The archive · 19 issues published

The Accidental CTO Chronicles.

Real startup stories. Comic strips. Technical lessons. Battle-tested advice — filed issue by issue.

Pinned issue#016 6 min· 6 Sept 2026

The Kids Picture Site

A client with a vision: a picture site for kids. Upload photos of themselves. Named after his 3-year-old daughter. A name nobody can pronounce. When I raised the consent issues, he didn't understand the question. When I refused, he said I wasted his time.

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19 issues

Issue #019

Client Horror Stories 7 min· 14 Sept 2026

The Ad Avalanche

A client hires me to rebuild his article site. I set up WordPress, give him an ad panel, and get him all set. A month later he storms in, furious that nobody's visiting. Then I check the site. 100 ads. Popups. Cookie consent bypassed. And he's blaming me.

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Issue #018

Tech Life 5 min· 11 Sept 2026

The Server Response Time

I'm explaining the importance of UI, UX, and server response times to a client. I'm pitching an innovative food ordering mechanism that reduces bottlenecks and validates coupons without lag. Then we cut to the fast food counter. The touch screens are offline. And I can't redeem a coupon without spending 30 AED.

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Issue #017

Hiring Horror Stories 7 min· 9 Sept 2026

The Certification Illusion

An impressive resume. Microsoft Certifications. Cisco Certifications. Confidence that made it feel like he was doing us a favor. Then I gave him a simple task and watched him stare at a screen for three hours. The truth was worse than the resume.

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Issue #016

Client Horror Stories 6 min· 6 Sept 2026

The Kids Picture Site

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Issue #015

Leadership & Management 7 min· 2 Sept 2026

The Same Team

A client complains his outsourced team is useless. He wants me to fire them and get a new team. Instead, I take over the SAME team. No new hires. No replacements. Just structure, leadership, and a clear plan. The result? Night and day.

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Issue #014

Client Horror Stories 8 min· 29 Aug 2026

The Six-Month Prediction

A client with an attitude. Sunglasses indoors. He scoffs at my quote. 'I can get it done for half the cost if I outsource it.' I smile. 'See you in six months.' My associate asks how I know. 'They always come back.' Six months later, he walks in a complete mess. And the quote is higher.

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