Join Adam Horner, a CTO with over 30 years in the tech industry, on The CTO Playbook — the podcast dedicated to helping CTOs excel. Perfect for CTOs and tech leaders navigating the complexities of their roles, each episode offers clear insights, innovative strategies, and practical advice from top leaders in tech.
With Adam’s extensive experience mentoring engineers and tech leaders, and over a decade as a CTO, you’ll gain the tools and knowledge to build and refine your own CTO playbook. Whether you're tackling complex projects, fostering innovation, leading teams, or shaping your company's tech strategy, this podcast is your go-to resource.
Adam’s journey from engineer to strategic CTO was challenging. He learned through the school of hard knocks, making avoidable mistakes and facing countless challenges. Often out of his comfort zone and wishing for more guidance, he created this podcast to provide the support and advice he once lacked.
Tune in for engaging interviews, leadership tips, and the latest in technology strategy. Each episode is designed to help you lead with confidence and level up as a CTO.
Listen now to start your journey with The CTO Playbook and build your own playbook to excel in your role.
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Most CEOs hire the wrong CTO—not because of a talent shortage, but because they don't know what they're actually looking for.
In this episode, Adam sits down with returning guest Warren Beazley—known across the UK tech scene as The CTO Recruiter. With nearly 30 years in the industry and a track record of 96%+ retention rates, Warren specializes in helping founder-led and investor-backed companies make one of the most pivotal hires in their org: a world-class CTO.
You’ll learn why most CTO searches fail before they begin, how top CEOs are quietly mapping their talent pipelines long before they’re hiring, and the exact behavioral tools Warren uses to identify true leadership fit—not just technical skill. Whether you’re a CEO hiring your first tech exec or a CTO positioning yourself for your next role, this episode reveals how high-stakes technical hiring actually works behind the scenes. Expect sharp insights on filtering through noise, diagnosing culture clashes before they happen, and why gut instinct is no longer enough.
You’ll Learn:
How elite CEOs reverse-engineer their CTO hires for long-term fit
Why mapping your talent market beats relying on inbound candidates
How Warren’s “12-month success review” technique clarifies role expectations
What most CEOs get wrong about job specs—and how to fix it
How behavioral surveys predict executive compatibility before it’s too late
How to test for strategic thinking without asking cliché interview questions
What to do when you’re not the candidate’s first choice—and how to tell
How to spot red flags in resumes that even experienced recruiters miss
Why most hiring failures aren’t about skills—they’re about culture mismatches
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:37] Why the CTO hiring market is still tough in 2025
[05:07] What makes hiring CTOs more like poker than chess
[07:15] The difference between founder-led vs investor-led hiring
[10:18] Why great CEOs pivot and redefine their own role
[12:16] Why most companies don’t know who their top candidates are
[14:03] Employed vs. unemployed CTO hiring strategy
[15:00] How to pitch your company to elite CTOs
[16:13] Why money isn’t the main motivator for great candidates
[17:41] The “12-month success review” for defining your ideal hire
[20:00] Why job ads fail and how to create story-driven ones
[22:03] Mapping the market to uncover passive candidates
[25:00] The challenge of filtering hundreds of resumes
[27:00] How structured interviews speed up good hiring
[29:16] What your resume should reveal—but probably doesn’t
[31:14] Culture and compatibility: the real reasons hires fail
[33:00] How behavioral surveys predict long-term fit
[36:03] Using personality data to shape interview questions
[38:06] Why a 3-day decision window makes or breaks offers
[40:01] Setting salary expectations early to avoid breakdowns
[42:15] Open feedback channels that improve CTO retention
[45:03] What really happens when a great hire walks away
You can learn more about Warren's work on his website. or you can book a FREE 10 Minute call to understand if his hiring blueprint would work for you.
What if the part of you causing burnout is the same one that got you where you are?
In this episode, Adam sits down with Rob Kalwarowsky—executive coach, TEDx speaker, and author of Capitalizing on Chaos—to explore how high performers can stop white-knuckling their leadership journey and start transforming from within. Rob has helped tech execs and founders all over the world how to fast-track deep change through his FIRE method, a unique four-step framework that rewires how we lead, scale, and relate to chaos itself.
