I help engineering managers stop reacting to fires and start recognizing patterns
Chris is a fantastic resource for Engineering Managers. He takes a no nonsense approach to coaching and demonstrates the behaviors that drive success in engineering management. He works to build trust, listens actively, and provides clear feedback and perspective. Personally, the guidance and coaching Chris provided me has positively changed my life for the better and I will highly recommend any current or aspiring Engineering Manager to talk to Chris. You can always improve. Chris Vannoy can help you improve more and faster. – Will
Your team ships constantly but your CEO keeps asking why things take so long.
Your best engineer just hinted they want to quit.
The roadmap changed again and your team is demoralized.
You’re not sure if any of this is your fault or just how startups work.
It’s mostly the latter. But there are patterns underneath the chaos, and once you see them, everything gets easier.
Most management advice comes from folks at huge companies or generic “leadership” contexts. What works at BigCo doesn’t apply at a 75-person startup. I teach you to navigate startup chaos specifically.
Whether you just got the title and feel like you’re faking it, or you’ve been managing for years and are hitting the ceiling between manager and director, the patterns are the same. The altitude is different.
Kelton, Head of Engineering, B2B SaaS startup
When I started coaching with Chris, I was a lead engineer focused on architecture, code, and delivery. A year later, I’m taking over engineering management responsibilities, conducting performance reviews, and helping shape the future of the organization. Chris didn’t give me a playbook, he helped me develop the judgment and perspective required to lead. That’s been far more valuable.
What makes this different?
Most coaching teaches you tactics for this week’s fire. How to handle that difficult conversation. What to say in your next 1:1.
That’s fine. We’ll do some of that.
But what I’m actually doing is tracking patterns across your sessions. The thing your engineer said three weeks ago connects to why they’re frustrated today. The fire you’re putting out this week is the same fire from last month wearing different clothes.
I teach you to see those patterns — and once you do, you stop reacting to emergencies and start recognizing them before they ignite.
How does this work?
Live, personal sessions focused on what you’re struggling with right now. I’ll arm you with techniques to try, and we’ll iterate on what’s working.
Structure
- 4 one-hour 1:1 sessions per month (typically weekly)
- Shared Slack channel for ad hoc questions
- Access to relevant training materials
Welcome Kit
Every new coaching relationship starts with a care package:
- A book or two on management
- A kick-ass mechanical pencil
- A fresh notebook
- A new coffee mug
- Some of Indianapolis’ finest locally roasted coffee
About Chris
I’ve been VP of Product & Engineering at venture-backed startups. I’ve shipped code, managed teams, sat in the meetings where the CEO asks ‘why is this taking so long’ and the real answer is ‘product hasn’t defined it yet but nobody wants to say that.’
Before that I managed engineers at a daily newspaper, building social networks for dogs and moms in the early aughts. My boss left, I jumped at the promotion, and suddenly I was managing six people with zero clue what I was doing.
Over the next twenty years, I bounced between IC and management. Each new environment made me a little better at it. Most of that is probably scar tissue.
The point of this coaching is to help you avoid those pitfalls. People are hard. Startups are hard. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
FAQ’s
What does the first session look like?
Mostly listening. We figure out where things are, what the current struggles are, where the strengths and gaps exist. If possible, this first meeting can be in person—coffee or lunch.
What’s your approach?
I follow your lead. You bring the fires, I help you find the patterns underneath. Sessions are conversational, not structured. We dig into what’s actually happening this week and connect it to what we’ve been tracking over time.
I value honesty, transparency, autonomy, and context and coach through that lens.
How do you define success?
You stop feeling like every week is a new crisis. You start recognizing problems two or three weeks before they blow up. Your team trusts you more because you’re consistent instead of reactive. And you build a library of patterns you’ll use for the rest of your career – not just at this job.
Chris has a unique ability to help engineering leaders see beyond the code. Through our coaching sessions, I learned how to manage expectations, communicate across the business, and think more strategically about people, priorities, and outcomes. The result wasn’t just personal growth, it directly contributed to my transition into engineering leadership. If you’re an engineer making the jump, I can’t recommend Chris highly enough.
Kelton, Head of Engineering, B2B SaaS startup
Cost
$1,800 / month, with a six month minimum.
Executive coaching available starting at $3,000 / month.