Fractional CTO · Technology & AI advisory

Make your next
technology decision
a confident one.

I’m Jay Leon. I work directly with founders and leadership teams on technology strategy, architecture, and delivery—bringing senior leadership and hands-on expertise in AI agents and knowledge systems.

Based in Northwest Arkansas. Working nationwide.

Experience acrossHealthcareMedia & publishingRetail & fashionIntelligence & government

The reality

Most businesses don't have a technology problem. They have a visibility problem — they can't see where they stand or what's coming next.

I've spent twenty years in that gap — as an engineer, platform architect, and technology executive, from Series A startups to Fortune 500 brands, in industries where technology failures aren't abstract.

I work spec-first: every project starts with a written specification, gets built against it, and doesn't ship until it matches. I call that discipline the Enso methodology. And right now I'm deep in agentic AI — evaluating the latest systems, understanding what they do well, and figuring out where they fit your business versus where they don't.

Track record

Executive judgment. Hands-on delivery.

From CTO and VP of Technology roles to hands-on AI engineering, I connect business priorities with technical decisions, team direction, and delivery.

Healthcare · CTO

6 weeks to a HIPAA-compliant intelligence platform, built by a team of four

LifeChef

I lead technology for a personalized nutrition platform, from product development to delivery—and applied Enso to AI-assisted engineering to ship the intelligence platform on that timeline.

Platform leadership and applied AI

Threat intelligence · Technology leadership

Architect → VP of Technology at a threat intelligence company serving enterprises and government agencies

Flashpoint

I progressed from Lead Platform Architect to Director and VP of Technology, connecting platform development with technology strategy.

From architecture to executive responsibility

Travel marketplace · Engineering advisor

Lower cost and a simpler stack for an inherited product

FoodieTrip

I led a three-developer team to stabilize the product, standardize its technology stack, automate recurring work, and reduce hosting costs.

A practical path through inherited complexity

Recognition

Earlier, at KBS+, I engineered the platforms behind campaigns for BMW, Armani Exchange, and Vera Wang. That work was recognized with an ADC Gold Cube, IAB MIXX Gold, a London International Awards Silver, and the EPA Green Power Leadership campaign award for the BMW ActiveE launch.

“Having Jay on your team is sure to give you confidence that even the craziest brilliant ideas can become a reality.”

Marc Hartzman · colleague at KBS+, via LinkedIn

“He’s built systems large and small that continue to scale … in some cases going in and re-architecting failing systems that used fewer resources to achieve greater results.”

Mike Dory · via LinkedIn

Examples describe my own roles at each organization, not a list of Vitasphere client engagements. Full background on LinkedIn.

Services

Three ways to work together

Technology Assessment

A focused diagnostic of your current technology landscape. You'll walk away with a clear picture of where you stand, what's working, what isn't, and a prioritized roadmap for what to do next.

From $7,500 Fixed fee · 2–4 weeks

Includes
  • Current-state architecture review
  • Gap and risk analysis
  • An actionable, prioritized roadmap
  • A summary your board can read

Strategic Advisory

Ongoing access to senior technology leadership without the full-time hire. Architecture calls, vendor evaluation, agentic AI strategy, roadmap decisions — someone who's made these calls before.

Includes
  • Fractional CTO engagement
  • Architecture and platform strategy
  • Agentic AI evaluation and fit analysis
  • Vendor and build-vs-buy guidance

Transformation Partnership

I architect the solution, coordinate the build with trusted development teams, and validate every milestone. You get the oversight of a CTO without building the office.

Includes
  • Solution architecture and specification
  • Implementation partner coordination
  • Quality checks at every stage
  • Continued tuning after launch
Discuss a transformation partnership

Not sure which model fits? The first call is free: 15 minutes to understand where you are and map the engagement to the actual decision in front of you.

Discuss options

Who I am

I’m Jay Leon, founder of Vitasphere — a technology leader with 20+ years architecting platforms, leading engineering teams, and guiding transformation.

Vitasphere exists because most businesses don't need another vendor. They need a senior technologist who's been through it — someone who can evaluate what you have, define where you need to go, and make sure you get there without burning time or budget on the wrong things.

When you work with Vitasphere, you work with me. No hand-offs to junior staff, no slide decks in place of decisions.

Why I do this work

  1. A cup of tea.

    The most ordinary thing in the world.

  2. Clay.

    Flat crystals of kaolinite, shaped by earth, water, fire — and someone’s hands.

  3. Atoms.

    A nucleus, and a cloud of probability around it. Almost everything else is empty space.

  4. Fields.

    Closer still, there are no things at all — only fields, rising and falling into being.

  5. Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form.

    — The Heart Sutra

  6. Nothing we build stands alone.

    A cup depends on clay, the clay on fire, the fire on the hands that tend it. Everything I build depends on the people it reaches — a patient waiting on a result, a clinician at the end of a long shift, an engineer who deserves to go home on time.

    So I build with care for all of them: clear specifications instead of guesswork, less waste, fewer surprises, and technology that eases suffering rather than adding to it.

Common questions

What does a fractional CTO actually do?

A fractional CTO provides senior technology leadership on a part-time or project basis. Instead of a full-time executive hire, you get experienced guidance on architecture decisions, vendor selection, AI strategy, and team structure — calibrated to your actual needs and budget. Read my full breakdown of what a fractional CTO does day to day.

When should a company consider a technology assessment?

When you're unsure whether your current systems can support your next stage of growth, when you're evaluating a major platform change, or when you suspect your technology spend isn't translating into business value. An assessment gives you clarity before you commit resources.

How is Vitasphere different from a traditional consulting firm?

You work directly with me, Jay Leon, the founder of Vitasphere. Engagements connect senior technology judgment with written specifications, explicit tradeoffs, and milestone validation, informed by more than two decades of hands-on experience.

Do you work with companies outside Northwest Arkansas?

Yes. Vitasphere is based in Northwest Arkansas, but most engagements are remote or hybrid. I work with companies across the United States — the only requirement is that you're serious about improving how technology serves your business.

What's your approach to agentic AI?

I evaluate AI systems based on what they do well today — not what a vendor promises for next quarter. I help you identify where agentic AI creates real value in your operations, where it's not ready yet, and how to build the foundation so you're ready when it is.

How much does a fractional CTO engagement cost?

A Technology Assessment is a fixed fee starting at $7,500, typically completed in two to four weeks. Ongoing advisory and transformation work is scoped to the level of involvement you need — book a discovery call and I'll give you a straight number.

How long does a typical engagement last?

Duration depends on the scope and level of involvement. An assessment is a focused project; advisory and transformation work may extend over multiple milestones. Timing, fees, and engagement terms are agreed during scoping.

What size companies do you work with?

From Series A startups making their first architecture decisions to Fortune 500 enterprises navigating platform migrations. The common thread is a need for experienced technology leadership at a critical moment.

What happens after an assessment?

You get a written deliverable with findings and a prioritized roadmap. From there, you can execute independently, bring me on for advisory, or engage Vitasphere for full transformation oversight. No pressure — the assessment stands on its own.

Let's figure out where you stand.

Start with a 15-minute call. No pitch, no slides — just an honest conversation about what's working and what's not.

Book a call

Prefer to call, text, or email? Contact Vitasphere.