Anthony Wentzel’s Post

📌 Feeling lost in the ever-changing world of technology? You're not alone. Many businesses, especially those at strategic junctures struggle to make the right tech decisions. A fractional CTO can help your company succeed with their expertise and new perspective. Here are 5 signs you might need a Fractional CTO: 👉 Facing crucial tech decisions but lack the internal expertise? A fractional CTO can be your guide, navigating complex choices and keeping you competitive. 👉 Scaling your business? A fractional CTO can architect systems to support sustainable growth. 👉 Not in the tech industry? A fractional CTO ensures your tech decisions align with your business goals. 👉 Can't afford a full-time CTO? A fractional option gives you access to top-tier expertise without breaking the bank. 👉 Need innovation to stay competitive? A fractional CTO can help you embrace new technologies and drive growth. If your business shows any of these signs, it may be a good idea to hire a fractional CTO. Linda Mar Associates can help! We offer Fractional CTO services to empower businesses like yours. #fractionalcto #technology #businessgrowth #innovation #lindamar #CTO

What’s Really Holding You Back from the CTO Role? You’ve mastered the tactical – firefighting technical issues, managing day-to-day operations, ensuring teams are shipping product. But at the higher level, success demands something more: strategy, vision, and, most critically, the ability to control the narrative. It’s easy to get stuck in the weeds. You’ve spent your career being the go-to problem solver. The person who knows the tech inside and out, who can fix what's broken. But to lead at the C-level, you need to pull yourself out of the trenches and start thinking long-term, beyond the next bug fix or product release. I’ve seen it countless times—engineering leaders who are brilliant technically but struggle to shift into a strategic role. It’s not that they aren’t capable, but they remain entrenched in the tactical, thinking that solving immediate issues is what will keep them valuable. The truth is, the higher up you go, the more your value comes from your ability to steer the ship, not patch the holes. Here's 4 principles to keep in mind to position yourself for the next level. 1. Shift from Tactical to Strategic Thinking Stop focusing only on solving today’s problems. Start thinking about how your decisions fit into the broader company strategy. Ask yourself: How does this move us closer to where we want to be in 5 years? Am I laying the groundwork for long-term success, or just putting out fires? 2. Control the Narrative At the C-level, it’s not enough to execute well—you need to tell the story of your team and your technology. If you're not shaping that narrative, someone else will, and often, it won't be to your advantage. Here's what to consider: How does what you're building align with the company’s big-picture goals? Are you translating tech complexity into clear business value? 3. Focus on Cross-Departmental Relationships The best CTOs don’t just solve technical problems—they partner with other departments to move the business forward. Be proactive in reaching out to sales, marketing, and operations. Make tech a driver of growth, not just a support system. What problems can you help other departments solve with tech? Are you positioning yourself as a strategic partner across the company? 4. Lead with Vision, Not Just Execution To move from VP to CTO, you need to lead with vision. This means not just solving problems but anticipating future challenges and opportunities. The real question is—are you ready to step up? Big thanks to Joshua Rhoades for the excellent conversation that inspired this post. If you’re looking to make that leap and want to know how to make the transition smoothly, let’s connect

🚀 Ready to transform your business & drive growth? Look no further than CTO services - where technology meets strategic brilliance! 💻 At CTO to Grow, we understand the unique challenges your business faces on its growth trajectory. That's why we're here to offer more than just solutions; we're here to provide a tailored roadmap to success. 🔍 Explore a wealth of transformative possibilities as our expert team combines the power of technology with strategic solutions. From optimizing your tech infrastructure to crafting a visionary roadmap for future growth, CTO to Grow is your partner in progress. Why choose us? Because we go beyond the conventional. Our approach is not just about fixing issues—it's about unleashing the untapped potential within your business. To know how we can help & what solutions we offer, visit our website https://ctotogrow.co/ #CTOservices #CIOservices #CIO #CTO #TechTransformation #BusinessInnovation #StrategicGrowth

