Fractional Strategy & Operations for Growing Startups
The structure and insight of a full-time executive, with the efficiency of a fractional partner.
I’m Meredith Lynch. I help founders move faster, with less chaos. As a former Chief of Staff and Head of Operations, I specialize in enabling growth and unlocking teams’ full potential by turning operational overwhelm into clarity - through strategic prioritization, people + tech-centered systems, and cross-functional insight.
After 15+ years scaling high-growth orgs from the inside across operations, people, marketing, and finance, I now partner with founders and executives as their fractional COO, Chief of Staff, or operational sherpa.
Who I Work With
Early-stage
Companies post-product-market fit; growing fast and feeling the internal friction (1-100 employees)
Founders wearing too many hats
Executives needing strategic execution support,
a right hand, or someone to find a
solution to a problem
Multi-industry
Travel, education, health/wellness, CPG, food/beverage, technology, climate and more
Values aligned
I love working with mission or impact-driven businesses, with a soft spot for women-led orgs
Services
Fractional Head of Ops/Chief of Staff
Your strategic second brain and executor, without the full-time overhead
Ideal for: Founders stuck in the weeds
What’s typically included:
Strategic planning (OKRs, priorities)
Decision-making support & infrastructure
Operational system design
Cross-functional team alignment
Executive enablement and customized problem solving
Format: Retainer (10-30 hours/month)
Strategic Systems Build
A 4-8 week sprint to stabilize the core and better prepare for growth
Ideal for: Fast-growing orgs before/during a team build
What’s typically included:
Organization + process audit
KPI/OKR system setup
Priority roadmap + comms tools
Systems and role design recommendations
Custom recommendation based on current challenges
Format: Fixed project
Pick-My-Brain Sessions
Working sessions to roll up our sleeves together without the long-term commitment
Ideal for: Leaders who need a sounding board
What’s typically included:
60-minute session to talk through challenges, ideas, or decisions
Option to focus on org structure, ops strategy, team dynamics, prioritization, hiring, strategic priorities, or founder mindset
Follow-up email with notes, frameworks, resources, and recommendations discussed
Format: One-off
Sample Problems I Solve
“We’re growing, but we don’t have clear systems to scale.”
“Our teams feel busy but not productive.”
“We’re onboarding people quickly, but it’s chaos behind the scenes.”
“We’re doing well, but I don’t know what’s working or what to prioritize.”
“I don’t have anyone focused on X and just need a smart, go-getter to figure it out.”
“I have too many tasks and not enough hands to complete them - I need to find efficiencies.”
Why “Lynchpin”?
That’s the role I’ve always played in organizations: part operator, part strategist, part unifier. In fact, I once won a company-wide award called The Elmer (short for Elmer’s Glue), given to the person who held the team together through complex transitions.
I bring that same spirit to my consulting work. My job is to step in, stabilize the structure, create clarity, and build systems your team can own long after I’ve stepped out. My presence may be temporary, but the impact is built to last.
And yup - Lynchpin is also a nod to my last name. A little pun, a little personal, a lot of purpose.