Your company has grown.
The way you run it needs to catch up.

Strategy. Operations. Leadership. Execution.

I help CEOs and executive teams turn growing complexity into clearer decisions, stronger accountability, and an organization that can actually keep pace with the business.

Let's Talk

Hi, I'm Heather O'Donnell.

As Founder of Elevate & Align Co., I work alongside founders, CEOs, and leadership teams to help them navigate growth, make better decisions, and turn strategy into action. To elevate means raising the bar, sharpening how the business operates so it can command its market. To align means syncing people, processes, and priorities so growth creates leverage and momentum.

I serve as a strategic advisor, an executive partner, and a steady guide for the leaders I work with. I come in to design the structure that lets you scale what's already working, to amplify what your team is doing right, and to do the actual work of evolving how the business runs.

I step in where most leaders feel stuck:

Turning strategy into clear priorities and action.

Untangling messy operations and outdated systems.

Aligning teams around shared goals and accountability.

I blend executive-level strategy with hands-on leadership. I've worked across solar, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and cultural institutions. Different industries bring different challenges, but the underlying work is often the same: helping leaders make better decisions, bring their teams together, and move the business forward.

Who I Work With

I partner with founders, CEOs, and leadership teams of growing companies (typically $5M–$50M in revenue) as they navigate the decisions and challenges that come with growth. The practice is intentionally small and selective, which means every engagement gets the depth and attention it deserves.

You may have outgrown the way you're operating if:

Everything still comes through you.
Your leadership team is capable, but decisions still find their way back to your desk.
You're making money, but running the company feels harder than it should.
Growth has added people, systems and complexity without necessarily adding leverage.
Communication that used to happen naturally is breaking down.
Functions are operating, but they're not always operating together.
You're making expensive mistakes you didn't make when the company was smaller.
Decisions carry more weight now, but it's not always clear who owns them.
You know you've outgrown the way you operate. You just don't know exactly what needs to change first.

When founders typically call me:

After a capital raise, an acquisition, or a major contract win, when the company is scaling fast and ready to build the structure that matches the new pace.

When the founder is ready to build a leadership team that can carry decisions independently, so meaningful work can move forward across the organization rather than routing through one desk.

When sales are climbing and the company is ready to align margins, capacity, and team performance with the new growth trajectory.

When a major operational transition is on the table (a system implementation, a relocation, a closure, or a leadership change) that requires steady, experienced hands to execute well.

What referrers and advisors typically see:

If you're a CEO, fractional CFO, or financial advisor, you might hear leadership say: "We want clearer visibility into the value our systems and people are creating," or "We're ready to unlock the margin we know is in this business."

If you're a PE partner, banker, or investor, you might hear: "They're scaling fast and ready to build the operational structure to match," or "They're preparing for the next round and want the foundation right first."

If you're a fellow consultant or trusted advisor, you might hear: "I'm ready to step out of the day-to-day so I can lead at the right altitude," or "We need stronger leadership and accountability as this business continues to grow."

If you're an executive coach or leadership advisor, you might hear: "The vision is clear, and the team is capable. We just need someone who can help us connect the dots and get things moving."

Industries I've worked across:

Solar and renewable energy. Manufacturing. Construction and design. Healthcare and medical aesthetics. Retail and consumer brands. Cultural institutions and non-profits.

Different industries, same underlying patterns. The willingness to evolve matters more than the sector.

If you’re a fellow consultant or referral partner, you might hear:

"I’m spending all my time in the weeds instead of leading."
"We’ve hit a ceiling because operations can’t keep up."

Construction & Design

Creative services

Manufacturing

Impact-driven consumer brands

Wellness & medical aesthetics

Non-profits

If these sound familiar, you don’t need another coach — you need a strategic partner who makes scaling sustainable.

See If We're A Fit

Client Perspective

Michele Wilson

CEO & Owner

“Working with Heather has been one of the most grounding and clarifying experiences of my professional journey. She has a rare ability to balance heart-led leadership with sharp strategy, guiding you through both the big picture vision and the fine-print details that matter most. Her strength in crisis management is unmatched. She brings calm to chaos, quickly helping you stabilize, regain perspective, and move forward with confidence. [...] Heather is the kind of partner every leader wants in their corner.”

My Process

This isn’t cookie-cutter consulting.

Step 1

Talk to Me About Your Vision

We’ll start with where you want to go — your big-picture vision for the business. I’ll listen, ask the right questions, and outline a strategy to elevate it.

