right fit.
What this looks like in practice
A post-seed startup was six months into a platform rewrite with no end in sight. No features shipping. Runway shrinking. The junior engineering team was stuck, and the business was suffering.
I came in, forced a deadline on the rewrite, hired senior engineering talent, trained the product managers, and restructured the org to align people to roles they could actually succeed in.
The company went from "running out of cash" to "acquired" in two years.
What people say
"The steady hand that drives engineering to be hyper-productive, especially given the team size. He kept the engineering team going even when times were tough."
"A perfect mix of outstanding technical expertise and very strong communication skills, something not common to find. Bringing him in front of customers was always a game changer for the business."
"Having him as the tech lead greatly benefited the project and made things move more predictably. He always asks the right questions to ensure we are using our resources correctly."
For Investors & Board Members
Have a portfolio company struggling with technical execution? I can help you diagnose what's going wrong and work directly with the founding team to fix it.
Warm intros welcome. I treat referrals with discretion. Founders won't know you flagged concerns unless you want them to.
Common scenarios: CTO not scaling, engineering velocity concerns pre-Series A, technical due diligence support, or coaching a first-time technical founder.
Find out what's actually broken
30-minute diagnostic call.
Tell me what's happening. I'll tell you the one thing to fix first.