Guides for leaders in tech building a business of their own
Plain answers to the questions that stop experienced operators: what to sell, which business to build, and how to launch it, whether that's software, an audience, an agency, digital products or a fractional practice.
Madalena Rugeroni · Founder of Madgrowth · ex-Google
Fractional executive rates in 2026: day rates and retainers by role
Fractional CMO, CTO, CPO and COO rates for 2026: day rates, monthly retainers and hourly bands in the US, UK and Europe, with the method I use to set a rate from the seller's side.
How to start fractional or consulting work while still employed
Start fractional or consulting work while employed: what to check in your contract (non-compete, moonlighting, IP), a time model that fits around a job, how to tell your employer, and how to land the first client quietly.
Laid off from tech: take the next job, go fractional, or build something?
A decision guide for the weeks after a tech layoff: how much runway you have, whether to take the next job, go fractional, or build a product, and how to use severance as seed money without wasting it.
What to sell after leaving a tech job
Sell an outcome you've delivered more than once to a buyer who already pays for it. How to find your angle after a tech job, test it and avoid the traps.
Fractional, consulting or software: which business should you start after tech?
Fractional and consulting work pay within weeks; software pays later but grows past your hours. How ex tech leaders choose, with a side-by-side comparison.
How to build a micro SaaS from your tech career
Build a micro SaaS from a workflow you know: validate with pre-sales, price it for B2B and win your first 10 customers. Ideas, AI MVPs and real timelines.
How to build an audience business from your expertise
Build an audience business: pick a narrow beat from your career, one platform and a weekly cadence, then sell services or products before subscriptions.
How to start an agency after a career in tech
To start an agency, pick one client type and outcome, sell a productized offer first, price for margin and hand delivery to a small senior team and systems.
How to sell digital products from your expertise
Sell digital products by choosing a format your buyer already pays for, pre-selling it, then doing the distribution. Formats, pricing and platforms compared.
How to become a fractional executive
Become a fractional executive by packaging one problem you've solved as a monthly role with set days and outcomes, then selling it to your network first.
How to price fractional and consulting services
Price fractional services from the cost of the problem and the hire it replaces. Day rate vs retainer vs value pricing, with European day rates in euros.
How to create a Claude skill (with a working example)
How to create a Claude skill: folder structure, a SKILL.md example to copy, descriptions Claude triggers on, and installing it in Claude Code or the app.
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