Fractional CEO, COO, CFO, CRO, CTO, CIO or CISO leadership, backed by an on-staff CTO.
No one in the executive seat yet? When outages, a rising cloud bill, a security review or a platform that will not scale start costing the business, NullCXO puts senior executive leadership on it a few days a month: architecture, hiring, vendors, risk and spend, with one accountable person behind the result. No full-time executive hire.
NullCXO plans start at $2,000/month. Heavier executive work runs on the same day plans.
What NullCXO covers
Use it when decisions are stuck
Bring in an experienced executive when you are refereeing technical debates, approving tools you cannot evaluate, or about to hire engineers with nobody to lead them.
Fractional CTO
Architecture, engineering direction, roadmaps, and delivery governance.
Fractional CIO
Systems, vendors, and technology spending: governance and priorities without losing operational grip.
One executive, the seat you need
One accountable leader across engineering direction, systems, vendors, security, operations and spend, for when those problems are tangled together.
Keep accountability close
NullCXO seats are led by vetted executives matched to your scope, backed by Matthew McGowan as on-staff CTO. French-English work is delivered by Lyna McGowan.
Leadership and execution
NullCXO leads technology decisions; Null Engineer delivers when hands-on work is required. Startup Hybrid packages combine leadership and engineering hours in one monthly retainer.
What this looks like in practice
Selected leadership outcomes, with the delivery context behind each result.
Scaled a global deployment
Anonymized Client
Scaled a deployment from 12 to 120 servers in 90 days, globally, during an active security audit.
- Situation
- A deployment needed to scale globally.
- Constraint
- A security audit was active the whole time.
- What changed
- Scaled from 12 to 120 servers worldwide with the audit still running.
- Measured result
- Scaled a deployment from 12 to 120 servers in 90 days, globally, during an active security audit.
Controlled AI infrastructure spend
Anonymized Client
Created controls for AI infrastructure spend and model priorities.
- Situation
- AI infrastructure spend was rising without clear allocation controls.
- Constraint
- Cost reduction could not compromise priority model capacity.
- What changed
- Introduced governance, model prioritization, and resource allocation.
- Measured result
- Helped reduce AI/infrastructure spend from $20M to $12M in 30 days.
Built a delivery roadmap
Anonymized Client
Delivered a production-ready platform architecture and buildout plan.
- Situation
- A pre-equity rideshare startup needed a viable technical and financial plan.
- Constraint
- The roadmap target was seven business days.
- What changed
- Drafted milestone costs, early build-out steps, and priorities for the next two to three years.
- Measured result
- Production-ready platform architecture and buildout plan delivered in two business days.
How we run our own practice
We run NullorNaN on the same controls we put in place for clients. Here is one, with the numbers.
Improved cost forecasting
NullorNaN (internal)
Built read-only cost controls and cash-flow forecasting.
- Situation
- The practice needed a reliable internal view of cost and cash flow.
- Constraint
- Financial data access had to remain read-only and controlled.
- What changed
- Built cost controls and forecasting with read-only financial data.
- Measured result
- 2% forecast variance.
FAQ
What is NullCXO?
NullCXO is fractional executive leadership from NullorNaN for the C-level seat you need, such as CEO, COO, CFO, CRO, CTO, CIO or CISO: a principal-level leader on a monthly day plan, without a full-time executive hire. Plans start at $2,000 a month for 1 day.
How much does NullCXO cost?
NullCXO plans start at $2,000 a month for 1 day (8 hours), delivered async. Most clients choose 4 days a month, $8,000. Day rates are $2,000 for 1 to 5.5 days a month, $1,900 for 6 to 8.5 and $1,800 for 9 to 12; live days add $400. 3-month minimum.
How do you price heavier executive work?
Heavier executive work for the C-level seat you need, such as board preparation, due diligence, executive hiring or interim cover for technology and security seats, runs as a day plan on the same tiers as all our work: $2,000 a day for 1 to 5.5 days a month, $1,900 for 6 to 8.5 and $1,800 for 9 to 12, with live days $400 more. There is no separate advisory day rate. We size the plan to the work, within our standard limit of 3 days a week and 12 days a month.
Can a fractional CTO or CIO lower our cloud bill?
Often, when the bill is driven by architecture choices, unclear ownership, or missing spend controls. NullCXO puts the controls in place: who owns spend, what gets priority, and which vendors and services earn their cost. Null Engineer does the hands-on optimization when it is needed. How far the bill can come down depends on your setup, and we will tell you after a review, not before.
Do plan days roll over or provide 24/7 coverage?
No to both. Plan days reset each month and do not roll over, pile up, or turn into credits or refunds. A plan is not 24/7 executive availability or on-call coverage.
Why do you cost more than some fractional executives?
Because you work directly with a senior operator who has done the hands-on work, including compliance. Matthew leads every engagement himself, and his experience covers SOC 2 reporting, PCI-DSS reporting and a live DoD Command Cyber Readiness Inspection (CCRI). Our day rates start at $2,000 for async work, with live days $400 more, and drop to $1,900 and $1,800 a day for larger monthly plans. If you are heading toward a security review, an enterprise deal or an audit, that experience saves you from learning it on your own time.
Can you help with SOC 2 or PCI-DSS?
Yes. Matthew has done SOC 2 reporting and PCI-DSS reporting hands-on, and has been through a live DoD Command Cyber Readiness Inspection (CCRI). We help you plan the controls, shape your engineering and processes so the evidence is there when you need it, and keep product work moving while you prepare. We are not an audit firm and do not issue reports or attestations; your auditor does that.
Where are you based, and do you work with clients outside the United States?
NullorNaN Systems, LLC is based in Metro Atlanta. US-focused, serving clients globally. We serve clients across the U.S. and globally and work U.S. Eastern Time.
Start a leadership conversation
Tell us what is stuck: direction, delivery, vendors, or team accountability. On a free 30-minute call, we will tell you honestly if fractional executive leadership is the right fit.
NullorNaN Systems, LLC is a U.S.-registered consulting firm based in Metro Atlanta. US-focused, serving clients globally, on U.S. Eastern Time.