Do Tech CEOS know how do you code?

A good startup CEO not only knows how to develop code, but can also develop an impeccable acumen for making smart business decisions.

Can software engineers become CEO?

There is no doubt that an engineer can become CEO, but you have to take great interest in developing the skills and seeking out the experience and responsibilities that are involved in running a business. Apply your engineering lens to the problem of getting the right experience to be CEO and you will have a start.

Do CEOs need to be good at coding?

An ideal CEO is one who can do any task in the company (cold calling, accounting, coding, doing administrative stuff, etc even if less efficiently than a specialist), if necessary. Although it is not necessary that you code, you will get immense respect from your team if you do so.

Do CEOs need to know how much it costs?

I have a media background, a degree in Political Science, and lead a technology start-up. The CEO’s job is to know how much it costs to make the product and how much it can be sold for. However, even if the CEO is not writing code, they need an understanding of the technology their company is building and using.

Is it necessary to code to be a successful marketer?

Although it is not necessary that you code, you will get immense respect from your team if you do so. At Microsoft, Bill Gates has 10X more prestige than Ballmer who has never coded. Instagram’s Kevin Systrom learned coding although he was a marketer before. Think of a ship captain who can neither swim nor steer the wheel.

Do non-technical founders really need a CTO?

“Non-technical founders need a CTO they can trust entirely and who is prepared and able to explain in layman’s terms what needs to be done.” Buckley, who has a marketing background, learnt this first hand when he successfully grew a mobile advertising company which was acquired by Google.