Gainsight consultant for SaaS teams who need results—not just setup
Also known as: Fractional VP of Customer Success · Fractional Chief Customer Officer (CCO) · Interim CS Leader
I help teams implement Gainsight as part of a broader Customer Success operating system—covering retention, renewals, and ownership.
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 engagement models
Choose based on how much Customer Success ownership you want to outsource—and for how long. On the fit call, I’ll recommend the right model so you don’t pay for the wrong shape of help.
Fractional Head of Customer Success
Ongoing executive ownership of CS (leadership + decisions), typically while you stabilize and/or prepare for a full-time hire.
- You outsource: leadership, prioritization, escalation handling
- Best when: “CS needs an owner every week”
- Typical footprint: ~8–12 hrs/week (heavier at first, then tapers)
CS Stand-Up / Turnaround (fixed scope)
A defined CS system installed in weeks—then handed off to an internal owner to run.
- You outsource: installation (playbooks, metrics, renewal motion)
- Best when: “We can run it—we just need it built right”
- Typical footprint: intense for 2–4 weeks, then done
Advisory
Light-touch access to senior judgment when you want to keep ownership but reduce wrong turns.
- You outsource: decision support + accountability
- Best when: you have an internal CS owner already
- Typical footprint: 1 call/month + bounded async
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.