Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) | Contractor

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are a venture studio that researches and validates ideas in-house before bringing in an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) to transform the strongest concepts into standalone companies. Each venture begins with a clear thesis, budget, and a small team already in place.

As an EIR, you will lead one venture from early build to business formation, working with a cross-functional team across product, growth, sales, and engineering. You'll engage in rapid testing with real customers, establish the company, and prepare it for handover to a long-term CEO once it is ready to secure funding.

You will assume full accountability from inception to handover. This is a hands-on operational role, not an advisory position. You will drive progress when the evidence supports the venture and recommend cessation when it does not.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Build

• Take a validated concept and begin execution from week one.
• Lead product development with a small cross-functional team.
• Utilize AI and no-code tools to quickly develop product, research, and assets.
• Establish clear ownership, deadlines, and weekly milestones for each workstream.

Validate

• Launch a minimum viable product (MVP) and analyze real behavior: usage, conversion, payment, and retention.
• Conduct short test-and-learn cycles and discontinue based on data.
• Build a strong evidence case for continued investment and recommend early cessation if traction is lacking.

External Relationships

• Lead discussions with partners, initial customers, suppliers, and service providers.
• Drive early business development and secure initial commercial agreements.
• Manage contractors and specialists who do not directly report to you.
• Provide leadership and investors with regular, concise updates.

Company Formation

• Establish the legal entity, payment systems, and core operating protocols.
• Implement basic finance, legal, and reporting processes.
• Recruit the venture's initial hires.
• Document decisions, systems, and metrics for sustainable business operation.

Transition

• Assist in recruiting the venture’s long-term CEO.
• Ensure a clean and timely handover of the business.
• Identify risks early and communicate them to studio leadership to avoid time or financial loss.
• Share lessons learned to enhance the studio’s future venture-building processes.

SUCCESS METRICS

• MVP launched with paying or active users within the first 90 days.
• Clear evidence of traction supporting further investment or an early recommendation for cessation.
• Consistent weekly progress across all workstreams.
• Legal entity, payment systems, and initial hires established on schedule.
• Long-term CEO recruited and business handover completed within the agreed timeframe.

MUST-HAVE EXPERIENCE

• Experience building or leading a venture from scratch as a founder, early operator, or EIR.
• Proven track record of fast, disciplined execution against a plan.
• Daily practical use of AI tools for building, research, and product delivery.
• Experience managing small cross-functional teams, including contractors and external partners.
• Ability to make critical decisions to stop or pivot a product based on data.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Execution: Ability to navigate speed with structure and take end-to-end ownership of outcomes.
• Judgment: Capable of making data-driven decisions rather than relying on opinions, including making tough early calls.
• Leadership & Communication: Leads effectively without formal authority and demonstrates clear, proactive written communication.

6+ years of experience in startup operations, venture building, general management, or a comparable operating role, ideally across multiple companies.

• Direct, hands-on experience bringing at least one company from zero to launch, with ownership of the process.
• Strong familiarity with AI tools and workflows, specifically utilizing them to streamline team-based work rather than just individual productivity.
• Experience structuring processes for de-risking new initiatives—such as stage gates, funnel management, or related venture-building systems.
• Proven ability to manage execution across various workstreams, products, or business lines concurrently without relying on large teams.
• Excellent communication skills for providing concise and honest assessments of portfolio or business health.
• Comfortable as an independent contractor, with compensation connected to scope and impact rather than traditional salary structures.

WHAT GREAT LOOKS LIKE

• Begins shipping in the first week.
• Provides evidence-based insights, not opinions.
• Ensures every workstream has an owner and a deadline.
• Identifies and addresses problems before they escalate.
• Stops ventures early based on data analysis.
• Transfers a self-sufficient business at the time of handover.

CANDIDATE SNAPSHOT

• A former founder or early operator who has successfully taken a product from inception to paying customers and utilizes AI tools daily.
• Comfortable leading individuals they do not directly employ.
• Eager to build multiple companies rather than focusing on just one.
• Driven by results rather than titles.

REMOTE WORK DETAILS

• Fully remote position with no office or commute; work in an environment where you excel.
• Focus on building and continuously improving the operating system for future ventures rather than acquiring an established company.
• Core collaboration hours are from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM PST to ensure overlap with the founding team.
• Contractors will be compensated in USD.
• Full compensation details will be provided directly to shortlisted candidates.