From chaos
to CLEAR.
Fractional CTO for founder-led SaaS teams in Europe.
You have a remote dev team, a backlog, and too many moving parts. Releases slip. Decisions pile up.
You don't need a full-time CTO yet. You need someone who can own the gap between your vision and your team's execution. Someone who keeps your product from breaking under real usage, your team from burning out, and your next hire from being a mistake.
I bring structure, process, and judgment to your technical decisions and risks. You focus on growing the business.
Based in Bulgaria, EET timezone.
Hi, I'm Rob
Decisions that don't pile up.
Risks you see before they hit.
A team that can focus.
The problem
The hardest decisions aren't about code
In small SaaS teams, there's a layer of decisions that sit between the tech and the product. Third-party trade-offs. Scope calls. Tooling choices. They need technical depth to evaluate, but product context to get right.
These don't belong to you alone - they pull you away from what you do best. And they don't belong to your dev team - who need focus time to ship.
Someone has to own that gap. Close enough to the code to understand constraints. Close enough to the product to make the right call.
That's what I do.
The framework
The CLEAR Framework
A simple structure for getting unstuck and staying that way.
Clarity on scope
What's v1 and what can wait. Build or buy, this vendor or that one. If AI fits, I help your team use it well, not as a shortcut. I map the options, surface the trade-offs, and give a recommendation. You decide with full context.
Leadership on decisions
I own the gap between you and your dev team. Weekly decision calls with a memo: what we decided, why, what happens next. Your lead dev gets focus time. Decisions stop piling up.
Execution rhythm
Structure that fits your team, not the other way around. The right cadence of syncs, reviews, and planning — enough to keep things moving, not so much it gets in the way. Estimates that surface surprises before you've committed to a deadline. Pipeline review so you see where work gets stuck. Docs that earn their keep — decision logs, onboarding notes, architecture basics.
Alignment across team
One-on-ones that surface problems early — frustrations, blockers, ideas. You keep the people you've worked hard to find by catching issues before they become resignations. When you hire, I run structured first-rounds — 700+ interviews taught me to filter for stewards, not just coders.
Risks visible early
Top 5 risks to your next release, tracked and always current. No surprises. Visibility into what's actually happening — who's shipping, what's stuck, where the patterns are.
Is this a good fit?
This is for you if:
- You're a founder building a B2B SaaS product with a small team (3-10 people) and at least one person writing code
- You're past MVP with paying customers or have seed funding
- You're based in Europe or the UK
- You're not deeply technical, or you are, but you're spread too thin to make every call
- Decisions are piling up. Releases are slipping. Integrations are getting complex. Technical debt is growing.
- You want to stay close to the product. You're looking for a partner, not a handoff.
This is not for you if:
- You want someone to take over completely and report back monthly
- You need hands-on coding or day-to-day ticket management
- You're pre-MVP with no revenue or funding. You need validation first, not a fractional CTO.
- You're a solo founder with no team yet. You likely need a co-founder or hands-on builder.
- You prefer receiving direct instructions over weighing options and deciding together
- Your team is 25+ people. You likely need a full-time hire, not a fractional.
Clients
What clients say
"We wouldn't be anywhere near where we are without Rob. You're in great hands with him."
Beth T.
proptech founder, USA
"Robert is really good at thinking up simple ways to make the project those extra few % better than expected."
Stephen P., London
"Excellent communicator."
Philippe V., Brussels
"Quite brilliant. Robert goes above and beyond… I cannot recommend him highly enough."
Ian P., Luton
What to expect
Decision audit: what's stuck, what needs a call now. Risk snapshot: top 5 threats to your next release. Scope check: what can wait, what can't. You get clarity fast, before the full rhythm kicks in.
Full technical audit. We define v1 scope, set up execution rhythm, validate your stack, establish code review workflows and team communication structure. Hiring support if you need it. Ends with a handover document so nothing gets lost.
Fractional CTO on retainer. Weekly decision calls, risk tracking, architecture guidance, hiring input, vendor evaluation. The rhythm is established. We maintain and adapt it as your product grows. Month-to-month after the initial commitment.
Investment
Two ways to work together
Most clients start with the Foundation Build and transition to Ongoing Leadership. Either phase can be booked standalone.
€6,000/month
Full technical audit. Scope definition. Execution rhythm. Stack validation, code review workflows, hiring support, team communication structure. Typically, 2-3 months. Ends with a handover document.
€2,500/month
Fractional CTO on retainer. Weekly decision calls, async access, decision memos, risk tracking, architecture guidance, hiring input, vendor evaluation. Month-to-month after 3-month minimum.
Both phases include weekly decision calls, async access, decision memos, and risk tracking. No long-term lock-in, but the CLEAR framework takes 2-3 months to show its full impact.
I work with 2-3 clients at a time. If I'm full, I'll let you know, and we can plan a start date.
FAQ
Common questions
Yes - if we focus on high-leverage decisions and risks. I'm not here to grind tickets. I help you avoid the wrong turns that cost weeks and months.
No. I don't run standups, manage your backlog day-to-day, or grind tickets. I focus on the decisions and risks that make shipping easier. If you need someone embedded full-time running delivery, that's a different engagement. Happy to talk about what fits.
I still build my own products, so yes. But in client work, rarely. Only when it unblocks a decision or proves a point. My job is clarity and risk reduction, not ticket execution.
Quick wins in weeks 1-2: decision audit, risk snapshot, scope check. Then we build the full Foundation: technical audit, execution rhythm, stack validation, code review workflows. By end of month 1, the weekly cadence is running and decisions are moving.
Availability varies. Fill out the form below and we'll figure out timing.
One decision-maker. Access to your task tracker and repo. A willingness to make decisions weekly instead of letting them pile up.
I'll tell you. If what you need isn't what I do, I'll say so and point you in a better direction. No hard feelings.
Let's talk
Not a sales pitch - just a conversation about where you are and whether the CLEAR framework fits. Fill out this short form and I'll reply within 2 business days.