Fractional CEO, COO | Executive Advisor
Austin, TX
Founders and CEOs hire me when growth stalls, execution breaks down, or they need a senior leader without a full-time hire.
I bring 30 years of experience spanning engineering, technology, sales, operations, and executive leadership to help organizations solve complex business challenges.
How I Help
Fractional Executive
When you need senior leadership without a full-time hire, I step in as an embedded executive — owning outcomes, leading teams, and driving the results your business needs to move forward.
Executive Advisor
I help you understand your people — who to hire, how to lead them, and how to build a team that performs predictably and scales effectively.
Organizational Effectiveness
I help leaders understand team dynamics, make better hiring decisions, and build organizations that can scale.
Built for the Hard Problems
I came up through mechanical engineering and technology, then spent three decades leading and advising across startups and enterprises. That breadth — from how systems are engineered to how organizations scale — shapes how I approach every engagement.
I've served as CEO, COO, VP of Sales, Chief of Staff, Business Partner, consultant, and advisor across startups and established organizations.
Few business challenges fit neatly within a single function. My experience across engineering, sales, operations, and leadership allows me to connect strategy with execution when organizations face growth, complexity, or change.
What Leaders Say
"Don is laser focused on generating value for clients. He possesses the unique gift of being both a luminary and a tactician — communicating both vision and detail with great clarity. He's the kind of person you'd fight to have in your inner circle."
— Mike Hummel
"Don took on a complex project for our startup, helped us focus, and was a real business coach during and after execution. He delivered on time and worked closely with us to fine-tune every detail."
— Robert Bredehoft, Enterprise Executive
"From our very first conversation, it was clear that Don brings deep expertise and genuine care for people and organizational culture. He has an impressive ability to translate data-driven insights into practical, human-centered strategies that leaders can actually use."
— Executive Advisor Client
Ideas From the Field
I write about leadership, execution, and growth — drawn from 30 years of hands-on work with founders and executives. Start here:
The Moment a Company Outgrows Its Founder The most dangerous inflection point in any growing business — and how the best founders navigate it.
When Growth Stalls Revenue plateaus are almost never a sales problem. Here's what's actually happening and what fixes it.
Why Your Best Hire Isn't Performing Most performance problems aren't skill problems. They're fit problems.
What a Fractional Executive Actually Does Not a consultant. Not an interim hire. Here's what the engagement actually looks like.
Ready to Move Forward?
If you're facing a growth challenge, operational bottleneck, leadership transition, or strategic inflection point, let's talk.