Fractional CTO
Embedded technology leadership on a part-time basis. I join your leadership team to set technical direction, build engineering culture, and ensure your technology investments deliver value.
I'm James Webster, founder of Croftsware and creator of sheepCRM, a modern, sophisticated membership and relationship CRM platform that has been supporting organisations for over 15 years.
My career spans more than two decades of technical leadership, from Amazon—where I progressed to Senior Software Development Manager overseeing core retail catalogue systems and managing engineering teams across multiple countries—to working with a wide range of SaaS businesses and venture-backed startups.
Since leaving Amazon, I've founded and maintained software products, built and handed over engineering teams, and served as a trusted technical lead during periods of growth, transition, or restructuring. My work has included supporting startups such as Rangespan (later acquired by Google), as well as advising organisations on architecture, delivery processes, and operational readiness.
Based in Oxfordshire and working remotely, I partner with organisations that need senior technology leadership but don't require a full-time CTO. Whether you're a non-technical founder making your first engineering hire, or a board seeking independent technical oversight, I bring long-term experience, practical judgement, and a calm, delivery-focused approach.