TechEmpower SaaS

AUGUST 7, 2023

What does it mean to be a CTO for a startup? Should a startup CTO spend their time programming? The role of a CTO varies as the company matures. Here’s a graphic from Socal CTO that illustrates the roles as they change over time: In its earliest days, a startup’s top need is often to produce a product.

CTO Hire 390

CTO Hire New CTO CTO Fractional VPE 390

SaaStr

JANUARY 19, 2022

Dear SaaStr: What Makes a Bad CTO? While there is no legal definition for CTO or bright line between CTO and VPE, I’d suggest a start-up CTO really only has to do a few things — which are very hard: Assemble a small team (3–9) of very good engineers. A “bad” CTO doesn’t care about growing very, very quickly.

CTO Hire 285

CTO Hire Part-Time VPE CTO Engineering 285

SaaStr

APRIL 7, 2021

The first type is the kind of management team hired by second+ time founders. They often staff up their teams with folks they already know and have been successful with at their last startup. Often folks they convince to once again be a VP of Eng or VP of Sales. The director that wants a shot at VP.

Part-Time VPE 284

Part-Time VPE Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting CTO Hire 284

SaaStr

JULY 5, 2019

For me, it took a while to build up the experiences and confidence to get there: First, I worked with enough startups and CEOs to “get it”. I had a chance as a startup lawyer working in “Silicon Valley” to work with 20+ startups. Second, I joined the best startup that would have me, as a Director and then Senior Director.

Part-Time VPE 202

Part-Time VPE Fractional VPE CTO Hire Sales Recruiting 202

SaaStr

AUGUST 25, 2023

To some extent, if you have the hottest startup in the world, the full package, you can play some games with investors. 99% of startups aren’t that. No one has time to have coffee with all of those folks. For 99% of startups, when you want money, tell VCs you want money. 2 “Give the VP of Sales more time.”

Part-Time VPE 242

Part-Time VPE Sales Hiring Scale CTO Hire 242

Intercom, Inc.

APRIL 19, 2018

It means reducing choices amongst engineering teams and standardizing technology, so our team can spend as much time as possible delivering value to customers. Rich Archbold , Senior Director of Engineering, has been at the forefront of codifying and scaling this philosophy over the past few years.

Outsourcing Services 192

Outsourcing Services Part-Time VPE Software AWS 192

SaaStr

JUNE 1, 2021

As part of the run up to 2021 SaaStr Annual in the SF Bay Area Sep 27-29 , we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite classic sessions. (And Co-founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah shared with us how they got there — and the top mistakes they made — just 3 quarters after their IPO. You’ll find out tomorrow.

Part-Time VPE 283

Part-Time VPE Technical Cofounder CTO Hire New CTO 283