SaaS Product Development in Crisis:
Stabilize, Untangle,
Realign
When projects stall, the CTO leaves, or investors increase the pressure, fast decisions and visible progress are essential.
I help SaaS organizations regain their ability to act – with technical depth, leadership competence, and clear priorities.
When nothing moves forward, and no one knows why
Product development crises rarely announce themselves cleanly: suddenly the CTO is gone, projects are stuck, collaboration falters, investors push – and there's no time to sort everything out clean.
The risk: brain drain, strategic paralysis, operational blockage.
Typical patterns:
CTO Departure – Without Handover, Without a Plan
Teams are working, but no one is delivering – because focus and leadership are missing.
Technical debt blocks further development (outdated monolithic platform, no cloud, missing DevOps)
Stakeholders are talking past each other – Marketing, Tech, and Sales with competing agendas
Burn rate is increasing, revenue is stagnating, investors are losing patience
Teams are unsettled – key personnel are thinking about leaving
“In these situations, it’s not about perfection. It’s about quickly regaining control – technically, organizationally, and humanly.”
Martin Rusnak
Non‒binding crisis consultation: Quick answers to move forward
In a short 30-minute conversation with me, we will clarify the following points so that I can give you initial advice on how to avert a crisis:
Clarify incident / define the crisis:
Clarifying the current or emerging crisis to get all the facts on the table.
Discuss context:
With a few questions about your IT, possible deadlines, and available resources, we develop a holistic understanding of your situation.
Receive recommendations:
Based on your briefing, you’ll receive initial, clear recommendations from me to limit the damage and a rough roadmap to overcome the crisis.
Experience when it matters.
In a crisis, we often don't get a second chance. Therefore, benefit from my experience to quickly and safely get your IT back on track.
5
Interim CTO assignments
21
Projects & IT security audits
27
Years of experience in the SaaS industry
9
International deployments
How to turn stagnation into productivity
Analysis and building trust
Discussions with key people, technical check, initial structure: What is critical? What can wait? These dialogues are essential to develop the situation and initial solutions.
Secure daily business & stabilize team
All relevant projects continue. Communication, decisions, and processes are manageable again. The team gains initial orientation.
Create structure and deliver initial results
Architecture, processes, and team structure are being reorganized. Quick wins emerge, technical blockades are resolved, and output visibly increases.
Bring performance to a new standard
The team has overcome the crisis and is settling into the new structure. Within a short time, the reorganization is complete, the team is up to speed, and product development is on schedule.
CTO Crisis Check: 30 Minutes That Bring Clarity
When the CTO has left or product development is stuck, a quick reality check helps: What needs to be done? What can wait? Where is external help needed?
In the CTO crisis check, we clarify:
What the current state of product development is
Which projects are blocked – technically or organisationally
Whether leadership, know-how, or structure is lacking
Where quick wins lie – and how to use them
What absolutely must be achieved in the next 4 weeks
Out of the crisis in three steps: Clarity, Analysis, Solution
STEP 1
Crisis/strategy meeting
First, we clarify your situation, discuss challenges, bottlenecks, and goals.
STEP 2
Gap-Analysis
With the gap‒analysis, we get to the bottom of the causes of the challenges and identify the actual bottlenecks.
STEP 3
Solve the crisis
Based on the insights gained, we develop a concrete plan to overcome the crisis.
Gap analysis:
Clarity for confident decisions
In a crisis, the actual causes are often elusive. Without in-depth expertise, the crucial bottlenecks are often difficult for C-level executives to grasp.
With the help of a gap analysis, we illuminate the three essential areas in your product development: software architecture, organization, and leadership. This allows us to uncover deficits in detail and lay the foundation for an effective product solution.
The gap analysis consists of a workshop with C-level executives and key personnel, structured interviews, and recommendations with an action plan.
Solutions for the challenges faced by SaaS companies
I can provide support in the following areas as an external consultant, Fractional CTO, or CTO mentor. In exceptional cases, I am also available as an Interim CTO.
SaaS Product Development in a Crisis
Quick, field-tested solutions when projects get stuck, the CTO has left the company, or other turnarounds become necessary.
Efficiency optimisation through reorganisation
If product development does not deliver the expected performance, inefficiencies are often found in the areas of collaboration, stakeholder management, or prioritisation.
Leadership mentoring for CTOs / IT managers
Many CTOs are technically highly skilled. With the crucial abilities in organisation, leadership, and stakeholder management, they bring their full horsepower to the road.
Preparation IT Security Audit / Audit Readiness
Gladly, I provide support with: clarifying the current status, internal setup, creation of all documents, expert network, project management, and general accompaniment.
Tech due diligence for private equity
With a tech due diligence, I scrutinise the entire product development of SaaS companies to enable informed investment decisions.
Interim-CTO
When a SaaS company loses its CTO, not only the projects but also employee retention are at risk. As an interim CTO, I quickly ensure the necessary stability and prompt growth.
"I'm there before things really hit the fan."
When IT is in crisis – the CTO is gone, projects are stalled, or an audit is looming – you need someone who can immediately bring clarity and get things back on track.
I'm Martin Rusnak, Interim CTO, Fractional CTO, and Trusted Advisor from Munich. I support high-growth SaaS companies when technological leadership is missing, the IT organization is blocking growth, or investors are getting nervous.
I analyze the situation, stabilize overwhelmed tech teams, clear operational bottlenecks, and ensure projects get moving again – pragmatically, focused, and with 27 years of experience.
What sets me apart: I think strategically, act decisively, and speak the language of both management and developers. My goal is for you to be able to focus on your core business again – instead of being disturbed every two hours on vacation due to IT problems.
If you have the feeling: "This can't go on like this" – then we should talk.
The key to sustainably successful SaaS companies
