Available · one 2026 engagement · San Mateo, CA · remote-friendly

You need a Head of Operations. Here is why I might be the one.

I take on one operating engagement per year. Full-time VP or Head of Operations at a $50M-$200M multi-unit operator, or fractional Head of Operations for a 6-to-12 month turnaround. Sixteen years of practice. $54M+ combined operating scope. Currently entertaining conversations for 2026.

Start a conversation → Download resume (PDF)

// the operating record

Four numbers.

The operating range across sixteen years. Multi-state. Multi-unit. Real P&L authority. Zero penalties.

$54M+
Combined operating scope
$36M
P&L directly owned at Hana Group
21
Franchise units in 6 states inside Walmart, Sam's Club, Whole Foods, Target
$4.9M
Operating profit turnaround in 11 months at Zareen's

// what I have actually done

Three engagements. One method.

Different formats, different scale. The operating method transfers because the principles do.

Hospitality Turnaround · Fractional Head of Operations

Zareen's: $30M Michelin-recognized Bay Area restaurant & catering group

Served as Fractional Head of Operations and Turnaround Lead. Led expansion from three to five locations. Rebuilt SOPs, training, and accountability metrics for a workforce of 215. Root-cause turnaround of three underperforming locations drove $4.9M in operating profit improvement in 11 months. Launched and scaled the enterprise catering channel serving Stanford, Google, Apple, Meta, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Cisco, Adobe, and Nvidia.

$30M
Group revenue
3 → 5
Locations
$4.9M
Profit in 11mo
215
Workforce
Read the full case study →
Multi-State Franchise · Regional Operations Director

Hana Group: 21 franchise units, six states, zero penalties in four years

Owned $36M P&L across 21 franchise units inside Whole Foods, Walmart, Sam's Club, and Target host environments as Regional Operations Director. Opened 12+ new stores in one year. Standardized frameworks reduced KPI variance 15%. Performance initiatives lifted unit-level profitability 7%. Sustained 98% regulatory compliance. Resolved 6 critical incidents per quarter with zero penalties on record over four years.

$36M
P&L ownership
21
Franchise units
6
States
98%
Compliance, zero fines
Read the full case study →
Independent Practice · Principal Operator

SEOD Ventures: scaling founder-led operators with AI as infrastructure

Ten-year independent practice. Advises founder-led and multi-unit operators on unit economics, field execution, team development, and operational tooling. Advised a founder-led client through revenue growth from $125K to $1.5M+ in twelve months via SEO strategy, delivery redesign, and process rebuilds. 200+ campaigns delivered above ROI across industries and channels. AI treated as operating infrastructure, not marketing.

10 yrs
Independent practice
6
Active brands
12x
Client revenue growth
200+
Campaigns above ROI
Read the full case study →

// how to know if we're a fit

What I look for in an engagement.

Not every operator wants a strong Head of Operations. The ones who do usually have a version of these four things.

You are between $20M and $250M in revenue

Big enough that operating leverage matters. Small enough that one operator can still see the whole system. This is where I do my best work.

You have a real P&L problem or a real growth constraint

Margins slipping, service standards drifting, expansion stalled, ownership transition, or a broken operating rhythm. Something concrete. Not "we want an ops person."

You want a partner, not a manager

I sit next to your general managers, your finance lead, your board. I ask hard questions in the open. If you want somebody to nod along, we are not a fit.

You measure the work in numbers, not motion

Labor variance, food cost, unit contribution, EBITDA, penalty count. The operating language is quantitative. That is how you know whether the work is working.

// what people I have worked with say

The trust signal that matters.

The best signal any operator has is what the people they have reported to, run alongside, or handed a rebuilt system to say afterwards.

"Eric walked into three underperforming locations and rebuilt the operating rhythm around them without breaking the guest experience. Eleven months later we were $4.9M better on the bottom line. He is the operator I would call first if I ever needed one again."
[Name pending permission] Founder / Principal, Michelin-recognized Bay Area restaurant & catering group
"Eric held the region together across six states and four host-retailer environments. Zero penalties in four years is not luck. It is the discipline he installs on day one and the leaders he develops afterwards. I would trust him with a bigger footprint tomorrow."
[Name pending permission] VP Operations, national multi-unit franchise portfolio

Attribution held while written permission is being confirmed. Full names, titles, and companies published on request.

// the next step

If any of this sounds like the seat you are trying to fill.

The fastest way is an email. If you would rather see the resume first, that's linked below too.

Email eric@seod.com → Download resume (PDF) LinkedIn

Response window: within 24 hours on weekdays, within 48 hours on weekends. Currently in San Mateo, CA. Open to remote, hybrid, or Bay Area onsite roles.