Cost Efficient: Most startup CEO’s in high-growth mode would love having a COO, but they don’t want the long-term addition to payroll. My just-finished Interim COO gig at Greentown Labs shows how the short-term expense of an InterimCOO might be the way to go.
2-Week Audit: After completing a two-week “audit” of the existing Greentown operation last April, the CEO asked me to join as interim COO just weeks before the grand opening of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation. Greentown had just tripled in size making it the largest cleantech incubator in the US.
People and Processes: With Greentown in high-growth mode, I helped the team implement numerous Process / Efficiency improvements to maximize revenue across nearly 100k square feet of space. We strengthened the team by hiring a VP of Operations, a Facility Coordinator, a Wet Lab Technician, a Wet Lab Manager, among other roles.
New Revenue Sources: And I helped the team strategize a plan for increasing revenue from Programs in 2019.
Complement CEO: Whether interim or long term, it is important that the skills of a COO complement those of the CEO, as detailed in this blog post, 9 Reasons Why Your Startup Needs a Mysterious, Unsung Hero..
What I Do: I am a professional interim CEO or COO. Since 2000 I have completed 25 interim roles in the US and abroad, from pure startups to companies with $25 million in revenue. Often starting with a two-week audit, I am an agent of change, helping companies get started, restarted, or grow to the next level. LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/DesmondPieri
