A Day in the Life of a CTO at Scholarly
A chief technology officer's daily activities vary based on company size and stage; Kelly at Scholarly, in a small company setting, starts with a brief company-wide standup ("15 to 30 minutes"), then balances hiring, customer interaction, project prioritization, and team collaboration, with hands-on coding becoming less frequent.
Executive/Leadership, Project Management, Communication, Teamwork, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kelly Sutton
CTO
Scholarly
Loyola Marymount University
N/A
Computer Science
Education, Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. A CTO's daily activities vary based on company size and stage.
2. Daily tasks may include company-wide standup meetings, hiring, meeting with team members and clients, translating client needs into projects, and implementing those projects.
3. While hands-on coding may be less frequent as a CTO, it is still a part of the role, especially in smaller companies.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a chief technology officer look like?
A CTO's day varies significantly based on company size and stage. My typical day currently begins with a company-wide standup meeting. Since we are a small team of only eight or nine people, this meeting lasts about 15 to 30 minutes.
During the standup, we each share what we're working on and discuss the most crucial priorities for the business. Because we can all fit in one room, it’s an efficient way to align.
My other responsibilities depend on the day. They often involve hiring, meeting with the team, or connecting with our customers. I also focus on translating customer needs and requests into actionable projects or tickets.
A significant part of my role involves working with the team to implement these projects. Occasionally, I still do hands-on coding, though this is becoming a smaller portion of my time.