Operating Leadership for Private Equity and Founder-Led Consumer Brands

I work with private equity firms, boards, and founders during periods of transition — when consumer brands require steady leadership, operational clarity, and disciplined execution.
I am typically engaged in moments where execution, alignment, and trust matter more than theory or narrative.

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Typical mandates include:

- Interim CEO or COO roles
- Operating Partner support for PE-backed and consumer brand platforms
- Founder succession and leadership transitions for consumer brands
- Pre-exit operational and organizational readiness
Sector Focus: Consumer brands — footwear, apparel, sporting goods, and outdoor.
Geography: U.S. (preferred: California & Colorado)

BUILT, SCALED, AND TRANSITIONED CONSUMER BRANDS — END TO END

Representative Experience

My career spans more than three decades of hands-on operating experience building and scaling consumer brands in footwear, apparel, sporting goods, and outdoor.

My work sits at the intersection of brand, culture, and disciplined execution within consumer businesses.

From founding and scaling consumer brands to stepping in as an interim executive during investor-led transitions, my work centers on execution: building teams, aligning operations, protecting brand equity, and preserving brand culture while delivering durable outcomes.

Earlier in my career, I co-founded Birdhouse Skateboards with Tony Hawk, helping scale it into a globally recognized brand with ~70 employees and ~$35M in annual revenue at peak — shaping my long-term focus on brand equity, culture, and disciplined execution in consumer businesses.

This operator-first background continues to inform my work today, particularly in transition periods where alignment, trust, and decisive execution matter more than theory.

Selected mandates have included interim CEO and COO roles, operating partner support for private equity-backed platforms, and founder transition leadership across consumer brands.

Sector focus has primarily been in footwear, apparel, sporting goods, and outdoor, across founder-led, sponsor-backed, and globally scaling companies.

HOW I ENGAGE WITH BOARDS, FOUNDERS, AND INVESTORS

I typically engage during moments of transition — founder exits, investor-led inflection points, operational resets, or pre-exit preparation — where steady execution and aligned leadership are critical.

Mandates are typically structured as interim CEO/COO roles, Operating Partner engagements, or execution-focused mandates centered on stabilization, alignment, and scalable growth.

My background in building and scaling consumer brands, combined with board-level and investor collaboration, allows me to operate effectively across strategy, operations, and brand-sensitive execution.

Selected Mandates

AVAILABILITY & MANDATE SCOPE

I am selectively open to operating and transition mandates, typically as Interim CEO/COO, Operating Partner, or in execution-focused leadership roles with private equity firms, boards, and founder-led consumer brands.

I selectively engage with founder-led, sponsor-backed, and scaling consumer brands, with particular depth in footwear, apparel, sporting goods, and outdoor.

Engagements are typically focused on senior-level mandates rather than broad advisory roles.

For mandate inquiries or introductions, I am best reached via LinkedIn or direct email.