Guide · 7 articles
Technical partner and CTO
Most smaller businesses depend on a website or a system, but nobody owns the whole picture. There may be an agency that built the site and someone else who looks after the computers. When something breaks, it is unclear who should pick up the phone. That is the gap a CTO or a technical partner closes.
These articles are about that role. First what a CTO is, and why hiring one full time rarely makes sense in a smaller business. Next I compare an employed developer with a technical partner and go through the ways you can get IT help. The last article in that section is about when you outgrow an ordinary maintenance agreement. Finally there are two articles about the decisions that make running your setup cheap or expensive in the long run.
I work as a technical partner for smaller businesses myself, so read the articles with that in mind. I have tried to write them so they are useful even if you end up choosing a different solution. My services are listed below the articles.
The CTO role in a smaller business
Your business needs a CTO — just not full-time
Most small businesses have zero technical leadership. What a CTO actually does, why you can't just hire one — and how AI has changed the numbers.
7 min read
Why one person with AI can deliver what used to take a whole team
How AI has changed the terms of technical delivery — and why your business can get full-stack support without paying for a team of five.
7 min read
Choose the right help
What does an in-house developer really cost? (Compared with a technical partner)
An in-house developer costs far more than the salary alone. Here are the real numbers — and why a technical partner often gives more value for less money.
4 min read
IT support for small businesses: the four models, and how to choose
There are four ways for a small business to get IT help. Here is what each delivers, and the questions to ask before you commit to anything.
6 min read
When do you outgrow a maintenance plan and need a technical partner?
Maintenance and a CTO are two very different needs. Here are the signs that you are ready to switch — and the numbers that show why.
5 min read
Technical debt and good trade-offs
Technical debt: the bill always arrives — and it grows with compound interest
What technical debt is, why small businesses suffer most from it, and how you get out of the debt spiral — before the bill hits you.
12 min read
Why I Say No to Features — And Why You Should Too
More features aren't always better. Learn why fewer, better features mean cheaper ownership, easier maintenance, and happier users on your WordPress site.
5 min read