Who I Work With
I support founders in making their vision a reality, whether it's educating them on the typical roles needed as a startup scales, developing a strategy to transition business operations as the business model evolves, solving operational issues, or mentoring staff on operational best practices. I specialize in working with self-funded, angel, or seed funded companies. I can help you manage at the stage you are at, and I can get you into the scale-up phase.
How I Can Help
Operational Strategies
❉ Reduce dependency on the founding team for every decision
Do you spend more time managing than improving your company? I'll help establish ownership in leadership roles, and transition the team away from a dependency on founders. I'll also work with you to understand how to break the cycle of "just doing it yourself" in order to move the business forward in a meaningful way
❉ Develop a hiring plan that's aligned with revenue goals
I'll help you determine the roles do you need and at what point to hire in your growth trajectory, so that you're not always in reactionary mode. Getting your people issues right starts with defining the right people for you, and defining your right seats in ways that people understand the essential results and responsibilities for which they are accountable.
❉ Define a scalable product/service delivery model that fits where you're at now
Did you start your business with a high-touch delivery model that is no longer sustainable? I can introduce a delivery model that can evolve to a low-touch model in a timeframe that meets your revenue goals.
Operational Frameworks
❉ Framework for prioritizing the projects we have on our plates
The most important job of a CEO is to help your team understand what you’re working towards. But it is essential to get good at knowing which ideas to sideline in favor of others. And usually, the issue you fear the most is the one you need to resolve. I have a playbook that will help your team leaders manage project priorities seamlessly, and I'll coach you on how to evaluate the tough calls.
❉ Playbooks for Customer Success/Onboarding
A key to early growth success is consistency in key processes. Playbooks ensure that everyone on the team understands what's expected, and who to escalate to when issues occur.
❉ Employee Evaluation and Feedback Process
Regardless of the size/stage of the business, employees will want feedback on how they are doing. Startup leaders often struggle to find the time to give employees the attention they need to develop into their roles, but this feedback is critical to leveling up your team as you scale. I will introduce you and your team to a proven evaluation framework that is right-sized for where you're at.
These are just a few examples of common issues that are easily solvable with right-sized frameworks for decision making. Using my vast experience of seeing what works and what doesn't in early-stage startups, I can assess the root cause of problems and determine alternate strategies that improve efficiency through process, technology, organization, or a combination of changes in these areas.
Why Me?
Clients come to me because they know I have a way of connecting with people that gets them onboard with change, and they also know that I can get things done. I'm typically asked to help them solve one urgent need, and then once I deliver results, clients want my help in other areas. My colleagues will tell you that I’m an expert in bringing calm to chaos, and have the ability to get everyone moving in the same direction.
My ability to see the big picture, identify patterns and create organization around them lets you focus on innovating and doing.