Twenty-five years in the second seat.

Context

The first neighborhood-based home services marketplace — homeowners group recurring outdoor services (lawn, pool, pest) to save; local vendors scale smarter.

Mandate

Stand up every operating function from zero alongside a Visionary CEO.

Owned

Operations, product, marketing, vendor growth.

Outcomes

• Marketplace built from zero — product, vendor economics, operations, and launch playbooks — across three target markets (Austin, Dallas, Los Angeles)
• Launching 2026

Context

Chicago’s fastest-growing, top-rated independent ISP; Everywhere Wireless sold to MC Partners in 2021; the Zentro platform was recapitalized by Greystar Infrastructure in 2026. Joined as VP, Innovation & Culture; promoted to Chief of Staff, Innovation & People.

Mandate

Build the people and operating infrastructure of a company professionalizing fast — then integrate what it bought.

Owned

Company-wide EOS implementation · the Innovation Lab (all systems, platforms, data, integrations, automation) · the People function · integration lead on three acquisitions, pre-deal through execution.

Outcomes

• 3 acquisitions integrated in eleven months (Silver IP, Snip, GigaMonster)
• 2 institutional liquidity events
• Doubled headcount in under a year while sharply reducing turnover

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Context

Advisory practice for founders, operators, and investors — consumer products, media, technology, education — from early-stage scaling to post-acquisition transformation.

Mandate

Drop into companies in transition as interim COO, Chief of Staff, or growth architect.

Owned

Interim executive seats (operations, finance, sales), growth strategy, organizational design.

Outcomes

• 400% growth in 4 months (media client)
• +50% sales in 6 months and a $200K round (edtech client)
• −40% operating costs in 2 months (consumer products client)

Context

Experiential learning organization serving individuals, corporations, and universities.

Mandate

Restructure operations and position the company for investment; ongoing strategic advisory since.

Owned

Operations, product expansion, fundraise execution.

Outcomes

• Led a successful investment round
• Restructured operations to increase margin and output

Context

Acquired intellectual property and built it into a national executive-training company for superintendents and district leaders.

Mandate

Turn theory-based IP into a scaled national operating company.

Owned

Operations, curriculum development, logistics, data/QC, and a national consultant network of 200+.

Outcomes

• Largest professional development organization for K–12 leaders in the U.S.
• From a few dozen participants to thousands annually
• Partnerships with Apple, NBC, and major districts
• $10M annual revenue

Context

K–12 executive search firm acquired and modernized — psychometric testing, data dashboards, and tech-enabled recruitment new to the industry.

Mandate

Rebuild the operating model of a legacy services firm.

Owned

Operations, project management, marketing, finance, HR, technology.

Outcomes

• Tripled revenue and improved margins fivefold within 15 months
• Strategic sale in 2015 after six years of consistent growth
• Co-authored a leading K–12 HR guidebook

Context

Project-based group of retired education leaders serving district reform engagements.

Mandate

Full business-model redesign — from ad hoc collective to standardized firm.

Owned

Marketing, operations, finance, HR, project management, technology.

Outcomes

• Expanded nationally, generating tens of millions in grants for underserved districts
• Transformed into a stable, profitable firm
• Sold to an investment group

Context

Acqui-hired alongside SolTyra. First mandate: grow a federally funded after-school tutoring program run from two offices, Chicago and New York — I ran Chicago. Promoted through three roles to VP.

Mandate

Act one — scale the tutoring program. Act two — ninety days to assess a 25-seat call center slated for shutdown; diagnosed it as undervalued and undermanaged, told the CEO it was a good asset, then proved it.

Owned

The Chicago program, then expansion into six new cities nationwide · the call center, rebuilt as dedicated sales and support operations · national tutoring sales consolidation (the high-ticket line) · marketing consolidated from 30+ city offices into Houston · Customer Experience & Support across 50+ regional offices · an $8M P&L.

Outcomes

• Tutoring program from 400 to 7,000+ students in one year — the largest provider in Illinois, with the highest math and reading gains for students in underserved communities, adding 10% to company top-line revenue
• Call center costs cut 20% while revenue doubled
• Consolidated sales drove significant company-wide revenue growth.

Context

Digital marketing and strategy agency founded during the early internet boom; clients included CareerBuilder, US Cellular, and The Princeton Review.

Mandate

Help small and mid-sized companies grow online.

Owned

Everything — scaled from solo consultancy to full-service creative and development firm (websites, eCommerce, marketing automation).

Outcomes

• Acqui-hired by The Princeton Review, which paid a bonus to bring the firm with its founder

Context

Venture-backed firm commercializing innovation from universities and research institutions.

Mandate

Partner with founders to identify, fund, and launch high-impact technologies.

Owned

Deal support, launch operations, civic and economic development initiatives.

Outcomes

• Brought several emerging tech platforms to market
• Advised strategic investment in distressed communities

Context

Wireless networking company co-founded during college, deploying high-speed internet for major Chicago real estate developments.

Mandate

Build and fund a pioneering connectivity business.

Owned

Sales, marketing, operations, capital raise.

Outcomes

• Angel capital raised
• Large-scale installation contracts with landmark Chicago properties