At the $2M–$8M ARR stage, portfolio companies are in the danger zone. They’re too big to wing HR on the fly, but too small to justify a full-time executive team across every function. For VCs, this is the stage when compliance gaps, leadership strain, and retention risks quietly erode enterprise value.
Founders often assume the fix is a full-time HR hire or a senior executive. But that can backfire: overbuilt systems, mismatched processes, and unnecessary burn. What companies actually need is targeted, high-leverage HR and operational support, not 60 hours a week of incremental activity.
That’s why I cap my engagements at 40 hours a month.
Forty hours forces focus. Instead of bloated handbooks or endless policy drafts, every hour is directed at the risks and gaps most likely to cost the company money, credibility, or key talent. I work as an operator, not an advisor by rolling up my sleeves to build and run compliance frameworks, stabilize leadership processes, and shut down fire drills before they hit the board deck.
The result? Founders can stay focused on product and growth, and investors know their capital isn’t being quietly eroded by avoidable HR risk.
My background combines multi-national HR leadership with hands-on startup execution. I bring the rigor of global compliance and operational discipline, but translate it into lean systems that fit a growth-stage company. No drag, no waste.
For investors, this model means fewer surprises at board meetings, better portfolio stability, and stronger enterprise value at exit. More hours don’t equal more protection; they just equal more noise. Forty hours a month delivers exactly what’s needed: clarity, execution, and risk mitigation without inflating headcount or burn.
If you want to protect your portfolio ahead of board season, I run a modestly prices HR Snapshot—a five-day audit that surfaces exposure and gives founders an actionable plan. It’s the fastest way to know whether people and compliance issues could put growth at risk.
