Stephan Schmidt

Look, I started just like you – hacking away on code (in my case, on a department store computer back in '81 :-). Fast forward through founding startups, scaling engineering teams, and eventually becoming CTO at an eBay subsidiary, I've hit most of the technical leadership challenges you're probably currently facing or about to face (I wrote a successful book about it).

Here's the thing: making the leap from great engineer to effective leader is tough. And from engineering leader to executive is even harder. The skills that made you an excellent developer won't necessarily make you a good engineering manager. The skills you've used as a team lead don't help you with being an executive, being a respected, strategic CTO. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. Now I help other technical leaders navigate their growth, whether you're dealing with scaling teams, hiring, firing, making hard architectural decisions, or figuring out how to balance technical debt with business demands and pressure from top management.

I'm not here to sell you on fancy frameworks or theoretical models (though I did help many get running with DORA or SPACE). Instead, I offer practical guidance based on real experience – both my successes and failures – in startups and large enterprises alike. If you're looking for someone who's been in the trenches and can help you level up your leadership game, let's talk!