🚀 Ready to transform your business & drive growth? Look no further than CTO services - where technology meets strategic brilliance! 💻 At CTO to Grow, we understand the unique challenges your business faces on its growth trajectory. That's why we're here to offer more than just solutions; we're here to provide a tailored roadmap to success. 🔍 Explore a wealth of transformative possibilities as our expert team combines the power of technology with strategic solutions. From optimizing your tech infrastructure to crafting a visionary roadmap for future growth, CTO to Grow is your partner in progress. Why choose us? Because we go beyond the conventional. Our approach is not just about fixing issues—it's about unleashing the untapped potential within your business. To know how we can help & what solutions we offer, visit our website https://ctotogrow.co/ #CTOservices #CIOservices #CIO #CTO #TechTransformation #BusinessInnovation #StrategicGrowth

Founders and CEO's, especially those with small to midsize companies. Do you find that your software engineering teams don't hit their target deadlines? Does it seem that despite best intentions that there is always something that gets in the ways. Perhaps on some days you think only the loudest voice wins when the engineers time is being sought after. These are some indicators that your software engineering team needs to apply some methodologies, frameworks, and standards. It's time for your software engineering team to mature. I know it sounds easy when written in two sentences. And there really is a valid fear that following a methodology, implementing a framework, and building standards could negatively hurt the progress of the software engineering team. While there is absolutely a truth in the principle, you must slow down to go fast. There is also another major factor. That factor is not having the expertise to understand what will work. What practices to follow and when those should get customized for the good of the whole. Generally, at this point, you would seek a CTO. One who has a great deal of experience in developing and maturing engineering teams. The unfortunate reality is, a CTO FTE is not cheap. And it may be outside the budget to get one. This is where Fractional CTOs come in. Fractional CTOs with vast experience in software engineering, architecture, and leadership can provide the strategic experience and knowledge required at a fraction of the price. This includes a Fractional CTO like me. If you would like to know more about my services and what I can bring to your organization, check out my website and book some time with me. Or you can connect with me and we can discuss options. Mike Conley mike@FractionalAdvantage.com FractionalAdvantage.com #fractionalcto #fractionalcxo #founders #founder #ceo #fractionalceo #cto #startups #leadership #servantleadership #servantleader

🌟 Exciting read! This article delves into the intricate dance between IT and business partnerships, offering valuable insights from a seasoned tech leader's playbook. Here's a thought-provoking takeaway turned into a vivid metaphor: 🤝 Learning to listen: Just like tuning a musical instrument, effective partnerships require attentive listening to harmonize different perspectives and create a symphony of collaboration. 🚀 Embracing innovation: Similar to a rocket launch, innovation propels partnerships to new heights, requiring a clear focus, quick adjustments, and a supportive network to soar through challenges. 🌟 Lessons from failure: Failures are like stepping stones, guiding us to recalibrate our path and strengthen relationships by facing difficulties head-on and finding collaborative solutions. What's your experience in navigating the complexities of IT-business partnerships? Share your insights and success stories below! 🌟✨ https://lnkd.in/gjfyDPEC

Nowadays, still, most companies don’t have a CTO role and focus only on CIO roles; however, In the dynamic world of technology, understanding the distinct roles of a Chief Information Officer (CIO) and a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) can be as intriguing as comparing an Architect to a Plumber. Both are vital, yet they contribute in uniquely essential ways toward leading and disrupting the market: - The CIO is the master plumber, ensuring this flow is seamless, secure, and efficient. They're the guardians of operational excellence, focusing on optimizing internal processes, safeguarding data, and ensuring the technological infrastructure supports the organization's core functions and strategy. Like a skilled plumber who ensures no leak goes unnoticed and water pressure is just right, the CIO ensures information streams are unimpeded and secure, empowering every facet of the business to thrive. - The CTO is this visionary, architecting the technological framework that will shape the future. They are the forward-thinkers, the innovators, crafting the tech strategy that aligns with the business's long-term goals. From adopting new tech to driving product development, the CTO's blueprint is not just about the structure but about creating possibilities that keep the organization at the forefront of innovation. In our tech-driven world, both roles are pivotal. The CIO ensures the foundation is solid and functional while the CTO imagines and builds upon that foundation to reach new heights. Together, they enable businesses to not just navigate the digital landscape but to lead it. #Leadership #Innovation #CIO #CTO #TechLeadership #cios #ctos #itstrategy #DigitalTransformation #itleaders #itleadership #vision #vision2030 #culture