If you’ve ever looked “successful” on the outside while feeling stuck, burned out, or quietly miserable on the inside, this conversation will hit home. You’ll hear Rob’s deeply personal journey from MIT engineer to global coach, how internal family systems reshaped his leadership philosophy, and why chaos might be the exact catalyst you need. Expect mindset rewiring, counterintuitive truth bombs, and tools to break through the next ceiling in your growth.
This one’s not just about business. It’s about the human behind the title.
You’ll Learn:
How Rob’s FIRE method rewires leadership by turning inner chaos into strategic clarity
Why imposter syndrome signals deeper misalignment, not personal failure
What Internal Family Systems reveals about the voices that shape executive behavior
How high achievers unknowingly sabotage themselves by clinging to “productive” masks
Why logical self-talk fails—and what actually works to shift emotional patterns
What guilt and overachievement often hide in leadership dynamics
36: The CTO’s Guide to Managing Large Engineering Teams Effectively
In this episode, you'll learn how to shift from one-on-one coaching to group leadership, how to reduce politics and knowledge gaps in large engineering teams, how to build a high-trust leadership environment, and how to implement an open-door policy for better team alignment.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:45] What leading leaders means
[01:30] Lessons from top CEOs on leadership
[02:15] Defining a small engineering organization
[03:00] Why politics emerge in growing teams
[03:45] The impact of trust and information gaps
[04:30] The challenge of repeating yourself as a leader
[05:15] Why large organizations create communication bottlenecks
[06:00] NVIDIA's leadership model with 60 direct reports
[06:45] How Airbnb’s CEO manages leadership without one-on-ones
[07:30] Group coaching vs individual coaching
[08:15] The benefits of shared leadership problem-solving
[09:00] How open feedback reduces internal politics
[09:45] Why peer support strengthens leadership teams
[10:30] Creating strong alignment among engineering leaders
[11:15] How shared context improves decision-making
35: Why Scaling a Company Feels Impossible (And How to Do It Anyway) with Kevin Howren
Kevin Howren is the Chief Product and Technology Officer at NPACT, where he has led major organizational changes, doubling the customer base and scaling SaaS assets under management from $50 billion to over $100 billion.
In this episode, you're going to learn why managing change is more about people than processes, how to overcome resistance and build trust in an organization, the key to keeping momentum during long-term transformations, how to make tough personnel decisions while maintaining morale, and why knowing when to stop making changes is just as important as knowing when to start.
With over 25 years in technology, Kevin Howren has consistently driven transformative change through deep technical expertise and strategic vision. His career has been shaped by a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and building high-performing teams, turning complex challenges into opportunities for growth.
He has led the post-acquisition transformation of NPACT, guiding engineering, product, AI, and infrastructure teams to achieve remarkable results. This includes doubling the customer base and increasing SaaS assets under management from $50 billion to $100 billion. His approach has always been centered on aligning technology and business strategies, ensuring that every decision supports long-term growth and sustainability. Whether modernizing the technology stack, enhancing cross-departmental collaboration, or mentoring senior leaders, his focus remains on driving continuous improvement and delivering value to the organization and its customers.
Before NPACT, he served as Head of Client Technologies at BBC Systems, where he oversaw the development and transitioning of key products and technology infrastructure, managing UI/UX engineering and product teams to enhance user experience and streamline operations. One of his key achievements was reducing production rollbacks by 78% through implementing innovative development processes and adopting modern technologies.
In this episode, you'll learn what CTO coaching is, who it’s for, the impact it can have, and how to find the right coach for your goals. Adam Horner shares common CTO challenges, the skills needed to succeed at the executive level, and a framework for accelerating leadership growth.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[02:10] Common struggles CTOs face
[03:45] How coaching provides clarity and accountability
[05:00] My own CTO journey and early challenges
[06:30] The impact of not having a coach
[08:15] Five common CTO archetypes
[08:30] The firefighter CTO
[09:50] The senior developer turned CTO
[11:00] The seasoned technologist ready to lead
[12:20] The plateaued CTO
[13:30] The rocket ship CTO
[15:00] The challenge of getting stuck in execution
[16:20] Story of a CTO who shifted from feature delivery to strategic leadership
[18:00] What makes my coaching different
[19:45] The CTO maturity model
[21:00] Skills that CTOs often lack compared to other executives
[22:30] The importance of communication, finance, and strategy
33: The Fractional CTO Formula for Success with Dan Gwalter
Dan Gwalter is a fractional consultant and former IT director who helps businesses navigate growth challenges.
