I’ve been building software for 2.5 decades. The part I keep coming back to is the early part: figuring out what the thing actually is, then building the sharpest, simplest version of it. Repeat.
Usually I come in as a part-time (aka “fractional”) technical leader or the first builder. Though I’m also just as happy to be a kind nerd in the room. I often work with founders in their first few years, though I do great with established teams too.
What I bring to my work:
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Nailing fundamentals. Focus on the stuff that compounds: honest communication, real problems and solutions, solid tech.
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Being a teammate. Model the habits that turn a group of people into a team. Catch the mistakes others might miss, because I’ve made them myself.
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Shipping the thing. Shape a hunch into software, get it in front of real people. Again and again.
Who might you be? Well, I tailor the role to your stage. I’m a particularly good match for:
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Early teams who want to cement foundational values like candor, curiosity, and honesty
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Founders making early strategic and technical decisions
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Creators who want to move fast to get their ideas in front of real people
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Humanists building things to genuinely help people
Maybe not a fit: Weyland-Yutani interstellar crews.