How to Get Started with sfielder — Onboarding and Setup
Getting started with sfielder follows a structured process — from a no-cost discovery call through a formal onboarding phase — designed to make sure the engagement is the right fit and hits the ground running.
Step 1 — Book a Discovery Call
The process starts with a no-cost discovery call. Scott uses this conversation to assess fit across four dimensions:
- Company stage and funding status
- Technical situation and urgency
- Budget alignment
- Availability in Scott's current client roster
Book directly at: https://cal.com/iii/sfielder-chat
Step 2 — Scoping Conversation
If there's mutual fit, a structured scoping conversation follows. Scott reviews the team, codebase, and roadmap to define the right engagement — specific workstreams, operating cadence, and retainer structure.
Step 3 — Agree on Retainer and Begin Onboarding
Engagements run on a monthly retainer. Once terms are agreed, a structured onboarding phase begins, typically spanning the first 2–4 weeks and including:
- Codebase and architecture review
- Team and org structure assessment
- Product roadmap and backlog review
- Stakeholder interviews (founders, engineering leads, product leads)
- Identification of immediate risks and priority workstreams
- A technical assessment document
- A prioritized 90-day action plan
Step 4 — Embed into the Leadership Rhythm
Once onboarding is complete, Scott integrates into the company's operating cadence:
- Weekly leadership syncs with the founding team
- Engineering team meetings (standups, sprint reviews, architecture discussions)
- Async availability via Slack or equivalent
- Monthly strategic reviews covering roadmap, hiring, and architecture
Step 5 — Quarterly Scope Review
Engagements are reassessed quarterly as the company evolves — scaling scope up or down based on what's needed, and planning ahead for the eventual full-time CTO hire or internal promotion.
Timeline
Subject to current availability, engagements can typically begin within a few weeks of an initial scoping conversation.
FAQ
- How quickly can an engagement start?
- Subject to current client availability, engagements can typically begin within a few weeks of the initial scoping conversation.
- What does the onboarding phase look like?
- The first 2–4 weeks include a codebase review, architecture audit, team assessment, stakeholder interviews, and a prioritized 90-day action plan.
- Is the discovery call really free?
- Yes. The initial discovery call is no-cost and carries no obligation. It's a mutual assessment of fit.