About Dustin
I lead engineering teams. Architecture, hiring, delivery, team development.
Hi, I'm Dustin Parnell. I'm an engineering leader with 15+ years of experience across software engineering and technical leadership.
I've held multiple CTO and co-founder roles and delivered products from zero to production across startups and enterprise initiatives.
CTO & Managing Partner at GAIN Fitness — Built a personalized workout app with a small, focused team. Owned the full technical stack from architecture through delivery.
CTO & Co-Founder at MentorFit — Built an AI-powered resume builder and assessment tool for matching employees in the construction industry, from zero to production.
Co-Founder at Better World Software — Founded a software consultancy serving non-profits and charities. Built a custom ERP from scratch for Meals On Wheels and sold it to Meals On Wheels organizations across North America.
Fractional CTO at Next Epic — Led architecture, delivery, and technical direction building connected fitness software for a Fortune 500 client. Small team, large scope — partnered with design and business leadership across a multi-year engagement.
Three former employers brought me back for a second engagement. I take that as the strongest signal that I deliver real value.
I work as a contract and fractional engineering leader. Companies bring me in when they need experienced technical leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive hire.
I also built and run a 100+ agent AI orchestration system that I use across software development, business operations, research, and more. Not a product to sell, but proof that I go deep on the tools and workflows I recommend. I'm a CTO who has gone deep on AI-augmented work, not an AI/ML engineer.
How I Work
Week 1
Listen and Learn
I meet the team, understand the codebase, sit in on standups, and map the current state. No changes yet. Just listening.
Weeks 2-4
Lead and Ship
I start owning decisions. Architecture direction, hiring priorities, delivery cadence. The team feels the difference quickly.
Ongoing
Build Momentum
I embed as part of the team. Part-time, remote, flexible. I stay as long as I'm adding value and the team is shipping.
Ready to move faster?
Let's talk about your team and where experienced engineering leadership can make the biggest impact.
30-minute call. No prep needed. No obligation.