Fractional AI Strategy for Software, Ecommerce & Startups

I help founder-led software, ecommerce, and startup teams choose what to build, buy, automate, stop, and measure next.

The work is for companies that have real customers and real operating complexity, yet still make important technology decisions between the founder, a spreadsheet, and whichever tool is making the loudest promise that month.

One September engagement is available. One 90-minute executive operating session each week, with asynchronous support between sessions. $9,500 per month with a three-month initial commitment.

The decisions that get expensive

Early improvisation is often a strength. Later, the same shortcuts create unclear ownership, fragile integrations, duplicate data, rising software spend, and product work that is hard to connect to profit.

A useful first initiative might improve:

• Pricing, packaging, or cost-to-serve visibility
• Customer onboarding and time-to-value
• Support triage and recurring-product feedback
• Internal operations across sales, delivery, finance, and product
• Build-versus-buy decisions and software portfolio cost
• Ecommerce pricing, purchasing, fulfillment, or exception handling
• Turning product and operating data into a decision leaders can trust

I have made these decisions as a founder

I studied computer science, started four companies, and sold one. My companies have included ecommerce, coworking, remote video infrastructure, and workforce software for entertainment.

Film Gear South Africa grew past $1 million in sales with one full-time employee. Its pricing system recalculated more than 10,000 products each hour using currency rates, shipping, duties, and tax. StreamVT took a technical idea from a film-set problem to global deployments and an acquisition. ShowCal started because the scheduling and rate tools available to entertainment crews did not match the way the work actually happened.

I understand the founder's tension between moving quickly and creating a mess the company will have to unwind. I also know that a technically interesting solution can still be the wrong business decision.

How I work with the team

We choose one operating result that can move within 90 days. I help establish the economic baseline, challenge the current assumptions, evaluate the options, and keep the decision moving across product, engineering, operations, finance, and outside vendors.

The weekly executive session is where we decide. Between sessions, I use AI to research options, analyze operating information, pressure-test assumptions, prepare decision briefs, and build focused prototypes. I remain responsible for the recommendation.

Your technical team still owns production engineering. I can give them a clearer decision, narrower scope, and stronger connection to the business result.

What I do not own

I do not serve as the company's fractional CMO, growth marketer, or marketing automation lead. I will not own campaign strategy, paid acquisition, content production, or demand-generation targets.

I can help improve the operating loop after a customer enters it, including onboarding, delivery, support, retention signals, and cost-to-serve. Product growth decisions may be in scope when they belong to the product and operating model rather than a marketing campaign.

A good fit

• The founder or another executive will sponsor the work.
• The company has customers, operating data, and a meaningful decision to make now.
• An internal product, engineering, or operations owner can help implement the decisions.
• The first outcome has a credible connection to margin, capacity, cost, or cash.
• The team wants sharper executive ownership rather than an outsourced feature factory.

Frequently asked questions

When should a startup hire a fractional CAIO or CTO?

A fractional leader makes sense when technology decisions have meaningful business consequences, the work crosses several teams, and the company needs executive ownership without adding a full-time role.

Can you work with our existing CTO or VP of Engineering?

Yes. I can own a cross-functional AI or operating initiative while the technical leader retains authority over architecture, engineering quality, security, and the team.

Will you help us choose AI vendors?

Yes. I can define the operating need, compare build-versus-buy options, run a focused evaluation, and direct the vendor relationship. A vendor is selected only after the decision and measurement are clear.

Do you provide marketing automation or growth services?

No. I can improve product and operating workflows around the customer, but I do not own campaigns, paid media, lead generation, content marketing, or fractional CMO outcomes.

What does the engagement cost?

The engagement is $9,500 per month with a three-month initial commitment. It includes one 90-minute executive session each week and asynchronous operating support throughout the business week.

See the full fractional AI and technology engagement, browse other industries, or read about my founder experience.