Strategic IT leadership without the executive price tag.
Most small business IT teams spend their days keeping systems running. That leaves no room for the work that shapes your future: long-term planning, budget strategy, and pointing your IT investments at the right goals. That is the job of a Chief Information Officer. FD Consulting's virtual CIO service gives your business that leadership at a cost that makes sense for your size.
A full-time CIO costs
per year, salary only, before benefits and overhead.
A virtual CIO delivers the same strategic leadership at a fraction of that investment.
And how is it different from other IT services?
A virtual CIO (also called a fractional or outsourced CIO) is an experienced IT executive who provides strategic technology leadership on an ongoing basis. Not a help desk. Not a one-time consultant. They become a standing part of your leadership team, accountable to your technology strategy over time.
| Break-fix / help desk | IT consultant | Virtual CIO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Fix today's problems | One defined project | Long-term IT strategy |
| Engagement | Reactive | Project-based | Ongoing partnership |
| Output | Ticket closed | Report or deliverable | Living roadmap + budget |
| Accountability | None beyond the fix | None beyond the scope | Ongoing, owns the strategy |
Your IT team is good at today. Someone needs to be thinking about tomorrow.
No dedicated IT leader
Technology decisions land on the owner's desk, or get made reactively whenever something breaks. There is no roadmap, no budget forecast, and no one but you accountable for whether the technology is actually serving your goals.
IT staff focused on support
Your IT person or team is strong at keeping systems running, but help desk tickets, maintenance, and user support leave no time for long-term planning. A vCIO gives your IT staff strategic direction without replacing them.
This might describe your situation:
- Technology decisions are made reactively, when something breaks or a vendor calls
- You are not confident your IT budget is spent on the right things
- Your business is growing, but your technology was not built for where you are now, or where you are going
- Your cyber insurance carrier is asking security questions nobody can confidently answer
- A significant change is coming, a new location, acquisition, or compliance requirement, with no technology plan
What FD Consulting's virtual CIO service provides.
Our vCIO service is the bridge between your IT department and your leadership team, translating technical complexity into business decisions your leadership can act on.
IT strategy aligned to your goals
We analyze how your business uses technology today and where it needs to go, then build a clear strategy around your specific goals.
Architecture for today and tomorrow
We define and design the right IT infrastructure for what you need now, and how it should evolve as your team and ambitions expand.
Company-wide best practices
We implement the processes, standards, and security practices you need to operate efficiently, minimize risk, and reduce costly downtime.
Fewer emergency costs
Reactive IT spending is expensive. We replace urgent, ad hoc decisions with a proactive plan, so fewer things break unexpectedly.
Security & network optimization
We assess your posture, implement best practices, and build a strategy that reduces risk and satisfies what your insurer is asking you to demonstrate.
Technology planning for growth
We plan the updates and investments that keep employees productive and costs predictable, so technology supports your growth instead of frustrating it.
What happens when you work with FD Consulting.
We learn your business first
Before we advise, we understand. We review your current environment: what you have, how it is used, and where the gaps are between your IT and your goals.
We build your IT strategy
With that picture in hand, we develop a strategy specific to your business: the architecture you need, the priorities to act on first, and the roadmap to get there.
We stay as your partner
Not a vendor you call when something breaks. We are the ongoing interface between your IT function and your leadership team, invested in your long-term success.
You don't get assigned to a consultant. You work with Fred.
Fred Denison has been helping businesses use technology strategically for over 20 years. He started FD Consulting in 2009, after seeing that small business owners needed enterprise-quality guidance calibrated to their actual scale and budget. When you work with FD Consulting, you work with Fred directly, a business owner himself, grounded in practical reality.
- Vendor-neutral. We do not sell software or hardware; every recommendation is based on what is right for you.
- 30+ years of experience with the decisions small business owners actually face.
- Custom solutions. No pre-built packages; your strategy is built around your business.
Common questions about vCIO.
What's the difference between a virtual CIO and managed IT?
Managed IT handles the operational layer: help desk, maintenance, and monitoring. A vCIO handles the strategic layer: where your technology is going and whether your IT spending is well-allocated. The two are complementary, and many clients use both.
Do I need a vCIO if I already have IT staff?
Possibly. Most IT staff are strong at operational support but lack the bandwidth for strategic planning. A vCIO gives your staff direction and takes long-term planning off their plate, which often makes them more effective at the work they were hired to do.
How much does a virtual CIO cost?
Engagements are scoped around each client's needs, not a fixed package. For context, a full-time CIO costs $200,000 to $300,000 per year; a fractional vCIO delivers the same caliber of leadership at a fraction of that. Contact us and we will give you a specific quote.
How often would we meet?
At minimum quarterly, a formal strategy review with your leadership team. In practice most clients have more frequent contact: monthly check-ins, conversations around specific decisions, and the ability to reach us when something comes up.
Does a vCIO make technology decisions for us?
No more than you want us to. Your vCIO advises; the authority stays with your leadership team. Our job is to make sure your decisions are well-informed and connected to your actual business goals.
What does a vCIO do about AI and new technology?
Evaluating new technology, including AI tools, is part of the vCIO function. Some tools deliver genuine value now; others are not worth the implementation cost. We evaluate each the same way: what problem does it solve, what does implementation require, what are the security implications, and does it make sense for your business at this stage?
Your technology deserves a strategy. Let's build one.
The first conversation is free and takes about 30 minutes. We will learn about your business, understand your technology situation, and tell you honestly whether a vCIO engagement is the right fit.