Tech debt is a financial instrument
Tech debt is a financial instrument. You borrow speed from the future to survive today. But most founders let the interest rate wipe them out. Don't apologize...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
Recent Notes
Repeat after me:
Repeat after me: 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1 ICP. 1 UVP. 1 core problem. 1 flow. 1 acquisition channel. Founders love optionality. They target two segments. They test...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
Your $60K junior hire actually costs $160K
Your $60K junior hire actually costs $160K. You think you save budget. You actually burn your most expensive asset: your focus. Most solo founders...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
Your ugly code generates revenue
Your ugly code generates revenue. Your beautiful V2 generates zero. You built V1. It's unattractive. It smells. But it pays the bills. Then your ego wakes up....
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
You don't need a strategy to recover
You don't need a strategy to recover. You need to do something stupid. You lose the client. The co-founder quits. You stare at the ceiling at 3 AM. Your brain...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
You are not a CEO
You are not a CEO. You are a shadow CTO hiding in your IDE. You burn $500/hr strategic time on $50/hr dev work. Sales stall. Funding pauses. You code because...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
Stop looking at the code
Stop looking at the code. You can't understand it. You nod and say, "Looks good." This is dangerous. Don't mix "It works" with "It is well-made." You cannot...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
2.5 months ago: $460K debt. 99% depressed
2.5 months ago: $460K debt. 99% depressed. Today: $20K MRR. I didn't get lucky. I got desperate. I stared at my runway. Panic attacks were my daily routine. I...
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
No-code is a high-interest loan
No-code is a high-interest loan. It feels like free money at the start. But the compounding debt kills you later. You launched in 4 weeks. You felt smart....
Nicolas Cava
Fractional CTO
