CHRIS RUSSELL
I turn traction into a growth engine—aligned, repeatable, and built to scale revenue.
I help teams move from fragmented growth efforts to structured, AI-native systems—where decisions are clear, execution scales, and progress compounds.
strategist ⋅ builder ⋅ execution
strategist ⋅ builder ⋅ execution
Based in
dallas, TX
experience
10yrs
/ABOUT
Having worked with founders and teams across early-stage and global brands, I find purpose in the chaos—the first inning, where energy is high, ambition is clear, and momentum is real.
01
/ABOUT
01
Having worked across early-stage teams and global brands, I find purpose in the chaos—the first inning, where energy is high, ambition is clear, and momentum is real. That’s where grit and a figure-it-out mindset matter most. There’s something special about a tight-knit team rallying around an idea and turning it into a custom operating system that drives revenue—repeatable, measurable, and scalable.
/ABOUT
01
Having worked with founders and teams across early-stage and global brands, I find purpose in the chaos—the first inning, where energy is high, ambition is clear, and momentum is real.
Trusted by people and teams from brands big & small
CAPABILITIES
(4)
GTM, acquisition, lifecycle, data, and AI systems—strategized, built, and operated end-to-end
CAPABILITIES
(4)
GTM, acquisition, lifecycle, data, and AI systems—strategized, built, and operated end-to-end
01
FOUNDATIONS
ICP
Jobs to be done
Positioning
Foundations are where clarity gets documented before motion begins. I define who we serve, what they need, what problem we solve, and how the product should be understood in the market. When everyone operates from the same source of truth, teams move faster, stay aligned, and build growth that is easier to scale.
02
Go-To-Market
Channel strategy
Offer design
Funnel architecture
Go-to-market is where positioning turns into motion. I map how the product enters the market, where the audience can be reached, what offer creates movement, and how someone progresses from first touch to conversion and beyond.
03
Acquisition
Paid media
Content systems
Conversion Optimization
Acquisition is not about chasing more traffic. It is about finding signal, identifying the conversion points that create qualified growth, and removing friction with the right mix of strategy, AI, tooling, and automation.
04
Lifecycle
Onboarding
Nurture systems
Engagement flows
Most of revenue growth happens AFTER acquisition. Lifecycle is where the customer relationship compounds. I build the systems that move customers from activation to retention, expansion, and ultimately advocacy.
05
Customer Success
Customer Support
Feedback Loops
Referral loops
Customer success is where the system protects the relationship. The goal is to improve the customer experience, retain more customers, compound word of mouth, and create a clearer feedback loop between the market, the product, and the team.
01
FOUNDATIONS
ICP
Jobs to be done
Positioning
Foundations are where clarity gets documented before motion begins. I define who we serve, what they need, what problem we solve, and how the product should be understood in the market. When everyone operates from the same source of truth, teams move faster, stay aligned, and build growth that is easier to scale.
02
Go-To-Market
Channel strategy
Offer design
Funnel architecture
Go-to-market is where positioning turns into motion. I map how the product enters the market, where the audience can be reached, what offer creates movement, and how someone progresses from first touch to conversion and beyond.
03
Acquisition
Paid media
Content systems
Conversion Optimization
Acquisition is not about chasing more traffic. It is about finding signal, identifying the conversion points that create qualified growth, and removing friction with the right mix of strategy, AI, tooling, and automation.
04
Lifecycle
Onboarding
Nurture systems
Engagement flows
Most of revenue growth happens AFTER acquisition. Lifecycle is where the customer relationship compounds. I build the systems that move customers from activation to retention, expansion, and ultimately advocacy.
05
Customer Success
Customer Support
Feedback Loops
Referral loops
Customer success is where the system protects the relationship. The goal is to improve the customer experience, retain more customers, compound word of mouth, and create a clearer feedback loop between the market, the product, and the team.
If you’re working through something specific, we can shape the right approach together.
$250M+
$250M+
$250M+
Generated.
Generated.
10Y
10Y
Experience.
Experience.
1
1
Goal.
Goal.
/CULTURE
I’m a strategist and builder who works close to the problem, from shaping the strategy and reading the data to aligning the team and doing the work. I’m comfortable in 0 to 1 environments where roles are unclear, constraints are real, and outcomes have to be owned. I bring clarity to ambiguity, build what is needed, learn quickly, and keep ego out of the process.
02
/CULTURE
02
I don't play from the sidelines. I'm at the drawing board dialing in strategy, deep diving the data, leading the huddle to gain alignment, and when we break the huddle I'm diving head first into the trenches. In 0→1 environments, there’s no defined playbook — Just KPIs that must be hit. That’s where I thrive. I own the results and back the team to trust their instict. Bold bets. Fast feedback. Zero ego. That's the culture I build in.
/CULTURE
02
I’m a strategist and builder who works close to the problem, from shaping the strategy and reading the data to aligning the team and doing the work. I’m comfortable in 0 to 1 environments where roles are unclear, constraints are real, and outcomes have to be owned. I bring clarity to ambiguity, build what is needed, learn quickly, and keep ego out of the process.
