Problems I solve
Founder-led company operational problems often begin with growth, because growth creates complexity. I work on three: the founder as bottleneck, systems the company has outgrown, and AI without a strategy.
Growth creates complexity. What works for a small business unit rarely works once the organization is larger, more distributed and more commercially sophisticated.
In a founder-led company, that strain can show up in decisions, in systems and in the use of AI. The result can be a company that has outgrown the way it operates.
Each problem has its own page with a full diagnosis.
Everything comes back to the CEO, decisions aren't getting made and managers aren't accountable. The founder spends too much time managing, growth has created complexity and there is no operating rhythm. Read the founder bottleneck diagnosis.
There are too many spreadsheets, the CRM isn't being used properly and reporting is poor. Handoffs are broken, meetings are everywhere, there are no clear KPIs and processes live inside people's heads. See how a company outgrows its systems.
AI experimentation is everywhere, yet there is no AI strategy and employees use random tools. There is no governance, lots of talk and little ROI, and automation opportunities haven't been identified. Read about AI without a strategy.
The problems overlap, and a company can have more than one.
| Problem | A symptom to look for | What the fix builds | Where I help |
|---|---|---|---|
| The founder is the bottleneck | Decisions queue up behind the CEO | A weekly leadership meeting, team accountability and KPI management | The Fractional COO engagement |
| The company has outgrown its systems | Spreadsheets, broken handoffs and unreliable reports | Redesigned processes first, then the right technology | The Fractional COO engagement |
| Everyone is talking about AI, but nobody knows where to use it | Scattered AI experiments and little return | An AI opportunity assessment, AI implementation and AI governance | The Fractional COO + AI Transformation engagement |
A people problem concerns a person's skills, role or accountability. A process problem concerns how work moves between people and systems. The same symptom can come from either.
A problem that looks like a technology problem may actually be a process problem. A process problem may actually be an accountability problem.
One test is whether the failure follows one person or follows the work through different people. Failure that follows the work often points to the process.
My starting point is a diagnosis. The 90-Day Scale-Up Operating System begins with Phase 1, Diagnose, in weeks 1–2. That phase assesses strategy, organization, leadership, processes, technology, revenue operations, KPIs, AI opportunities and founder bottlenecks.
Its deliverable is the Scale-Up Diagnostic. It is a concise executive assessment showing what's broken, why, what matters and what to fix first. The engagements I offer are set out on the services page.
The case studies show the work behind this practice. They cover an LED product recovery, an Odoo ERP transformation and a managed services business unit.
If you are unsure whether your company fits, read who I work with.
A company has outgrown the way it operates when the structure that worked at a smaller size no longer holds. Signs include everything coming back to the CEO, too many spreadsheets, meetings everywhere and no clear KPIs. Another sign is AI use with no strategy or governance behind it.
A people problem concerns a person's skills, role or accountability. A process problem concerns how work moves between people and systems. The same symptom, such as a missed handoff, can come from either. The fix can differ, so the diagnosis comes first.
A company should fix first whichever problem holds back the most growth, and the Scale-Up Diagnostic exists to establish that. It is a concise executive assessment showing what's broken, why, what matters and what to fix first. It is the deliverable of Phase 1, Diagnose, in weeks 1–2 of the 90-Day Scale-Up Operating System.
Use the contact form to describe your company and the symptoms you recognize.
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