Hands-on, not just advisory: revenue generation, retention, go-to-market, and the operational infrastructure behind it. Working with venture-backed companies and the investors behind them, currently embedded at early-stage AI companies.
Own or build the engine that generates revenue: pipeline through renewal, pricing, and the P&L discipline that turns growth into profit.
Proof: took a business from a $1.5M annual loss to approximately $1.5M in profit as GM, owning the full P&LProtect and grow recurring revenue: the renewal and expansion motion, the health signals behind it, and the team that runs it.
Proof: took net revenue retention from 70% to 105% as CCO through an operational turnaroundBuild and operationalize the go-to-market function, then hire the right people to run it: segmentation, coverage, comp, and the operating cadence across sales and post-sale.
Proof: built the customer and go-to-market engine at multiple scaling startups, then sourced and led the sale of oneStand up the systems, playbooks, and operating rhythm a company scales on: forecasting, reporting, tooling, and cross-functional process.
Proof: built the teams, systems, and playbooks from zero at multiple venture-backed companies, including Carta at $150M+ ARR and 40,000+ customersIncrease revenue growth and retention, lower cost to serve. Each engagement below is a scoped build with a defined outcome and timeline.
Design and operationalize the go-to-market function: segmentation and coverage, pricing and packaging, pipeline and forecasting discipline, and the operating cadence that connects sales to post-sales.
Proof: scaled ARR from $49M to $93M across 400+ enterprise brands at LithiumOwn company-wide execution during a scaling or turnaround: revenue and GTM operations, reporting cadence, cross-functional process, and hiring. Built for founders who need an operator to run the business while they build the product.
Proof: ran TIME Sites with full P&L, turning $1.5M annual burn into approximately $1.5M in profitBuild the function that retains and grows revenue after the sale: the renewal and expansion motion, segmentation and coverage from high-touch to tech-touch, onboarding that gets customers to value fast, and the metrics that matter (NRR, GRR, expansion).
Proof: grew revenue 30% YoY with 40% QoQ upsell growth across a 4,000-customer base at WebgilityFor a team that already exists but runs on spreadsheets: build the systems, data, and operating cadence that connect CS, Support, and Services. Tooling (CRM, CS platform, PSA), reporting, forecasting, and the weekly operating rhythm, with automation that increases capacity per CSM by 50% with zero added headcount.
Proof: reset the post-sale operating model across a 40,000+ company base at CartaOrg design, leveling, and compensation, then the hiring itself: scorecards, sourcing, interviewing, closing, and onboarding leaders and ICs across Sales, CS, Support, Services, and revenue operations.
Proof: grew the CS organization 2x, at 2 different companies
The work is the proof
Advisory is part of the work, but the default mode is embedded: playbooks get written, systems get stood up, teams get hired and coached. The deliverable is a working function, not just recommendations.
20+ years inside venture-backed companies: board reporting, direct work with a family office on capital allocation, and a clear view of what a portfolio needs from its operators.
Sourced, sold, and integrated. Independently sourced and executed the sale of TIME Sites to Vev, then ran the business inside the acquirer through integration.
Automation built hands-on and applied directly to CS, ops, and reporting, so the post-sale motion scales through systems instead of hiring.
Ongoing fractional engagements at roughly 15 to 30 hours per week. Embedded inside the leadership team, owning the function until it is ready to hand to a full-time hire. Currently in one at an early-stage AI company, running operations and the post-sale business.
Best for: companies without a CCO or COO seat filledScoped to a defined outcome and timeline, drawn from the packaged engagements above: a retention motion, a CS function, or a revenue operations system.
Best for: a specific, urgent gap ahead of a raise or renewal cycleLighter-touch advisory work for founders, CS leaders, and investors. Board and advisory seats also considered.
Best for: funds and portfolio teams needing an experienced operator's counselRate card available on request.
Rates flex with company stage and scope. Send a note with your situation to get a scoped proposal, or book directly here.
Kristina Valkanoff is a go-to-market and operations executive with 20+ years across enterprise software and venture-backed SaaS: IBM (formerly DemandTec), Lithium Technologies, Carta, Brandcast, TIME, Vev, MOVE Guides, Webgility, and Worktrace AI.
Her career covers the full revenue and operations arc: implementation and services at enterprise scale, customer success and renewals through hypergrowth, revenue operations, and general management with full P&L ownership. As GM she led a turnaround, sourced and led the acquisition of her company herself, and owned the integration that followed.
She now takes on a small number of fractional CCO and COO engagements with venture-backed SaaS companies and the investors behind them, and is currently embedded at an early-stage AI company, running operations and the post-sale business. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and works with companies anywhere.
