Launch Standards | Fractional COO, Chief of Staff & Hardware Operations Executive

Dan Olson · Former Apple and Roku Executive · Pleasanton, CA

PMO Chief of Staff Business Operations International BU Leadership Entity Formation Org Design and L&D Supply Chain Strategy NPI and Manufacturing AI-Native Operator MBA / MPA

About Dan Olson

Built at Apple, Roku,
and Gallup. Available to you.

I'm Dan Olson. Twenty years of program management, business operations, and chief of staff work across Big Tech and scaling startups. My focus is simple: build the operating machinery that lets senior teams make decisions well, document them, and keep execution coherent as the business scales.

At Apple, I founded the Apple Watch NPI PMO during the skunkworks development phase. I built executive review forums, decision governance, escalation frameworks, and launch criteria from zero internal precedent, running $1B+ in capital and 18 concurrent programs across seven production sites. The frameworks I built outlasted my tenure and were later adopted across iPad, Health Technologies, and Soft Goods. I also built the operations learning and development and promotion framework across Product Operations, translating Apple's corporate leveling into tactical assessment tools that stayed in use across the org for years.

At Roku, I served as chief of staff and head of business operations for the international business unit across five country markets. I scaled the org from 350 to 750 headcount in 18 months through structured OpEx planning, then led two waves of workforce reduction across UK, EU, LatAm, and APAC jurisdictions. I implemented operating entities in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and China, structured expansion cases for Vietnam and India, and navigated cross-jurisdiction employment law from hiring through termination. Roku became the No. 1 streaming OS in Mexico, Canada, and Brazil during that time.

Also at Roku, I led the hardware operations rebuild for a $300M annual portfolio: rebuilt supplier commit cadence, drove $19.3M per year in commercial savings via ODM consolidation, and executed a sub-9-month China exit avoiding $54M per year in tariff exposure. All governed through weekly, monthly, and quarterly executive review cadences.

Earlier at Gallup, I spent five years consulting Fortune 500 clients across APAC on employee engagement, organizational design, span-of-control analysis, and leadership development. I ran the Sydney and Dubai practices, launching Dubai from zero to $2M in year-one revenue. That foundation shapes how I approach org structure, hiring plans, and workforce transitions today: grounded in what actually works in People operations, not just what looks clean on a slide.

The work I do now is the through-line: install decision frameworks that survive leadership transitions, hold senior stakeholders with different priorities to shared documented outcomes, and build systems the business inherits rather than a dependency on me.

Apple Inc.

Sr. Manager, Product Operations, Watch, Health Tech, Soft Goods · Founding PMO, Apple Watch · 8 years

Roku Inc.

Sr. Director, Hardware Product Operations · Director and Chief of Staff, International Business Operations and GTM · 6 years

Gallup Inc.

Management Consultant and Research Director · APAC HR and Org Consulting · San Francisco, Sydney, Dubai · $10M portfolio · 5 years

Education

MBA and MPA, Willamette University · BS Chemistry, Oregon State University

"Most companies don't have a strategy problem. They have an execution problem dressed as one. The strategy is written, the plan gets built, and then it drifts. My job is installing the operating machinery that catches drift early, holding senior stakeholders to what they agreed, and saying the uncomfortable thing when nobody else in the room will. I founded Apple Watch's PMO with no playbook to inherit. I ran Roku's international BU through 2x scale and two waves of reduction. The work has been the same throughout: build systems that let leaders decide, document, and keep moving. Then hand them off so they run without me."

Dan Olson · Founder, Launch Standards LLC

Clarity over complexity

Executive visibility, clean escalation paths, and decision forums that actually move the needle. No bureaucracy theater.

On the floor, not above it

I travel to factories, sit with engineering teams, and work at the detail level when required. Hands-on when it counts most.

Rigor that scales

Playbooks and governance designed to outlast my engagement. Your team inherits a system, not a dependency on me.

AI in production, not in slides

I ran Claude-powered agents on $200M+ of live supply chain data at Roku, and my own practice runs on an AI operating system I built. I install what I actually use.

Services

What I do

Seven core engagement types, each designed around the real problems growing companies face. Engagements can be standalone or combined into a comprehensive transformation program.

◆

PMO Build and Activation

Design and stand up a program management office from scratch. Governance frameworks, milestone systems, risk registers, and executive review cadences built to fit your stage and scale, not copied from a template.

Program governance model and RACI design
Stage-gate or Agile milestone framework
Risk dashboard and escalation protocol
Executive review cadence and templates
PM hiring profile and onboarding playbook

From $16,500 per month retainer, or fixed-scope project

◆

Manufacturing and NPI Leadership

Embedded program leadership for hardware in development or production. On-site at factories when required. From OK2Risk Ramp through OK2MP and OK2Ship, I own readiness criteria, supplier qualification, yield targets, and COGS governance across complex multi-site supply chains.

