The Desperation of the Generalist
I was debating how to position myself for this new consulting phase. Do I market myself as a "Swiss Army Knife" Executive? After all, I have been a CEO, a COO, a CMO, and a CTO. I can fix your marketing funnel and your server architecture.
But my gut (and the data) told me the hard truth: If you sell everything, you sell nothing.
When a client sees "Fractional CEO / COO / CTO / CMO" on a LinkedIn profile, they don't see a Superman. They see a Generalist Founder looking for a job. They see confusion.
The Sharp Spear Principle
To penetrate a market, you need a sharp point, not a blunt object.
- Blunt: "I can help run your business." (Vague. Sounds like expensive advice).
- Sharp: "I solve expensive technical problems and automate workflows." (Specific. Solves a bleeding wound).
I am choosing the Sharp Spear. I am positioning 100% as a Fractional CTO.
The Trojan Horse Strategy
This doesn't mean I ignore my other skills. It means I use them as a Secret Weapon.
I call this the Trojan Horse CTO.
- The Entry: I get hired to fix the Tech Stack (The CTO mandate).
- The Expansion: Once I am inside, I use my CEO/CMO experience to deliver massive value that a "normal" engineer couldn't.
I fix their marketing funnel (CMO hat) by implementing better tracking (CTO hat).
I fix their operations (COO hat) by automating the shipping logic (CTO hat).
The "CTO Who Speaks Cash Flow"
Most CTOs annoy CEOs because they ask for huge budgets and speak in acronyms. They view technology as an end in itself.
My Unique Value Proposition isn't that I write the best code. It's that I am a CTO who thinks like a CFO.
Because I have sat in the CEO chair, I don't just ask for servers. I ask about ROI.
"I'm not here to build cool tech. I'm here to use tech to cut your OpEx by 20%."
That is a language that business owners understand.
The Protocol: Be a Specialist in the pitch, but a Generalist in the delivery. Use the "Tech" label to get in the room, then use the "Business" brain to own the room.
