SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

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?

CTO Hire 175

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SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

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?

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire CTO Coach Resource Startup 175

SoCal CTO

APRIL 2, 2012

Using my StartupRoar as a radar, I came across a great post by Gabriel Weinberg Do you really need a full-time hire for that? Hiring seems to be the preferred use of seed funds (by investors and founders), whereas I'd prefer a focus on customer acquisition. In other words, they come in asking for help with sourcing and hiring.

CTO Hire 205

CTO Hire Outsource Development CTO Coach Develop 205

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 10, 2012

It was like having a bunch of mini- Free Startup CTO Consulting 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. Plan for past the initial MVP.

Technical Advisors 332

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TechEmpower

AUGUST 14, 2023

Would you create contracts without an attorney? The Strategic Technical Advisor looks at the business and determines what makes sense from a technology perspective in the short-term and longer-terms. This is especially important with outsourced development teams. Why do this without the right technical advisor?

Technical Review 260

Technical Review CTO Coach CTO Hire Software Review 260

SoCal CTO

APRIL 28, 2014

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. Time Wasters - Don''t talk too much.

Develop 280

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SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

If you are on the lower complexity end, the key is defining small chunks of work that can be done quickly by a developer. If you do not break it down into small pieces, its hard to make progress with part-time resources, freelancers, etc. Structure development contracts appropriately or directing the in-house team appropriately.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review CTO Hire CTO Coach Software Review 338

SoCal CTO

MAY 21, 2012

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. As a Startup, you have one shot.

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire Startup Metrics eHarmony 175

SoCal CTO

JUNE 26, 2012

I've done four Free CTO Consulting 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.

Outsource Development 254

Outsource Development Software Development Develop Development 254

TechEmpower

JULY 24, 2023

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.

Develop 520

Develop Development Technical Review SEO 520

SoCal CTO

MARCH 4, 2010

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.

Technical Review 170

Technical Review Technical Advisors CTO Coach Startup 170

SoCal CTO

MAY 13, 2014

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. But, advisors, coaches, and mentors can often fill the bill. That’s great advice.

CTO Coach 241

CTO Coach Startup CTO Hire Template 241

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2009

This is part of my Startup Advice series. 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. Ryan was the most talented technologist we had hired at BuildOnline. I knew that meant he wouldn’t come back.

CTO Hire 322

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Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

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.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

SoCal CTO

MARCH 5, 2007

There are quite a few other Software Development Companies in Southern California working on open source and/or freemium business models. Common revenue streams are consulting, training, support, customization, upgraded versions for corporate applications, etc. He has twenty years’ experience as a CTO.

Southern California 150

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SoCal CTO

APRIL 9, 2013

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.

Web Development 204

Web Development Web Develop Development 204

SoCal CTO

MAY 15, 2009

Companies also use social networking sites in the hiring process, and increasingly, to do innovative advertising (such as the recent Jack in the Box campaign). Formerly, he was Managing Director of both Product Management and of Business Development at Los Angeles Times Interactive. LAUNCH.com, and The Improv Comedy Clubs.

Social Network 150

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socalTECH

JANUARY 2, 2014

It''s never a great time: you figure out you have a legal problem, and need to find a lawyer. 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. But, how do you start?

Help 240

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SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Startups that come to me and ask me to sign an NDA in order to get Free Startup CTO Consulting really are missing it.

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

socalTECH

MARCH 26, 2014

For a couple of years, I was the head of a boutique software consulting firm based in El Segundo. I founded that with the former CTO of my first company, Kevin Smilak, who now works at Google. We were hired by a company that did outsourced medical billing and consulting for physicial medicine and rehab doctors.

Startup 160

Startup El Segundo CTO Hire Outsource Development 160

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Startups that come to me and ask me to sign an NDA in order to get Free Startup CTO Consulting really are missing it.

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

socalTECH

OCTOBER 4, 2010

We took the recent round, because Jake and I feel very passionately about our social missions, and, about four years ago, we started developing the software to create software. It might not be problems in geometry, it might be because students can't add fractions in algebra. This allows those teachers to identify skill gaps.

Software Review 178

Software Review Technical Review Education Startup 178

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2011

This is especially true for companies with expensive and complex products or services that are more consultative in nature, like insurance, financial services, home services, education and travel, etc. At CallWave, Colin was CTO, Jason was CFO and I was in charge of product marketing and customer acquisition.

Marketing 209

Marketing Advertising Paid Search Startup 209

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 3, 2012

These new viewing habits and technology advances are giving technologists and content producers an entirely new frontier to develop when it comes to creating transmedia and second screen (tablet or smartphone) experiences for viewers. Many companies are developing second screen technology, but few have come close to what Coincident.TV

Screening 109

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socalTECH

MAY 2, 2017

He's the former CTO at Stocktwits, and he did the analysis and found out a lot of stuff. We all know that you develop better rapport with someone, cement relationships, and have a lot more commitment to someone when we do that. What we've done a lot is really focused on hiring. But we don't usually have data to quantify that.

Sales 145

Sales Startup Email Tool 145

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 1, 2015

Sure, there are roles like CTO or CIO, but the input and decision making process has remained fairly static. With the trend to higher technology needs and the youth who are involved in the development of new technology, it is no longer unusual to walk into a board meeting and see a CTO in his early 40s.

Technology 40

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Frank Addante

JUNE 4, 2006

► February (1) Building and Developing an A++ Team ► 2008 (14) ► December (1) Develop a Culture Roadmap ► November (2) Green Week - Save the Environment and Your Cash Creating a Culture of Innovation: Cultural Values. Under Process, Over Deliver So, you need to develop a product? Build a SWAT team 3.

Startup 40

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SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

aka: An Open Letter to the Next Big Social Network) - 500 Hats , November 1, 2010 I've held off writing this post for a long time, because I couldn't quite get my head around all the issues. Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ? How to Take Down Facebook -- Hint: It Ain't Twitter. It may be that all the doomsayers are right.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2021

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). Add basic partner contracts or alliances. Use external sourcing to fill in the non-critical gaps. Look for new horizons.

Organization 132

Organization CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 132

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2012

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). Add basic partner contracts or alliances. Use external sourcing to fill in the non-critical gaps. Look for new horizons.

CTO Hire 91

CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development Resource 91

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2013

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). Add basic partner contracts or alliances. Use external sourcing to fill in the non-critical gaps. Look for new horizons.

Acquisition 88

Acquisition CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development 88