Insights on transitioning from developer to leader, building high-performing teams, and navigating the path to CTO. Real experiences from 20+ years guiding technology strategy in growth-stage companies.
Technical due diligence evaluates whether the technology behind a product is sound, scalable, and secure before investment. This guide explains what the seven core assessment areas cover, what assessors look for, and how founders can prepare - written for non-technical decision-makers.
Most businesses overspend on technology without realising it. Over-engineered solutions, wrong architecture choices, technical debt, and vendor lock-in quietly compound into significant waste. Here are the patterns I see most often and what you can do about each one.
Only 31% of software projects succeed. When yours is in trouble, what actually happens when you bring in outside help? Here's a day-by-day walkthrough of the first week of a project rescue - from initial assessment through triage to a clear recovery plan.
Only 31% of software projects succeed. The rest show warning signs early - scope creep, developer turnover, communication breakdown. Here are 7 signs your project is in trouble and what to do about it.
The developer who saves every project is often your biggest risk. Hero culture creates bottlenecks, hides complexity, prevents scaling, and burns out your best people.
When you're building a product as a solo developer, it's easy to assume you'll always be the one maintaining it. But if there's one thing...
When I joined Holiday Caravans Direct (HCD), I didn't plan on leading. I wasn't hired as a CTO or even a lead developer — I was simply...
My Journey from University to Brightside Leaving university can feel like stepping off a cliff. One moment you're immersed in lectures,...
The career progression of a technology professional often straddles two distinct domains: hands-on development and leadership. While each...
A good architecture is not created in a vacuum. All design decisions at the architectural level should be made within the context of the...
In an era where technology evolves quickly, strategic IT leadership has become more crucial than ever for businesses looking to thrive....
At Holiday Caravans Direct (HCD), one of the most persistent challenges I faced wasn't code-related — it was communication. I worked...
When people think of building a SaaS product, they often imagine a team of engineers, designers, product owners, and testers working...
It didn't happen in a meeting. It wasn't announced with a title. There was no handover, no ceremony. But one day at Activus, mid-project,...
Some roles leave a lasting impression not because of what they taught you technically, but because of how they redefined your standards....
Not every lesson comes from someone you admire. In fact, one of the most influential people in my development journey was someone I...
When I joined Activus as a contractor, the primary goal was to modernise a large VB6 Windows Forms application. But what I found waiting...
It was a throwaway comment. One of those things said in passing that somehow sticks with you longer than it should. A colleague once...
When I started my career at Brightside, I still held on to the idea that loyalty in the workplace worked the same in tech as it did in...
From Windows Forms to Web: My First Contract and Tech Leadership Experience at Activus When I took on my first contract role at Activus,...
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