Running a company is hard enough without also having to become a technical expert. Most non-technical founders spend months worrying about whether their engineers or agency are building the right thing. Founder advocacy gives you someone in your corner who understands both the business and the technology.
What Is Founder Advocacy?
Founder advocacy means having a technical advisor who works for you, not your development team. Someone who explains what's really happening with the product, translates technical decisions into business terms, and makes sure your engineers or vendors are focused on what actually matters.
This is not mentorship or generic startup advice. It's practical, ongoing support for the technical side of your business. You don't need to learn to code. You need someone who can evaluate the work being done, ask the right questions, and tell you when something doesn't make sense.
How It Works
We start by understanding your business. What you're building, who it's for, and what success looks like. Then we evaluate your current technical situation. What's working, what's not, and where the risks are.
From there, we work alongside you as decisions come up. Should you hire this developer? Is the agency's estimate reasonable? Does this technical problem actually need solving now? We give you clear answers and help you move forward with confidence. We also attend key meetings, review work, and make sure your team stays aligned with business goals.
- Assess current state - Review your product, team, and technical approach
- Provide ongoing guidance - Answer questions as they come up, no waiting
- Evaluate vendors and hires - Help you choose the right partners and team members
- Review work in progress - Make sure what's being built matches what you need
- Translate technical to business - Explain tradeoffs in terms that matter to you
Who It's For
Non-technical founders building a software product. You're working with freelancers, an agency, or your first engineer. You know technology is critical but you can't evaluate the work yourself. You need someone you can trust to tell you the truth.
- You're working with a development agency and not sure if they're doing good work
- You hired a freelance developer and can't tell if progress is reasonable
- You need to make technical decisions but have no one to ask for advice
- You're about to hire your first engineer and don't know what to look for
Key Benefits
You stop guessing and start knowing. Decisions get made faster because you have someone to consult. You avoid expensive mistakes before they happen. And you sleep better knowing someone technical is watching out for your interests.
- Confident decision-making - Get clear answers to technical questions
- Vendor accountability - Make sure agencies and freelancers deliver what they promise
- Avoid costly mistakes - Catch problems before they become expensive rewrites
- Better hiring - Know what to look for when bringing on your first technical team
- Peace of mind - Someone technical is looking out for your business
- No learning curve - You don't need to become technical to run a tech company
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from hiring a CTO?
A CTO runs your technology organization full-time. Founder advocacy is advisory. We help you make decisions and evaluate work, but we're not managing your team day-to-day. If you need full-time technical leadership, consider a Fractional or Interim CTO instead.
How often do we talk?
As often as you need. Some founders check in weekly. Others reach out when specific questions come up. It's flexible based on what's happening in your business. The key is having someone available when you need answers, not scheduled meetings for the sake of meetings.
What if my developers don't like having someone review their work?
Good developers welcome accountability. If your team pushes back on reasonable oversight, that's a signal worth paying attention to. We're not here to micromanage. We're here to make sure the work aligns with your business needs. Most developers appreciate clear direction.
Schedule a call to learn more about how we can be your technical advocate.