Hello — I build the systems behind growing teams.
I've spent 15 years inside growing organizations — building the processes, teams and tools that let good ideas actually ship. Today I'm Principal at Northwind Group, where I advise growth-stage companies on operating models, planning and organizational design.
Before that I led operations at Acme Corp through a period of rapid expansion, and spent several years in strategy consulting. I care about clarity, calm execution, and leaving teams stronger than I found them.
Where I've worked
Principal · Northwind Group
Lead an advisory practice helping growth-stage companies design operating models, planning cadences and org structures.
Director of Operations · Acme Corp
Scaled operations from 80 to 450 people across three regions; launched a company-wide planning and OKR rhythm.
Senior Consultant · Summit Partners
Delivered strategy and transformation programs for Fortune 500 clients in retail and financial services.
Analyst · Blue River Capital
Financial modeling and due diligence across 20+ transactions.
Selected work
Operating model redesign ↗
Cut planning cycle time by 40% across six business units.
Planning playbook ↗
An open framework used by 30+ teams to run quarterly planning.
Regional expansion ↗
Stood up two new regional hubs in under nine months.
Designing orgs that scale ↗
Keynote delivered to 800 operators and founders.
Education & certifications
- MBAUniversity Name — School of Business2011 — 2013
- B.S. EconomicsUniversity Name2006 — 2010
- Certification NameIssuing Organization2019
What people say
“Working with John changed how our leadership team makes decisions. Clear, calm and relentlessly practical.”
“The rare operator who can zoom out to strategy and zoom in to the spreadsheet in the same meeting.”
Let's work together
Have a project in mind?
I usually reply within two business days.
© 2026 John Smith. Designed & built with care.