Executive Leadership. Accountable Execution.
Fractional and interim executive leadership for telecom, connectivity, and technology businesses. Start with what needs to change, then align the right executive or coordinated team to clear ownership, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
Most firms sell you three separate vendors at three separate rates. A Pod is one coordinated team, one price, one point of accountability.
Start with what needs to change.
Define the business priority. Align the leadership. Make progress accountable.
Three ways to engage
Fractional Leadership
Experienced executive leadership without a full-time appointment.
Interim Leadership
Hands-on ownership through leadership transitions and critical business periods.
Executive Pods
Coordinated executives working together on one shared business mandate.
Define
Agree on the business priority, scope, and measures of success.
Align
Determine the leadership, authority, and resources required.
Execute
Own delivery, review progress, and adjust against agreed milestones.
Engagement length follows the mandate, not an arbitrary timeline.
Discuss Your Business PriorityThe fractional executive category has never been challenged on economics — only on speed and curation. Smith Networks is the first to change how the fee itself works.
The Pod: coordinated leadership, one price
Telecom and infrastructure companies rarely need just one executive gap filled — a funding round, a buildout, or a turnaround usually demands two or three roles moving in lockstep. Buying them separately, from separate vendors, at separate rates, is how coordination breaks down. A Pod is priced and delivered as one team.
See the fee structureMost firms won't tell you this. We will.
Base + Outcome
A monthly base retainer covers the team's time. A performance component — agreed upfront — is tied to a specific milestone: revenue target, close, raise, or operational metric.
Cash + Equity
For companies where cash is constrained, we can structure a portion of the fee as equity or a warrant. We only offer this when we believe in the outcome.
Fixed Monthly
For single-role interim placements where the scope is defined and the timeline is fixed, we offer a flat monthly rate with no performance component.
Built for telecom and infrastructure
Competitive local exchange carriers
CLECs navigating wholesale relationships, interconnection disputes, or a shift to fibre-first delivery.
Fibre and fixed wireless buildouts
ISPs and overbuilders scaling from 5,000 to 500,000 passings — where capital discipline and operational execution have to move together.
Tower and infrastructure owners
Towercos, neutral hosts, and data centre operators managing tenant relationships, capex cycles, and capital structure.
Connectivity platforms and SaaS
Software and platform businesses serving carriers, MSOs, or enterprise connectivity — where a CRO or CFO is the missing piece.
We match the Pod to the problem
Revenue is declining and the board needs answers
We deploy a CEO/COO + CRO combination to stabilise operations, reset carrier relationships, and rebuild a credible revenue plan.
Operational stability + revenue plan in 90 daysYou're raising a Series B or infrastructure debt
A CFO + CEO combination that can own the data room, run investor conversations, and keep operations moving during the raise.
Close-ready in 60–90 daysYou're scaling passings faster than your team can handle
A COO + CFO Pod that owns capex discipline, contractor management, and the reporting your lenders or investors require.
On-budget, on-schedule deliveryA founder or CEO is stepping back
An interim CEO who can hold the business together, run a proper search, and hand off cleanly — without losing momentum.
Continuity through the transitionHow we're different
| Dimension | Generalist Fractional Firms | Smith Networks |
|---|---|---|
| Team structure | One executive at a time, from separate vendors | Coordinated Pod — CEO, CRO, COO, CFO — as one team |
| Fee model | Hourly or flat monthly retainer regardless of outcome | Base + outcome component tied to a specific milestone |
| Vertical focus | Generalist fractional firms across all industries | Telecom, connectivity, and infrastructure only |
| Time to deploy | 4–8 weeks to source and onboard | Matched and deployed in 5 business days |
| Accountability | Effort-based — hours logged, not outcomes delivered | Outcome-linked — part of the fee depends on results |
From signed agreement to a matched, briefed Pod ready to work.
A fixed monthly base plus a performance component tied to a specific, agreed milestone.
Every Pod member has operated in telecom, connectivity, or infrastructure — not adjacent industries.
Ready to close the leadership gap?
Tell us what's going on. We'll respond within one business day to discuss whether a Pod is the right fit for your situation.
Discuss Your Business Priority