/Testimonials
word on the street
/Testimonials
word on the street
/Testimonials
word on the street
1/5
"He consistently translated ambiguous needs into clear plans, scalable workflows, and measurable progress without unnecessary friction."
Dan Leopold
CTO & Compliance @ Mastery
2/5
"Chris is one of the rare operators who can both architect the system and help the team execute within it and do it at a high-level"
May Shelstad
Frmr VP Global Product @ Nike
3/5
"Beyond his technical depth, Chris is thoughtful, steady, and reliable. He balances strategic thinking with practical execution, which makes him a strong partner in both planning and delivery."
Alex Hartman
Frmr Partnership & activations @ adidas
4/5
"Chris consistently frames problems at the right altitude, ensuring that effort translates into measurable outcomes. Any organization looking to strengthen its growth foundation would benefit from his leadership.
Dave Tondu
Founder @ RiverCo
"Chris stepped in, connected the dots, and built a system that improved efficiency and unlocked compounding revenue virutally overnight”
Jeremy Quintanillo
Co-founder @ Merlin
1/5
"He consistently translated ambiguous needs into clear plans, scalable workflows, and measurable progress without unnecessary friction."
Dan Leopold
CTO & Compliance @ Mastery
2/5
"Chris is one of the rare operators who can both architect the system and help the team execute within it and do it at a high-level"
May Shelstad
Frmr VP Global Product @ Nike
3/5
"Beyond his technical depth, Chris is thoughtful, steady, and reliable. He balances strategic thinking with practical execution, which makes him a strong partner in both planning and delivery."
Alex Hartman
Frmr Partnership & activations @ adidas
4/5
"Chris consistently frames problems at the right altitude, ensuring that effort translates into measurable outcomes. Any organization looking to strengthen its growth foundation would benefit from his leadership.
Dave Tondu
Founder @ RiverCo
"Chris stepped in, connected the dots, and built a system that improved efficiency and unlocked compounding revenue virutally overnight”
Jeremy Quintanillo
Co-founder @ Merlin
1/5
"He consistently translated ambiguous needs into clear plans, scalable workflows, and measurable progress without unnecessary friction."
Dan Leopold
CTO & Compliance @ Mastery
2/5
"Chris is one of the rare operators who can both architect the system and help the team execute within it and do it at a high-level"
May Shelstad
Frmr VP Global Product @ Nike
3/5
"Beyond his technical depth, Chris is thoughtful, steady, and reliable. He balances strategic thinking with practical execution, which makes him a strong partner in both planning and delivery."
Alex Hartman
Frmr Partnership & activations @ adidas
4/5
"Chris consistently frames problems at the right altitude, ensuring that effort translates into measurable outcomes. Any organization looking to strengthen its growth foundation would benefit from his leadership.
Dave Tondu
Founder @ RiverCo
"Chris stepped in, connected the dots, and built a system that improved efficiency and unlocked compounding revenue virutally overnight”
Jeremy Quintanillo
Co-founder @ Merlin
How do you approach growth?
I treat growth as a system, not a set of tactics. That means understanding the customer, mapping the full journey, and building the infrastructure across acquisition, activation, and retention so each part works together and compounds over time.
Do you focus on strategy or execution?
Both. I define the direction, then work hands-on to build and execute it. The goal is not just to create a plan, but to turn it into a working system that performs in the real world.
What types of companies do you typically work with?
I tend to work across a few key scenarios: building from scratch for early-stage teams, pivoting or fixing stalled growth, and launching expansion efforts for mid-market companies. For larger, more established brands, I often focus on improving instrumentation, attribution, and data systems to support better decision-making. My sweet spot is early-stage to mid-market teams—usually lean, fast-moving environments across both B2B and B2C—where there’s a need to define, fix, or scale the growth system end-to-end.
What makes your approach different?
’m not focused on channels in isolation. I focus on the system behind them—how acquisition, lifecycle, and monetization connect. Most growth issues aren’t channel problems, they’re system problems. A broad knowledge base allows me to see how each piece fits together and build systems that actually sustain scale.
How do you define success?
It depends on the objective, but it ultimately comes down to efficiency and impact. Growth should drive revenue faster than it increases cost—whether that’s time or capital. If a system or initiative increases revenue without a proportional increase in spend, it’s working. If not, it needs to be reworked. The goal is to build systems where output compounds while inputs stay controlled.
What does working together look like?
It’s a focused, hands-on process. I typically work closely with a small team, starting with diagnosis and quickly moving into building and testing. I don’t operate as an external advisor—I embed with the team, contribute directly, and help drive execution alongside them. The goal is to create clarity, build the right system, and iterate quickly based on what the data shows.
Not finding answers?
Reach out anytime. We're happy to answer any questions before you commit to working together.
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Lets discuss your project
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Lets discuss your project
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Lets discuss your project