Customer Success built right — before churn or investors force the issue.
I help growing SaaS companies stand up or turn around Customer Success with fractional leadership and fixed-scope engagements. The goal is simple: a CS operating system that reduces churn, supports expansion, and scales without heroics.
Background
I’ve been brought in when founders need Customer Success to stop being “heroic” and start being an operating system.
Built from scratch
- Designed CS from zero: roles, lifecycle, cadence, tooling
- Hired and trained early CS teams
- Created onboarding that reliably drives time-to-value
Scaled the motion
- Renewal process + risk reviews + leading indicators
- Exec-level escalation handling
- Expansion readiness without “selling through support”
Hand-off ready
- Systemization so the business isn’t dependent on one person
- Clear full-time hire plan and transition path
- Experience through scale (incl. a $100M+ exit)
Three ways to work together
You can engage me for temporary leadership, a fixed-scope build/turnaround, or light-touch advisory. The key is keeping boundaries clean so you get outcomes without scope creep.
Fractional Head of Customer Success
Temporary CS ownership while you build or stabilize the function.
- Set CS cadence, metrics, and operating rhythms
- Define lifecycle: onboarding → adoption → renewal → expansion
- Coach team / hire plan / role clarity
- Founder & exec alignment; escalation handling
CS Stand-Up / Turnaround (fixed scope)
A defined outcome delivered in weeks, not an open-ended engagement.
- Audit churn drivers + onboarding gaps + customer health
- Design playbooks, templates, and dashboards
- Implement a practical retention/renewal motion
- Train your team to run it without heroics
Advisory (light-touch access)
Ongoing judgment without day-to-day ownership.
- Monthly call + async questions
- Review KPIs, plans, and risks
- Hiring, tooling, and segmentation decisions
- Board / investor prep as needed
Fit
Good fit
- Post-PMF, starting to scale
- Renewals are becoming visible (or painful)
- Founder-led CS is straining
- NRR/GRR is getting attention
Not a fit
- Pre-revenue / “we just need leads”
- Looking for junior execution help
- No appetite for process or accountability
- Expecting miracles without product value
Outcomes I’m aiming for
- Predictable onboarding & time-to-value
- Clear renewal motion + risk tracking
- Health scoring you actually use
- A CS team operating system you can hire into
What working together looks like
I keep this simple: assess, design, implement, hand off. If you want “hours,” hire a contractor. If you want an operating system and leadership, that’s what I’m for.
1) Diagnose
- Churn + retention drivers
- Segmentation & ICP reality check
- Onboarding + adoption gaps
- Where ownership is unclear
2) Build
- Lifecycle + playbooks
- Metrics + dashboards
- Renewal motion + risk reviews
- Internal cadence + roles
3) Handoff
- Documented systems
- Training for team/founder
- Hiring plan + role definitions
- Optional advisory follow-on
FAQ
Do you replace hiring a full-time Head/VP of CS?
Temporarily, yes. Fractional engagement is designed to cover the leadership gap while the CS function is built and stabilized. The goal is to make a full-time hire easier (clear scope, cadence, metrics, and documented systems).
How do you avoid “consulting” that goes nowhere?
I avoid open-ended scopes. Projects are fixed-scope with explicit deliverables, a clear timeline, and a handoff plan. Fractional engagements have defined outcomes and boundaries so “just one more thing” doesn’t become the norm.
Do you do travel?
Usually no. Most work is remote. If an on-site workshop meaningfully accelerates alignment, we can plan it intentionally.
What stage do you work best with?
Late seed through early Series A — when the company is post-PMF and the CS function is starting to matter operationally and financially, but isn’t yet fully systemized.
Contact
If you’re a founder trying to stand up or fix Customer Success without making a full-time executive hire too early, send a note and include a sentence on stage (ARR, logo count, renewal cycle) and the main retention concern.