Why We Do, The Things We Do

Andrew Weaver
April 18, 2023

Traveling on the Startup journey brings with it a rollercoaster of emotions as you use a mixture of hope, hustle and graft to try and gain a foothold en route to a sustainable business model.

And as you struggle to gain traction and income during the early days you spend time
convincing yourself (and others) that all is going well.

Salaried friends talk about expensive holidays as you mumble something about “making progress” when the reality is you’re never far away from the precipice and running into the street shouting …. “I made a mistake, will someone please employ me again”.

It’s a tough career choice that can only be maintained/endured/enjoyed (*delete as appropriate) when driven by a purpose and an intrinsic motivation that’s aiming for very personal rewards. 

I’m not talking about financial rewards.
Anyone who launches a startup purely driven by that incentive is in for a sharp awakening.

Sure you get a sense of fulfilment hitting milestones around traction, revenue and financial stability but for most entrepreneurs it’s about something more precious, it’s about making an impact and a difference in customers lives.

We launched CTO Academy in 2019 and feel lucky to have worked with technology leaders around the world who are talented and involved in some amazing products.

Our mission is to help them build out the broader, leadership skill set that will enable them to achieve the career (and product) impact they want and deserve.

So when we receive messages like the one we received this week from Evan Tanner you have to occasionally stop, give yourself a pat on the back and reflect ….

“That is why we do the things we do”

Received 8th October 2022 from Evan Tanner … newly minted CTO

Hi Andrew and Jason,

Just a quick note to share that I was recently promoted from Director of IT to CTO, amazing.

The coursework we have covered this year at CTO Academy has helped me prepare myself and be equipped for the challenges I faced and will do in the future in my new role.

Meeting your team and all the incredible speakers and lecturers you have on the Digital MBA course has as a result helped me change for the better”

Want to find out more about CTO Academy and how we can help you to accelerate your technology career?

Visit our website at CTO Academy and/or drop Andrew an email [email protected]

Download Our Free eBook!

90 Things You Need To Know To Become an Effective CTO

CTO Academy Ebook - CTO Academy

Latest posts

IT Manager: Role, Responsibilities and Optimal Skill Set with Average Salary Breakdown - blog post cover image

IT Manager: Role, Responsibilities, Required Skills and Average Salary

An IT Manager (a.k.a Information Technology Manager) oversees and manages IT operations, systems and infrastructure. Additionally, they serve as a connection between technology strategies and the broader goals of the organisation. As such, they a) ensure the efficient, secure operation of IT resources and b) nurture the overarching objectives of the business. Common types of […]

What-is-the-value-of-a-CTO-blog-post-cover-image

What’s the Value of a CTO?

As many of you will be aware, one of our key missions at CTO Academy is to see a CTO on every board. A part of that mission is to research the real value of a CTO. Now, we can all agree that it is nonsensical not to have deep technical knowledge at the board […]

Field CTO in action - blog post cover image

The Field CTO – An Explanation

In this post, we explain the relatively new Field CTO role and how it differs from a more traditional Chief Technology Officer role. We will see how a Field CTO job description determines the type of person suitable for the job. We will take a look at the job prospects and, of course, the average […]

Transform Your Career & Income

Our mission is simple.

To arm you with the leadership skills required to achieve the career and lifestyle you want.