Free Diagnostic
Do You Need a CTO?
Eight questions. Two minutes. A clear picture of where your organization has technical leadership — and where it doesn't.
Breakdown by Domain
Want to talk through what you're seeing?
I'm a fractional CTO based in north metro Atlanta. I help organizations close exactly these kinds of gaps — without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
What This Diagnostic Measures
Most organizations don't realize they have a technical leadership gap until something breaks — a security incident with no response plan, a vendor contract that auto-renewed at 3x the market rate, or a deployment that takes down production on a Friday afternoon. This free diagnostic scores your organization across the eight domains where a fractional CTO creates the most measurable impact:
Technical Strategy
Who owns stack decisions and long-term technology direction?
Vendor Management
Are SaaS subscriptions and contracts reviewed regularly?
Security Posture
Do you have a tested incident response plan?
Team Structure
How does your development team prioritize work?
Technical Debt
Are deployments reliable or a source of anxiety?
AI Readiness
Has anyone evaluated AI's potential impact on your operations?
Architecture & Scale
Can your infrastructure handle 10x growth?
Technical Hiring
Do you have a structured process for evaluating technical candidates?
Who This Diagnostic Is For
This assessment is designed for founders, CEOs, and executive directors who suspect their organization has outgrown its current technical leadership — but aren't sure where the gaps are or how urgent they've become.
If you're a non-technical leader making technology decisions by default — choosing vendors, approving architecture, interviewing developers — this diagnostic will show you exactly where that's working and where it's creating hidden risk. It takes two minutes and doesn't require any technical knowledge to complete.
Built by Alex van Rossum, a fractional CTO based in north metro Atlanta who helps organizations close technical leadership gaps without the cost of a full-time executive hire. Learn more about fractional CTO services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a fractional CTO actually do? +
A fractional CTO provides executive-level technical leadership on a part-time or contract basis. They handle technology strategy, vendor management, security posture, team structure, and architecture decisions — the same work a full-time CTO does, but scoped to what your organization actually needs right now. It's senior technical leadership without the $250K+ salary commitment.
How do I know if my organization needs a fractional CTO? +
If your CEO or founder is making technology stack decisions, nobody has audited your vendor contracts in over a year, you don't have an incident response plan, or your developers decide priorities ad hoc — those are signs. This diagnostic scores your organization across eight domains to give you a clear picture of where the gaps are.
What's the difference between a fractional CTO and a consultant? +
A consultant delivers a report and leaves. A fractional CTO embeds with your team, owns outcomes, and stays accountable for results. They attend leadership meetings, manage vendor relationships, guide hiring decisions, and build the systems that outlast their engagement. It's the difference between advice and accountability.
How much does a fractional CTO cost compared to a full-time hire? +
A full-time CTO in the Atlanta metro area typically costs $200K–$350K+ in total compensation. A fractional CTO engagement typically runs 20–40% of that, depending on scope and hours. You get the same strategic depth without carrying a full-time executive salary before your organization is ready for one.
What industries benefit most from fractional CTO services? +
Any organization building or maintaining technology products — SaaS companies, mission-aligned organizations with custom platforms, growing startups that have outgrown their founding developer, and mid-size companies whose technology decisions have outpaced their technical leadership. The common thread is that technology decisions are being made without someone whose full-time job is making them well.
How long does a fractional CTO engagement typically last? +
Engagements range from 3-month focused sprints (vendor audit, security posture assessment, architecture review) to ongoing 6–12+ month relationships where the fractional CTO functions as a standing member of the leadership team. The right length depends on whether you need a specific problem solved or ongoing technical leadership.