Limited availability

One free day of senior product and engineering leadership.

No pitch. No strings. Point me at your biggest problem.

Book your free day
2M+
users scaled at RefME
2,500+
clients served at Risika
18 mo
VC-funded to profitable

What you get

A full day with someone who runs product, data, and engineering at a fintech that went from VC-funded to profitable in 18 months. Previously scaled a product to 2 million users.

You choose the focus. Some options:

Architecture review

Is your technical foundation ready for what's coming next? I'll look at your stack, identify risks, and tell you what I'd change.

Team structure

Are you organised to ship fast? I'll review your team setup, roles, and processes and suggest what's working and what's not.

Roadmap prioritisation

Building too much? Not enough? I'll help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually moves the business.

Scaling plan

Just raised? I'll help you figure out what to do with your tech budget before you spend it on the wrong things.

Product strategy

Not sure what to build next? I'll work through your product challenges with a business-first lens.

Something else

Your biggest problem probably doesn't fit in a box. Tell me what it is and I'll spend the day on it.

Results from real engagements

Risika

Took a VC-funded fintech from loss-making to profitable in 18 months. Built and scaled the product, data, and engineering teams.

Read the Risika case study

RefME

Scaled a citation tool from zero to 2 million users. Product acquired by Chegg.

Read the RefME case study

How it works

1

Book a call

30 minutes, no commitment

A short intro to discuss your biggest challenge and whether a free day is the right fit.

2

We prepare

Before the day

I review your product, tech stack, and team so we hit the ground running.

3

The free day

One full day, focused entirely on you

Morning: deep-dive into your challenge. Afternoon: concrete recommendations you can act on immediately.

4

Follow-up

Within 48 hours

Written summary of findings, recommendations, and suggested next steps. Yours to keep regardless.

Why free?

Because the best way to show what I do is to do it. If one day proves I'm useful, you'll know. If not, you've lost nothing and gained an outside perspective on your biggest challenge.

I do fractional CPTO work through fcto.uk. This is how I start every relationship. With work, not words.

Who you are working with

Mike Tempest

Mike Tempest is a Fractional CPTO who has scaled products from zero to millions of users. Currently CTO at Risika (Danish fintech, took it from VC-funded to profitable in 18 months). Previously scaled RefME to 2 million users as Head of Engineering before it was acquired by Chegg. Background in technology leadership at Google and Apple.

Read the full story

This is for you if

  1. 1 You have recently raised and need to figure out your technical strategy
  2. 2 Your engineering team is growing but shipping is slowing down
  3. 3 You need senior product and tech leadership but aren't ready for a full-time hire
  4. 4 You're a founder making technical decisions without a technical co-founder

Frequently asked questions

What happens during the free day?
We start with a morning deep-dive into your biggest challenge. I review your product, architecture, team structure, or whatever you need most. By afternoon, we move to concrete recommendations you can act on. Within 48 hours, you get a written summary of everything we covered.
Is there really no catch?
No. If the day is useful and you want ongoing support, we can talk about that. If not, you keep everything from the day and we part as friends. I do this because the best way to demonstrate value is to deliver it.
What kind of startups do you work with?
Mostly UK startups that have recently raised seed or Series A funding. Fintech, edtech, and B2B SaaS are where I have the deepest experience, but the fundamentals of scaling product and engineering apply broadly.
Do I need to be in London?
No. I work with startups across the UK. The free day can be remote or in person, whichever works better for your team.
How is this different from a consultant?
Consultants give you a report. I give you a working relationship. The free day is hands-on: I am in the codebase, talking to your engineers, reviewing your architecture. Not sitting in a meeting room making slides.
What if I already have a CTO?
That is fine. Many startups have technical founders who want a second opinion or a sounding board. I am not here to replace anyone. I am here to help your existing team move faster.

Let's start with a conversation.

Book a 30-minute call. Tell me your biggest problem. If I think a free day would help, we'll set it up.

I take on 2-3 clients at a time to give each one proper attention.

Book a Call Email Me