Great Idea.
Let’s Do it.
Not a consultant.
More of a one-man army that can strategize and execute across a range of roles to get new ideas off the ground.
Advice is great.
Execution is better.
I help people and businesses go from new idea to concrete action. My specialty is spending just the right amount of time helping you pick the right path, and then figuring how we can execute it together.
great idea.
The key is to not get stuck perfecting a new idea. If you’ve got the passion to pursue it, then the idea is already good enough. What matters is the execution.
let’s do it.
As in, let’s actually do it. Together. This isn’t advisory-style consulting. I help you put an idea into action by working with you to get it off the ground.
Who am I?
I’m Hans. That’s me jumping around in a bear coat. And that’s me wearing crazy winter gloves from the ‘80s. And that’s me pretending to be a barista.
These are 3 businesses I started with zero investors, zero employees and just one co-founder sharing the workload. You can read more about their origins on the My Story page or these fun press hits: NY Times, ABC, Bloomberg.
They’re all a little crazy. They all started as simple ideas fueled by passion. And they all succeeded with the same formula: a strategic niche, lean and agile operations, and a small team with the willingness and capability to execute broadly.
These businesses developed my expertise in not only starting new things, but how to start them the right way. Mix in an Ivy League MBA and a 5-year run on Wall Street, and I’ve got a unique set of tools to take things from the idea phase all the way through the growth phase.
my APPROACH is different.
When you’re starting anything new, the list of tasks is enormous and wide-ranging in scope. The critical step is knowing what you should do, what someone else should do, and whether to do those things now, later or never. A partner with the capability to shape those plans – as well as execute them – is invaluable.
a different background
difference #1: Breadth of Experience
With significant time spent in finance, marketing, ops, CX, web, biz dev, sales, and even a bit of sourcing and design, my background is unusually broad. My real specialty is getting new ideas off the ground.
difference #2: Lean and agile
Founding and operating 3 businesses with zero investors and zero employees requires some serious resourcefulness and an always-learning mindset.
difference #3: strategic + tactical
Set the plan. Execute the plan. I like to do both, not just one or the other.
difference #4: Analytical + creative
Five years on Wall Street and an Ivy League MBA developed my analytical side. But over a decade as a founder-operator taught me how to create and execute.
a different philosophy
strategy = identify your niche
Successful go-to-market strategies strategies are narrow. It’s critical to identify a specific niche and start simply.
operations = stay nimble
Lean operations and an agile mindset are critical to learning, adjusting and then growing.
Time is the scarcest resource
Automate and outsource smartly. Determine what’s not worth your time.
smart growth > Fast Growth
Start small, test, adjust and grow (in that order). Focus on executing well. Never scale prematurely.
Am I right for you?
If you’re in the early stages of tackling a new challenge, my prior experience and ability to execute could be exactly what you need to propel things forward.
I operate with a generalist mindset that favors simple solutions and quick progress. My approach favors action over theory, speed over perfection, and resourcefulness over investment. It’s an approach that requires significant hands-on work during the building phase, and even more hands-on work during the growth phase. I’ve found the best insights tend to come when you’re really getting into the nuts and bolts.
If you’re looking for a partner to help you get a new idea off the ground, I’d love to connect and hear what you’re working on. I work either on a project basis (“consulting” style) or an ongoing basis (“fractional” style).
Functional Areas Where I can Help
- Go-to-Market Strategy & 0-to-1 Execution
- Fractional CFO/COO/CMO/GM roles
- DTC Ecommerce (store design/content/optimization/analytics, CRM, sales and channel strategy)
- Customer Experience Strategy & Execution (service, engagement, retention)
- Digital Marketing (direct, paid, organic, search, planning, strategy, creative)
- Experiential Marketing (tradeshows, popups, retail activations)
- Partnerships/Licensing/Collaborations
- PR, Communications & Branding
- Crowdfunding
- One person to handle the “MBA stuff” (Strategy + Ops + Finance + Biz Dev)
Sector Experience & Focus
- Consumer Products
- Clothing & Accessories
- Food & Beverage
- Sports/Active/Outdoors
- IRL Experience
- Innovation
- Arts & Music
- Anything Fun, Funny or Funky
Let’s chat!
Send me a quick note and let me know what idea you’re working on.