Operations Partner & Strategic Chief of Staff
Custom Fractional Expertise on Demand for early-stage startup teams
Go-to-market efficiently: whether it's competitive positioning, pricing models, or sales enablement — I've got it covered.
Unique Multi-Hat Expertise: Optimize operations for strategic growth, data-driven process improvement, and financial performance.
Align & Scale: team alignment to your strategic direction and results-oriented execution, ruthlessly prioritizing clarity of focus and efficiency.
Go through 0→1 stage faster from MVP to true product-market fit without self-imploding from unchecked enthusiasm and ambition
Ex-founder / ex-COO & Chief of Staff
15+ years of experience in operations, strategy and business development backed by an M&A and finance background.
You are in good company
Running startups is hard. Really hard.
So, how do you... ?
turn the daily startup mess into something resembling order for this enthusiastic, but slightly off-key orchestra?
juggle limited resources making sure the company doesn't run out of coding power, cash or coffee?
create processes where none existed, ensuring everyone knows what they're supposed to be doing, even if it's just pretending to know?
manage the team dynamics, ensuring the engineers don't start a civil war over a product feature or code indentation?
focus on growth and scale without everything falling apart like a poorly coded app?
Let's get specific:
REAL Examples of tasks and projects
As an Operations Partner & Strategic Chief of Staff I create value by driving go-to-market execution, optimizing processes from strategy to implementation, and enhancing team dynamics while providing essential support to the founders.
Go-to-Market
Revise product positioning and messaging to reflect new customer segmentation.
Create a competitive landscape matrix and propose changes to pricing and packaging.
Set up tracking dashboards for visibility into new & expansion revenue, sales conversion and velocity, retention, and churn.
Analyze and improve customer activation, onboarding, and friction to decrease time-to-value.
Evaluate and choose sales enablement tools (email outbound, CRM, project management)
Operations
Develop a financial model with scenario analysis for different levels of the company's burn rates, growth, and churn.
How do we adjust our hiring process to hire and onboard new team members quicker without compromising quality or outcomes?
Revise the current budgeting process to minimize the cash burn rate.
Develop a customer service system to aggregate customer feedback for trend analysis.
Renegotiate an outsourced development contract to fit the product delivery cycle.
Team Dynamics
Our team isn't on the same page. How do we communicate our mission and strategic direction to them?
We are stuck on this crucial project. Make it unstuck and back on track.
How do we measure our progress on the North Star metrics?
We need to be a more outcome-driven team. How do we institute and operationalize such a culture?
Plan and facilitate strategic sessions to evaluate the product's markets and develop a pivot strategy.
Benefits
SAVE TIMESkip the hiring hassle.Onboarding in less than 1 week, minimizing time-to-value.
SAVE MONEYSimply more cost-effective than full-time.And no surprises: pay the same flat rate each month.
MORE FLEXIBILITYRamp up or dial back tasks and projects whenever you need.Pause or cancel anytime.
LESS STRESSNo full-time employee commitment, salary, or stock options negotiation.Just value, delivered.
Test drive: Practical Review Session
For a limited time, I am offering a FREE hands-on work session addressing one of your biggest challenges in operations, go-to-market, or finance. Let's talk and try to solve it.
Who's Dmitri?
PROFILE
I am an adept operator who habitually turns data into strategic direction, scaling operations to enhance go-to-market execution and building high-performance and agile teams. My background spans 15+ years of operations, strategy, and business development, backed by an M&A and finance background.
TEAM DYNAMICS
I thrive in fast-paced, action-oriented environments where complex problems need efficient solutions, specifically those special projects that require cross-functional coordination.
SUPERPOWER
simultaneously having a highly strategic mindset and a drive for effective execution.
2
Companies co-founded
1 Exit (M&A)
$14M+
Venture Capital raised
(pre-seed & seed)
5
Full-time COO-level roles at different companies
15+
Years of experience
in operations, strategy and GTM
You are in a good company
"Dmitri is a highly strategic and detail-oriented operator. With a hands-on, no-nonsense approach and guidance, he has been pivotal in launching projects."
Egor Foley
Founder & CEO @ Artial
"Working with Dmitri was a truly game-changer for me. His help with strategic direction and team dynamics helped us tremendously in our launch. Thoughtful and thorough."
Timur Mukminov
Co-Founder & COO @ HustlePay
"Remarkable ability to bring order to chaos. He is exactly who you need when things aren’t going to plan. His knack for stepping into messy situations, quickly making sense of the chaos, and executing practical solutions is unmatched."
Kirill Salikhov
Co-Founder & CTO @ Webgears
Pricing
Go through 0→1 stage faster on your terms and your objectives and get to product-market fit positioned for growth
Operations Partner & Strategic Chief of Staff
$ 4200 / month
Save 10% with Quarterly Billing
5 full work days
Unlimited catch-up meetings (outside of work days) & async communications
Hit the ground running within one week
Easy and flexible payment options
Pause or cancel anytime
Tailored for early-stage startups and founders to get their operations in order, focus the team on strategic priorities, and enhance sustained growth
Tailored Projects
Hourly Rate or Project-Based Fixed Fee
Looking for something different? Do you have a unique project in mind or require a specialized blend of skills?Let's talk and figure out the best way to make it happen.
Frequenly Asked Questions
Why both an Operations Partner and a Chief of Staff?
At an early stage, startups actually need both, yet might not have the resources for both. Combining these two roles ensures that operational execution is aligned with strategic direction, maximizing efficiency and practical outcomes as the company grows.
What kind of startups do you work with?
I work with founder-led, growth-focused teams in the early stages of building and refining their products. These startups are often bootstrapped or backed by early-stage venture capital (pre-seed and seed funding). They are typically pre-scale, meaning they are still iterating on their product and have not yet achieved product-market fit. My role is to provide the operational and strategic support necessary to get there.
When can you start?
I can start within a few days of signing the contract and be fully onboarded in less than a week with minimal disruption to your team. My approach is designed to integrate seamlessly into your operations, allowing me to quickly get up to speed on your processes and priorities without placing extra demands on your team.
How flexible are you?
Very. The fractional model requires built-in flexibility, and the level of support is always tailored to the most pressing needs. You only engage the expertise you require when you need it, ensuring you have the right resources without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. This adaptability makes it an ideal solution for startups that require agility in their operations.
How does the cost compare to a full-time employee?
Hiring a full-time Director of Operations and a Chief of Staff can exceed $350K+ when factoring in fully loaded costs, including salary, benefits, taxes, and stock options. In comparison, the fractional model is more cost-effective, as you only pay for expert support when needed, without full-time commitments.
What if we decide to hire a full-time employee for these roles?
That's the goal. When you're ready to make the transition, I'd be glad to assist with interviewing and onboarding a new team member to ensure a smooth handover. These roles are critical for any company, especially in a fast-growing startup, and I'd welcome the chance to assist you as you scale your company and your team.
Let's Talk
Not convinced? Let's talk about it. I will help you decide if I can add significant value to your team and move the needle on your objectives.
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