Search
Logo
Low Code CTO
Sign Up
Login
Upgrade
Home
Archive
The Author
Pillars
My Mentors
Oliver Buchannon
Stephan Smith

Serial tech founder, obsessed with approaches that get founders out of code into revenue.

Letting Go of Old Patterns to Build AI-Native,

Letting Go of Old Patterns to Build AI-Native,

What started with autocomplete turned into a full rebuild of how I think, code, and collaborate.

Dec 12, 2025

•

12 min read

Returning to the Low-Code CTO: Lessons from the AI Fast Lane

Returning to the Low-Code CTO: Lessons from the AI Fast Lane

How a whirlwind of AI insights and hands-on experiments is reshaping how we build, debug, and deliver value.

Dec 5, 2025

•

7 min read

Agile LLM Rethink

Agile LLM Rethink

Exploring how AI is transforming the traditional Agile process—turning vague ideas into clear prompts, exposing hidden complexity, and raising new questions about the role of experience, team structure, and what it really means to “build” in the age of LLMs.

Sep 19, 2025

•

9 min read

End-of-Day Revenue

End-of-Day Revenue

Everyone understands revenue. That’s why I use it as a forcing function. If it doesn’t earn value today, it’s not worth your weekend.

Aug 15, 2025

•

7 min read

The Sunk Cost Illusion

The Sunk Cost Illusion

Founders often mistake early code for progress. But the real challenge isn’t shipping features — it’s avoiding the trap of sunk cost thinking. This post breaks down why pausing before you commit is the smartest move you can make.

Aug 8, 2025

•

4 min read

Why Developers Always Want to Build — and How It Costs Us

Why Developers Always Want to Build — and How It Costs Us

Every time I asked my team to evaluate SaaS tools, I watched the same thing happen. A predictable resistance. A build-first mindset. And over time, I realized: it wasn’t just bias — it was culture.

Jul 18, 2025

•

7 min read

AI Focus Groups?

AI Focus Groups?

I use AI focus groups in my daily meditation! It's now part of my process. It's how I start my day on a bounce and not stuck in the grind of execution. How in the hell did AI get so far into the world that it's part of meditation?

Jul 8, 2025

•

7 min read

AI Adoption Patterns

AI Adoption Patterns

I am a developer. While I have no intention of going back to being a staff engineer, wrangling code, branches, PRs, and agile process, I do rely on my background to get things moving. Engineering rigor is the pattern. AI adoption in the tech community has some things to teach (to me).

Jun 22, 2025

•

9 min read

Typeform: What happened?

Typeform: What happened?

Forms used to feel like progress. Typeform was sleek, Google Forms was simple, and building your own meant control. But today, AI agents are rewriting the rules. They gather data with context, tone, and flow—no rigid input fields required. Going back to old-school forms feels like switching from Spotify to a cassette tape. The tools didn’t just age—they missed the AI shift.

Jun 6, 2025

•

6 min read

Post Vibe Coding

Post Vibe Coding

It seems like a long time ago that I decided to try a No-Code February. Going cold turkey on code has some interesting side effects. The math of applying AI coding tools to advising and consulting has forced some changes in how I approach all code projects: Launch By Lunch AI Accelerators, Vibe Coding Office Hours, and tech stack audits. And a renewed focus on the scoring site of the low-code cookbook.

Jun 4, 2025

•

10 min read

Economics of Code #1

Economics of Code #1

AI and low-code, in conjunction, are changing the core math for how 'code' is generated, priced, and sold. I am exploring how this math is changing, learning as I go.

May 14, 2025

•

5 min read

Essentialism for Founders

Essentialism for Founders

Low-code and Marcus Aurelius had a gentle battle in my startup brain. One quote triggered an insight, which triggered a pivot and then lead to Ai Accelerator that sold out in hours.

May 7, 2025

•

6 min read

Resource Restriction is Great!

Resource Restriction is Great!

No founder I know doesn't need more funding. In the back of every startup founder's brain is the wish to get the funding problem off their backs and work without distraction. It's unfair to say, stop, and embrace scarcity as a superpower.

Apr 18, 2025

•

6 min read

Chessboard Chaos!

Chessboard Chaos!

The last two months have been stressful for many founders working out of Venture Lane. EdTech startups have taken the brunt of the funding changes for Universities. It's not over yet, but there is a silver lining!

Apr 6, 2025

•

4 min read

Vegas vs. Berlin: What I Learned About How Clients Want to Engage

Vegas vs. Berlin: What I Learned About How Clients Want to Engage

I reworked my fractional CTO practice by changing my mindset. I had been operating like a German Casino, and missing the mark, but I needed to be more like Las Vegas. Make it stupid easy for a client to hire and pay.

Mar 26, 2025

•

5 min read

Are Developers Becoming Obsolete?

Are Developers Becoming Obsolete?

The next wave of software builders won't know how to code. And that's ok. The challenge for tech leaders will be bringing their work into a company's technology stack.

Mar 20, 2025

•

4 min read

Low Code Hack #1

Low Code Hack #1

A good low-coder is a cheap low-coder. Cheap means fast. It means you get to revenue and outcomes faster. It means you don't spend time and money on complexity. No matter how easy Google and Microsoft make getting started, it's still complex.

Mar 19, 2025

•

3 min read

Friday Newsletter

Friday Newsletter

Ok this week, I got off the Ai horse for a bit. I am a bit Ai saddle sore, if thats a thing. Turns out there is a limited, that even I can tired of. This week I did some reading, explored the Magma AI Agent Platform and built out a Beehiiv Identity solution. Happy Friday everyone!

Mar 14, 2025

•

5 min read

Beehiiv as my login?

Beehiiv as my login?

A key part of startups’ technology stack is how they approach public vs private features. Usernames and passwords are the logical starting point. Other ways require a little imagination but lower the impacts on roadmap and tech spend.

Mar 14, 2025

•

4 min read

AI Coding Patterns & Rules of Engagement

AI Coding Patterns & Rules of Engagement

Scrambled codebases, competing NPM packages, duplication code and a high token burn are all part of the learning curve. I remain very focused on driving my code utility rate as high as possible.This is a rolling set of learning...

Mar 9, 2025

•

7 min read

Ai Coding Tools

Ai Coding Tools

Exploration of how much I can get AI to replace my "Code Brain" approach to building solutions.

Feb 18, 2025

•

3 min read

Week 2:  No Code February

Week 2: No Code February

Week 2 was all about remapping a code approach to an AI code approach, with little learning lessons. Big insights are on the value of planning prompts to get better outcomes.

Feb 16, 2025

•

6 min read

Slack as your v0.1 Product?

Slack as your v0.1 Product?

Most people look past the value of Slack in building solutions. Don't.

Jan 15, 2025

•

5 min read

I have "Code Brain"

I have "Code Brain"

Paul Krugman outlined the economics of "Car Brain" in his recent article about the congestion economics of cars, commuters, and the city of New Year. That concept resonated in a huge way!

Jan 15, 2025

•

3 min read

Launch it Now

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

While they planned to plan, you went live!

HOME

ARCHIVE

AUTHORS

TAGS

© 2025 The Low Code CTO.

Report abuse

Privacy policy

Terms of use

Powered by beehiiv