The Reality What I Do Who It's For Engagement CLEAR Request a conversation
Embedded Operational Ownership

Your business has outgrown you. Structurally.

I work inside founder-led service businesses with £2m–£6m turnover and take ownership of the operational structure required for the next stage of growth.

Embedded operational ownership means I do not advise from the outside. I take responsibility for how the business runs.

25+ years building operational systems at scale. Former GM of an £85m business inside Investec. 70+ staff, 1,000+ client transactions monthly. Now applying that discipline to founder-led businesses that need structure without corporate complexity.

Brand names reflect experience in corporate roles. No endorsement implied.

The Reality

You built something real.

Revenue is consistent. Clients trust you. The team has grown.

But the way the business runs still depends on you.

Decisions escalate upward.
Managers hesitate.
Meetings happen but little changes.
Reporting exists but is not trusted.
Good people wait for direction.

You are no longer the founder doing everything. But the business still runs as if you are.

That is not a motivation problem. It is a structural one. And structural problems do not fix themselves.
What I Do

I do not advise from the outside.

I work inside your business weekly and take ownership of building the operational model it now requires.

First, I understand how the business actually functions. Where decisions stall. Where accountability disappears. Where you have become the single point of failure without intending to.

Then I redesign the operating structure.

Clear role ownership.
Defined decision rights.
Reliable reporting.
Performance standards that are understood and upheld.
Leadership meetings that resolve issues rather than recycle them.
Then I stay long enough to make it stick. I sit in the meetings. I challenge your leadership team. I challenge you when you override the structure. I ensure the model runs the business, not your availability.

This is embedded operational ownership. Not advisory support.

What Changes

By the end of a typical engagement:

The leadership team operates with clarity and authority.

Roles are clearly owned.

Reporting is trusted and used.

Escalation reduces.

Growth no longer creates fragility.

The business becomes less dependent on your constant intervention.

This is not a tidy-up exercise. It is a shift in how the company runs.
Fit

Is this the right fit?

Who this is for

Founder-led service businesses with £2m–£6m turnover. Typically 8 to 20 people.

Revenue is proven. Ambition is clear. Structure has not kept pace.

You likely already have:

A strong accountant or FD
Capable managers
Client demand

What you do not yet have is an operational model that scales without you.

You are ready to let someone else hold that structure.

Who this is not for

If you want a one-off workshop, an audit, or light-touch advice, this is not the right fit.

If you need task management, tool implementation, or administrative support, that is a different role.

This requires a founder willing to be challenged, give up control in the right places, and commit to sustained structural change.

It is retained, serious work.

Background

Dave Alderton

25+ years in operational leadership.

Former GM of an £85m equipment leasing business at Investec, managing 70+ staff and 1,000+ transactions per month.

Senior operational roles across HP, Tech Data, Currys and Tesco Bank.

I have built operational structures inside large organisations and now apply the same discipline to founder-led businesses that have outgrown informal ways of working.

This is pattern recognition developed over decades of doing the work.

Engagement Model

This is a retained relationship, not a project.

6+ months
Minimum engagement
£5,500 – £6,500
Per month
2 max
Businesses at any time
Weekly
Founder session

One to two leadership meetings per month. Board visibility where appropriate.

The initial conversation is exploratory. I assess whether the business complexity warrants this work and whether you are ready to hand over operational ownership.

If it is not the right time or fit, I will say so.

Request a conversation
CLEAR Accountability

Not every founder needs embedded operational ownership.

Some already have structure in place but struggle with consistent execution.

CLEAR Accountability is the structured execution system I use within embedded engagements when appropriate. It is also available as a standalone option for founders who need disciplined weekly accountability without full operational restructuring.

It is not coaching. It is not a catch-up call.

It is a system that ensures the work that actually moves the business forward gets done, every week, without drift.

Find out more

If your business works but feels heavier than it should

A 20-minute conversation to assess fit and structural need. If it is not the right time, I will tell you.

Request a conversation