A head of technology on call, without the $250k hire.
You get the technical brain a growing company needs — to choose the right tools, kill the wrong projects, and ship what actually moves revenue — at a fraction of a full-time executive's cost.
What is a fractional CTO?
A fractional CTO is a senior technology leader you hire part-time instead of as a full-time executive. They own your technology strategy, make build-vs-buy decisions, oversee the people who build your software, and keep your technology spending tied to revenue — at a fraction of the cost of a $250k+ hire.
For most small and mid-sized businesses in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, a fractional CTO is the fastest way to get senior technical judgment without the salary, equity, and recruiting risk of a permanent executive. You get the brain when you need it, and scale the engagement up or down as your roadmap demands.
You're making six-figure technology decisions on gut, with no one in your corner who actually understands the tradeoffs.
A developer or agency is building things, but no one is steering — and you can't tell if you're being sold what you need.
You know AI and automation could help, but you have no roadmap and no time to build one.
Senior technical leadership, scoped to what you actually need.
A prioritized plan tied to revenue — what to build, what to buy, what to ignore, and in what order.
We evaluate software, AI tools, and contractors so you stop overpaying for things you do not need.
We design the systems and supervise whoever builds them — in-house, agency, or our team.
Monthly leadership you can follow without a technical background, accountable to the numbers.
Discovery & audit
We map your current systems, costs, and bottlenecks, and find where technology is leaking time or money.
Roadmap & priorities
You get a sequenced plan with effort, cost, and expected return for each move — no jargon.
Build & oversee
We drive execution: design the systems, manage builders, and keep quality and timelines honest.
Review & iterate
Every month we report on what shipped, what it returned, and what is next.
When does a business actually need a fractional CTO?
You are a strong candidate when you are making six-figure technology decisions on instinct, when a developer or agency is building things but no one is steering, or when you know AI and automation could help but have no roadmap to get there. If two of those describe you, fractional leadership usually pays for itself within the first quarter.
Owners between roughly $1M and $50M in revenue get the most value: large enough that technology decisions carry real money, but not yet ready to justify a full-time C-level technology hire.
Fractional CTO vs. a full-time CTO vs. an agency
A full-time CTO costs $250k+ in salary alone, plus equity and months of recruiting — and most growing businesses cannot keep one fully utilized. An agency sells you projects but rarely owns your outcomes. A fractional CTO sits in between: senior, accountable, and matched to what you actually need this quarter.
The difference that matters is accountability. We are judged by what ships and what it returns, not by hours billed or decks delivered.
How fractional CTO pricing works
Retainers scale with how hands-on you need the leadership to be — from monthly strategy and on-call decision support, up to embedded weekly execution and team management. You can start with a single paid strategy session, then move into a retainer once the value is obvious.
For one Nashville client, fractional technical leadership turned a spreadsheet-run operation into a system that scaled revenue ~9×.
Read the full breakdown →
- Monthly strategy & roadmap
- On-call decision support
- Vendor & tool reviews
- Async access
- Everything in Advisor
- Weekly working sessions
- Build & vendor oversight
- Hands-on project management
- Everything in Operator
- Embedded leadership
- Team hiring & management
- Priority delivery
How is this different from hiring a full-time CTO?
You get the same caliber of judgment and oversight without the $250k+ salary, equity, and recruiting risk. When your needs grow into a full-time role, we help you hire for it.
Do you write code, or just advise?
Both. We can advise and steer, or roll up our sleeves and build — most clients want a mix. The retainer flexes to where you need the leverage.
What size company is this for?
Owner-led businesses roughly $1M–$50M in revenue that have outgrown running on spreadsheets and gut, but are not ready for a full executive team.
Can I start small?
Yes. Most clients start with a paid strategy session or the Advisor tier, then scale up as trust and results compound.
Let's map your fastest technical win.
Book a free 20-minute fit call. No pitch — just whether we can help.
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