I'm Misha, and I help early-stage founders navigate technical decisions with confidence. Think of me as the experienced friend who's been there before – the one you'd grab coffee with to talk through your biggest challenges.
I've built and sold companies. Raised money on Kickstarter. Shipped products in healthcare, finance, and IoT. Led teams from 3 to 50+ engineers. Made plenty of mistakes and learned from all of them.
I've also been deep in the AI revolution – working on ML projects since 2020 and using AI coding tools like Cursor and Claude Code since they launched. I know what's real and what's hype.
But what matters more is that I remember what it's like to be where you are – uncertain, excited, and needing someone to bounce ideas off.
I adapt to your situation, budget, and goals. Here's what we typically work through together:
We'll figure out what to build first, what can wait, and whether that $50K-150K quote makes sense. (Spoiler: Your MVP probably shouldn't cost that much.)
I've been using Cursor, Claude Code, and Replit for over a year. I'll show you when AI can save you $20-50K and when you need human expertise.
I'll help you spot the red flags, know what to pay, and find developers who embrace AI tools (they're more productive).
We'll pick tools that grow with you. Sometimes Make.com or Lovable gets you to revenue faster than custom code.
Misha has been a go-to sounding board for me since the start of my non-tech founder journey. As a founder himself, he understands the highs, lows, and everything in between. Working with him is like having a technical co-founder in your corner...without the complications. Our calls are part problem-solving, part catching up with a friend who happens to be brilliant with tech.
Misha built our entire SaaS platform and rebuilt it three times as we pivoted. He also saved us from over-engineering by shipping fast and learning what actually mattered to doctors.
Recognize your situation?
Let's talk →Choose the option that fits your stage and needs
Perfect for bootstrapped founders
Two 60-minute calls monthly
Your time to dig deep into challenges
Email/Slack between calls
Quick questions, gut checks, "is this crazy?"
No contracts or commitments
Stay as long as it's helpful
For funded teams or unique situations
Raised funding? Building your first engineering team? Need more hands-on support? Let's design something that works for your situation.
Common engagements include:
To put this in perspective: A development agency charges $1,500-2,500 per day. A full-time CTO costs $250,000+ per year. One bad hire can set you back $50,000 and six months. For less than what you'd spend on a single day of consulting, you get ongoing guidance from someone who's been there.
One prevented mistake pays for years of guidance
See if I can help prevent yours →Often, yes! I've seen non-technical founders build impressive MVPs with Cursor, Replit, and no-code platforms. I'll help you understand what's possible with AI, what still needs human expertise, and how to combine both. What used to require a $50K developer might now be possible with $500 in tools and some guidance.
It's not either/or anymore. The smartest approach often combines both. I'll help you figure out what you can build with AI tools (maybe 60% of your MVP), what needs a developer's touch (the tricky 30%), and what you should buy off-the-shelf (the last 10%).
Absolutely. I've spent years translating between technical and business teams. We'll speak your language, not tech jargon. Think of me as your translator in the tech world.
One bad technical decision can cost you months and tens of thousands. I've seen founders spend $200K on custom code when $2K in AI tools would have worked. Think of this as insurance that costs less than one day of developer time.
I know great developers and agencies I trust. I'll connect you with the right people when you're ready to build, and make sure you're not paying enterprise prices for startup needs.
Book a 20-minute discovery chat about your startup. I'll listen to where you are, what you're building, and we'll see if there's a fit for working together.
No pressure. No pitch. Just an honest conversation about your technical challenges.
or email me directly at misha@manulis.com
💡 6-Month Special: Prepay for 6 months and save $500 ($5,500 total)