OK2MP and OK2Ship readiness criteria and gate reviews
Factory ramp plans, capacity simulation, UPH stress tests
Supplier QBR, PRQ, second-source, DFM/DFx programs
Field-to-factory quality feedback loops (RMA to FA to corrective action)
Yield optimization targeting >99.9% across SMT, FATP, Pack
Multi-site scaling playbooks (China, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil)

On-site starting at $2,800 per day plus travel at cost, or monthly retainer

◆

Portfolio and Operating Cadence Design

Build the operating rhythm your leadership team actually needs: QBRs, planning cycles, OKR frameworks, and P&L accountability structures. Turn strategic intent into executable quarterly plans with clear owners and measurable outcomes.

Annual and quarterly planning frameworks
OKR and RICE prioritization systems
Business review formats and templates
KPI dashboards and automated reporting
Cross-functional leadership alignment forums

From $12,000 per month, or workshop plus implementation sprint

◆

Fractional VP Operations

Serve as your embedded senior operations leader on a fractional basis. I sit in on leadership meetings, own cross-functional execution, manage your PM team, and report directly to your executive. Full accountability, flexible commitment.

Weekly leadership participation
PM team mentorship and development
Cross-functional program ownership
Board and investor-facing reporting
Hiring profile and org design advisory

$21,000–$30,000 per month, 2-day minimum weekly commitment

◆

Chief of Staff Engagement

Executive advisor and force multiplier to your CEO, COO, or divisional leader. I own the rhythm of the business, run executive review cadences, drive cross-organizational strategic initiatives, and serve as decision governance owner for the most complex cross-functional problems. Chief of Staff is not a PMO. It is the operating machinery that lets a leader make and hold decisions at scale.

Rhythm of the business design (weekly, monthly, quarterly cadence)
Executive review forums, decision logs, escalation frameworks
Cross-organizational strategic initiative ownership
Board and ELT investment case governance
Org design, span-of-control analysis, workforce planning
L&D and promotion framework design

$25,000–$40,000 per month, or fixed-scope 90-day sprint

◆

International Expansion, Entity Formation, and GTM

End-to-end program management for international market entry, including entity formation and cross-jurisdiction employment law execution. I have implemented operating entities in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and China, structured expansion cases for Vietnam and India, and navigated employment law from hiring through termination across UK, EU, LatAm, and APAC.

Entity setup and formation playbooks (executed in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, China)
Cross-jurisdiction employment law compliance (UK, EU, LatAm, APAC)
Works council partnership and statutory redundancy planning
Country-level HR, payroll, benefits infrastructure
Country-level P&L, OKR, and EBITDA accountability models
Market opportunity assessment and tier framework
Cross-functional readiness calendars: engineering, UX, legal, HR, support, channel

Fixed-scope from $45,000, or $300 per hour advisory

◆

AI-Augmented Ops and Analytics

Prototype and operationalize AI-enabled workflows inside your PMO, business operations, and supply chain functions. Predictive risk signals, automated dashboards, demand forecasting, and executive decision-support tools built and handed off, not theoretical.

AI workflow audit and opportunity mapping
Predictive risk and demand signal prototypes
Automated portfolio and executive dashboards
Claude-powered decision brief and meeting note automation
Tool evaluation and implementation support

From $13,500 per month, or fixed discovery plus build sprint

By Buyer Role

What I bring to the table

Buyers walk in wearing different hats. Here's what each of you should expect if we work together. Not a service menu, this is the actual work.

For a CEO or Founder

Chief of Staff who runs the operating machinery

Design and run your rhythm of the business across weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence
Build the decision governance framework: decision logs, escalation paths, prepared executive forums
Own cross-organizational strategic initiatives that don't fit any single team's remit
Hold your leadership team to shared, documented outcomes they agreed to
Serve as your seat in rooms you can't be in, and say the uncomfortable thing when nobody else will

For a COO or Divisional GM

Lead program manager on complex cross-org work

Own the intake funnel for how work enters your organization and single point of accountability for delivery
Build the operating cadence: QBRs, planning cycles, OKR frameworks, P&L accountability structures
Run cross-functional strategic projects across engineering, legal, finance, HR, and content simultaneously
Diagnose and fix decision drift, meeting theater, and quiet reversals across your leadership team
Structure your operating model so it scales past 200 people without breaking every quarter

