FRACTIONAL CHIEF DESIGN & PRODUCT OFFICER
FRACTIONAL CHIEF DESIGN
& PRODUCT OFFICER
FOR AMBITIOUS
STARTUPS &
INNOVATORS
FOR AMBITIOUS
STARTUPS &
INNOVATORS
I’m Ryan McMaster, a fractional Chief Design & Product Officer who helps founders achieve faster growth, stronger product‐market fit, and brand cohesion. All without the overhead of a full‐time exec.
I’m Ryan McMaster, a fractional Chief Design & Product Officer who helps founders achieve faster growth, stronger product‐market fit, and brand cohesion. All without the overhead of a full‐time exec.
ABOUT
ABOUT
ABOUT
My passion lies in the intersection of business, design, and technology, creating innovative products and elevating overall user digital experiences.
Let’s bring your boldest ideas to life.
Hi, I’m Ryan. For over 20 years, I’ve been designing for the web, building brands and products, and guiding early‐stage teams to traction and scale.
Whether you’re refining your MVP, prepping for a big funding round, or chasing that next wave of AI innovation, I’m here to inject proven experience, creative vision, and hands‐on leadership into your startup.
Cross‐Functional Leadership
Connecting the Dots
I'm equally at home in Figma, writing user stories, or analyzing metrics with your team.
Cross‐Functional Leadership
Connecting the Dots
I'm equally at home in Figma, writing user stories, or analyzing metrics with your team.
Cross‐Functional Leadership
Connecting the Dots
I'm equally at home in Figma, writing user stories, or analyzing metrics with your team.
Mentor & Facilitator
Alignment & Capacity Building
I’ve mentored founders through Accelerators and am certified in the Google Design Sprint process.
Mentor & Facilitator
Alignment & Capacity Building
I’ve mentored founders through Accelerators and am certified in the Google Design Sprint process.
Mentor & Facilitator
Alignment & Capacity Building
I’ve mentored founders through Accelerators and am certified in the Google Design Sprint process.
Neurodivergent‐Friendly
Bringing out all voices & talents
With empathy and clear communication, I use my Authentic Relating training to align diverse teams.
Neurodivergent‐Friendly
Bringing out all voices & talents
With empathy and clear communication, I use my Authentic Relating training to align diverse teams.
Neurodivergent‐Friendly
Bringing out all voices & talents
With empathy and clear communication, I use my Authentic Relating training to align diverse teams.
Startup Advisor & Investor
Reality Based Actionable Steps
I understand the founder journey (and stress) firsthand, so I bring a practical, results‐focused mindset to every engagement.
Startup Advisor & Investor
Reality Based Actionable Steps
I understand the founder journey (and stress) firsthand, so I bring a practical, results‐focused mindset to every engagement.
Startup Advisor & Investor
Reality Based Actionable Steps
I understand the founder journey (and stress) firsthand, so I bring a practical, results‐focused mindset to every engagement.
WHY FRACTIONAL LEADERSHIP?
WHY FRACTIONAL LEADERSHIP?
WHY FRACTIONAL LEADERSHIP?
Startups need strategic leadership but often can’t justify hiring a full‐time product or design executive—especially when you’re juggling product pivots, limited budgets, and rapidly shifting markets. That’s where fractional leadership comes in.
Plug‐In Expertise
Get senior‐level guidance exactly when you need it. No wasted overhead or massive long‐term salary commitments.
Plug & Play Expertise
Get senior‐level guidance exactly when you need it. No wasted overhead or massive long‐term salary commitments.
Plug‐In Expertise
Get senior‐level guidance exactly when you need it. No wasted overhead or massive long‐term salary commitments.
Battle‐Tested Experience
I bring a track record from co‐founding companies, running my own agency, and advising companies through top accelerators like Techstars and R&D initiatives.
Battle‐Tested Experience
I bring a track record from co‐founding companies, running my own agency, and advising companies through top accelerators like Techstars and R&D initiatives.
Battle‐Tested Experience
I bring a track record from co‐founding companies, running my own agency, and advising companies through top accelerators like Techstars and R&D initiatives.
Flexible Engagements
Scale up or down as your milestones evolve, whether you’re finalizing product features or launching a growth campaign.
Flexible Engagements
Scale up or down as your milestones evolve, whether you’re finalizing product features or launching a growth campaign.
Flexible Engagements
Scale up or down as your milestones evolve, whether you’re finalizing product features or launching a growth campaign.
Immediate Impact
I zero in on your most urgent challenges. Whether product‐market fit or brand perception, so you get results in weeks, not months.
Immediate Impact & Insights
I zero in on your most urgent challenges. Whether product‐market fit or brand perception, so you get results in weeks, not months.
Immediate Impact
I zero in on your most urgent challenges. Whether product‐market fit or brand perception, so you get results in weeks, not months.
I believe the most exciting innovation happens on the edges. I love helping in the area where a startup’s vision meets a real‐world need. Fractional leadership lets me plug in, propel you forward, and see tangible results quickly, all while you stay lean and nimble.
RESEARCH
UI/UX
PRODUCT MARKETING
FUNDRAISING
AI
CUSTOMER DISCOVERY
ALIGNMENT
PRODUCT STRATEGY
AI
CUSTOMER DISCOVERY
ALIGNMENT
PRODUCT STRATEGY
RESEARCH
UI/UX
PRODUCT MARKETING
FUNDRAISING
SCENARIOS
SCENARIOS
SCENARIOS
My fractional work is shaped around common startup scenarios. If you don’t see a perfect match, let’s chat! Every engagement is tailored to your exact needs.
1
Idea Stage
Strategy Sessions
1-4 Workshops + Recommendations
A flexible 4‐session “mini‐accelerator” for founders needing fast feedback or concept validation. Great if you have a prototype, pitch deck, or half‐baked idea.
