You Don’t Have to Lead Alone
Gain a hands-on executive partner to help you navigate complexity, drive strategy, and achieve your next stage of growth—without the full-time C-suite overhead.
Is Your Business’s Success Starting to Feel Incredibly Heavy?
You’re the owner of an established, successful business in the Portland Metro Area. You’ve built something you’re proud of. Yet, you find yourself as the final decision-maker on everything, constantly pulled between putting out today’s fires and planning for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Does this sound familiar?
- You’re stretched thin, and key strategic initiatives keep getting pushed to the back burner.
- Your leadership team is capable, but they still require your guidance to move major projects forward.
- You need a confidential sounding board—someone with real-world experience who understands the weight on your shoulders—but have no true peer within your organization.
- You know technology and market shifts represent opportunities, but you lack the bandwidth to properly vet them and build a clear implementation plan.
When the founder becomes the bottleneck, growth stalls and passion turns into pressure. It’s a lonely position, but you don’t have to stay there.
The Overwhelmed Executive: Understanding the Pressure
Many SMB owners find themselves stretched thin, acting as the final decision-maker on everything. This common reality leads to significant challenges.
The Weight of Responsibility
SMB owners often work significantly longer hours, feeling a constant demand:
33%
work over 50 hours/week.
25%
exceed 60 hours/week.
This is often twice as much as regular employees.
Strategic Neglect & Burnout
Daily fire-fighting pushes strategy to the back burner, contributing to burnout.
Entrepreneurs spend only 31.9% of time ‘ON’ the business (strategic planning).
53%
of founders suffered burnout in the past year (2024).
The Founder Bottleneck Effect
“Businesses with turnover approaching $1-5 million often hit a plateau…because the founder becomes the bottleneck for decision-making.”
This operational quagmire prevents focus on marketing, sales, strategic planning, or product development, stalling growth.
The m2square Approach
A True Partner in Your Corner: Part-Time Executive, Full-Time Commitment.
This is more than consulting. As your Fractional Executive & Strategic Advisors, we don’t just deliver a report and walk away. We embed ourselves into your business as dedicated members of your leadership team, providing the experienced executive horsepower you need, precisely when you need it.
Collectively, the m2square team brings decades of experience as CEO, CFO and Chief Strategists. We haven’t just advised on growth—we’ve lived it. We’ve been in the trenches, making the tough calls, implementing the systems, and driving the strategy for multi-million dollar businesses.
Now, we bring that hands-on executive experience to you. We’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder, combining CEO-level strategic guidance with the practical focus needed to get things done.
The Fractional Executive: Your Partner in Growth
The fractional executive model offers seasoned leadership on a part-time basis—more than a consultant, they become an embedded part of your team.
More Than a Consultant
As a Fractional Executive, we don’t just advise; we:
- Take an active leadership/management role.
- Implement changes and lead.
- Become an embedded partner in your business.
Cost-Effective Expertise
30-60%
Less Cost than a full-time C-suite executive. Access C-suite talent without the full-time overhead.
Accelerated Execution
25%
Cut planning-to-execution time by approx. 25% with experienced leadership.
Marketing ROI Boost
25-35%
Firms often see higher marketing ROI within 12 months.
Enhanced Survival & Growth
2x
Mentored SMBs are more likely to survive beyond five years.
The m²square Approach: From Insight to Impact
Michael Zelenka brings over 20 years of CEO and Chief Strategist experience, embedding into your business with a proven 3-step process.
1. Deep Dive & Discovery
Thorough review of operations, financials, team, and goals to understand your vision and obstacles.
2. Strategic Partnership in Action
Regular collaboration, leading meetings, mentoring teams, and serving as your strategic sounding board.
3. Execution, Accountability & Results
Translate strategy into action, define priorities, set KPIs, and drive tangible improvements.
Faster Growth with Planning
30%
Businesses with written strategic plans (which m²square helps build and execute) grow 30% faster.
ROI on Leadership Development
$4.15
For every $1 spent on leadership training (a key aspect of m²square’s partnership) SMBs see up to $4.15 in ROI.
The Tangible Benefits of Shared Leadership
Clarity & Strategic Direction
Gain an objective, experienced perspective to help you make more confident decisions, refine your vision, and build an actionable roadmap for the future.
Accelerated Execution
Stop letting important projects stall. Get the dedicated executive focus required to drive key initiatives—from operational optimizations to new technology rollouts—across the finish line.
Elevated Leadership Team
Free yourself from being the sole driver of the business. I work to mentor and empower your existing managers, increasing their capacity and building a more resilient leadership core.
Pragmatic Innovation & ROI
Leverage my experience to identify and implement the right strategies and technologies that deliver real value, helping you avoid costly mistakes and ensuring a strong return on your investment.
This Advisory Service is Designed For You If…
- You are the Owner, CEO, or President of an established SMB ($1M – $200M revenue, 20-250 employees) in the Portland Metro Area.
- You feel the weight of being the sole strategic leader and need an experienced peer to share the load.
- You know your business has untapped potential but lack the time or focus to unlock it.
- You want more than a consultant—you want a long-term, trusted partner committed to your success.
Ready to Share the Load and Accelerate Your Growth?
Let’s have a confidential, no-obligation conversation about your business, your goals, and how a Fractional Executive & Strategic Advisor can help you achieve them. Find out how decades of real-world CEO experience can make a direct impact on your business, starting today.