Heather Ritchie
Heather Ritchie
Fractional COO & Strategic Operator

The operator
your company
actually needs.

I work with funded founders at critical inflection points — when growth is uneven, the path forward isn't clear, and you need someone who knows what to do and makes sure it gets done.

Work with me How it works
300×
2026: led ARR growth from 0 to $700K+ as COO of a venture-backed infrastructure company.
2–3
Clients at a time. Focused, senior-level attention — not a scaled agency model.
30days
To operational. Most engagements are moving meaningfully before that.

The situation

You've raised the capital.
Now you have to
earn the next round.

Between seed and Series A, the game changes. Investors want proof — on GTM, on team, on repeatability. Your leadership team is stretched, your vendors each own a piece without owning the whole, and your CEO is too close to the product to drive commercial momentum.

Most companies at this stage are paying $30K+ a month across multiple fragmented vendors. I'm a different model. A senior operator who plugs into your leadership team, gets oriented fast, knows who to call, and makes sure the right things are happening — without needing you to manage me.

Think of it as a trusted Chief of Staff who's seen the movie before. I diagnose quickly, I know what good looks like, and I bring in the right people when the work calls for it.

How it works

Structured enough to move fast.
Flexible enough to fit your reality.

Engagements run on a 6-month commitment — long enough to make something real, short enough to stay honest about fit. Here's how it typically unfolds.

Week 1–2
Get oriented fast
Deep dive into the business — where the gaps are, what the blockers actually are, and what needs to happen first. No 90-day listening tours.
Week 3–4
First wins
Start moving on the highest-leverage priorities. Quick wins build momentum and surface the next layer of what needs attention.
Month 2–4
Drive the work
Embedded in your leadership rhythm. Running point on key initiatives, coordinating across functions, keeping momentum from slipping.
Month 5–6
Build for what's next
Whether that's your next raise, a major launch, or a handoff to a full-time hire — we leave the company better positioned than we found it.
Engagement model
Fractional, senior-level, embedded. I work with 2–3 companies at a time — meaning you get real attention, not a rotating cast of junior support. When specialist expertise is needed, I know who to bring in. I don't pretend to do everything; I make sure the right things get done.

What I bring

01
Execution & Operations
Bring structure to fast-moving environments. Align teams and priorities. Turn plans into progress — not more process, not more decks. Actual movement.
02
Go-To-Market & Revenue
Clarify positioning. Sharpen the sales motion. Drive pipeline and conversion. Support key deals, partnerships, and launches. Own the commercial problem — and know when to bring in support.
03
Narrative & Fundraising
Shape how your company is understood. Investor communication, board updates, high-stakes messaging. Make the story land with the people who matter most.

Who I work with

The right fit
is specific.
Here's mine.
Profile 01
Seed-stage companies charging toward Series A
Funded, moving fast, and starting to feel the pressure of what has to be true in 12–18 months. You need someone who can build the commercial foundation while you build the product — and who can make the A story coherent when the time comes.
Profile 02
Series A CEOs who need a trusted right hand
Capital in, expectations up, and a hundred things that need to be true at once. You need a senior operator who can own the growth piece and hold it — so you can focus on what only you can do.
Profile 03
Technically strong companies modernizing for a new era
Healthcare, biotech, cybersecurity — companies with serious depth navigating a landscape that's moving faster than their commercial motion. I help turn what you've built into a story — and a strategy — that the market can act on.

Experience

Built from scratch.
Operated under
real pressure.

COO — Venture-backed Infrastructure Company
0 → $700K+ revenue. ~300× ARR growth. Led GTM, operations, and fundraising.
2× Founder
Built companies from the ground up. Knows what it feels like to own the whole thing — and when to ask for help.
Demand Generation Agency Leader
Pipeline-focused. Early-stage growth. The bridge between product and commercial.
Operator to Technical Founders
Turned technologies into market positioning and traction — repeatedly.
"My job isn't to do everything. It's to make sure the right things are happening — and that nothing important slips through the cracks while you're focused on the big picture."
— Heather Ritchie, PracticalOps

Get in touch

Ready to talk
about what's
not working?

I work with 2–3 companies at a time. Engagements start at 6 months. If the fit is right and the timing is there, let's find out quickly — no drawn-out discovery process.

Email
heather.anne.ritchie@gmail.com
Phone
+1 437 778 9393
LinkedIn
heatheranneritchie