Do I need a fractional CTO for my startup?

A fractional CTO helps startups make technical decisions, hire engineers, and build scalable architecture without the cost of a full-time executive. It's ideal for seed-stage companies or those needing technical leadership for specific projects.

How do I choose the right tech stack for my product?

The right tech stack depends on your product requirements, team capabilities, timeline, and budget. Native mobile (Swift, Kotlin) gives the best performance. Cross-platform (Flutter, React Native) reduces cost for simpler apps. Web apps scale differently than mobile. An experienced engineering leader evaluates trade-offs across all options rather than defaulting to one stack.

What does a technical consultant actually do?

A technical consultant provides engineering leadership without long-term headcount commitment. This can include architecture design, code reviews, DevOps setup, team mentoring, project management, and hands-on development. Engagements range from strategic advisory to embedded technical leadership.

When should I migrate my legacy codebase?

Migrate when maintenance costs exceed development velocity, when you can no longer hire engineers for the old stack, or when the platform itself is being deprecated. A phased migration strategy reduces risk by running old and new systems in parallel rather than doing a full rewrite.

How do I set up CI/CD for my engineering team?

Start with automated testing on every pull request, then add automated builds and deployment to staging. Tools like GitHub Actions, Fastlane, Bitrise, and Azure DevOps can automate the entire pipeline from commit to production. The goal is fast, reliable releases with minimal manual intervention.

Welcome to

Laughter Consulting

I'm Nic Laughter - an engineering leader with 20 years of experience designing enterprise systems, establishing engineering practices from scratch, and shipping products for Apple, Google, Rakuten, and high-growth startups.

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Proven Results

Real outcomes from real engagements

20+

Years Engineering

25+

Products Shipped

45+

Engineers Mentored

99.8%

Crash-Free Rate

The Full Stack. The Full Picture.

Enterprise systems architecture, mobile, web, cloud, and the engineering leadership to tie it together

Enterprise Systems Architecture

Greenfield platform design from specs to production. Multi-pillar orchestration layers, integration architecture, TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, and Azure.

SDLC & Engineering Practices

Establishing engineering standards from zero: CI/CD, environment separation, testing discipline, code review culture, and audit-ready practices.

Technical Leadership

Fractional CTO and embedded lead services. Technical strategy, architecture decisions, team mentoring, and the engineering leadership to execute on it.

Native iOS & Mobile

Swift, SwiftUI, Objective-C, UIKit. 20 years on the Apple platform, plus Android, Flutter, and React Native. I ship across mobile.

DevOps & CI/CD

CI/CD pipelines built and managed across multiple organizations. GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, Fastlane, Bitrise, and release automation end to end.

Project Management

PSM-certified Scrum Master. Sprint planning, backlog management, stakeholder communication, and keeping projects on track and on budget.

Beyond Code

Leadership and product experience that adds value beyond just engineering

Project Management

PSM-certified Scrum Master. Plan sprints, manage backlogs, run standups, and deliver on time

Mentoring

Guide junior developers, conduct code reviews, and foster team growth

Architecture Decisions

Greenfield platform design, integration architecture, and system-level technical decisions across web, mobile, and cloud

Security & Compliance Readiness

Audit-ready engineering practices, IPO-track code standards, and security-conscious architecture for regulated environments

EOS & L10 Meetings

Run effective L10s, set Rocks, and drive accountability with EOS principles

Full App Lifecycle

From concept and design to deployment and ongoing updates

Product Roadmaps

Define and prioritize features that align with business goals and user needs

Stakeholder Communication

Bridge technical and business teams with clear, actionable communication

Hiring & Interviews

Screen candidates, conduct technical interviews, and build high-performing teams

Technical Strategy

Define technology direction and make build-vs-buy decisions

Accessibility

Build inclusive apps that work for everyone with WCAG compliance

Teaching & Training

6 years teaching iOS development. Develop curriculum, run workshops, and upskill your team

Legacy Modernization

Migrate Objective-C to Swift, React Native to native, vibe-coded apps to production-grade systems, and modernize aging codebases

Cloud & Azure

Azure Container Apps, Azure DevOps, TypeScript/Node.js/Next.js stacks, environment separation, and cloud-native deployment pipelines

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