For a Head of Ops or VP Supply Chain

Operator who has actually done the work

Rebuild supplier commit cadence and QBR-driven scorecard governance across ODMs and CMs
Lead ODM consolidation, competitive teardowns, and long-term global supply chain roadmap ($19.3M/yr proven)
Design and execute manufacturing footprint transitions (sub-9-month China exit, $54M/yr tariff avoidance)
Install ERP/MES/PLM as operational tools not just systems (SAP MM/PP, MES across 25+ sites, Teamcenter, Propel)
Build AI-enabled BI and Claude-powered agents as single source of truth for OTD, yield, and supplier commits

For a Founder or CTO Scaling Hardware

Founding PMO from zero internal precedent

Found a PMO from zero (the Apple Watch skunkworks playbook: executive review forums, gates, escalation, launch criteria)
Design NPI intake funnel, readiness gates, and launch criteria for programs with no existing playbook to inherit
Own program health across concurrent programs with contested ownership and shifting requirements
Build the operating machinery before you need to hire a full-time COO
Bring Big Tech discipline calibrated to startup pace: rigor without bureaucracy theater

Frameworks & Work Products

What gets built

These are real frameworks I have designed and run: built in production, tested under real constraints, and handed off to teams that still use them.

Program Governance

PMO Decision Governance and Executive Review Framework

Decision logs, escalation paths, readiness gates, and meeting cadence that outlast leadership transitions. Deployed at Apple across Watch, iPad, Health Tech, and Soft Goods. The frameworks I built remained operational years after my tenure ended.

Org Design

L&D and Promotion Framework

Tactical assessment tools translating corporate leveling into Sr IC vs. management growth paths and technical vs. non-technical tracks at the same level. Built across seven Apple BUs (Watch, iPad, Health Tech, Apple Card, Special Projects, Accessories, Packaging) and evolved into the operations standard for years.

International

Entity Formation Playbook

End-to-end entity setup covering statutory compliance, local hiring, payroll, benefits, and works council alignment where required. Executed in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and China. Structured expansion cases and Board-facing pitch decks for Vietnam and India.

International

Cross-Jurisdiction Employment Law Playbook

Hiring, promotion, termination, and workforce reduction navigation across UK, EU, LatAm, and APAC in partnership with in-country HR and external employment counsel. Used to scale headcount 2x in 18 months, then execute two waves of structured workforce reduction while protecting active accounts and revenue.

Manufacturing

OK2MP and OK2Ship Readiness Framework

Three-pillar gate system tracking Factory Quality Readiness (IQC, yield, CPK, ORT), Product Readiness (BOM, compliance, reliability), and Supply Chain Readiness (CTB, SPOR, DC, logistics) with RAG status at each milestone. Built and deployed across 18 global factories.

Supply Chain

Tariff Sensitivity and COO Risk Analysis

Multi-scenario tariff modeling across Country of Origin (CN, VN, TH, MX) with annualized cost impact by product segment. Used to drive $55M in supply chain migration decisions from China to Vietnam and Mexico ahead of Section 301 tariff exposure.

Cost Governance

Manufacturing Optimization Pipeline

Closed-won and in-progress cost reduction tracker across PRQ, EE component optimizations, WiFi calibration removals, and laser etch migrations. Delivered $14M per year in second-source savings and $2.92M in active pipeline across Players, Remotes, and 1PTV.

Program Ops

OPM Roles, RACI, and Capacity Ramp Planning

End-to-end accountability model covering Factory Management, Product Development, Ramp Readiness, Sustaining, and Supplier Escalations with clear RACI from Annual Forecast through Production Management. Deployed across US, LATAM, and Asia teams.

Quality Systems

Field-to-Factory Quality Feedback Loop

End-to-end quality system linking RMA returns, customer support contacts, and refurb data back to factory FA/8D corrective actions with automated deviation triggers, DPPM tracking, and supplier push-notifications. Business impact: measurable warranty cost reduction, improved NPS, and lower CS contact rates tied directly to field failure root cause elimination.

KPI Design

Operations KPI and Performance System

Annual KPI frameworks across Program Execution, Supplier Relationships, Budget Tracking, and Team Development with quarterly review cadence, Forecast vs. Actuals dashboards, and target-setting methodology. Deployed across 700+ headcount and $150M+ OpEx portfolios.

International

Market Entry and Country P&L Framework

Market tiering and opportunity assessment methodology used to prioritize and sequence entry across 8 international markets. Includes monetization archetype modeling, country-level P&L with EBITDA tracking, and ARPU benchmarks. Scaled Roku international to $100M+ revenue and 24M active accounts across Brazil, Mexico, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, and Spain.

Executive Reporting

International BOD and Consolidated P&L Reporting

Board-level international performance reporting covering consolidated P&L (devices plus platform), market share trends vs. TAM by country, ARPU by region, active account SOV, and monetization product mix. Presented directly to Roku's Board of Directors to drive decisions across an 8-country, $100M+ portfolio.

Where I Come In

Sound familiar?

