a Houston-area wholesale distributor
Website and back office · handed over in August 2026
I built it with the owner. Then he took over the changes.
55 of 56
changes after handoff, made by the owner
I am still on call.
Hamza Zulquernain · Fractional CTO in Houston
Fractional CTO for owner-run businesses in Houston, with on-site visits.
A part-time head of technology. I build your website, ads and back office with your team. Then I hand your team the keys and stay on call.
Recent work in Houston
All three are in the Houston area. I don't name a client without their OK, so two of them stay anonymous.
a Houston meal-prep brand
Ads, online store and back office · 2026
Ads, a faster storefront, and a back office for the kitchen.
55 / 55
kitchen-sheet checks that matched the owner's own records
We still work together: I run their Google Ads and I'm building what's next.
Royal Pawz USA
Houston · Mobile dog grooming
12× monthly revenue by month six.
16 → 136
grooms per month, December to the May peak
I'm an equity partner in Royal Pawz USA.
How on-site visits work
I'm based in Houston, so I come to you when being in the room helps. Here is where that fits in each phase.
Scoping Sprint
7–10 business days
I come to your business and watch how the work gets done, with you and your staff. The written plan comes from what we see there.
Build
About 3 months
I come in when it helps: to try a new screen with the people who will use it, or to sit with your team while they work.
Handoff
End of the Build
We do the handoff in person. The person who will make changes makes a few small ones with me beside them.
After handoff
Your choice
If something breaks, you text me. When a problem is easier to fix in person, I can come to you.
Outside Houston? We work remote, over video calls and shared screens. The phases, the handoff and the warranty stay the same.
What it costs
Every phase is priced before it starts.
- Scoping Sprint
- $5,000 flat
- 7–10 business days. Credited 100% against a Build started within 30 days.
- Build
- from $18,000
- About 3 months, alongside your team. Fixed scope, agreed in writing after the Sprint.
- Self-serve with on-call support
- priced at handoff, sized to what you run
- Your team makes the changes. I pick up when something breaks.
- Self-serve, pay per fix
- priced at handoff, sized to what you run
- Your team makes the changes. You pay for each fix you ask me for.
- Monthly fractional CTO
- from $4,000/mo
- I stay on as your part-time CTO after handoff.
In the month after handoff, a client's owner made 55 of the 56 changes, using Claude. I made one.
Who you work with
Hamza Zulquernain
Fractional CTO · Zapp Studios · Houston
Based in Houston, working with owners here and remotely.
I take pride in this work, and I stay with it after it ships. The job is done when your business gets real value from it and your team can run it.
- Founding engineer, DietAIBuilt the product, the funnel and the growth systems through a 7-figure exit.
- Equity partner, Royal Pawz USA12× monthly revenue by month six.
- Two back-office systemsBuilt with the owners and their teams, and handed over in 2026.
Questions Houston owners ask
Do you come to our business in person?
Yes. I'm based in Houston, and on-site visits are part of the work here. I come to you for the Scoping Sprint, during the Build when it helps, and for the handoff.
Where in Houston do you work?
I work with owners across Houston. If your business is outside the area, we work remote. The phases, the handoff and the warranty are the same.
Have you worked with other Houston businesses?
Yes. In 2026 I built back-office systems with a Houston-area wholesale distributor and a Houston meal-prep brand. I handed both over. I'm also an equity partner in Royal Pawz USA, a Houston mobile dog grooming business. I don't name a client without their OK.
How do we get started?
Answer a few questions at Find your fit, or book a 30-minute call. If it looks like a fit, we start with the Scoping Sprint. In Houston, the Sprint starts at your business, where I watch how the work gets done.
What's a fractional CTO?
A part-time head of technology. I decide with you what to build, build it with your team and look after it, without you hiring a full-time executive. For an owner-run business, that usually means your website, your ads and the back office your staff use every day.
Can we start small?
Yes. Every engagement starts with the Scoping Sprint: $5,000 flat, 7–10 business days, and a written plan you keep whether or not we build. If the Build starts within 30 days, the Sprint fee is credited in full.
Let's see if this fits your business.
Answer a few questions, then book a 30-minute call. We'll talk through how your business runs today, what's worth building and what isn't. You'll leave with a clear next step, whether or not it's me.