I help small-but-mighty businesses scale their engineering teams, processes and products without losing the heart of what makes them great. Drawing on 25 years across SMB, agency, and the public sector, I bring a practical, people-first approach to delivering big results on lean budgets.
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I’ve spent the last 25 years rolling up my sleeves in leadership and senior software engineering roles - everything from small tech startups to larger enterprises and the public sector.
Along the way, I discovered my sweet spot: helping businesses scale from 5 to 50 employees (and beyond) without losing the heart of what makes them great.
Everest Engineering: Grew the Australian arm of this consultancy from inception to over 80 people. Ran the portfolio of 80+ startup clients - advising at a strategic level to ensure successful business outcomes.
RateMyAgent: Joined during a formative stage and helped grow the engineering team from 5 to 30, leading product and delivery decisions and resulting in a successful IPO of $100mil.
Broad Exposure: Agency work, public sector, and private SMBs gave me a unique perspective on where to invest, when to pivot, and how to structure teams for success.
I’ve got a soft spot for social impact and SaaS products. Helping people learn and grow is something I genuinely believe in, and it motivates me to build tech solutions that make a positive difference.
I’ll work with you to map out the next 6–18 months. Together, we’ll align your tech initiatives with business milestones, ensuring you invest smartly in the right tools and processes.
Going from 2 developers to 10? Or 5 to 30? I’ve done it before—multiple times. I’ll help design an org structure, define your processes, and keep your culture thriving as you expand.
Having worked in consultancy and the private sector, I know the upsides and pitfalls of each path. I’ll give you an honest breakdown of cost, quality, and time-to-market to inform your hiring strategy.
Need someone to coach your engineering leads or step in to fill a temporary gap? I can be your part-time tech whisperer—mentoring teams, advising on product decisions, and keeping projects on track.
Challenge: A growing software consultancy looking to rapidly scale its Australian engineering division and support 80+ startup clients across diverse sectors, all while preserving a high-retention culture.
My Role: As Managing Director & Director of Engineering, I oversaw strategic planning, implemented organizational structures, and guided outsourcing vs. in-house decisions. I collaborated closely with international teams, coached engineering leads, and maintained a >95% employee retention rate.
Outcome:
Scaled from inception to 80+ team members in Australia in just three years
Contributed to a 10x revenue increase within four years
Helped Everest earn the Zero Distance Emergence Excellence Award in 2024 for innovative alignment and culture
Advised on tech solutions for over 80 startups, refining their roadmaps and accelerating their growth (see below)
Challenge: A consultancy working with 80+ startups across SaaS, social impact, and beyond—each needing tech strategy and rapid scaling solutions.
My Role: Acted as a strategic advisor, sometimes hands-on, sometimes high-level, to help clients navigate in-house vs. outsourced decisions and grow their engineering teams sustainably.
Outcome: Numerous startups scaled effectively, preserving strong culture and clarity in their technical direction.
Challenge: A small real estate platform looking to scale rapidly without sacrificing team culture or product quality.
My Role: Introduced Agile practices, guided the dev team from 5 to 30, and streamlined product roadmaps.
Outcome: Productivity up by 300%, strong team retention, and a successful $100m IPO.
“Rick has been a driving force behind our growth and evolution. He shaped our way of working and designed our unique org structure that continues to define how we run the business. He’s built teams, taken on some of the toughest projects, and guided clients with honesty and persistence. Along the way, he’s led and launched a bunch of startups, supported larger engagements and left behind systems and structures that will outlast his time here.”
“I worked with Rick on a number of projects at Visual Jazz, varying in size and complexity and in that time he always produced great results. Rick is one of the best, expert front-end developers I've worked with in my career. Beyond his exceptional technical skills and ability to stay on top of knowledge development in his area of expertise, his attention to detail makes it easy to depend on him every time. A pleasure to work with!”
“Aside from experience and expertise, Rick has a genuine knack of communicating ideas, problems and solutions with clarity to both lay-people and developers equally. I would definitely recommend him as a excellent lead and best practice advocate.”
“Rick is a fantastic collaborator and knows the software industry inside and out. Whether leading teams, running workshops, or delivering outcomes, he combines deep expertise with a finely honed ability to engage and inspire. He’s also an incredible presenter and storyteller - not to mention absolutely hilarious.”
“Rick's deep connections in the startup community brought great opportunities, and his ability to keep projects on track while delivering real value was outstanding. Rick has a knack for managing scope effectively, ensuring teams stay focused on what truly matters. On top of that, he’s a great leader who fosters collaboration and empowers those around him.”
“Rick is a true gentleman and scholar, but not only that he is truly a guru of digital engineering. He always finds the best solution to the issue and architects strategies which work. He is a pleasure to work with.”
I firmly believe that teaching is one of the best ways to grow a business. I regularly speak at conferences and run workshops on topics like:
Scaling Your Startup Without Breaking Your Culture
What AI Prompt Engineering can teach us about Communication
Translating Tech Tactics into Leadership
Building Inclusive Engineering Teams
Outsourcing vs. In-House: Finding the Right Balance
Agile & Lean for Small Teams
The Compelling Business Case for Adopting Digital Accessibility
5 Signs Your Startup Is Ready for a Fractional CTO
Scaling with Soul: Keeping Culture Strong as You Grow
Platform Health is the Key to High Performing Teams
Pairing in Leadership
Videos:
Accessible Development with Modern Frameworks
Translating Tech Tactics to Leadership
Ready to Scale Together?
I’d love to hear more about your business, your tech challenges, and where you want to be in the next 6–12 months. No pressure—just a friendly conversation to see if fractional CTO support is right for you.
I typically reply within 1–2 business days. Looking forward to connecting!
With 25 years in tech leadership at SMBs, agencies, and the public sector, I specialise in helping businesses scale effectively.
Let’s work together to build sustainable processes, strong team culture, and amazing products.