Garrett Mears: Fractional CTO Q&A

Welcome to our latest Fractional Q&A post featuring Garrett Mears, a highly skilled and experienced fractional CTO, startup CTO, and technical advisor.

Garrett's expertise spans various industries and tech stacks, making him adept at solving unique problems and introducing innovative ideas. What sets Garrett apart is his understanding that being a CTO is not just about technology; it's also about people.

Currently, his focus is on developing technology leaders, fostering collaboration, and helping teams realise their full potential.

Garrett's focus lies in laying the foundations for future growth, providing clear direction, technology strategy, leadership, and systematic ways of working and his unwavering dedication to achieving success becomes evident as he delves into insightful project examples throughout this piece.

Complete this sentence as concisely as possible, “I am a… “

I am a Fractional CTO.

Are there any other titles/terms that people commonly refer to you or you refer to yourself as?

The title Startup CTO and Technical Advisor better describes what I do. Fractional CTO describes how I work.

I’m not particular about titles, though.

When I started, seven years ago, I used the title Freelance CTO.

What I like about Fractional CTO is that it differentiates from ‘part-time’. To me, 'part-time' implies being available only on certain days. Fractional conjures up little fragments of time spread throughout the week. I find that creates better integration and responsiveness with the team.

How would you say you stand out from others that do a similar job?

I work with tech startups that have a product and need more structure to grow. They are beyond exploring product-market fit and yet are not in a position to scale. Venture-backed companies are at Series A, though I work with many self-funded companies.

At this stage, the company needs to lay the foundations for future growth.

• Clear direction and technology strategy.

• Leadership that the team can get behind.

• Systematic ways of working and team structure that supports it.

• Alignment between the business objectives and software development.

• Sound technology decisions.

I work across many different industries and tech stacks. My focus is on companies solving unique problems or introducing innovative ideas. I avoid working with companies that are service-based (like agencies), crypto or e-commerce.

We are keen to know more about your work as a fractional. Could you perhaps share a few details about projects you have done in the past?

A startup lost their CTO and was under pressure to deliver a major new feature for a key client. To complicate matters, the team was in the middle of a platform rewrite project that was behind schedule and over budget. And it was blocking new platform development. I stepped in to lead the team in completing the rewrite and delivering for the client. And then I helped to interview and hire a permanent CTO.

And here's an example that shows adaptability in leadership styles: The company needed senior technology leadership but had struggled with past CTOs. They wanted to promote a strong internal candidate with limited leadership experience. I joined the Engineering Council to contribute my experience and expertise to the team as a peer. In parallel, I coached the CTO and other team leads to help them perform better.

How did you get started as a Fractional CTO?

I stumbled into it.

There were two contributors that happened around the same time.

1. I was leaving a permanent CTO role and exploring what to do next. A career coach introduced me to the concept of a portfolio career. I was intrigued.

2. I attended an event for CTOs talking about side gigs. It was something I hadn't considered before.

I ended up assembling a mix of gigs that suited me. There was some coaching, technical due diligence, advisory and interim work. I experimented, learned and continued where I found success.

What have you learned from your experience as a Fractional CTO?

Accounting. Sales. Marketing. In general, building and running a business.

This has made me more effective when joining a management team. I have a deeper understanding of these areas from my own experience and contribute more to the conversation. I add value to the conversation beyond the product and technology.

Is there anything you’d share with aspiring fractionals?

Work iteratively.

Look at your work as a business. Have a plan. Think about your target audience, the value you add and the strategy that you will follow.

At the same time, don't let that hold you back. Find some way to get started and be helpful. You’ll learn what works for you and what doesn’t and can adjust accordingly. Ask your clients for feedback to understand the value that you are adding.

I’d share that it has been a journey for me. When I started out, I wasn’t sure what I was doing or where it would lead. I’ve learned so much from giving it a try. I've found connecting with a community of people on a similar path was super helpful.

What work are you most interested in at the moment?

Right now, I’m fascinated with developing technology leaders.

I've often said that the CTO role is that it is more about people than technology. Sure, it requires an understanding of technology. And I have over 20 years of experience with technology. Most problems seem to come back to people — getting the team to work well together toward a common goal.

My favourite engagements currently are working with a group of tech leads. Let’s call them a technology leadership team. I bring them together to take joint responsibility for delivery. This gets them to look beyond their team or silo. They gain a broader view of how their work impacts the business.

This is the First Team concept. I also take this approach as the CTO on the management team. I am responsible alongside my fellow executives for the success of the business. I may be responsible for the technology team and I lead that team. But my first team is the management team.