Strategic IT leadership without the six-figure commitment. A senior tech director who challenges your assumptions, owns the delivery, and makes themselves redundant when you're ready for a full-time hire.
Let's talk strategyA clear technology roadmap aligned with your business goals. No buzzwords, no fluff. Just a plan you can actually follow and a budget you can actually manage.
We deal with your suppliers so you don't have to. We know who's overcharging, who's underdelivering, and we're not afraid to tell them.
We'll tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. If your tech stack is fine, we'll say so. If it's costing you money, we'll fix it.
A fractional CTO is for businesses that need strategic IT leadership but aren't ready for a full-time hire.
Your business is scaling but your IT is still held together with duct tape and good intentions. You need someone to get ahead of it.
Cloud migration, new platforms, security overhauls. You want someone experienced in your corner before you commit budget.
You've got multiple suppliers, nobody's accountable, and you're not sure if you're getting value for money. We sort that out.
Investors or the board want IT representation but you can't justify a full-time CTO. A fractional role fills the gap perfectly.
Many MSP owners are technically brilliant operators but don't have a peer-level senior to sound things off. We work with several MSPs as their fractional CTO, providing strategic guidance, vendor relationships, and an outside perspective on commercial decisions.
Honest filter: fractional CTO work isn't right for every business. We work better with some buyers than others.
If you're looking for someone to bill by the hour for ad-hoc questions, that's not us. Fractional CTO work is retained, structured, and outcome-focused. Try a consultant marketplace if hourly is what you need.
We tell you what we think, even when it's not what you want to hear. If your tech stack is fine, we'll say so. If your favourite vendor is overcharging you, we'll tell you. If your roadmap is unrealistic, we'll push back. If you want validation rather than challenge, we're not the right fit.
Fractional CTO advice only works if you're ready to make decisions and follow through. If your business culture means strategic recommendations get parked indefinitely, you'll waste your money and our time. We need a counterpart who can actually drive change.
A clear, prioritised plan for your IT that aligns with your business goals and budget.
We negotiate, review, and manage your IT suppliers. No more overpaying or underdelivering.
IT spending that makes sense. We'll find where you're wasting money and where investment will pay off.
Clear, jargon-free updates for your board or investors. We translate tech into business language.
IT projects that actually get delivered on time and on budget. We've seen every way they can go wrong.
Make sure your business meets its obligations without over-engineering or overspending.
Before HelpFully, I spent 11 years as IT Manager across Cello Group, a multi-agency PLC, supporting marketing, research, comms, and creative agencies through growth, acquisitions, and exits. Pulsar (research analytics) sold to Access Intelligence PLC in 2019. I've seen what scale looks like, what breaks at each stage, and what senior IT leadership actually needs to deliver to a board. That's the perspective I bring to your business.
Most fractional CTO engagements are 2-4 days a month, retained on a rolling 6-month minimum. Day rate, monthly retainer, and project-based options are all available depending on your situation. We sign NDAs, attend board meetings, and deliver structured outputs (technology roadmaps, vendor reviews, board reports) rather than just hourly advice. If you're looking for a one-off consulting project rather than ongoing leadership, we can do that too, but most clients value the continuity of an ongoing relationship.
We sit down, learn how your business works, what your goals are, and where technology is helping or hindering. No jargon, just conversation.
A practical IT strategy with clear priorities, realistic timelines, and a budget that makes sense. Not a 100-page document. A plan you'll actually use.
Ongoing leadership, vendor management, and strategic decisions. We're in your corner for board meetings, budget reviews, and everything in between.
Most engagements are 2-4 days a month, varying with intensity. Some clients need weekly board-prep cadence, others need monthly strategic reviews. We agree the rhythm at the start and adjust as your needs change.
Six months. Fractional CTO work compounds. Month one is usually mostly listening and learning your business. Real value typically lands from month three onwards. Anything shorter and we're both wasting our time.
Yes to both. We work with regulated industries, advisory firms, and venture-backed businesses. NDAs are standard. Board meeting attendance is included in most engagements where it adds value.
Big consultancies put junior people on your account and bill at senior rates. We are the senior person. You work directly with the same person every engagement, who actually owns and delivers the work. No account managers, no junior deliverers, no PowerPoint theatre.
Our job is to make ourselves redundant. When you're ready for a full-time CTO, we help write the spec, sit in on interviews, and hand over cleanly. We've done this multiple times. The transition is part of the service.
Let's have a conversation about where your technology could take your business.