My Companies

My Companies

Realize Labs
Realize Labs
Ebony Law
Appalachian Botanicals

My Recent Clients

My Recent Clients

Appalachian Botanicals
Axias Wealth
Carnegie Robotics
Dr. Venkat for State House
Ebony Law
humotech
literacy Pittsburgh
Rev Up Capital
koala insulation
Hilary Wheatly Taylor
Mobile Sculpture Workshop
Hilary Wheatly Taylor
Matt Rudzki
Una Biologicals
Hilary Wheatly Taylor
Holistic Aging
webkite
isport
Mobile Sculpture Workshop
Zefu
Appalachian Botanicals
Axias Wealth
Carnegie Robotics
Dr. Venkat for State House
Hilary Wheatly Taylor
Dr. Venkat for State House
isport
Matt Rudzki
webkite
koala insulation
Rev Up Capital
Una Biologicals
Hilary Wheatly Taylor
literacy Pittsburgh
Mobile Sculpture Workshop
Hilary Wheatly Taylor
Mobile Sculpture Workshop
Holistic Aging
humotech
Zefu
humotech
Zefu

CHIEF OF STAFF & Operations Support for startups

I have spent my career building companies and entrepreneurs in which I am personally or financially invested.  I’m usually looking for people and ideas that push the envelope, challenging the prevailing norms of their industry.

See below for types of engagements that excite me these days.

CHIEF OF STAFF & Operations Support for startups

I have spent my entire career building companies and entrepreneurs in which I am personally or financially invested.  I’m usually looking for people and ideas that push the envelope, challenging the prevailing norms of their industry. 

See below for types of engagements that excite me these days.

Revenue-First, Fundraising-Lite Ventures

Having done the venture thing, I’m solidly in the camp of entrepreneurs who know the value of securing paid customers early and before investors find comfort in a business. The solid, profitable  businesses run by people who know the value of their equity are very interesting to operators like me. 

I write small checks (<$25K) and/or add value within the business.

Chief-of-Staff Engagements

Not only is it lonely as a founder, but you are functionally irreplaceable – the business dies without you.  Many founders thrive with proxy expertise to run projects, meet strategic goals, manage a growing team and other demands on the executive(s). 

I don’t do coaching – I’m allergic to the idea. It’s sleeves-up, in-the-business work or nothing for me.  

A Chief of Staff is practical, applied, multi-disciplinary, and capacity-building for founders.

I enjoy this work immensely.

Spin-Outs / New MarketS / Major pivots

Many excellent companies struggle to replicate prior successes in emerging markets and products. The ingredients are often there, but a capable partner to translate the team and offering into a compelling innovation can be valuable. Examples include hardware companies creating a value-added software solution, a platform company creating an allied consulting practice, or a product company turning on ecommerce for the first time. 

Embedding a practiced entrepreneur can unlock significant potential for emerging opportunities. 

Add me to your team.

Existential Start-Up Mode

 If a founder can avoid the faux-reality of “Shark Tank” entrepreneurialism, they might find themselves with the 99% of founders wanting to start a real business with personal or borrowed capital. The stakes couldn’t be higher for these people – avoidable mistakes can be deadly to these ventures. I refer to this stage as “existential” business-building – knowing and feeling the rhythm of your business, having to make ends meet to unlock the next incremental opportunity. 

I help first-time entrepreneurs have enough confidence to make the “jump” by building operating models, validating their offerings (up front and over time) and giving them just enough operational support to avoid the common pitfalls.

Bring me on to support your venture.

CHIEF OF STAFF - Mark Heckmann

Starting something?

Doing it your own way?

Starting something?

Doing it your own way?

Starting something?

Doing it your own way?