Publication
Bootstrapping Your New Venture: The Case for Going Back to Basics
https://www.toptal.com/finance/business-development/core-offering
Shane is available for hire
Hire ShaneShane Stafford
Verified Expert in Finance
Management Consulting Expert
Location
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Toptal Member Since
October 31, 2022
Shane is a seasoned management consultant previously aligned to Accenture's CFO&EV Practice. Whilst at Accenture, he collaborated with the bank finance leadership team to plan and implement its strategic withdrawal from the Irish market and with a consumer goods business to design the strategy and operating models for managing its 3rd-party manufacturers. Shane is willing to leverage his experience in new and challenging projects.
Career Highlights
CEO
Stafford Strategy & Consulting
Growth Strategy and Implementation Expert
Smart Prop Trader LLC
Management Consultant
Accenture
Education Highlights
Bachelor's Degree
University of Limerick
Summer School
Renmin University of China
Certification Highlights
Business Strategy—Competitive Advantage
The Wharton School
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Case Studies
Expertise
Work Experience
CEO
2023 - PRESENT
Stafford Strategy & Consulting
- Developed and implemented the growth strategy of a prop trading as a fractional CMO, which tripled revenues from paid ads and reduced customer acquisition cost (CAC) by over 70%, resulting in a ROAS of 15.
- Collaborated with the leadership team of a global automotive spare parts distributor to help relocate their operations to Germany. Managed the design and development of a new B2B system.
- Led the IP valuation of a UK independent publisher (over 500 IPs). Drafted the CIM and teaser that was used to reach out to potential investors.
- Worked with the CFO of a US-based consulting firm and developed a new automated budgeting and P&L structure.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Growth Strategy, Strategy, Marketing, Consulting, Strategic Planning
Growth Strategy and Implementation Expert
2023 - 2023
Smart Prop Trader LLC
- Developed and implemented the growth strategy as a fractional CMO, which has tripled revenues from paid ads and reduced customer acquisition cost (CAC) by over 70%.
- Restructured their entire marketing function and changed the company culture from siloed and firefighting to a collaborative, integrated, and agile team.
- Implemented a data-driven approach to the marketing function through dashboards, KPIs, and data analytics across all marketing channels.
- Repositioned the brand as the most reputable prop firm in the industry and developed marketing initiatives and product features to support the brand repositioning.
- Developed funnel strategies for high-value customer acquisition across paid ads, email marketing, and freemium offers.
- Received the following testimonial: "I have worked with Shane for many months. He has been professional, very organized, and structured. He is a big part of why we are so organized and structured now." - SPT's COO.
- Received a testimonial: "I would say Shane's top talents are strategic planning, finance, and marketing. He was a drive force for each of those categories for us and I would recommend him to any company, of any size, without hesitation!" - SPT's COO.
Focus areas: Growth Strategy, Growth Strategy Consultants, Revenue Strategy, Revenue Analysis, Business Modeling, Trading, Sales Growth, Sales Funnel, Change Management, Startups, Digital Marketing, Agile, Project Management, B2C Marketing, Implementation, Digital Transformation, Target Operating Models, Microsoft Excel, Marketing, Management, Strategy, Finance, Consulting, Google Analytics, Process Design, Project Delivery, Data Analysis, Operating Models, Planning, Market Research, Workshops, Client Presentations, Business Strategy, Management Consulting, Organizational Design, Business Transformation, Copywriting, Social Media, Process Transformation, Product Strategy, Business Models, Online Business, Business Planning, Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Business Process Analysis, Business Processes, Microsoft 365, B2C, Operations, Sales, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Fractional CFO, Business Consulting, Go-to-market Plans, Go-to-market Strategy, Business to Consumer (B2C), Implementation Project Management, Financial Services, Financial Transformation, Program Management, Business Operations
Growth Strategy Consultant
2023 - 2023
Toptal Client
- Designed the business model of the startup, which includes a core product offering of SaaS solutions and consulting services.
- Collaborated with the startup founder to determine the niche and key decision makers in the firms in the target market and identified all problems/obstacles faced by target customers.
- Designed a framework for the startup founder to create core product offerings. Designed a separate framework of strategies to enhance the value of the core product offering.
- Created specific strategies to enhance the value of the core product offering, such as conditional guarantees and bonuses.
- Created leap-of-faith assumptions to be tested during the validated learning stage of the startup.
- Testimonial: "I have had the pleasure of working with Shane on multiple occasions[,] and each time, he has exceeded my expectations with his expertise, professionalism, and exceptional service." - Founder.
Focus areas: Growth Strategy, Digital Agencies, Business Consulting, Management Consulting, Strategy, Business Models, Business Model Strategy, Lean Startups, Consulting, Workshops, Business Strategy, Process Design, Client Presentations, Startups, Go-to-market Strategy, Product Strategy, B2B, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Online Business, Business Planning, Software as a Service (SaaS), Value Creation, Project Delivery, Go-to-market Plans, Project Management, Management, Finance, Strategic Planning, Operating Models, Design Thinking, Target Operating Models, Planning, Market Research, Growth Strategy Consultants, Business Modeling, Digital Marketing, Agile, Business Analysis, Operations, Sales, Organizational Design, Program Management
Management Consultant
2019 - 2022
Accenture
- Worked with the finance leadership team of a large Irish bank to design a strategic plan for the bank's exit from the Irish market. Set up and ran the finance, compliance, and legal workstreams to implement the bank's withdrawal.
