Sean Van Osselaer (SVO) - Fractional CTO
Technical Strategy & Team Scaling
Growing companies face challenges when scaling their engineering capabilities - from startups moving beyond their founding team to established companies launching digital initiatives. As a fractional CTO, I provide the strategic technical leadership needed to navigate rapid growth successfully.
My expertise spans AI-driven development practices, cloud-native architectures, team scaling strategies, and process optimization. I focus on practical solutions that align technical strategy with business objectives, delivering measurable improvements in engineering performance and sustainable growth.
With extensive experience building high-performing engineering teams, I help companies transform their technical challenges into competitive advantages through proven methodologies and data-driven approaches.
Technical Expertise
Languages & Frameworks
- Python, TypeScript, Clojure, ...
- React, Angular, Node.js, ...
- React Native, Flutter, ...
Cloud & Infrastructure
- AWS, GCP, Azure, ...
- Terraform, Ansible, ...
- Docker, Kubernetes, ...
Architecture & Systems
- Microservices, APIs, ...
- Distributed Systems, ...
- Event-Driven Architecture, ...
Process & Leadership
- Agile, Lean, DevOps, ...
- CI/CD, Monitoring, ...
- Team Scaling, Mentoring, ...
Approach & Philosophy
Connecting Technical & Human Systems
My approach centers on connecting seemingly disconnected technical challenges to reveal the underlying patterns that drive engineering success. I start with systematic assessment - analyzing deployment pipelines, team communication flows, and system architecture to identify the bottlenecks that compound into business problems.
Every engagement follows a data-driven methodology: establish baseline metrics, implement targeted improvements, and measure results against clear success criteria. Whether it's reducing deployment risk through automated testing pipelines or scaling teams through improved onboarding processes, the focus is always on measurable outcomes that align with business objectives.
I translate complex technical challenges into strategic solutions by bridging the gap between engineering capabilities and business needs. This means not just identifying what's broken, but understanding why it matters to growth, revenue, and competitive advantage - then building sustainable practices that deliver consistent results as companies scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Fractional CTO?
A Fractional CTO is a part-time Chief Technology Officer who provides strategic technical leadership to growing companies without the full-time commitment and cost. I work with multiple clients to deliver the same high-level technical strategy, team leadership, and architectural guidance that a full-time CTO would provide, but on a flexible engagement model that scales with your needs.
How does fractional CTO work vs full-time hiring?
Fractional CTO services offer immediate expertise without the 6-12 month hiring process. You get proven technical leadership from day one, with the flexibility to scale engagement up or down based on your company's growth stage and needs. This approach is ideal for companies that need senior technical guidance but aren't ready for a full-time executive hire.
What size companies benefit most from fractional CTO services?
Growing companies with 10-100 employees typically see the greatest value from fractional CTO services. This includes startups scaling beyond their founding team, established companies launching digital initiatives, and businesses experiencing technical bottlenecks that impact growth.
How do you measure success in a fractional CTO engagement?
Success is measured through concrete improvements: faster deployment cycles, reduced system downtime, improved team performance metrics, and alignment between technical strategy and business objectives. I establish clear OKRs at engagement start, including things like lead time for changes, deployment frequency, mean time to recovery, change failure rate, and team satisfaction scores.
What's the typical engagement timeline and process?
Engagements typically start with an assessment to understand your technical landscape, team dynamics, and growth objectives. From there, we establish ongoing strategic guidance that might include weekly leadership meetings, monthly architecture reviews, quarterly strategic planning, and as-needed project oversight.
Ready to transform your engineering organization?
Let's discuss how I can help you build scalable systems, implement smart technology solutions, and create high-performing engineering teams.