From the Dress Code to the Bottom Line: A CTO Business Primer
Tue Feb 03 2026
In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub discuss the interplay between tech and business. Starting with comments about their own scruffiness and stories of wearing hats to interviews and fancy restaurants, they delve into how CTOs can effectively bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders. They run through a crash course on economics, explaining concepts like unit economics, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and lifetime value (LTV), explaining the importance of speaking the language that non-technical counterparts can grasp, and touch on the role of AI in reducing operational costs. The episode offers practical advice for aspiring CTOs and an invitation for listeners to request a class on finance specifically tailored for technology leaders.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:37 Fashion in the Tech Industry
02:11 Remote Work Culture
03:58 Interview Attire and Professionalism
07:10 The Importance of Code Switching for CTOs
11:12 Understanding Business Metrics for CTOs
12:08 Unit Economics Explained
19:44 The Role of AI in Business Efficiency
30:45 Conclusion and Class Opening
Resources:
How Many CTOs Pod: https://howmanyctospod.com Scott Porad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottporad/ Brad Hefta-Gaub: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradheftagaub/ #TechPodcast #EngineeringPodcast #DevTalks #PodcastForDevs #HowManyCTOs #Podcast #CTOs #CTOPodcast #ChiefTechnologyOfficer #Technology #Engineering #SoftwareDevelopment #SoftwareEngineering #TechLeadership #EngineeringLeadership #EngineeringCulture #TechDebates #TechFashion #StartupLife #AIRevolution #BusinessGrowth #BusinessPrimer
More
In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub discuss the interplay between tech and business. Starting with comments about their own scruffiness and stories of wearing hats to interviews and fancy restaurants, they delve into how CTOs can effectively bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders. They run through a crash course on economics, explaining concepts like unit economics, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and lifetime value (LTV), explaining the importance of speaking the language that non-technical counterparts can grasp, and touch on the role of AI in reducing operational costs. The episode offers practical advice for aspiring CTOs and an invitation for listeners to request a class on finance specifically tailored for technology leaders. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:37 Fashion in the Tech Industry 02:11 Remote Work Culture 03:58 Interview Attire and Professionalism 07:10 The Importance of Code Switching for CTOs 11:12 Understanding Business Metrics for CTOs 12:08 Unit Economics Explained 19:44 The Role of AI in Business Efficiency 30:45 Conclusion and Class Opening Resources: How Many CTOs Pod: https://howmanyctospod.com Scott Porad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottporad/ Brad Hefta-Gaub: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradheftagaub/ #TechPodcast #EngineeringPodcast #DevTalks #PodcastForDevs #HowManyCTOs #Podcast #CTOs #CTOPodcast #ChiefTechnologyOfficer #Technology #Engineering #SoftwareDevelopment #SoftwareEngineering #TechLeadership #EngineeringLeadership #EngineeringCulture #TechDebates #TechFashion #StartupLife #AIRevolution #BusinessGrowth #BusinessPrimer