What is CTO?

CTO is the person who takes ownership of all the technologies used by the business. That includes both proprietary and third-party. However, a good CTO is also a bit of a product manager, UX expert, leader,  mentor, and probably a few other roles.

What are technology challenges for a CTO?

Change is inevitable in business, and a C-suite leader must be able to adjust and keep moving forward. CTO must adapt to the ever-changing technology landscape. A real differentiator for CTOs is understanding new opportunities available to the business and assessing whether the technology creates value for the organization.

Can one assign an under-qualified person to perform higher-level tasks?

We can’t say NO to this question. But should one do it? It depends on the situation. We are always trying to balance time, money, and quality. So if someone wants to assign a senior developer CTO's activities, they must understand the caveats:

1. The decisions this person makes will be very biased by the current position. For example, developers tend to pick an "internal development path" instead of researching available solutions on the market. They use the development cost, often without testing, as a baseline for comparison, leaving enrollment and support costs and time to market behind. 
2. Or a person may be simply not mature enough to handle the increased responsibility.

How do I understand that I need a CTO?

The rule of thumb is that if you didn't come up with the feeling that you need a CTO,  you don't need one. But when you start asking your friends to help you with tech issues, this is the moment when it's time to think about someone aboard.

What are the KPIs for a CTO?

A CTO's position may include various activities, making it almost impossible to develop a single KPI set for every CTO. But if a business needs to measure CTO's performance, it's better to use annual goals that both parties agree on.

What questions to ask candidates for a CTO position?

We all hire people when we have some problems to fix that we can't do ourselves. So it's essential to ask relative questions that help you understand that this person will solve the specific situation. What's important, though, is to listen to questions that a candidate asks. They should reveal a person's understanding of short-term and long-term goals as much as their level of commitment.

Where to study for CTO?

One has to earn the right to be a CTO. So you can't just study this at university. CTO skillset combines technology background with years of experience. And important keys here are natural curiosity and passion because they allow people to grow as technical leaders. The employers may ask the candidate about their passion, and they should be able to name something from the technology world.

How much time does it take to land a CTO on a new project?

The answer is probably no different from the time needed to land a developer. But we should understand that one thing is landing a person and another is bringing them up to a normal speed.  

If it’s a complex system, it may take months for a CTO to become an actual owner of the product.

Should a CTO write code?

CTO has to do everything to support business growth. If the team needs help with coding right now, the CTO may do it. But they also have to think about how not to get into this kind of situation in the future. Learn the lesson, so to speak.

The best way is to talk to experts, listen to various opinions, and make your own decision.  

How do I know if I need an in-house or remote CTO?

In most cases, you'd prefer getting an in-house professional. Still, there are scenarios when a virtual CTO can be as effective as an in-house one but a lot cheaper.

For example, say you have a small business and want to attract more clients by improving a customer experience. And you can invest in this project a limited amount of money every month.  In this case, a virtual CTO is a good option for a start because you can engage a skilled and experienced professional for a fraction of the market price. Later, the results of their work may allow you to convert to a full-time relationship. However, in my opinion, if you think your project will occupy more than 50% of the CTO's time, it's better to aim for a full-time position.

Can a remote CTO replace an in-house one?

The primary CTO's resource that you pay for is their brain-time. So a dedicated  person will be thinking about the project a lot more than a shared CTO. In this perspective,  a virtual CTO can't replace a full-time employee, but it could be a good place for a start.

Why hire a virtual CTO, and not a real one?