A scored operational audit from a Fractional COO with 25+ years scaling growth-stage companies. You get a full findings report, your top 5 gaps with a prioritized fix order, and 30 minutes with Ken Gould to answer the one question your score raises.
Most founders at the $2M–$50M stage are running their business on instinct and tribal knowledge. The expensive part isn’t the problem — it’s spending 12 months fixing the wrong thing first.
Generic assessments show you a number. They don’t tell you which three operational gaps are directly connected to your next revenue ceiling — and in what order to close them.
A full fractional COO engagement is the right call for some companies. But not before you know what you’re actually dealing with. The audit is the right first step.
Most growth-stage companies try to deploy AI before their data infrastructure can support it. The result: failed pilots, wasted budget, and a team that stops trusting the technology.
Not a software recommendation engine. Not a framework from a business school textbook. Someone who has scaled growth-stage companies and can tell you what’s actually slowing yours.
Every $999 audit delivers two things: a complete findings document you can act on immediately, and a direct advisory call with Ken to answer the one question your score raises. Both are included in the price.
A 6-page branded findings document covering your score, sub-scores by dimension, top 5 gaps with severity ratings and benchmark data, what’s working and why it matters at your next growth stage, and a prioritized playbook of recommended actions. Every gap includes a “what fixing it unlocks” statement so you know exactly what’s on the other side.
Included at $999 48-Hour DeliveryScheduled after you receive your report. Ken covers the one question your score raises — the sequencing decision, the prioritization call, the specific intervention that makes your top gap closeable. This is not a sales call for a larger engagement. It is 30 minutes of direct operational advisory from someone who has done this at your revenue stage.
Included at $999Every report includes a 3–4 sentence personal note from Ken addressing something specific from your intake — the operational pattern he noticed, the question you raised, or the context that changes how you should read the findings. This is not templated. It is written based on your specific situation.
Included at $999Every report ends with a specific, scored-based recommendation for the single most valuable next engagement based on your findings — matched to your score band, your stated growth target, and what you told Ken matters most. You always know what to do when you close the report.
Included at $999Both audits are $999. Both include the full scored report and 30-minute advisory call with Ken. The difference is the framework — and what question you most need answered.
Scored against the KEG APEX Framework across 4 operational dimensions. Tells you exactly what’s holding your growth hostage — and in what order to fix it.
Scored against the KEG SIGNAL Framework across 6 AI readiness dimensions. Tells you if your business is actually ready to deploy AI — and which use cases will generate the highest ROI given your current state.
Four steps. No consultant back-and-forth. No discovery calls before you see anything. You complete the assessment, Ken reviews it, and your report is in your inbox in 48 hours.
20 questions (ORS) or 18 questions (AORS). Takes 12–18 minutes. Tell Ken what you’re dealing with in the context section.
~15 minutesAI-augmented research runs against your specific industry, revenue stage, and gap profile. Ken personally reviews every finding before the report is written.
Within 24 hrsFull findings document in your inbox. Score, sub-scores, gaps, playbook, and Ken’s personal review note — all specific to your situation.
Within 48 hrsScheduling link included in your report email. 30 minutes with Ken to cover the question your score raised. Direct answers, no upsell pressure.
Your scheduleKen Gould has spent 25+ years working inside growth-stage companies in the $2M–$50M range — as an operator, not a consultant who visits and leaves. He knows what operational constraints look like at your revenue stage because he has been inside them, not advising from the outside.
Every KEG audit uses AI-augmented research methodology to pull verified benchmark data, industry-specific findings, and comparable company patterns. Ken personally reviews every report before it leaves the building. The finding in your report reflects his operational judgment on top of the research — not a model’s output sent without review.
The $999 price point exists because the right first engagement for most founders is a clear diagnosis — not a retainer commitment before you know what you’re dealing with. The 30-minute call is the handshake.
“Most founders at this stage don’t have an effort problem. They have a sequence problem. They’re working hard on the wrong thing in the wrong order. The audit tells you the right order. The call tells you where to start on Monday.”
— Ken Gould, Fractional COO, KEG Executive ManagementGrowth-stage companies at $2M–$50M with a founder or CEO who knows something is slowing them and wants a direct, operational read — not a framework seminar.
Scaling customer success, managing a growing engineering team, trying to figure out whether to hire a VP of Ops or keep running lean. The ORS tells you which operational dimension is your actual bottleneck.
Delivery inconsistency, leadership team alignment issues, or a 90-day planning cycle that never actually produces a plan the team executes. The ORS scores which APEX dimension is creating the drag.
Tried two or three AI tools in the past 12 months. One failed on data readiness. One the team didn’t adopt. The AORS tells you which readiness gap is blocking deployment — and which use cases are actually achievable right now.
Needing a credible operational diagnosis before a significant capital event or market move. The APEX Audit delivered at the end of the ORS process is the right tool for this — the $999 audit is the right place to start.
This audit is not a fit for: Pre-revenue companies or early-stage startups (below $1M ARR), enterprise companies above $50M with a full ops team, or founders looking for a general business coach rather than an operational diagnosis.
The ones Ken gets before most founders order.
Complete your assessment today. Your full scored report is in your inbox in 48 hours. Your 30-minute call with Ken is scheduled at your convenience. One price. No retainer required.
$999 48-hour delivery · 30-minute advisory call included · Personally reviewed by Ken GouldQuestions before you order? ken@kegexm.com