In this episode, you're going to learn why Dan left a high-paying corporate job to build a career he actually enjoys, how to craft a strong personal brand on LinkedIn that attracts clients, why conversations—not sales pitches—are the key to building a thriving consulting business, the simple process Dan uses to keep a steady stream of clients without stress, and how he balances work and life while making a great living.
Dan Gwalter has been running a successful Fractional Consulting business for over a decade, helping professionals break free from traditional career constraints. With a focus on creating stability and maximizing flexibility, he has built a model that allows consultants to get paid for the value they create rather than just the hours they work.
Through The Fractional Formula, Dan provides structured guidance for those looking to transition into fractional consulting. His program includes seven weeks of live training in small groups, unlimited one-on-one coaching, and a full year of ongoing mentoring and support. Many participants have landed their first clients within weeks, proving that a well-executed strategy can lead to rapid success.
Dan’s approach is built on practical experience, offering a clear path for professionals who want to move from day-rate contracting to managing a portfolio of high-value clients. His expertise helps others design careers that prioritize both financial security and personal freedom.
32: How to Run 1:1s That Actually Improve Performance
In this episode, you'll learn how to structure effective one-on-one meetings with engineers, how to maintain alignment between individual performance and company goals, how to use a rolling agenda for tracking progress, and how to transition from weekly check-ins to quarterly and annual reviews seamlessly.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:38] Importance of one-on-one meetings for engineers
[01:22] How often should you meet with individual contributors
[02:14] Weekly vs. biweekly or monthly meetings
[03:06] Why weekly meetings maintain momentum
[04:02] When to adjust meeting frequency
[04:48] Balancing meeting length and effectiveness
[05:32] What to cover in one-on-one meetings
[06:20] The role of trust and rapport in leadership
[07:05] How to start meetings with open-ended questions
[07:52] Why listening is a key leadership skill
[08:36] Avoiding status updates in one-on-ones
[09:20] Helping engineers improve communication skills
[10:02] Teaching engineers how to listen effectively
[10:48] Steering conversations toward personal growth
[11:36] How to shift focus from output to experience
31: The Fatal Flaw of 10x Developers (Here’s What Actually Matters)
Matt Watson is the CEO of FullScale and previously bootstrapped an SaaS company to $35 million ARR before a $150 million exit.
In this episode, you're going to learn what skills CTOs need to become CEOs, why understanding sales and marketing is crucial for tech leaders, how to delegate effectively to focus on big-picture strategy, why communication and collaboration are key to scaling engineering teams, and what AI’s role is in shaping the future of software development.
Matt Watson is the founder and former CTO of one of the early SaaS companies, VinSolutions, which he bootstrapped in 2003 to $35 million ARR before a $150 million exit in 2011. In 2018, he founded FullScale to help himself and others scale their teams with talent from the Philippines at 70% less cost. He also hosts the Product Driven podcast and writes a weekly newsletter about the gap between business and software engineering.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[05:30] Starting a company by solving a real problem
[07:15] Bootstrapping an SaaS business to $35 million ARR
[08:40] Challenges of building a product without a playbook
[10:20] Different types of CTO roles
[11:50] Why startup CTOs need a product mindset
[13:05] The natural transition from CTO to CEO
[14:30] What makes a good CTO
30: How to Align Data, Teams, and Strategy for Business Success: Ritavan's Framework
Ritavan is a machine learning expert, author of Data Impact, and has worked in industries such as banking, energy, and real estate.
In this episode, you're going to learn how to avoid complexity traps in data-driven decision-making, how to leverage unique advantages to create real business value, why alignment across teams is critical for success, the importance of simplifying processes to reduce inefficiency, and the role of data in driving growth while maintaining focus on customer needs.