WHAT YOU GET
Clear next steps, a refined MVP or improved prototype, and a confident story for investors or early customers.
1
Idea Stage
Strategy Sessions
1-4 Workshops + Recommendations
A flexible 4‐session “mini‐accelerator” for founders needing fast feedback or concept validation. Great if you have a prototype, pitch deck, or half‐baked idea.
WHAT YOU GET
Clear next steps to refine the MVP or prototype, validate with customers, and a confident story for investors or early customers.
1
Idea Stage
Strategy Sessions
1-4 Workshops + Recommendations
A flexible 4‐session “mini‐accelerator” for founders needing fast feedback or concept validation. Great if you have a prototype, pitch deck, or half‐baked idea.
WHAT YOU GET
Clear next steps, a refined MVP or improved prototype, and a confident story for investors or early customers.
2
Product‐Market Fit
Deep Dive
2-8 Weeks
Review user data, surveys, and feedback to pinpoint where your product resonates and where it doesn’t. Quick experiments to validate alternate strategies.
WHAT YOU GET
Clear action steps to validate assumptions, refine features, and prove demand so you can move forward with confidence.
2
Product‐Market Fit
Deep Dive
2-8 Weeks
Review user data, surveys, and feedback to pinpoint where your product resonates and where it doesn’t. Quick experiments to validate alternate strategies.
WHAT YOU GET
Clear action steps to validate assumptions, refine features, and prove demand so you can move forward with confidence.
2
Product‐Market Fit
Deep Dive
2-8 Weeks
Review user data, surveys, and feedback to pinpoint where your product resonates and where it doesn’t. Quick experiments to validate alternate strategies.
WHAT YOU GET
Clear action steps to validate assumptions, refine features, and prove demand so you can move forward with confidence.
3
Growth
Ongoing Initiative
3-6+ Months
Your product’s solid, so let’s boost adoption. I’ll help shape onboarding, refine pricing, and create compelling marketing funnels that drive revenue. Explore using Community & Events.
WHAT YOU GET
A measurable lift in conversion, retention, and MRR—along with a sustainable growth roadmap.
3
Growth
Ongoing Initiative
3-6+ Months
Your product’s solid, so let’s boost adoption. I’ll help shape onboarding, refine pricing, and create compelling marketing funnels that drive revenue. Explore using Community & Events.
WHAT YOU GET
A measurable lift in conversion, retention, and MRR. Ongoing monitoring and improvement of acquisition & retention metrics along with a sustainable feature roadmap to match customer needs.
3
Growth
Ongoing Initiative
3-6+ Months
Your product’s solid, so let’s boost adoption. I’ll help shape onboarding, refine pricing, and create compelling marketing funnels that drive revenue. Explore using Community & Events.
WHAT YOU GET
A measurable lift in conversion, retention, and MRR—along with a sustainable growth roadmap.
4
Scale
Process & Infrastructure
1-6+ Months
You’re hitting growth targets, but internal processes and cross‐team communication feel messy. We’ll diagnose friction points, mediate between design, product, and engineering, and craft new processes to keep you moving fast.
WHAT YOU GET
Operational clarity, smoother handoffs, and a culture of collaboration that scales with your funding and user base.
4
Scale
Process & Infrastructure
1-6+ Months
You’re hitting growth targets, but internal processes and cross‐team communication feel messy. We’ll diagnose friction points, mediate between design, product, and engineering, and craft new processes to keep you moving fast.
WHAT YOU GET
Operational clarity, smoother handoffs, and a culture of collaboration that scales with your funding and user base.
4
Scale
Process & Infrastructure
1-6+ Months
You’re hitting growth targets, but internal processes and cross‐team communication feel messy. We’ll diagnose friction points, mediate between design, product, and engineering, and craft new processes to keep you moving fast.
WHAT YOU GET
Operational clarity, smoother handoffs, and a culture of collaboration that scales with your funding and user base.
5
Embrace AI
Infrastructure & Capacity Building
1-3+ Months
Ready to become AI‐enabled or launch AI‐powered features? We’ll identify quick wins, refine your technical roadmap, and integrate new efficiencies that keep you ahead of the competition.
WHAT YOU GET
Practical, tailored AI solutions. Plus the knowledge to implement them effectively in your product or internal workflows.
5
Embrace AI
Infrastructure & Capacity Building
1-3+ Months
Ready to become AI‐enabled or launch AI‐powered features? We’ll identify quick wins, refine your technical roadmap, and integrate new efficiencies that keep you ahead of the competition.
WHAT YOU GET
Practical, tailored AI solutions. Plus the knowledge to implement them effectively in your product or internal workflows.
5
Embrace AI
Infrastructure & Capacity Building
1-3+ Months
Ready to become AI‐enabled or launch AI‐powered features? We’ll identify quick wins, refine your technical roadmap, and integrate new efficiencies that keep you ahead of the competition.
WHAT YOU GET
Practical, tailored AI solutions. Plus the knowledge to implement them effectively in your product or internal workflows.
LET'S TALK
LET'S TALK
LET'S TALK
Each engagement starts with a discovery session. We’ll clarify your challenges, define success metrics, and set a schedule that fits your team’s pace.
I typically work with a mix of monthly retainers for fractional roles (Chief Design/Product Officer) and short‐term project sprints for specific objectives.
Ready to level up your Product & Growth?
Share your goals, we'll see if there's a fit.
Ready to level up your Product & Growth?
Share your goals, we'll see if there's a fit.
Ready to level up your Product & Growth?
Share your goals, we'll see if there's a fit.
Ryan McMaster
Halifax, Nova Scotia