Get Fortune 500 Operations and Engineering leadership for a fraction of the cost of a single US-based hire.
We bridge the gap between your US strategy and EMEA execution with zero "timezone tax".
Fortune 500 DNA, Global Perspective
With over 50 years of combined experience at giants like Microsoft, Genentech, Charles Schwab, and Getty Images, as well as scrappy startups, we bring "Gold Standard" processes to your scaling venture.
24-Hour Productivity Cycle
While your US headquarters is offline, we are moving the needle in EMEA.
By the time your team starts their morning in New York or San Francisco, they are met with completed sprints, resolved blockers, and fresh data. not a mounting to-do list.
"Human" Systems Approach
We don't just implement tools; we build community and connection.
Whether it’s reducing operational overhead by 90% or increasing deployment frequency by 5,900%, our focus remains on making systems work for the people who use them.
Seamless Compliance & Contracting
As American immigrants with Portuguese residency, we are a "plug-and-play" solution.
We are contract/freelance ready and fully versed in both US business culture and EU regulatory landscapes like GDPR and the 2026 AI Act.
The Bridge Advantage: High-Velocity Leadership Without the "Timezone Tax"
Scaling a US company into Europe, or managing a distributed team, usually comes with a logistical headache. We built Simply Start Transformation to be the antidote to that friction.
Located in Portugal’s "Goldilocks Zone," we act as your strategic anchor in the EMEA region.
We provide the high-level operational oversight and engineering excellence of veteran US leaders, combined with the on-the-ground presence required to navigate European markets, regulations, and talent.
Traditional Path
- Fixed Cost Overhead: High salary plus benefits, equity, and 401k.
- Siloed Knowledge: One person, one perspective. If they hit a technical or operational wall, the project stalls.
- Operational Blindspots: Ops leaders often lack deep tech context; Engineers often lack process/UX empathy.
- Administrative Friction: Complex state-to-state or international payroll and tax compliance.
Simply Start Partnership
- Fractional Agility: Senior-level horsepower at a fixed, predictable retainer.
- Integrated Intelligence: Hire one lead, but get our collective "Brain Trust": internal peer reviews & cross-functional sanity checks on every roadmap.
- Cross-Functional DNA: Our work is born from constant collaboration. Ops is built for engineering scale, and Engineering is built for operational ease.
- The Bridge Advantage: American immigrants with Portuguese residency. US-standard leadership, W-8BEN ready, and 24-hour momentum.
"We just cut 20% of our team and now nothing is moving."
We specialize in Visual Governance and Agile Coaching to ensure your remaining team is focused on the right 20% of tasks that drive 80% of your revenue.
"Our systems don't talk to each other, and it's killing our margins."
We have achieved a 90% reduction in workflow overhead and a 44% increase in revenue by auditing and interconnecting fragmented tech stacks.
"I can't find senior talent that doesn't require a 3-month onboarding."
We bring "Gold Standard" DNA from Microsoft, Genentech, and Charles Schwab. We hit the ground running on Day 1 because we’ve already built these systems for the world's largest brands.
If these are painfully real, book a Free Discovery Call with us to brainstorm.
We'd be happy to get on a call and give ideas simply because we want to reduce pain in the workplace.
Engineering Excellence & Technical Agile
Architecture & Full-Stack Delivery Senior-level technical leadership, and chops to build scalable, production-ready systems, using tech such as NodeJS and C# among others.
Technical Agile Coaching (XP) Embedding Extreme Programming (XP) practices, including TDD, and BDD enabling improved deployment frequency, reliability and innovation
DevOps & CI/CD Excellence Modernizing infrastructure through automated pipelines for sustainable, high-velocity delivery using modern technologies including Docker, GCP, etc.
Operations & Digital Transformation
Systems & Ecosystem Enablement Full-cycle process, CRM & CMS implementation & audits that have historically reduced workflow overhead by 90%.
Digital Transformation & AI Directing end-to-end process design and strategic AI adoption to reduce operational hours by 25%
Strategic Visual Governance Translating complex requirements into actionable roadmaps through data visualization and OKR frameworks.
Full Ops & Engineering Fractional Team
Full-Cycle Strategy & Execution A complete, pre-built leadership unit.
Jennifer manages operations, compliance, and systems while Shayne architects high-velocity engineering cultures and robust technical delivery.
We manage local vendors, engineering squads, and operational workflows to ensure your business never stops moving.
We implement "Gold Standard" processes across your entire organization, reducing operational overhead while accelerating engineering deployment frequency.
The "Bridge" Advantage
Scale cost-effectively
24-Hour Productivity Cycle
Our Portuguese base allows us to manage your EMEA vendors and squads during their day and sync with you during your morning (US timezones).
Modern AI Workflows
We don't just "do the work"; we implement the AI-powered infrastructure (Cursor, CI/CD, Automated Ops) that allows your team to stay lean and move a thousand percent faster. Literally, we've done it before.
Human-Centered Approach
We aren't a faceless offshore agency; we are veteran partners who prioritize Psychological Safety and XP Practices to build a culture of excellence, not just a pile of code or a heartless process.
We don’t believe in working in vacuums.
When you partner with Simply Start, you aren’t just hiring a freelancer; you are tapping into a synchronized leadership unit.
Even on single-lead engagements, we function as each other’s 'Shadow Lead.'
This 'Integrated Brain Trust' approach ensures that your strategy is bulletproof, your technical debt is minimized, and your team’s velocity is protected by two sets of veteran eyes
One Lead. Two Perspectives. Zero Extra Cost.
In an era of downsizing, you don’t have to sacrifice senior-level expertise for cost-effectiveness.
Whether you hire for Operations or Engineering, you get the collective "Brain Trust" of two Fortune 500 veterans. We provide built-in peer reviews and cross-functional sanity checks on every roadmap, ensuring your strategy is architecturally sound and built for scale.
- Hiring Jennifer for Ops? You get a PM whose systems are peer-reviewed by a Principal Engineer to ensure they are architecturally sound and built for scale.
- Hiring Shayne for Engineering? You get a Technical Lead whose delivery cycles are audited by an Operations expert to ensure they align with your business goals and user needs.
- Hiring us as a Team? The "Brain Trust" becomes your Integrated Engine.
When you hire the Fractional Team Office, the Brain Trust shifts from a value-add to your primary driver of velocity. You aren't just hiring two experts; you are hiring a synchronized leadership unit that eliminates the "Management Tax."
- Zero "CEO Middleware": You stop acting as the referee between your departments. We handle the internal handoffs and cross-functional logic ourselves, so you receive finished results instead of questions about alignment.
- 24-Hour Strategic Momentum: We own your "EMEA Bridge" entirely. While your US headquarters is offline, our Ops and Engineering leads are moving in total lockstep on the ground in Europe. We resolve technical blockers and manage operational workflows in real-time, ensuring your morning starts with a progress report, not a crisis.
- Built-in Business Continuity: By integrating "Gold Standard" engineering with human-centered operations, we build systems that don't just work today, they are architected to survive 10x growth without the need for expensive, mid-scale rework.