Мой личный склад идей

Tech Advisor: Who is he and how can he save you hundreds of thousands of rubles (and nerves)? Hello, colleagues! I often see startups and small companies facing a classic problem: a top technical expert is urgently needed, but hiring a full-time CTO with a salary of "from 300,000 rubles per month" (and all the perks) is simply beyond the budget. Ugh! Today there will be a lot of text, but it will be interesting! At this moment, our hero steps onto the stage — Tech Advisor, also known as Startup Technical Advisor, or Fractional CTO (outsourced technical director). Who is he? He is an experienced technical leader who works with you on a part-time basis (part-time or on demand). He provides strategic technical guidance, mentorship, and expertise. Why is he so cool, especially for startups and investors? How does a Tech Advisor help startups? 1. **Cost Savings — our main priority!** For startups and small businesses, a Tech Advisor is much more cost-effective. You pay only for specific hours or projects, avoiding the full salary and social packages of a full-time executive. Such an expert can cost 30–60% less than a permanent CTO. 2. **Expertise here and now.** This is a seasonal professional who "hits the goals from day one" and quickly integrates into the organization. Thanks to experience working with various clients and sectors, he brings a valuable external perspective, helping to implement best practices. 3. **Strategy, not chaos.** He helps develop a technological strategy and roadmap, assesses the current IT infrastructure, identifies weaknesses, and, most importantly, chooses the right tech stack and architecture for long-term success. This helps avoid premature choices of the wrong technology. 4. **Risk management and tech debt.** The Advisor prevents future technical problems (technical debt) and provides an objective assessment of technological investments, helping companies avoid costly mistakes. If you're just building an MVP, he will help lay the right technical foundation. 5. **Flexibility and scalability.** You can dynamically adjust the level of strategic technical leadership as the company grows or needs change. How does a Tech Advisor help investors and founders? For founders and investors, a Tech Advisor is a way to ensure that money is going in the right direction: 1. **Technical Due Diligence.** Raising capital is always stressful. The Advisor helps prepare for investors’ technical audit (Technical Due Diligence), checking the viability of the product and its architecture. 2. **Talent attraction and strategic growth.** He can assist in hiring and evaluating technical personnel, as well as mentoring internal technical leaders. 3. **Aligning incentives.** Often, a Tech Advisor receives a share in the company (typical range for consultants is 0.1%–1.0%; for fCTO 0.5%–5%, depending on the stage). This is a strategic tool that aligns his interests with the startup’s long-term goals. Thus, he is not just a contractor billing invoices, but someone invested in the success. **In summary:** If you are at an early stage, haven't yet achieved Product-Market Fit, or simply don't want to spend months searching for a full-fledged CTO, hiring an experienced Tech Advisor is an opportunity to get top-tier management in technology without crazy fixed costs. It’s a chance to build a strong IT strategy while remaining competitive and flexible. Think of him as a lifebuoy you hire before the ship starts sinking from technical debt!