Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about working with AraGrow. Can't find your answer? Get in touch →
A fractional CTO provides senior technology leadership (strategy, architecture decisions, team oversight, vendor selection, roadmap planning) on a part-time basis. At AraGrow, that means weekly working sessions, shared access for between-meeting questions, hands-on time in your tools when needed, and a monthly written summary of where things stand and what's coming next. You get the judgment of someone who's been in the room for major technology decisions, without the cost of a full-time executive.
They're looking for a specific problem to be solved, not just a resume. A fractional CTO is usually brought in when something important is broken, stuck, or at risk — and the team needs someone who can diagnose it quickly and drive it to a better place. Common triggers include things like: technology that isn't keeping up with the business, big decisions getting made without a clear technical owner, or a major initiative or investment coming up where the risk of getting it wrong is high. In those moments, a fractional CTO provides executive-level technical leadership without the cost and commitment of a full-time C‑suite hire. Past experience matters, but mainly as proof that they can handle your situation. The real test is whether they can walk into your context, understand what's going on, and make real, measurable progress on the outcomes you care about.
Most consultants deliver a report and leave. AraGrow engagements are ongoing: David stays involved and actually fixes things, not just tracks them. There are no account managers or junior staff doing the work. When you reach out, you reach David directly. He works at both levels, reading the code and making the strategic call. Most consultants only operate at one.
A developer builds and maintains specific things. A fractional CTO decides what should be built, in what order, and whether it should be built at all. If your technology problems are about capacity (you need more hands on existing work), you need a developer. If your problems are about direction (the technology isn't serving the business, decisions keep getting made without a clear owner, or you're about to make a major investment you're unsure about), that's where a fractional CTO helps.
The 30-day technology audit is up to $1,500 (around 20 hours) with a defined scope and specific deliverables. Ongoing fractional CTO engagements run $750–$1,500/month for most clients, based on 10–20 hours a month billed at $75/hour. No tiers, no minimums, no surprises.
The first 30 days are diagnostic: a structured review of your current technology stack, your team's setup, your vendors, and where the biggest risks and inefficiencies are. You get a written report with prioritized recommendations: what to fix first and why, not a list of things to buy. Days 30–90 are about executing on the highest-priority items, building working rhythms, and establishing the reporting cadence that keeps leadership informed without requiring them to get into the weeds.
Slow WordPress sites usually have a few common causes: unoptimized images, no caching layer, bloated plugins, or misconfigured hosting. AraGrow starts with a performance audit to identify the specific bottleneck, then addresses it, whether that means configuring WP Rocket or Redis, converting images to WebP, cleaning up the database, or moving to a better hosting configuration. The Best in WebOps Award from Pantheon (2023) reflects a track record of measurable improvement.
The first step is identifying where AI will actually save time or improve an outcome, not where it sounds impressive. That usually means 2–3 specific workflows, not a company-wide transformation. AraGrow has built integrations using Claude, Gemini, and open-source models for content generation, data summarization, reporting automation, and chatbots. Each project starts with a clear use case and a measurable outcome before any code gets written.
Engagements are monthly, billed at $75/hour. A typical month includes a weekly working session, shared Slack or email access for between-meeting questions, hands-on time in your tools when needed, and a written monthly summary. There are no long-term contracts. Most clients start with a defined project or a 30-day technology audit, then move to an ongoing engagement once both sides have confirmed the fit.
Yes. AraGrow serves clients across the US and internationally. David splits his time between Minneapolis and Spain, and most engagement work happens remotely. Bilingual in English and Spanish.
The simplest path is a 30-minute conversation with no preparation required and no commitment on your end. If you'd rather start with something more structured, the AraGrow Technology Audit is a 30-day review of your current technology state, delivered as a written report with prioritized recommendations. Either way, the starting rate is $75/hour.
Most fractional CTOs offer strategy. David offers strategy and execution from someone who has actually built, migrated, and maintained the systems he advises on. The track record is specific: 25 years of hands-on work, nine major system migrations, an Emmy Award for web design and usability, bilingual fluency in English and Spanish. And when you reach out, you reach David directly, not an account manager or a junior team member.