Why I code as a CTO

Many CTOs abandon coding as they advance, but this CTO maintains hands-on development while managing zero direct reports and shipping substantial features quarterly. They focus on three key areas: experimental projects like an AI chat product that became multi-million dollar ARR, urgent customer needs requiring rapid solutions, and bug fixes that provide deep system understanding. AI tools have dramatically increased their productivity, shifting the role from writing every line to providing context and making strategic technical decisions.