Most of my engagements start with a leader who's already fighting one of these. If a few land, we should talk.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Your CM is missing commits and you can't tell if it's their capacity or your forecast
Tariff exposure is real, but China exit feels like trading one risk for another
BOM cost is drifting up and design changes aren't compensating fast enough

International Expansion

Your product is ready but you don't have the tax, legal, or employment law playbook
Nobody on your team has actually stood up an operating entity outside the US
Launch dates keep slipping because compliance requirements surface late

Executive Bandwidth

You're not big enough for a full-time COO but the CEO is drowning
Decisions get made in meetings and quietly reversed in Slack
Your leadership team hasn't run a real quarterly planning cycle in 18 months

Product Economics

Fully-burdened product P&L is a spreadsheet nobody trusts
You're prioritizing programs without knowing their true ROI
Design-to-cost conversations happen too late in the process

Team and Org

You've doubled headcount and nobody knows what "senior" means anymore
Promotion conversations are inconsistent and your good people are watching
You need to reduce headcount in international markets and your HR team has never done it

Any of these? Let's talk.

Start the Conversation

Investment

Transparent pricing.

Engagements are structured to match your company's stage and scope of work. All pricing is in USD. Custom project scoping available for complex transformations. Every engagement begins with a free 45-minute discovery call.

Engagement 01

Advisory & Consulting

$300/hr

Hourly · 4-hour minimum

PMO assessments & audits
Process design workshops
PM coaching & team development
Vendor / manufacturer evaluation
One-time deliverable reviews & feedback

Inquire

Who I work with

I partner with companies at inflection points, where the operating model has to catch up with ambition. These are the situations where I add the most value.

◆

Growth-Stage Companies (Series B and beyond)

Scaling past 200 people and the informal ways of working aren't cutting it anymore. You need operating cadence, portfolio governance, decision frameworks, and a repeatable planning cycle that doesn't break every quarter.

◆

AI-Native and Frontier Tech Companies

Building at the frontier and need operating rigor to match research and product velocity. Executive advisory, decision governance, and cross-organizational strategic initiatives. Real AI-native operator experience, not just adjacent.

◆

International Expansion Teams

Entering new markets with hard deadlines, entity formation requirements, and cross-jurisdiction employment law complexity. I have implemented operating entities in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and China, and navigated employment law across UK, EU, LatAm, and APAC.

◆

Organizations in Transformation

PE-backed companies, post-acquisition integrations, or leadership teams rebuilding after contraction. I have led org scale-ups of 2x in 18 months and two waves of structured workforce reduction while protecting active accounts, revenue, and execution quality.

◆

Hardware Startups

Moving from prototype to production and needing Big Tech NPI discipline without a $400K executive hire. Founding PMO experience from Apple Watch, hardware ops rebuild experience from Roku.

How It Works

The engagement model

Discovery Call (45 min, free)

We talk through your situation: what's broken, what's at stake, what you've tried. No pitch deck. Just an honest conversation about whether this is the right fit and what the work actually looks like.

Assessment and Scoping

I audit your current operating state: governance gaps, dependency risks, decision bottlenecks. Delivered as an executive-ready assessment with a proposed engagement plan and clear success metrics.

Embedded Execution

I embed with your team. I'm in your Slack, in your standups, traveling when needed, and building governance alongside your people. Not handing over a slide deck and disappearing.

Handoff and Continuity

Every engagement ends with documented playbooks, trained team members, and systems that run without me. The goal is to make myself replaceable on your terms, on your timeline.

Documented outcomes

2x then 25%

Roku International BU scaled 350 to 750 headcount in 18 months, then structured workforce reduction across 5 jurisdictions

4 entities

Operating entities implemented in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and China with statutory compliance and works council alignment

$55M

Annual tariff exposure avoided via China to Vietnam and Mexico manufacturing footprint transformation

$10M+ per year

Roku UK savings via Roku Channel content optimization from first fully-burdened international P&L

7 BUs

Apple Product Operations L&D and promotion framework adoption across Watch, iPad, Health Tech, Apple Card, Special Projects, Accessories, Packaging

18% / 10%

COGS / OCOGS reduction through milestone discipline and cost governance at Roku

The rigor
that outlasts
you.

Built at Apple, Roku,
and Gallup. Available to you.

What I do

What I bring to the table

What gets built

Sound familiar?

Transparent pricing.

Who I work with

The engagement model

Ready to build
at standard?

The rigor that outlasts you.

Built at Apple, Roku,and Gallup. Available to you.

What I do

What I bring to the table

What gets built

Sound familiar?

Transparent pricing.

Who I work with

The engagement model

Ready to buildat standard?

The rigor
that outlasts
you.

Built at Apple, Roku,
and Gallup. Available to you.

Ready to build
at standard?