- Collaborated with senior stakeholders and designed the operating model playbook for the COO of a large Irish consumer goods business for a key component of their dairy business in Ireland.
- Worked with senior stakeholders and C-suite executives of a large Irish consumer goods business to define a high-level strategy and develop operating models for how they deal with their third-party manufacturers (TPMs).
- Led and managed the delivery of over 1,000 letters to the affected customers of a large Irish Bank for one major mortgage restitution.
- Designed the eCommerce strategy roadmap for an Irish NGO.
Focus areas: Consulting, Strategy, Project Management Office (PMO), Process Design, Project Delivery, Management Consulting, Corporate Finance, Management, Consumer Banking, Manufacturing, Planning, Workshops, Client Presentations, Business Strategy, Business Consulting, Change Management, Organizational Design, Business Transformation, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Process Mapping, Supply Chain, Go-to-market Plans, Go-to-market Strategy, Process Transformation, Finance Transformation, Implementation, Implementation Project Management, Growth Strategy, Financial Services, Operating Models, Business Models, Business Model Strategy, Value Creation, Project Management, Finance, Business Planning, Strategic Planning, Design Thinking, Target Operating Models, Data Analysis, Growth Strategy Consultants, Business Modeling, Agile, Digital Transformation, Business Analysis, Business Process Analysis, Business Processes, Operations, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food & Beverage, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Transformation, Program Management, Business Operations
Client Service Representative Fund Accounting Intern
2018 - 2018
Brown Brothers Harriman
- Created internal processes and drafted process documents to streamline the management of the NAV oversight checks on a total return swap (TRS) for a large asset manager client.
- Liaised with processing units and performed daily oversight checks before sending fund NAVs to the asset manager client for approval.
- Carried out weekly checks and due diligence in accordance with Luxembourg and EU regulations and worked with relevant departments within BBH to clear breaks.
Focus areas: Hedge Funds, Fund Accounting & Administration, Accounting, Economics, Data Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Financial Services, Process Design, Finance, Operations, Business Operations
Accounting and Tax Intern
2016 - 2016
O'Gorman Brannigan Purtill & Co.
- Prepared client final accounts for review, including but not limited to the income statement, balance sheets, vat returns, and capital balances.
- Assisted partners in drafting client income tax returns.
- Assisted in the creation of a new client filing system.
Focus areas: Accounting, Taxation, Consulting, Corporate Finance, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Financial Services, Finance, Microsoft 365
Other Experience
Education
2022 - 2022
C1 Level in Spanish
Nueva Lengua Escuela de Español - Cartagena, Colombia
2019 - 2019
B2.1 in German
Speakeasy Sprachschule - Berlin, Germany
2015 - 2019
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Finance
University of Limerick - Limerick, Ireland
2017 - 2017
Summer School in Finance
Renmin University of China - Beijing, China
Certifications
MARCH 2023 - PRESENT
Business Strategy—Competitive Advantage
The Wharton School
SEPTEMBER 2022 - SEPTEMBER 2023
Google Ads Search Certification
JANUARY 2021 - JANUARY 2024
Google Analytics Certification
JANUARY 2021 - JANUARY 2024
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Skills
Finance
Market Research, Value Creation, Corporate Finance, Accounting, Financial Reporting, Taxation, Data Analysis, Management Accounting, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
Industry Expertise
Financial Services, Apparel & Accessories, Small Business, Digital Agencies, Food & Beverage, Fashion
Output Software
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word
Other
Strategy, Finance, Consulting, Project Management Office (PMO), Process Design, Project Delivery, Consumer Banking, Operating Models, Client Presentations, Business Strategy, Business Consulting, Management Consulting, Organizational Design, Process Mapping, Lean Startups, Startups, Business to Consumer (B2C), Implementation, Implementation Project Management, Growth Strategy, Business Models, Online Business, Business Planning, Strategic Planning, Design Thinking, Target Operating Models, Growth Strategy Consultants, Business Analysis, Business Process Analysis, Business Processes, B2C, Operations, Small Business Consultants, Financial Transformation, Program Management, Business Operations, Economics, Marketing, Management, Financial Research, Mortgages, Planning, Workshops, Change Management, Business Transformation, Project Management, eCommerce, Social Media, Go-to-market Plans, Go-to-market Strategy, Process Transformation, Finance Transformation, Product Strategy, Revenue Strategy, Revenue Analysis, Business Modeling, Sales Growth, Sales Funnel, Agile, B2C Marketing, Digital Transformation, Microsoft 365, Sales, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Microsoft Visio, Stock Market, Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Analytics, Google Ads, Manufacturing, Investing, Hedge Funds, Fund Accounting & Administration, Spanish, German, Shopify, Product Design, Fashion & Beauty, Logo Design, Facebook Ads, Google SEO, Copywriting, Supply Chain, Brand Design, Branding, Business Model Strategy, B2B, Software as a Service (SaaS), Trading, Digital Marketing, Fractional CFO, Strategic Design
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