[CSMastermind]

How big is your team?

People overestimate the importance of titles.

Anyone can start a company and call themselves a CTO. Plenty of line managers at big tech companies have more responsibilities than CTOs at start ups.

As long as you're not 5+ years into people management and have a team of less than ~50 it shouldn't raise any flags with most interviewers. People switch between manager and IC all the time.

Just have a good story ready, be humble, and demonstrate good self-awareness and you'll be fine.