Fractional Technical Leadership
Get senior technical guidance without the full-time executive overhead. Architecture decisions, team mentoring, and technology strategy for growing companies.
Technical Leadership for Growing Companies That Can't Justify — and Don't Need — a $300,000 Salary
Most growing companies don't need 40 hours a week of CTO. They need the right 10 hours — someone who can make architecture decisions, guide the team, and translate between technical reality and business goals.
Without that, technical debt accumulates quietly. Your developers make decisions they shouldn't have to make alone. Vendor pitches all sound alike and you're not sure who to trust. And when someone asks about your technology strategy, you're improvising.
That's the gap I fill.
And it's more expensive to leave that gap empty than most companies realize — not just in dollars, but in the decisions that get made badly, the time that gets lost, and the technical debt that takes years to climb out of.
What I Do as Your Fractional Technical Leader
Technical Strategy
Make technology decisions that align with where the business is going. Architecture guidance, build vs. buy analysis, technology roadmaps, and documentation that outlasts me.
Team Development
Help your developers grow. Code reviews, mentoring, engineering standards, and support for hiring — writing good job descriptions, running technical interviews, evaluating candidates.
Process & Operations
Better development workflows, CI/CD improvements, sprint planning, and reliability practices. Good processes multiply the impact of good people.
Vendor & Technology Evaluation
Not all vendor pitches are created equal. I review proposals, guide technology selection, and help you make decisions you won't regret in two years.
Stakeholder Communication
Someone needs to bridge the gap between the technical team and the rest of leadership. I translate technical realities into plain language — for executives, investors, or whoever needs to understand what's happening.
Is This the Right Fit?
Good Fit
This works well if:
You're a growing company (typically 10-100 employees) without a CTO
Your developers are making decisions they shouldn't have to make alone
You have major technology decisions coming — a rebuild, a vendor change, a new product
Technical debt or architecture concerns are slowing you down
You need someone to evaluate vendors without a conflict of interest
Not a Fit
This probably isn't right if:
You need 40+ hours per week — that's a full-time hire
You want someone to manage day-to-day operations or act as a project manager
You need a specific hands-on skill set only (consider a dedicated developer instead)
You're a large enterprise with established senior technical leadership
How to Work Together
Monthly Retainer — For ongoing technical leadership without a full-time hire.
10–20 reserved hours/month. Regular check-ins with direct access. I'm embedded in your team — attending meetings, working with developers, making decisions in real time rather than after the fact. Best for companies where technical leadership is a continuing need.
Project-Based — For a specific initiative with a defined outcome.
Technology audit, architecture redesign, or hiring sprint. Defined scope, clear deliverables, fixed price. You know exactly what you're getting and what it costs before I start. Best for one-time decisions with a clear beginning and end.
Advisory — Occasional guidance, no retainer required.
Hourly or half-day for specific questions, second opinions, or vendor reviews. Best when you need expert input on one thing and aren't ready for an ongoing engagement.
While I did not always work very closely with clients, I know he had great relationships with the clients whose projects he managed. It was clear that they trusted him and valued his expertise. He builds strong relationships and represents his team with professionalism and confidence.
Beyond his technical skill, Gabriel is simply a great person to work with. He is approachable, thoughtful, and consistently embodies a culture of knowledge sharing while remaining humble and open to learning.
Any team would be fortunate to have him. I know I was.
Is Fractional Leadership the Right Move for You?
Not sure if this fits your situation? Tell me what's going on. I'll give you a straight answer — even if that answer is "you need a full-time hire, not me." No pitch. No pressure. The initial conversation doesn't cost you anything.
You're talking directly to Gabriel — not a sales rep or account manager. Typically responds within one business day.
Common Questions
Consultants advise and move on. I become part of your team. I attend your meetings, work directly with your developers, and stay accountable for outcomes — not just recommendations.
When it helps, yes. I'm not a hands-off strategy person. If diving into a code review or troubleshooting a production issue is the right move, I'll do it. But my primary value is direction, decisions, and making your team better.
Collaboratively. I'm there to make your team better, not to create dependency on me. I mentor and give your developers room to grow — I'm not here to micromanage or build my own fiefdom.
Good — that's a sign the company is growing. I can help you hire that person and make sure the transition is smooth. I want you to end up with the right person in the right seat — even if that means I'm the one who finds them, trains them, and hands them the keys.
Usually within one to two weeks of agreement. I keep my client roster deliberately small so I can actually be available when it matters.