Notes from the engineering side
Long-form essays from current engagements. No AI hype. No agency template.
NIST vs SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: Which One Buyers Want
Three security frameworks, one practical difference: only two of them end in a document your buyer's procurement team can read. Which to run first, and what the second one costs.
How to Vet a Fractional CTO: Sourcing Channels and Red Flags
Where fractional CTO services come from, what each sourcing channel returns, and how to evaluate a candidate before you sign. The questions and the red flags.
What Is a Fractional CTO? The Role, the Scope, the Limits
What is a fractional CTO, what the role owns, what it never touches, and the team size at which the model stops fitting. A buyer's definition, not a pitch.
SOC 2 Compliance for SaaS Startups: When to Start, What It Costs, How to Pass
SOC 2 for startups is the security framework US enterprise buyers ask for first. Here is when to start, the realistic cost, and a six-month plan that passes Type II without overbuilding.
ISO 27001 for SaaS Companies: Process, Benefits and Cost
ISO 27001 is the certification European enterprise buyers ask for and most US SaaS companies postpone. Here is the process, the realistic cost, and when it earns its place on the roadmap.
Engineering Team Structure: Models That Scale from 10 to 100 Engineers
Three engineering team structures fit three different company sizes. Pick the wrong one and the next 20 hires arrive into a system that cannot absorb them.
Engineering Velocity: How to Measure It and Why It Stalls
Engineering velocity is not the sum of story points. It is the time from decision to production. Here is how to measure it properly and what to do when it stalls.
SaaS Product Roadmap: Examples, Templates and the Process We Use
Most SaaS product roadmaps read like project plans, get one missed deadline, and stop being trusted. Here is the three-layer roadmap structure, template and review cadence we use with our clients.
CTO Advisory vs CTO Consulting: What Each One Delivers
CTO consulting and CTO advisory are not the same product, even when the same website sells both. Here is what each one delivers, what it costs, and how to choose between providers without losing a quarter.
Part-Time CTO vs Fractional vs Full-Time: Choosing the Right Engagement Model
A part time CTO, a fractional CTO and a full-time hire are not interchangeable. Here is what each one means in 2026, where each one earns its price, and how to pick without losing six months.
Fractional CTO Cost in 2026: $150-$900/hr and What Drives It
What a fractional CTO actually costs in 2026: the hourly rate ranges, the three pricing models you will be offered, and what drives the total fractional CTO cost up or down.
WEEKLY NOTE
One insight per week. From current engagements.
One short note from current work plus 2–3 outside links worth your time.
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