Technology leadership · from idea to revenue

I build products that become businesses.

Nick Schmidt

I’m an experienced CTO who turns ambitious ideas into products customers use and pay for. I shape the strategy, architecture, team, and delivery system—then lead the work from zero to market.

Selected experience

80+people in teams built and led
7+high-load products launched
300K+daily active users

01

What I offer

Technical leadership, end to end.

One accountable partner across the decisions that turn an idea into a product—and a product into a company that can grow.

01

Architecture

System design, technology selection, and a scalable foundation shaped around the product, team, and business constraints.

02

Product development

Hands-on leadership from prototype and MVP to a stable product ready for customers and growth.

03

Project leadership

Roadmaps, priorities, risks, and delivery—connecting business choices with focused execution.

04

Team building

Hiring, structuring, and mentoring engineering teams with clear ownership and a healthy performance culture.

05

Engineering processes

Practical systems for planning, code quality, CI/CD, testing, monitoring, and reliable operations.

02

Technical stack

Hands-on where it matters.

A pragmatic toolkit for building, operating, and scaling modern products—from APIs and data platforms to AI and decentralized systems.

Languages & backend

Go · TypeScript · JavaScript · Node.js · PHP

Data & databases

MongoDB · Redis · SQL · NoSQL · Data pipelines

Infrastructure

Kubernetes · Docker · Ansible · CI/CD · Observability

Systems

Distributed systems · APIs · High-load · WebRTC · Scalability

AI & automation

Artificial Intelligence · Machine Learning · LLMs · AI-powered products

Blockchain & Web3

Blockchain · Web3 · Crypto infrastructure · Data-driven trading systems

03

How I work

Business intent and technical execution belong in the same room.

I can join at the idea stage, shape the product and technical strategy, build the team, and lead delivery until customers are using—and paying for—the product.

  1. 01

    Find the signal

    Clarify the customer, the problem, and what is worth proving first.

  2. 02

    Build the right thing

    Create the smallest credible product and get it into real users’ hands.

  3. 03

    Make it repeatable

    Turn early traction into a team and system that can deliver and scale.

Ideas in practice

Writing about systems and teams.

04

WebRTC / Architecture

How to develop your own Twitch and not die

A practical look at designing a scalable, resilient WebRTC video cluster—from SFU topology and regional relays to adaptive quality and monitoring.

Read article ↗

Leadership / Hiring

Why Interviewers Need to Be Just As Prepared As Candidates

Five concrete principles for structured, respectful interviews that help companies evaluate well and attract stronger people.

Read article ↗

Have a product worth building?

Tell me what you’re building and where you need momentum. Reach me on Telegram or LinkedIn.

Write on Telegram · @niksmith Connect on LinkedIn