Fractional COO/CTO & Leadership for High-Stakes Startup Growth

This is not advisory. I step in, take responsibility, and stay accountable for outcomes.

Cerebral Ops is a principal-led firm providing hands-on fractional technology and delivery leadership to scaling SaaS companies. I work directly with CEOs, CTOs, and boards to restore execution discipline, align leadership, and ensure critical programs move forward—without the overhead or delay of a full-time hire.

Discuss Your Situation

See how fractional leadership engagements typically work →

What I Take Responsibility For

When I’m involved, accountability does not diffuse across teams or committees—it stays with me.

How Engagement Scales When Deeper Intervention Is Needed

Most engagements start fractionally and scale only if and when deeper involvement is truly needed.

Fractional Leadership

In the standard fractional engagement, I provide ongoing leadership and alignment without day-to-day operational control.

Embedded Operating Partner

When deeper intervention is required, the engagement shifts to a more hands-on operating role with direct authority and execution ownership.

When Deeper Intervention Is Required

Fractional leadership is usually sufficient. In some situations, it deliberately deepens.

When execution is already slipping

Critical initiatives are missing milestones, confidence is eroding, and incremental course correction is no longer enough to recover momentum.

When alignment alone won’t fix the problem

Leadership may be aligned in principle, but execution still stalls — requiring hands-on operating authority to drive day-to-day decisions and follow-through.

When the stakes are too high for partial measures

Board-critical programs, post-merger integrations, or customer-visible commitments where failure carries material business or reputational risk.

In these situations, the engagement can intentionally shift into a more embedded operating role — without changing accountability or resetting the relationship.

See how these situations fit within a Fractional Leadership engagement →

What Changes When I’m Involved

The difference is visible within weeks — not quarters.

Decisions stop stalling

Ambiguity around ownership, priority, and trade-offs is removed. Decisions are made with context, authority, and follow-through.

Execution regains discipline

Plans become realistic, commitments become explicit, and teams operate against clear expectations rather than implied assumptions.

Risks surface early

Delivery, dependency, and capacity risks are identified early and addressed directly — before they become board-level surprises.

Accountability becomes explicit

Ownership is clear at every level — including mine. Progress and setbacks are visible, explained, and acted upon.

Confidence is restored

Boards, executives, and customers see consistent progress grounded in reality, not optimism or reactive explanations.

These changes are not driven by frameworks or process theater. They come from sustained leadership presence, disciplined execution, and direct accountability.

See how this approach is applied in practice →

The Operating Model

One accountable leader. Specialized capability applied where it matters.

Principal-led by design

You engage directly with me. I remain accountable for outcomes end to end, rather than delegating responsibility across a consulting team.

Leadership first, capability second

Specialized expertise is brought in only when required — and always under my direction — to solve specific execution, delivery, or governance problems.

Authority matched to risk

As execution risk increases, the engagement can deliberately deepen — from fractional leadership to a more embedded operating role — without changing accountability.

No handoffs, no dilution

There is no transition from “advisor” to “delivery team.” Ownership remains constant, even as the level of involvement changes.

This model avoids the common failure modes of traditional consulting: fragmented ownership, slow escalation, and diluted accountability.

See how this operating model applies to Fractional Leadership engagements →

Situations We Commonly Step Into

These are not services. They are situations where leadership intervention becomes unavoidable.

When delivery is off track

Roadmaps slip, dependencies accumulate, and teams lose confidence in plans — even though effort remains high.

When a new CTO inherits a mess

A newly appointed leader steps into fragmented execution, legacy commitments, and unclear ownership.

When post-merger execution stalls

Integration plans exist, but delivery slows under competing priorities, cultural friction, and unresolved dependencies.

When vendors or partners are failing

External delivery breaks down, accountability blurs, and internal teams are left managing the fallout.

When board confidence erodes

Status updates become defensive, surprises increase, and leadership credibility comes under pressure.

In each case, the goal is the same: stabilize execution, restore credibility, and transition the organization back to a sustainable leadership model.

See how these situations are addressed through Fractional Leadership →

Who This Is For (and Who It’s Not)

This model works best when accountability is valued more than optics.

This is for you if…

  • You are a CEO, CTO, or COO of a scaling technology company.
  • You need senior leadership ownership without hiring a full-time executive.
  • You value direct, candid communication over polished narratives.
  • You want execution problems surfaced early, not explained away later.
  • You are willing to grant the authority required to fix outcomes.

This is not for you if…

  • You are looking for advisory-only or slide-driven consulting.
  • You want staff augmentation or role-based resourcing.
  • You prefer consensus without clear ownership.
  • You are not prepared to act on uncomfortable truths.
  • You expect transformation without disruption.

When the fit is right, this engagement removes ambiguity, accelerates execution, and restores confidence at every level of the organization.

If this sounds like the kind of partnership you’re looking for, let’s talk →

Is This For Me?

You’re likely dealing with one or more of these.

  • Roadmap commitments are slipping or feel fragile
  • Delivery depends on heroics instead of systems
  • Vendors and internal teams are misaligned
  • A new CTO or leader has inherited execution chaos
  • Delivery risk is starting to feel board-visible

Who We Work With

PE

Portfolio Companies

SaaS

Post-Series B/C

Enterprise

Transformation Programs

Digital

Revenue-Critical Platforms

How We Engage

No surprises. No drawn-out diagnostics.

1. Rapid Program Triage

A paid 2–3 week diagnostic that surfaces real risk, clarifies decision rights, and makes consequences explicit.

2. Executive Readout

A direct, board-ready view of what is broken, why it is broken, and what must change immediately.

3. Fractional Leadership or Rescue

We step in, take control, and execute — with visible accountability and governance ownership.

Why This Works

  • 30 years across software delivery, architecture, and transformation leadership
  • Operated at senior and board-facing levels
  • Comfortable taking decisions under pressure
  • Focused on outcomes, not decks or diagnostics
  • Remote-first, execution-driven, low-drama

How to Get Started

Most engagements begin with a short conversation to understand where execution pressure is building and whether I can help.

If it’s not a fit, I’ll tell you directly.

If Delivery Risk Is Rising, Act Before Options Narrow.

Time does not reduce delivery risk. Decisions do. Speak directly with the principal to assess whether intervention is required.

Questions?