work with me
Three ways we work together.
All of them start with one
conversation.
Every engagement begins the same way. One call. Twenty minutes. We find the work, decide whether I’m the right operator to help, and figure out what shape it should take.
01
Executive Coaching
Coaching the leader, and the business they’re leading.
A structured working partnership. Sometimes with one leader. Sometimes with co-founders or co-owners together. Sometimes the engagement extends down a layer to include the leadership team. The structure is real and the curriculum is deep; the agenda each week is shaped by what the leader and the business are actually facing.
The first half of the work is on the leader. How they show up under pressure. How they handle tough conversations. How clearly they actually communicate (most leaders are less clear than they think). How they grow into the role the business needs them in.
The second half moves to the business itself. Direction. Strategy translated into actual action. The right people in the right roles. The systems that let work move consistently. The decision flow that's currently bottlenecked. The rhythm that produces consistent results.
This is where most engagements start. The coaching reveals what the business actually needs next.
02
Fractional COO
Operating partnership, grown from a diagnosis.
I don't install fractional work from a template. Every engagement starts with the Six P Surfacer, a diagnostic that names where a founder-led business tends to break: Purpose, People, Process, Performance, Promotion, Profitability. The diagnosis surfaces which link is bent. The work bends it back.
What that looks like varies by founder, by stage, and by what the diagnostic surfaces. Sometimes it's installing a leadership rhythm and an accountability infrastructure. Sometimes it's rebuilding the operating priorities around a clearer purpose. Sometimes it's helping a founder transition from being the answer to building the team that has the answers. Most engagements move through several of these at different paces.
The depth varies too. Some founders need weekly working time and embedded presence inside the leadership team. Some need lighter operating partnership with monthly strategic check-ins. Diagnosis first. Engagement shape second.
03
Special Projects
Defined scope. Defined timeline. One concrete outcome.
For founders or leadership teams who have a specific need that doesn't require ongoing engagement. Or for first-time clients who want to see how I work before committing to something deeper.
Scope is drawn from a broader background: 38 years as a CEO, COO, and communications specialist. The work can be operational, communication-focused, or leadership-development work. The constraint is the timeline and the deliverable, not the category.
Every project starts with a working scope conversation. The project doesn't begin until we both know what "done" looks like.
Who this is for.
Founder-led businesses, typically $1.5M to $20M. You had a better idea. You made it work. And now you're running something different than the job you signed up for.
Decisions still flow through you. The calendar fills with operating, not strategy. The team is busy, but they don't always know what you know or move the way you'd move. Hiring hasn't fixed it. Working harder hasn't fixed it.
You sense something has to change in how the business runs, not just what it sells. That's the right instinct. And if you're willing to do the work, that's enough to start the conversation.
In their words.
Six of the people who’ve watched the work.
“
Robert brought a level of rigor and discipline to our operations that transformed how we execute at scale. Under his leadership, we reduced turnover by at least 50% while improving output quality and delivery timelines. From a CFO's perspective, that kind of operational clarity is invaluable.
Britt Balkcom
Chief Financial Officer
“
Robert came in and immediately started bringing clarity to the chaos. He developed meaningful KPIs, helped define what success looked like, and created a framework that gave our teams direction and accountability. Robert is one of the most effective leaders I've had the chance to work with.
Jimmy Greer
Operations Leader, Intellivo
“
I've known Robert for almost 25 years. He sees the person before the role. Plenty of leaders can build a team. Plenty can build an org. Robert builds the people inside both — and what gets built lasts.
Ryan Loche, PhD
Long-arc colleague
“
As my Fractional COO, he has helped me become one of the most sought after ADA Consulting firms in the nation. He's tactical, creative and truly communicates well. Whether handling marketing, improving our estimating system or developing onboarding and training, he's become both a trusted friend and someone I rely on to scale my business.
Chris Taylor
Owner & CEO, ADA-PROS
“
I've seen leadership in many different forms. My two years with Robert was none of the above. He steadily built our department into what it needed to be — neither too top down nor too hands off. He's simply not a one-size-fits-all type of leader.
Bill M. Wade, Esq.
Attorney
“
Robert is one of the most people-focused leaders I have had the privilege of working with. He took my role and contributions seriously, particularly in the development and implementation of our quality audit program. He consistently puts his employees first, and that commitment shows.
Chrissy Maynerich
Quality Analyst
If you’ve made it this far — let’s talk.
Twenty minutes. One conversation. We’ll find where things have gotten stuck —
and whether I’m the right operator to help.
Free fit call. Twenty minutes. No pitch.