See What’s Stirring in the She Shed
Fractional Chief of Staff & Operations Leadership for Growing Businesses
Clarity. Accountability. Scalable momentum.
A fractional Chief of Staff is not an assistant. Instead, a Chief of Staff is a strategic operations partner.
I work directly alongside founders and executive leaders to turn vision into executable reality. I align teams, drive priorities forward, remove operational friction, and ensure that business runs with structure, rhythm, and accountability.
Where founders once held every decision, project, and escalation, I install systems that allow them to work ON the business instead of IN the business.
Founder-led businesses rarely struggle with a lack of ideas. Rather, they struggle because execution depends too heavily on the founder personally holding everything together.
Through SWH Fractionals, I step in as a Fractional Chief of Staff and Director of Operations for organizations growing faster than their systems. I serve as the connective tissue between vision and execution, ensuring priorities move forward, teams stay aligned, and progress continues without constant oversight.
• I bring clarity to competing priorities.
• I create accountability without micromanagement.
• I install an operational structure that allows momentum to sustain itself.
When decisions bottleneck at the top, projects stall midstream, and leaders feel stuck refereeing instead of leading, I restore operational flow using an EOS-aligned structure without stripping away heart. Growth should feel steady, not fragile.
Who I Work With
I partner with founders and executive leaders who:
• Are hiring, expanding, adding locations, or increasing complexity
• Feel operational drag despite having capable people
• Carry too many decisions themselves
• Want a scale that does not rely on constant heroics
My clients care deeply about their people and their impact. They do not want to become rigid or overly corporate, but instead want to grow with clarity, accountability, and traction that still feels human.
What I Do (And Why It Works)
As a fractional Chief of Staff and operations executive, I stabilize execution and build the structure that supports sustainable growth.
My work is grounded in EOS principles, including:
• Clear vision
• Strong core values
• Right people in the right seats
• Defined accountability
• Focused 90-day priorities
These principles are how traction happens, so they’re at the heart of my non-negotiables.
I help you:
• Translate your vision and strategic priorities into executable plans
• Install a reliable operating cadence
• Clarify ownership and decision rights
• Move projects from “in progress” to “completed”
• Reduce rework, confusion, and recurring fires
This work lives in the messy middle, where strategy meets reality and execution either sticks or slips.
How It Performs
As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), using Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement disciplines, alongside Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid methods, I have led initiatives with a 98% on-time and on-budget execution rate.
Clients experience:
• Faster, clearer decision-making
• Fewer stalled initiatives
• Reduced manual workload
• Stronger cross-functional alignment
• Operations that continue running without constant escalation
The result is more than efficiency. It is stability in a space where true leadership is restored.
Why Heart Matters
While I love a great process, great processes mean nothing without people. People are the ones making impacts that matter.
That belief shapes how I lead, how I advise, and how I build systems. It’s also why I was nominated for the American Heart Association’s 2026 Woman of Impact campaign. Heart-centered advocacy and action are personal to me.
Leadership is stewardship. It’s about building something that outlasts you. Something that leaves people better than you found them.
A Note on the Creative Work
Alongside my operations work, I’m also a published author of more than twenty-five emotionally grounded romance novels focused on healing, resilience, and second chances. Storytelling keeps my creative, visionary side active while sharpening the way I listen, communicate through complexity, lead through change, and create clear narratives.
Across leadership, operations, advocacy, and storytelling, there is one through-line: I build with heart.
If your business needs clearer execution, steadier growth, and an operational partner who can hold complexity without adding chaos, let’s talk.
Vision clarified. Traction amplified.
Reviews & Recommendations
Here’s what people have said:
Nikki… stands out because she dedicates her efforts to people-oriented transformation through active listening to stakeholder needs and developing practical solutions.
Ben Gonzalez, MSPM
LinkedIn Recommendation
Her presence is calm yet powerful. Her enthusiasm will be an asset to your team in whatever role she holds. Her passion inspires me to be a better version of myself everyday
M Brett Cooper, MD, M.Ed.
LinkedIn Recommendation
Nikki equips others with practical tools and genuine encouragement. Her leadership is both sharp and human—she simplifies complexity, aligns people around purpose, and consistently delivers value.
Larry Goldsticker
LinkedIn Recommendation
Nikki has a rare ability to lead with both strategy and heart. Any company lucky enough to have her on board is already a step ahead.
Saurabh Patel
Business Owner
…an emotional see-saw with tears of sorrow followed by tears of joy. I laughed and cried, said “awww” and got hot under the collar while following the realistic story of a town full of wonderful characters.
Donna at YouGottaRead.com
Burned (in Whispering Cove)
Sounds to Die By has a pulsing, rhythmic beat that mixes Boston sensibility with Miami sound machine to create a passionate movement that sustains throughout the novel.
