Building a Startup is hard. A Fractional CPTO can help.
- Roman Levin
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
So, you're diving headfirst into the exhilarating world of startups. You're juggling marketing, sales, business strategy, and a million other things. It's a lot, right? Especially when you're just starting out or looking to scale your early-stage venture.
Amidst all that, two things are absolutely critical – they're the heart and soul of your business:
Building the Right Product (Product Strategy): This isn't just about having a cool idea. It's about deeply understanding your customers, identifying what truly needs to be built, in what order, and validating those ideas with real data. It’s about strategy and a laser-focus on solving a real problem.
Actually Building the Product (Product Execution): This is where the rubber meets the road. You need to bring that vision to life. Whether you're working with agencies, freelancers, or hiring your first developers, someone needs the deep technical expertise to manage the process, ensure quality, and build something that can grow with you.
For first-time founders (and everyone else), mastering both of these areas can feel like a monumental task. And honestly? That's completely normal. This kind of expertise is hard-won.
The Cost of Getting it Wrong (And Why Product & Tech are Different)
We all make mistakes in a startup – it’s part of the journey. But not all mistakes are created equal.
Marketing misstep? You can often pivot your messaging or strategy relatively quickly.
Hiring mismatch? Painful, yes, but you can address it and move forward.
But what happens when you get the product or technology wrong?
Building the wrong product? You've poured time and money into something customers don't want or need. Pivoting takes a long and precious time, and competitors might just zoom past you.
Building the product wrong? Maybe you've built the right features, but the underlying technology is clunky, can't scale, or is a nightmare to maintain. This often means costly rebuilds, wasted months, and frustrated users. Development time is very costly, you need to use it properly.
These aren't just small bumps; they can be existential threats to an early-stage company. You need someone who's navigated these waters before, someone with a strong hand in both Product strategy and Engineering execution.
How I Can Help You Avoid These Pitfalls
This is where I come in. I've been in your shoes, building startups as both a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and a Chief Product Officer (CPO). I’ve also steered product strategy in larger, scaling companies and even multi-billion dollar corporations.
I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how to build successful products from the ground up – from the big picture vision to the nuts and bolts of development.
Mistakes will always happen, and learning is constant. But having someone by your side who has "been there, done that" can help you sidestep many of the common, costly errors.
Why a Fractional CPTO Could Be Your Secret Weapon
You might be thinking, "I can't afford a full-time, experienced CPO/CTO right now," or "I don't have enough work to keep someone like that busy full-time." And you're probably right!
That’s the beauty of a Fractional CPTO. You get the senior-level expertise in both product and technology, precisely when you need it, without the commitment or cost of a full-time executive.
It's a smart way to:
Move faster: Get expert guidance to make the right decisions quickly.
Reduce expensive mistakes: Avoid those product and tech pitfalls we talked about.
Build a solid foundation: Ensure you're creating the right product, in the right way, setting you up for future success.
If you're an early-stage startup or a first-time founder looking to build a strong product foundation and accelerate your growth, let's chat. I can help you navigate the complexities of product strategy and technical execution, so you can focus on building your dream.
Comments