Nobody trains you to lead. You get the title (or just the work) and figure it out alone.
First Lead is the course I wish I'd had in 2012: the technical, business and people skills a Tech Lead actually uses, in video lessons in English you can finish in about 4 weeks.
Start today and learn at your own pace.
Not for you? Email us within 7 days for a full refund.
Earn it when you finish the course.
Most new Tech Leads are strong in one of these and get blindsided by the other two.
Your technical skill stops being measured by the tickets you close. It shows up in decisions the team trusts, code reviews that teach, and an architecture that doesn't rot while you're in meetings.
Translate engineering into what the business cares about: ROI, deadlines and risk. Negotiate scope with Product instead of just absorbing it. That's how you get a seat where decisions are made.
Your output is now your team's output. Feedback that lands, delegation that sticks, people who grow. Be the lead people want to work with, not the bottleneck everyone waits on.
I built First Lead from what worked for me and for the best Tech Leads who came through my teams since 2012. If you want more from your career than the next ticket, this is what you'll be able to do:
Not sure you're ready? Most people asking that are already doing half the job. First Lead gives you the 3 pillars so you can step up without sabotaging yourself, whether you want to manage people or grow on the Staff/Principal track.
Most Tech Leads get promoted with zero training. So they firefight all day, the team depends on them for everything, and there's no time left to code or to grow anyone. Feel like you're improvising? That's common. It doesn't have to be permanent.
Engineers and Tech Leads who took the course or worked with me one-on-one.
“Working with Fernando was a turning point for me. He has an incredible ability to connect with real challenges and create clear, actionable plans that drive results.”
As a co-founder and CTO of a fast-growing startup, I was drowning in challenges: constant firefighting, lack of time, and no clarity on what truly mattered. Fernando's mentorship was a game changer.
“Fernando's guidance not only accelerated my own growth — it helped me speed up 3 other teammates. I even received a positive feedback email from my manager.”
In just three sessions, I was able to apply Fernando's insights directly to my work. One of his recommendations helped me create an internal training that accelerated 3 teammates' development.
“The investment already paid for itself many times over. Fernando's guidance was hands down one of the best investments we've made.”
Fernando brought clarity and actionable insights that we could immediately apply to our company. The sessions quickly paid off and continue to generate value as we move forward.
“The course is pure gold. The step-by-step framework works anywhere — it gave me clarity and confidence to thrive as a Tech Lead.”
As a consultant, opportunities to grow beyond senior roles are rare. The templates, especially the spreadsheet and onboarding guide for new Tech Leads, are pure gold.
“Just started the course today, watched 3 videos — the content is amazing. Really badass.”
The content is clear, practical, and powerful. You can tell right away this isn't just theory, it's actionable knowledge for real Tech Leads.
“Two weeks after Fernando's guidance, I had 3 interviews lined up and over 10 recruiter responses — after months of being ignored.”
In just one 30-minute conversation, he showed me how to tell my story in a way that stood out. His mentorship gave me the clarity, confidence, and edge I needed to grow.
Five modules built around the problems new Tech Leads actually hit. About 4 weeks at your own pace.
Being a Tech Lead isn't being the same dev as before plus a pile of meetings. Here's what changes:
One-time payment. No subscription. $49 is less than what a company pays a senior engineer for a single hour.
Try First Lead for a full 7 days, risk-free. If you decide it's not for you, just send us an email at [email protected] within 7 days and we'll give you a full refund — no questions asked.
I've been writing code since 2002 and leading teams since 2012. Today I'm the CTO of Cobli, a fleet management company in Brazil.
Before that, I was CTO at two startups and sold my stake in both. Along the way I also ran an e-commerce business into the ground and got stiffed by freelance clients.
My first time as CTO, in 2012, I centralized everything, faked confidence and thought the team was the problem. (Spoiler: it wasn't.)
Since then I've helped thousands of developers become Tech Leads. First Lead is what worked for me and for the best Tech Leads who came through my teams: the ones who earned the respect and the pay they wanted.
Welcome to First Lead.
Mid-level and senior developers who want to become Tech Leads, and Tech Leads who got the role without any training. If you want to lead without guessing, talk to stakeholders without dreading it, and grow the people on your team, it's for you.
English. All video lessons are in English. (If you're in Brazil, there's a Portuguese version with prices in reais at liderancatecnica.com.br.)
The course is divided into five main modules: Introduction to Technical Leadership, Technical Pillar, Business Pillar, People Pillar, and Culture.
Online and self-paced: video lessons, reading material, practical exercises and deliverables you apply to your own team. Access is 1 year on the $49 plan and lifetime on the $69 and mentoring plans.
It depends on your pace, but most students finish all modules and activities in about 4 weeks.
Yes. If you decide within 7 days that the course isn't for you, email us and you get a full refund. And if you finish the course, apply what it teaches and don't see your leadership improve, you also get your money back.
Experience building software and working on a team. That's it. You don't need a lead title or any management background.
Yes. The course is aimed at future and current Tech Leads, but seeing early what the job really involves helps you pick a path and start building the skills that get people promoted.
Most Tech Leads never got formal training, so most experienced ones are running on instinct. The course gives names and frameworks to what you already do, and fills the gaps you've been working around.
Start this week. If it's not for you, you have 7 days to get your money back.
I'm Ready to Become a Tech Lead