Join STARTUP SMART

Work With Us

We're actively growing our operator network — and we're selective about it. Every operator we accept is personally vetted and treated like a partner, not a vendor. If you're a senior operator who thrives in transition environments and wants engagements that fit your schedule and your rate, we'd love to hear from you.

Who we're looking for

10+ years of hands-on experience with outcomes to back it up
Transition experience — M&A, exit prep, scaling, restructuring, or post-acquisition
Active use of AI tools in your day-to-day work
~40 hrs/month availability minimum
Independent contractor status with W-9 and invoicing in place
Clear, professional communication — English proficiency required
Alignment with our values: Servant Leadership, Stewardship, Trustworthiness & Excellence

Our network includes individual fractional operators as well as small firms and agencies across Finance, Operations, HR, Sales, Marketing, CS, Product, Tech & Dev, and IT.

Why operators choose us

You set your rate. You keep 100% of it.
Curated, high-quality engagements — not a race to the bottom
We handle business development and client relationships — you focus on execution
Transition-specialized work — complex, meaningful, worth your time
Real financial upside tied to growth you help drive — details shared upon acceptance
We built the SMART Network differently — every operator is treated like a partner, not a vendor

The majority of our network arrives through referrals — which means if someone trusted us enough to send you here, you're already starting with a head start.

Apply to Join the SMART Network

We're always looking for experienced operators to join our curated network. If you have deep functional expertise and a track record of driving outcomes at companies in transition, we'd love to hear from you.

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Applications reviewed weekly.