Decisions are made by default
The vendor with the best demo wins. The tool someone already knows becomes the standard. Nobody chose the architecture — it accumulated.
Layer 1 · Strategic Intelligence
A CTO who is accountable for the decisions that compound.
Most teams do not need a platform on day one. They need someone senior who can say what to build, what to buy, what to retire, and what to fix first — and then stay to see it through.
The problem this solves
Technology decisions get made anyway. The question is whether anyone senior is accountable for them.
Nobody owns the sequence
Six good ideas compete for the same quarter. Without an owner, the loudest one ships and the most valuable one waits another year.
Risk is discovered, not managed
The gap in backup, access, or AI usage is found during an incident or an audit — which is the most expensive possible time to find it.
How an engagement works
Structured, time-boxed, and designed to leave you with artifacts you own.
Assessment
A structured review of your stack, spend, risk posture, and the decisions currently in flight. You get a written findings document, not a sales deck.
Roadmap
A sequenced plan: what happens this quarter, next quarter, and what is deliberately deferred — with the reasoning recorded so it survives staff turnover.
Execution oversight
Standing time each month. Vendor evaluations, architecture review, escalation support, and the unglamorous work of keeping the plan honest.
Handoff
The goal is a team that needs less of us over time. Documentation, decision records, and training go to you throughout — not at the end.
What is in scope
Strategy and planning
- Technology roadmap and quarterly sequencing
- AI strategy and realistic adoption planning
- Build-versus-buy analysis
- Budget and spend rationalization
Leadership and oversight
- Executive and board-level advisory
- Vendor and platform selection
- Risk prioritization and remediation ordering
- Technical hiring support and team structure
Where it usually goes next
Strategic Intelligence is the front door, not the whole house. Most engagements surface one of these as the first real project.
Start with an assessment
A structured review of where you are, what is at risk, and what to do first. You keep the findings either way.
Founded by Jaras Funderburg — 20+ years in Microsoft infrastructure and security. Atlanta, GA.