What a Fractional CIO actually does in the first 90 days

The question every CEO asks me: "What exactly do you do as a Fractional CIO?"

Fair question. Here's what the first 90 days actually look like:

Weeks 1-4: Discovery (The Reality Check)

I map what you actually have versus what you think you have. Interview your team. Review vendor contracts. Identify where technology is blocking business goals instead of enabling them. Most companies are shocked by what we find.

Weeks 5-8: Strategy (The Roadmap)

Prioritize based on business impact, not IT wish list. Kill projects that don't align with where you're going. Build a 12-36 month technology roadmap that your leadership team can actually understand and fund.

Weeks 9-12: Execution (The Value)

Renegotiate vendor contracts. I've saved companies $50K-$200K in the first year just by asking better questions. Set up governance so technology decisions align with strategy. Build the foundation for your eventual full-time CIO hire.

You're not paying for 40 hours a week of meetings. You're paying for 20 years of experience knowing exactly where to look, what questions to ask, and which battles are worth fighting.

The ROI isn't in the hours. It's in the decisions you don't make, the money you don't waste, and the alignment you finally achieve between IT and the business.