From CTO to Freelancer: What 12 Years in Technical Leadership Taught Me
After 12 years as a CTO at a Finnish logistics company, the author transitioned to freelancing to return to hands-on development. The shift brought unexpected challenges, including the absence of team dynamics and income instability, but also clarity on strengths and working preferences. Experience in technical leadership now informs a consultative freelance approach focused on solving root problems and guiding clients.
- ▪The author left a stable and growing company as CTO to return to building software directly.
- ▪Freelancing brought unexpected challenges, including the silence of working alone and income instability between projects.
- ▪Years in technical leadership taught the author to focus on root problems, say no constructively, and think long-term about system architecture.
- ▪Clients who have clear, specific problems tend to result in better and more effective freelance projects.
- ▪The author now approaches client work by questioning the underlying need behind requests and offering alternative solutions when appropriate.
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try { if(localStorage) { let currentUser = localStorage.getItem('current_user'); if (currentUser) { currentUser = JSON.parse(currentUser); if (currentUser.id === 3561015) { document.getElementById('article-show-container').classList.add('current-user-is-article-author'); } } } } catch (e) { console.error(e); } Iurii Rogulia Posted on May 16 • Originally published at iurii.rogulia.fi From CTO to Freelancer: What 12 Years in Technical Leadership Taught Me #career #freelance #leadership #cto Twelve years as CTO. Then, one day, I wasn't. Not because things went badly — they didn't. FP Oy, the logistics company in Finland where I led engineering, was stable, growing, and technically solid by the time I left. I left because I wanted to build things again. Not manage the people who build things.
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