Operating Practice

Embedded leadership for founders who are scaling.

The Operating practice is run by Steven Gibson personally. Twenty-plus years across aerospace, fintech, and advanced computing, condensed into fractional executive leadership, strategic advisory, GTM, and operations help for founders growing pre-seed to Series B.

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What we do

Four ways we help.

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Fractional Executive

Part-time leadership, full-time impact

I embed with your team as a fractional COO, CCO, or CSO. Attending standups, leading cross-functional projects, and building the operational muscle your company needs to scale. This isn't a once-a-month call. I become part of your team.

Strategic Advisory

Experienced guidance on your terms

Regular advisory sessions where we work through your biggest challenges: growth strategy, fundraising, organizational design, or just having someone in your corner who's been through it before.

Go-to-Market Strategy

From product to revenue

I've taken products from concept to market across fintech, advanced compute, data science, and aerospace. I'll help you define your ICP, build your GTM motion, and find the channels that actually convert.

Operations & Scale

The systems behind the growth

The unsexy work that turns startups into real companies. I design and implement the operational systems, processes, and team structures that let you scale without things falling apart.

Selected Work

Recent Operating engagements.

Vulnerable U

From scrappy to scalable

Strategic Advisor / Fractional Operations · 2023–Present

Challenge

A growing cybersecurity brand with strong content and community but no formal processes for sales, operations, or finance. Everything was ad hoc, limiting the ability to scale and move upmarket.

Approach

Built the operational engine from scratch. Implemented sales processes, streamlined cross-org workflows, and put key vendor relationships in place. Redesigned the GTM strategy to shift from smaller customers to larger enterprise accounts.

Results

Built operational infrastructure from zero
Key vendor relationships established
Increased sales velocity with updated GTM approach
Shifted customer profile from SMB to enterprise accounts

SMB → Enterprise

Scaling upmarket

Ready to talk?

30-minute call, no pressure, no pitch deck. We work out where you are and whether we can help.

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