Hi. I'm Mike Schwartz.

I provide fractional and interim engineering technology and management leadership services. I can help when teams need more engineering depth, an additional set of eyes, or more bandwidth.

I have decades of experience in software engineering and engineering management. I have worked with some of the most innovative and influential companies in Silicon Valley. I’ve learned from some of the best and have an extensive playbook.

Let me know if I might be able to help, or if you'd like to learn more.
Mike Schwartz. Software Consulting. Interim. Fractional. Interim. Consultant. Mentor. Coach. VP of Engineering. Vice-President of Engineering.

Companies

I've been fortunate to work at interesting, influential and innovative tech companies. LinkedIn has all the details.

Engineering leader at Airbnb, Stripe, and Square
Stipe
Airbnb
Square
Engineering leader at innovative and influential Opsware / Loudcloud, Go, Infoseek, Sun Microsystems, Metaphor
Opsware
Loudcloud
GO Corporation
Infoseek
Sun Microsystems
Metaphor Computer Systems
VP of Engineering at growing startups
Six Apart
Wikia
Moka5
BS and MS in Computer Science‍
Stanford

Services and Expertise

Type of Engagement
Expertise
Interim & Fractional CTO

Typically with companies without technical founders or when the technical founders need additional bandwidth.
  • Software design and implementation.
  • System architecture. Hosting design.
  • Bootstrapping engineering teams.
  • Hiring early engineers and leaders. Staffing. Potential outsourcing or offshoring.
  • Engineering review and assessment.
  • Technical Strategy.
  • Executive Staff and Board representation of Engineering.
  • Organizational Development.
Coaching and Mentoring

I help Engineering leaders develop skills and solve problems. Sometimes it’s as simple as a second, experienced person with whom to brainstorm.
  • First-time managers.
  • New or recent "Lead of Leads."
  • VP and Director-level development.

Consulting Experience & Testimonials

Interim CTO.

"Mike is working with Eviset as they transition from initial revenues and customers to position the company for a successful seed round. He is helping the founders chart the path to becoming a great software product company. He contributes to strategy and tactics across the board, Mike has quickly and effectively raised the bar for Eviset Product Development."

Julie Lawrence
-- Julie Lawrence. Co-founder and CEO
Interim CTO. Bootstrapped Engineering for non-technical founders. Delivered Proof of Concept release.

"Like a shepherd guiding lost sheep, Mike steered us in the right direction in defining our initial specification that led to our proof-of-concept application. His domain expertise and coaching were valuable in pulling us through a tough engagement with a vendor. He consistently added perspective-shifting thinking and was genuinely a pleasure to work with."

Seth Barkley
-- Seth Barkley. Co-founder and Head of Product
Fractional CTO. Bootstrapped Engineering for non-technical founders.

"Mike has helped us think critically about Engineering resourcing, technical and product tradeoffs, systems architecture, and more. Mike doesn’t simply “advise” - he dives into the nitty-gritty as a core part of our team. He covers a lot of ground - from recruiting to product strategy sessions. Mike's an incredible mentor, especially as someone who is a first-time founder with a non-technical background."

Nancy Dong
-- Nancy Dong, Founder and CEO
Fractional CTO. Bootstrapped Engineering for non-technical founders. 18 months. Built their MVP.

"Mike has accelerated my growth as a first-time Head of Engineering. He provides strategies, tactics, and principles based on his many years of C-level experience in start-ups. From concrete problems to more theoretical topics Mike helps me find answers that make me more effective. I recommend Mike as a mentor for emerging engineering leaders."

Derek Maki
-- Derek Maki, Founder and Chief Product Officer
Mentoring and coaching a first-time head of Engineering.

"Mike has accelerated my growth as a first-time Head of Engineering. He provides strategies, tactics, and principles based on his many years of C-level experience in start-ups. From concrete problems to more theoretical topics Mike helps me find answers that make me more effective. I recommend Mike as a mentor for emerging engineering leaders."

Sasha Vladimirov
-- Sasha Vladimirov - Head of Engineering
Mentor / coach for career progression, difficult conversations, and Engineering team effectiveness.

I've known Mike for close to twenty years. Over the years he’s become a trusted mentor and friend. Mike's analytical approach to management inspires me, and he shares insights that shifts my thinking in helpful ways. He's comfortable talking about architectural decision-making, project management, or the ins-and-outs of people management. I hope to work with Mike for many years to come.

Dave Pierce
-- Dave Pierce, Director of Site Reliability Engineering
Professional and personal mentoring of an Engineering leader progressing to a "manager of manager" role in a growing team and company.

"Mike impressed me during a regular leadership lean coffee, and I've engaged him personally to help me grow. What impressed me was the way he framed and presented problems and solutions. He's perceptive, empathetic and has a wealth of knowledge and experience."

Isaac Perez
-- Isaac Perez, Head of Infrastructure
Strategic advisor for Engineering, Monetization and Product Strategy. Fractional Product Manager.

"Mike is providing invaluable assistance on product and engineering strategy and planning and worked closely with my leadership and engineering teams."

Martin Hall
-- Martin Hall, Founder and CEO
Fractional / Interim VP of Engineering. Advised first-time CEO and CTO on engineering management.

"I just wanted to deeply thank you for your work and help in the last few months. It was great having you here, and I know the team and I have valued it a lot."

Andrew Sutherland
-- Andrew Sutherland, CTO and Founder
Organizational development. Recruiting process. Career ladder definition.

"Mike brought a wealth of experience and sharpening questions to hone our engineering culture. This accelerated the cohesion of our teams, happiness of engineers, and clarity in internal communication."

Kyle Wenholz
-- Kyle Wenholz, Director of Engineering
Board of Advisors. Engineering and strategic advice.

"Mike provides a valuable additional set of eyes on Sora's Engineering plans. I'm looking forward to working with Mike at Sora and beyond."

Sambit Basu
-- Sambit Basu, CTO

Please get in touch

Email hello [at] mike-schwartz.com or use this form.
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