Your engineering team is stuck. In 90 days, they won’t be.
Your product team has a backlog years deep. Your engineering team ships a handful of points per sprint. Meetings are snippy. Planning sessions turn into grooming sessions. Everyone’s frustrated.
I embed with your team for 90 days to fix the systems, processes, and alignment issues that are slowing you down.
The goal: Fast, fearless, and aligned engineering. Consistent sprints of high-impact work. Happier engineers. Happier product people.
We’ve always had a talented team, but legacy processes and high-friction delivery held them back. Chris was the partner we needed to turn things around. We’ve replaced reactive firefighting with a scalable, predictable engine that gives our developers autonomy to ship and our executive team confidence in our ability to execute.
Matt Smith, VP Engineering, SharpenCX
How it works
Phase 1: Research Spike (two weeks)
I observe how your team actually operates—attending meetings, reading Slack, interviewing team members, looking at the codebase.
Deliverable: A report on the state of affairs—code quality, team dynamics, observed bottlenecks, and recommendations.
Phase 2: Build & Fix (six weeks)
Take those observations and start making things better. Implement incident response procedures, process improvements, code review standards. Align engineering work with business outcomes.
Deliverable: New policies, procedures, and ways of working that fit your team—not a framework imported from BigCo.
Phase 3: Bake in (five weeks)
Work with the team to make sure these changes stick after I leave.
Deliverable: Documentation, continued iteration, and habits that outlast the engagement.
Phase 4: Ongoing support (Optional)
Continue to assist as the team speeds up and new bottlenecks emerge.
When I was at a startup that got acquired, I watched what happens when engineering and the business get disconnected. Progress ground to a halt, engineers fled, and the company withered into a PE hellscape. I was miserable.
That experience reinforced what I’d learned over twenty years of managing engineers: teams work fastest and happiest when they understand the business and own their work—tip to tail.
The way I help companies ship product faster is by empowering engineers to ask more questions, solve more problems, and think with a product mindset. It’s taking Agile back to its core principles.
In just 90 days, Chris has made a big difference for our team. He helped simplify how we work, got everyone more in sync, and made it easier for us to move faster and get more done.
His thoughtful approach, clear communication, and focus on practical improvements made a real impact. I’d gladly recommend Chris to any team looking to work more smoothly and achieve better results.
Jarrod M., Director of Product/UX, Captivated
FAQ’s
What do I get at the end?
Consistent product delivery, happier engineers, and documented processes to keep things moving after I’m gone.
How much of my time does this take?
I work mostly with your team directly. You can expect a weekly half-hour check-in with me. The heavy lifting is mine.
How quickly will I see results?
Within two weeks, you’ll have a report outlining your starting state and recommendations. Visible improvements typically follow within the first month.
What if we need something longer-term?
If 90 days isn’t the right fit, let’s talk about Fractional CTO or other arrangements.
