Executive Relay
Embedded operational leadership

Your business.
Beyond you.

We provide embedded senior operational leadership to founder-led businesses, SMEs and scale-ups with €2M–€30M revenue. Fractional COO / VP Operations, 4–8 days per month.

€2–30MRevenue target
4–8 dPer month
3–12 moEngagement
FOUNDER CEO DECISIONS EXCEPTIONS SALES BLOCKED OPS WAITING Everything flows to the founder THE BOTTLENECK
01 — The problem

The company grew.
Its operating model did not.

The founder still handles decisions, exceptions and trade-offs. The structure hasn't followed the growth. Systems are fragmented, accountability is unclear, and margin erodes without anyone able to point precisely to where.

01

Founder dependency

Every operational decision rises to the top. Teams wait for validation instead of moving.

02

Undocumented processes

Knowledge lives in heads, not systems. Every departure is a loss of capability.

03

Fragmented systems

Tools don't talk to each other. Data is duplicated, contradictory, rarely reliable.

04

Invisible margin leakage

Value is lost between offer and execution. Nobody can quantify what it actually costs.

02 — The cost

Making the cost visible.

Most leaders know something isn't working. Few know what it costs. The illustrations below are illustrative scenarios based on stated assumptions — not forecasts.

Founder time — typical week

Daily operations38%
Decisions & trade-offs22%
Exception handling16%
Vision & strategy24%

Illustrative impact

For a €5M company at 15% net margin, a two-point improvement in operating margin represents €100,000 of annual profit. The typical causes are not commercial — they are execution leaks.

  • Over-processing and rework hours
  • Unmanaged discounts and inconsistent pricing
  • Coordination and re-prioritisation costs
  • Delayed invoicing and collections

Assumptions: €5M revenue, 15% net margin, 42 working weeks. Illustrative scenario, not a forecast.

03 — The shift

Why you need someone who takes responsibility for execution.

A consultant advises. An operator answers. The difference is accountability.

A consultant

Recommends

  • Deliverables and presentations
  • Recommendations to implement
  • Time-limited engagement
  • Accountability stays internal
An embedded operator

Answers

  • Daily decisions and execution
  • Systems built, not just proposed
  • Accountability for operational results
  • Capability transferred, not rented indefinitely
04 — The model

Founder and embedded leadership.

This is not a replacement. It is a clear separation of responsibility between the top and operations.

Founder / CEO

Vision, capital, customers

  • Vision and direction
  • Strategy and capital
  • Key customer relationships
  • Irreversible decisions

Embedded leadership

Execution, organisation, performance

  • Daily execution
  • Organisation and accountability
  • Systems and processes
  • Performance and measurement
05 — The operating system

Six domains under responsibility.

Embedded leadership owns six operational domains. Each is diagnosed, prioritised and given an explicit owner.

01

Performance

Objectives, indicators, reviews and operating cadence.

02

Operations

Processes, quality, lead times, production and service costs.

03

Organisation

Roles, responsibilities, hiring, manager development.

04

Systems

Tools, data, integrations, information reliability.

05

Automation

Applied AI, task automation, manual work reduction.

06

Scale

Capacity to absorb 2×, 5×, 10× without breaking execution.

06 — The method

Diagnose → Prioritise → Build → Run → Transfer.

Every engagement follows the same sequence. Deliverables remain inside the company. Capability is transferred, not rented indefinitely.

01

Diagnose

Understand current state, constraints and value leaks.

02

Prioritise

Identify the three primary constraints and their sequence.

03

Build

Design and implement systems, processes and dashboards.

04

Run

Execute with the team, measure, adjust.

05

Transfer

Document, train, transfer responsibility.

07 — Engagements

Five formats, one operational standard.

Each format describes who it's for, what it produces and the working rhythm. No pricing shown: scope depends on the situation.

1–2 weeks

Executive operational assessment

A structured diagnostic of current operational state, constraints and value leaks.

For whom

  • Leaders who need clarity before committing resources
  • Investors in operational diligence

Deliverables

  • Written diagnostic report
  • Three ranked priority constraints
  • Recommended roadmap
Discuss
30 days · 2–3 d/wk

Focused 30-day intervention

A concentrated intervention on one specific operational constraint, with measurable results.

For whom

  • Companies with an identified, urgent operational problem
  • Situations needing a fast, bounded outcome

Deliverables

  • Targeted system or process implemented
  • Measurement dashboard
  • Handover documentation
Discuss
90–180 days · 3–5 d/wk

90–180 day transformation

A structured operational transformation programme with 90-day and 180-day milestones.

For whom

  • Companies that need to restructure operations at scale
  • Post-investment or post-acquisition companies

Deliverables

  • Transformation roadmap
  • New operating model
  • Strengthened leadership team
  • Performance metrics
Discuss
3–12 mo · full-time

Interim executive deployment

A full-time senior operational executive for a defined period, often during a transition.

For whom

  • Companies in transition, turnaround or crisis
  • Situations needing daily presence

Deliverables

  • Daily operational leadership
  • Stabilisation and recovery
  • Permanent successor recruitment
Discuss
Tailored

Other executive capabilities

Fractional CFO, Chief of Staff, People / HR leadership, transformation leadership, AI automation.

For whom

  • Companies seeking a specific executive capability
  • Missions combining several domains

Deliverables

  • Defined per scope
  • Adapted engagement structure
Discuss
08 — Diagnostic

Eight areas.
Thirty-two questions.
One score.

The operational diagnostic is a structured self-assessment: Finance, Operations, People, Systems, Data, Automation, Founder Dependency and Scale Readiness. Immediate results, no email required.

09 — Questions

What leaders ask.

How is an embedded operator different from a consultant?

A consultant produces recommendations. An embedded operator takes responsibility for execution: they decide, arbitrate, build systems and are accountable for operational results with you. The difference isn't expertise — it's accountability.

How many days per month are actually needed?

In steady state, 4–8 days per month covers most situations for a €2M–€30M company. The first weeks are more intense, to establish the diagnostic and initial systems.

Does this replace a full-time COO?

Not always. For some companies the fractional format is sufficient long-term. For others it's a transition toward a permanent hire — we then support role definition and selection.

How is the result measured?

Each engagement defines operational indicators before starting: lead times, unit costs, rework rates, margin per project, throughput. Performance reviews track these month over month.

What happens at the end of the engagement?

Capability is transferred. Systems are documented, the team is trained, and responsibilities are explicitly reassigned. The goal is for the company to be less dependent — including on us.

Do you work outside France?

We work primarily in France, with capacity to operate in English across Europe. The online diagnostic is available in French and English.

10 — Next step

Identify what's preventing your company from scaling.

Two ways to start: the online diagnostic, or a direct conversation. We respond within two business days.