Fractional Advantage is looking to take on new clients. I offer long-term Fractional CTO services but I'm also available for shorter targeted engagement such as evaluating the maturity of your software engineering organization and growth plan. Please reach out if you would like to know more about our services. If you do not need Fractional CTO services, perhaps someone you know does. Check out my website to learn more about my referral program. FractionalAdvantage.com Any contract signed and having hours' start in June will receive a two-month discount on my hourly rate. 🚀 Unleash Your Potential with Fractional Advantage! 🚀 Are you a startup or a small-to-medium business ready to take the next step, but not quite ready for a full-time CTO? Fractional CTO services from Advantage Fractional is here to fill that gap! Our Fractional CTO services provide you with seasoned, high-level technology leadership without the full-time executive cost. 💡 Strategic Vision 💡 With years of experience and deep industry knowledge, Fractional Advantage brings strategic vision and deep industry knowledge to guide your technology decisions, ensuring they align with your business goals. 🔐 Risk Mitigation 🔐 We navigate the complexities of cybersecurity, data privacy, and compliance, ensuring your business is protected and your customer data is secure. 📈 Scalable Solutions 📈 We foster the design of scalable technology solutions that grow with your business, ensuring you’re always ready to seize new opportunities. 🤝 Partnership 🤝 At Fractional Advantage, we believe in partnership. We work closely with your team, providing mentorship and guidance to help you achieve your business goals. Fractional Advantage - Your strategic partner in technology leadership. Let’s build your future, together. #fractionalcto #fractional #cto #founder #ceo #servantleadership #gigwork #parttimecto #contractcto

A CTO's Challenge: Building Rapport with Engineers Recently, I met a CTO who joined a small company and struggled to connect with the engineering team. One incident highlighted this challenge: an engineer implemented a feature differently from the technical design document led by the CTO. When confronted, the engineer dismissively replied, "So what? It works, and I like it better." This scenario, while seemingly a technical disagreement, is fundamentally a leadership issue. In similar situations, I've been tempted to defend my position or assert authority, but these approaches never worked for me in the long run. My knee-jerk reaction was rooted in the insult I took. Acting on self-defense got me aggressive, and made things difficult for everyone. With time, having identified that I was acting on being insulted, I learnt a more effective strategy. I began to shift my focus from myself to the engineer. A much better starting point was to assume that they can succeed, and that I have a role to play in their success. My advice to the CTO would be to explore wider issues with the engineer, looking to learn and identify mutual agreement. For instance: - Is our technical design process flawed? How, and what can be better about it? - Do we properly understand what the codebase allows, and what our users actually need? Or is there a bunch of competing ideas, and whoever writes the code wins? - Should our architecture evolve in one way or another in the long term? By sidestepping the technical disagreement and the act of "disobedience," the CTO can take initiative. A guiding principle for the discussion is to foster a "you and me against the problem" mindset rather than a confrontational "me against you" approach. This creates an opportunity for growth: - The CTO might recognize shortsightedness in their expectations - The engineer could learn to see the value of their CTO - as a technical leader, a manager, or both! This collaborative approach paves the way for mutual understanding and organizational improvement. #leadership #psychologicalsafety #disagreement

Interesting behavioral insights of how a great CPO / CTO partnership can help technology orientated companies succeed, effectively serving as co-founders of their business. #productleadership #tech #organization