Hands-On Fractional CTO for B2B E-Commerce | Atlanta

A Fractional CTO from Fowara provides the same hands-on technology leadership as a full-time CTO — architecture decisions, team mentorship, vendor evaluation, and production code — on a monthly retainer starting at $10,000/month. Unlike advisory-only fractional CTOs, we embed inside your operations with a team of 10+ engineers and ship working software alongside your team.

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What You Get — Not What Most Fractional CTOs Offer

Most fractional CTO services sell advisory hours. You get a senior person on a call for 5-10 hours a week who reviews your architecture, offers opinions, and disappears. Fowara is structurally different.

When you engage a Fowara Fractional CTO, you get:

  • A CTO who writes code. Architecture reviews AND pull requests. Strategy AND shipping.
  • A team of 10+ engineers behind that CTO — backend, frontend, DevOps, QA. One engagement, full delivery capability.
  • AI-first methodology. Every workflow uses Anthropic Claude — architecture reviews, code generation, catalog operations, testing. This is how we cut timelines by 50%+.
  • B2B e-commerce depth. Punchout catalogs, buyer portals, ERP integration, multi-tenant platforms. Not generic SaaS advice.

Published Pricing — Because You Shouldn't Have to Ask

7 of the top 8 fractional CTO firms hide their pricing. We publish ours.

EngagementMonthlyWhat's Included
Fractional CTOStarting at $10,000/monthArchitecture, team mentorship, vendor evaluation, hands-on development, weekly strategy sessions
AEO Audit$5,000 one-timeSchema.org audit, content structure review, AI crawler configuration, competitive analysis
AEO Implementation$10,000 one-timeFull AEO audit + implementation across all pages
Platform Migration$15,000-$50,000 projectMagento/Shopify/custom → BigCommerce B2B. Data, theme, integrations, go-live.
Punchout Integration$10,000 setup + $1,000/monthcXML/OCI punchout without middleware. Direct institutional buyer connections.

Your First 90 Days with a Fowara CTO

Days 1-30: Discovery & Quick Wins

  • Full technology audit — infrastructure, codebase, vendor contracts, security posture
  • ERP/CRM integration assessment (QuickBooks, Dynamics, custom)
  • AI readiness evaluation — where Claude can accelerate your operations
  • Identify and ship 2-3 quick wins (performance, SEO, broken workflows)
  • Weekly strategy sessions begin

Days 31-60: Architecture & Roadmap

  • Technical roadmap aligned to business goals (12-month horizon)
  • Platform migration plan if applicable (Magento → BigCommerce, etc.)
  • Team assessment — hire, train, or restructure recommendations
  • First major initiative kicked off (migration, punchout, AI integration)

Days 61-90: Execution & Delivery

  • Major initiative at 50-80% completion
  • Development velocity benchmarked and improving
  • AI-powered workflows operational (catalog enrichment, support automation)
  • Monthly executive report with metrics, progress, and next quarter plan

Why Atlanta Companies Choose Fowara

Atlanta is a Tier-2 market for fractional CTO services, with rates typically ranging $200-$275/hour. But most Atlanta options are either solo practitioners without engineering teams, or large consultancies that sell advisory hours without delivery capability.

Fowara is the only Atlanta-based fractional CTO practice that combines hands-on B2B e-commerce expertise with a full engineering team. We're not a matchmaking service. We're not a staffing agency. We're a CTO and engineering org that embeds inside your company.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Fractional CTO?
A Fractional CTO is an experienced technology leader who provides strategic and hands-on CTO services on a monthly retainer instead of a full-time $250K+ salary. At Fowara, our Fractional CTOs write code, review architecture, mentor teams, and ship production software — not just advise.
How much does a Fractional CTO cost?
Fowara's Fractional CTO engagements start at $10,000/month. This includes architecture reviews, team mentorship, vendor evaluation, hands-on development, and weekly strategy sessions. Atlanta market rates typically range $200-$275/hour for comparable seniority.
How is a Fractional CTO different from a consultant?
Consultants advise and leave. A Fractional CTO embeds inside your operations — joins standups, reviews PRs, mentors developers, and is accountable for outcomes. Fowara CTOs ship working software, not slide decks.
How many hours per week does a Fractional CTO work?
Typically 10-20 hours per week depending on the engagement. Fowara structures this as a monthly retainer, not hourly billing, so the focus is on outcomes — not time tracking.
When should I hire a Fractional CTO?
Hire a Fractional CTO when you need senior technology leadership but can't justify a $300K+ full-time salary. Common triggers: platform migration, scaling engineering team, preparing for funding, or fixing technical debt that's slowing growth.
Is a Fractional CTO right for my company size?
Fractional CTOs are ideal for companies doing $1M-$100M in revenue with small engineering teams (2-15 developers). If you have 50+ engineers and need daily CTO presence, a full-time hire makes more sense.
What industries does Fowara serve?
Fowara specializes in B2B e-commerce — medical supply distribution, industrial products, procurement automation, and marketplace platforms. We work with BigCommerce B2B, Magento, Shopify Plus, and custom .NET platforms.
Do Fractional CTOs actually write code?
Most don't. Fowara's do. Our CTOs have 15-30+ years of hands-on coding experience and actively contribute to architecture, code reviews, and production development alongside your team.
Can a Fractional CTO manage my engineering team?
Yes. Fowara CTOs provide team mentorship, conduct code reviews, establish engineering processes, and help with hiring decisions. We also bring a team of 10+ engineers that can augment your existing team.
How quickly can a Fractional CTO engagement start?
Fowara can begin within 1-2 weeks of signed agreement. The first week focuses on technology audit and quick wins. By week 4, we're executing on a technical roadmap aligned to your business goals.
What does the first 30 days look like?
Days 1-30 include a full technology audit, ERP/CRM integration assessment, AI readiness evaluation, 2-3 quick wins shipped, and weekly strategy sessions. You'll have a clear technical roadmap by day 30.
What makes Fowara different from other Fractional CTO services?
Four things: (1) we build, not just advise — our CTOs write production code; (2) a team of 10+ engineers comes with the CTO; (3) AI-first methodology using Anthropic Claude cuts timelines by 50%+; (4) deep B2B e-commerce specialization including punchout, ERP, and procurement automation.

Start With a Conversation — No Pitch, No Obligation

Tell us about your technology challenges. We'll tell you honestly whether a Fractional CTO is the right fit — and if it's not, we'll point you in the right direction.

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Fractional CTO Fundamentals

Free course covering what a Fractional CTO does, when to hire one, and how to evaluate options.

5 lessons · Free · No registration required

1

What Is a Fractional CTO?

A Fractional CTO is an experienced technology leader who embeds inside your operations on a monthly retainer, providing the same strategic and hands-on leadership as a full-time CTO at a fraction of the cost.

2

Fractional CTO vs Consultant vs Agency

Consultants advise. Agencies build what you spec. A Fractional CTO owns your technology strategy AND builds alongside your team — combining strategic leadership with hands-on engineering.

3

When to Hire a Fractional CTO

The clearest signal is when your technology decisions outpace your team's ability to evaluate options. If you are choosing between platforms or planning a migration, you need a CTO before you need more developers.

4

What the First 90 Days Look Like

The first 30 days focus on discovery and quick wins. Days 31-60 build the architecture roadmap. Days 61-90 are execution and delivery. By day 90 you should see measurable improvement.

5

How to Evaluate a Fractional CTO

Ask three questions: Do they write code or only advise? Do they have a team behind them? Can they show results from a similar business? If any answer is no, keep looking.

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