Step 2

Tell Me What's Not Working

This isn’t about picking apart your past. You’ve already done a lot right to get here. My role is to adjust what’s not working, because what got you here won’t get you there.

Step 3

Align People, Processes & Planning

I'll look at how your business is running, identify where changes will make the biggest difference, and work with your team to bring more clarity, accountability, and consistency to the way things get done.

My formula

The Outcome

A business that runs smoothly, scales sustainably, and has a leadership team ready to take it even further.

What Makes Me Different

Strategic Architect → I design the operating structure, not just operate inside it.
People-First → Teams follow the plan because they believe in it.
Proven Across Industries → From construction sites to med spas — I adapt fast.

Strategic Energy Management → I design operations that sustain momentum — without burning people out.
Calm in Complexity → I turn chaos into clarity.
Steady When the Stakes Are Highest → I hold the plan and hold the line, especially when the work gets hard. Companies move forward with confidence on my watch.
Boutique by Design →I stay personally involved in every engagement, bringing the attention, judgment, and steady presence the work actually requires.

Explore How We Can Work Together

Ways We Can Work Together

I work with founders, CEOs, and leadership teams through fractional executive leadership, strategic advisory, and supply chain consulting. Every engagement is shaped around what the business needs, whether that's ongoing strategic guidance or hands-on leadership to move things forward.

Fractional COO Services — Executive leadership that helps your business move forward.

When the business is growing and more decisions are landing on your desk, I step in as a fractional COO to help lead the work alongside you. That might mean strengthening your leadership team, improving accountability, aligning priorities, or building the structure needed for the next stage of growth. I work within your business to turn strategy into action, without the commitment of hiring a full-time COO.

Strategic Advisory — A trusted perspective for the decisions that shape your business.

Some decisions benefit from having an experienced perspective outside your leadership team. I work alongside founders and CEOs to think through growth opportunities, set priorities, navigate complex decisions, and keep the business moving in the right direction. Our work is shaped around what you need, whether that's ongoing strategic guidance or more direct involvement as challenges arise.

Supply Chain Consulting — Building a supply chain that supports your growth.

A growing business needs a supply chain that can keep up. I work with leadership teams to strengthen sourcing, supplier relationships, procurement, inventory, logistics, and 3PL and warehousing management. Whether you're dealing with rising costs, unreliable suppliers, or preparing for the next stage of growth, I help identify what's getting in the way and make practical changes that improve how everything works together.

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About Heather - The Professional and the Person

I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of structure and humanity, where clear systems meet the people who bring them to life. My work as a strategic advisor and operating partner isn't just about building processes. It's about creating the structure that allows leaders to lead and teams to execute.

From Firefighting to the C-Suite

Before I ever carried a C-suite title, I was suiting up as a volunteer firefighter and medic. In that world, the people who led well were the ones who stayed steady under pressure, made clear decisions in real time, and trusted their team to execute.
The same is true in business. Strategy is half the work. Decision discipline under pressure is the other half. I bring both.

Those lessons now shape how I guide businesses through complexity, growth, and the high-stakes moments that decide whether a company breaks or breaks through.

Credentials and Experience

I’m certified in Finance and Change Management through Cornell University, and I’ve led operations across industries from construction and manufacturing to medspas and museums. No matter the setting, my goal is the same: to collapse complexity into clarity so leaders can focus on growth.

Structure isn’t the enemy of creativity — it’s the path to sustainable success.

Because when people feel aligned, processes flow, and leaders are supported, the results aren’t just good. They’re unstoppable.

Connect With Me

Client Testimonial

Brooke Gamber

Director

“Working with Heather has significantly elevated the way we approach challenges in our business. She is incredibly smart, highly efficient, and always maintains the highest level of discretion. [...] What sets her apart is her ability to quickly dive into the numbers, identify key issues, and collaborate directly with you to craft practical, effective solutions. Rather than just advising from the sidelines, she works alongside you—making the process not only more productive but also more empowering. Extremely helpful and results-driven, I can’t recommend Heather highly enough.”

Emilie Oxel O’Leary

CEO & Owner

“Heather is one smart lady and clearly is an expert in her field. She will go beyond expectations and deliver outstanding results. I can highly recommend her services for impeccable work and quick turnaround time. She is a delightful person to know and will provide you with creative insights and a roadmap to your overall strategies.”