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Lead Developer to CTO at a Startup

SoCal CTO

I seem to encounter a lot of people who want to attach a CTO label to me as I'm the only programmer on the founding team of three. While I do fill that role at the moment, I'm a little hesitant to refer to myself as a CTO as we still haven't launched a product, acquired a single user, or turned or a penny in profit. Who will do that?

CTO Coach 231
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Startup CTO or Developer

SoCal CTO

I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in very early stage companies. In December 2007, I described how I commonly take on an Acting CTO Role in a Start-up. I used an image from Roger Smith that describes the varying roles of a CTO as the company matures.

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Technology Roles in Startups

SoCal CTO

Background This post partly really came about as a result of a great conversation yesterday with David Croslin a former CTO at HP who recently conducted an interesting experiment. I am looking for one or two startups that I can work with on their road to success as a virtual C-level officer, board member, advisor or other relationship.

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Working with Developers

SoCal CTO

they need a developer more than they need a CTO. Ideally, you would have had a technical advisor, had better up-front definition, had more iteration, then you would not be in this situation. Provide the metrics you are trying to achieve. I just want the cost, timeline and impact. Once you are here, it’s a tough spot.

Develop 280
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Document Your MVP for a Developer

SoCal CTO

I asked some of the same questions I ask in my Free Startup CTO Consulting Sessions and then I get to a very common conversation: Me : Do you have specs? This should be an iterative process with advisors and customers providing feedback on the product. Conversations with a technical advisors or possible developers should be iterative.

Develop 354
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Investors, MVPs and Evidence of Traction

SoCal CTO

If you do build the MVP and show it to them, they will ask you about your metrics. They really want metrics, not a product. They may wonder if it can be built technically, but I (or other CTOs) can answer that question without building any code. For example, the iPod won not because of better features and functions.

Metrics 264
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Time Rich, Time Poor and Apple

SoCal CTO

skip to main | skip to sidebar SoCal CTO Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Time Rich, Time Poor and Apple Jeremy Liew at Lightspeed Venture Partners has an interesting post: Time Rich or Time Poor? I would agree that Apples product design would suggest that it aims at Time Poor buyers. He has twenty years’ experience as a CTO.

CTO Coach 150