Ritavan is an entrepreneurial technology leader with a decade of experience focused on data-driven business impact. He has authored peer-reviewed papers, given invited talks at global conferences, and holds an international patent. Known for his first principles approach to building and scaling data-driven solutions across industries, Ritavan combines deep technical expertise with strategic vision and an execution-focused mindset. His latest book offers actionable insights to accelerate data-driven impact for non-software native businesses.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[06:30] Working with large volumes of data in diverse fields
[07:45] The challenge of scoping problems in the real world
[09:00] Lessons learned from his time at Societe Generale
[10:25] Identifying and solving real-world problems in data
[11:40] Impact of working in high-stakes environments like energy markets
29: How to Scale a Developer-First Startup with Daniel Jarjoura
Daniel Jarjoura is the Managing Director at Avolta, specializing in helping engineering-led companies prepare for mergers and acquisitions.
In this episode, you'll learn the importance of building products that solve broad problems for developers, how to use open source as a growth tool while monetizing through premium services, why GitHub metrics can help predict future success, how to scale from a developer-led market to enterprise sales, and the 18-24 month process to plan for a successful M&A exit.
Daniel Jarjoura specializes in 'developer-first' companies, open source, AI, cloud, infrastructure and cybersecurity. Prior to his current role, Daniel served as a CTO advisor for four years and founded The Unicorn CTO, a community and leadership training program dedicated to CTOs. A software engineer by training, Daniel began his career managing tech, product and support teams before transitioning into entrepreneurship. Over the last 12 years, he launched two companies: Startup42, one of France’s first tech startup accelerators, and H2 Innovate, an innovative platform offering on-demand expertise. Additionally, Daniel founded and directed the entrepreneurship department at EPITA, a leading software engineering school in France, for ten years.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[05:00] Startup42: A tech startup accelerator for engineers
[07:00] Challenges faced by engineer-led startups
[09:00] Business model for Startup42
[12:05] Lessons learned when transitioning to a second company
How emotional check-ins create trust and coherence in your inner team
Why leaning into chaos can unlock innovation, not just survival
How to evolve your leadership identity without losing your edge
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[06:13] The cost of a “perfect” life
[08:42] The role of coaching and therapy in real growth
[11:41] What Internal Family Systems therapy reveals
[13:21] Why mindset hacks don’t solve deep issues
[15:11] Even destructive inner voices have a purpose
[16:27] Rob’s 6-minute self-leadership exercise
[16:53] Step 1 of the FIRE method: find your reason
[17:32] Step 2: ignite the masks and uncover inner blocks
[14:05] Ritavan’s journey into real estate technology and venture capital
[15:35] Scaling businesses from seed to post-series B
[16:45] The challenge of growing in legacy businesses
[17:50] A different approach to solving problems in traditional industries
[19:05] The role of technology in modern businesses
[20:15] Defining leverage and its role in business growth
[21:35] Aligning teams for maximum impact
[23:00] How military strategies inform business alignment
[24:25] The power of clarity in decision-making
[25:40] How to use data to drive alignment across teams
[26:50] Simplifying processes to avoid overcomplication
[28:10] The need for refactoring systems at every level
[29:25] Avoiding complexity and streamlining operations
[30:30] The risk of inefficiency when complexity builds up
[31:45] How simplification leads to better optimization
[32:50] The importance of optimizing after simplifying
[34:05] Iterative optimization in business processes
[35:15] Building an empirically valid model of your business
[36:30] Balancing stochasticity and regularity in decision-making
[37:40] The importance of continuously evolving business strategies
[39:00] Why satisficing is suboptimal and how to avoid it
[40:20] The need to maximize every opportunity for growth
[41:35] Transitioning from a scarcity to an abundance mindset in business
[42:50] The difference between industrial and data-driven paradigms
[44:05] How airlines are an example of using data for customer loyalty
[45:15] Why traditional models in energy markets need rethinking
[46:30] Case study: Octopus Energy’s approach to consumer involvement
[47:50] Streamlining processes for customer involvement and efficiency
[49:00] Importance of leveraging data for more efficient consumption
[50:10] Rethinking industries by going back to first principles
[51:25] Why businesses must evolve with modern tools and technology
[52:40] Maximizing impact through data-driven business strategies
If you want to stop being just a consumer of AI products and start being a producer of data impact to delight your customers and grow revenue profitably, pre-register for Ritavan’s new book, Data Impact.
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