Coaching for AI CTOs and Technical Cofounders
CTO coaching is a regular place to work on the leadership decisions that come with building a company: hiring, delegation, your cofounder relationship, and the board.
I'm Tarikh Korula. I coach AI CTOs, technical cofounders, and the CEOs they build with. I've been coaching since 2018, and I've founded three venture-backed companies myself.
What a CTO coach does
You built the product. Now you're hiring people to take over work you used to do yourself.
You need to decide which technical calls stay with you and which belong to an engineering leader. A model release may have changed your roadmap. Your cofounder wants an answer you don't have yet.
We work through the decision in front of you: who owns it, what you need to say, and to whom. Then you go do it, and we look at what happened.
CTO coach vs fractional CTO
A fractional CTO can take responsibility for technical direction or engineering leadership on a part-time basis.
In coaching, you keep responsibility for the work. We focus on how you lead: what you delegate, how you make decisions with your CEO, and how you explain a technical bet to the board.
If you need someone to own technical delivery, a fractional CTO may be a better fit.
CTO coach vs CTO mentor
A mentor can share how they handled a job or problem like yours. That experience can be useful, and I encourage founders to seek it out.
My role is to stay with your situation over time. We meet regularly, keep track of what you've tried, and look at what keeps coming back. I'll share my experience when it helps.
Coaching can sit alongside a mentor or peer group.
What technical cofounders bring to coaching
It usually looks like one of these.
You're still in every pull request. You've delegated, but everyone still waits for your review. We look at what you're holding on to and why, then you practice giving someone room to do the job.
Your first real engineering leader. You need a VP of Engineering, or someone who has run a bigger team than you have. We define what they own, what stays with you, and how you'll know it's working.
The board meeting. We work on a clear account of the technology, the bets, and the risks, in language the board can act on. Bring the deck and we'll rehearse the hard questions.
Why AI CTOs work with me
I co-founded the AI discovery company Seen in 2013. Today I build AI products, including Ed Bot 2.0 with Ed Batista. More about my AI work.
Three-time founder, ICF PCC, coaching founders since 2018. More about me.
How it works
We start with a free 30-minute intro call. Coaching is month to month. $3,000 to $6,000 a month. See what's included. How coaching works.
FAQ
What is a CTO coach?
A CTO coach helps a CTO or technical cofounder work on leadership decisions, including delegation, hiring, the cofounder relationship, and the board. In my practice, we meet regularly and follow what happens between sessions.
Is CTO coaching the same as engineering leadership coaching?
There is overlap. My work with technical cofounders includes engineering leadership as well as the responsibilities of being an owner, the CEO relationship, and conversations with the board.
Do you coach the CEO and CTO together?
Yes. I coach each cofounder on their own and, when it helps, both of you together. A cofounder pair pays one fee.
Do I need to be at an AI company?
No. I work with technical founders across different kinds of companies. The focus is on your role and the leadership problems you're facing.
Tell me what's actually happening.
Bring the decision you keep circling or the conversation you keep postponing. We'll talk about where you are and whether working together makes sense.