Hire the Best Business Coaches in Los Angeles, CA

Salutations. I'm a former entrepreneur who found a passion for corporate finance after starting and selling a few businesses over the years. I've founded & lead 4 companies with 2 exits and worked with 100+ leadership teams ranging from startups to PE-backed SMBs to F500. Now, I operate as a CFO, investor, and advisor to entrepreneurs. Deep expertise in clothing brands & clothing manufacturing. I'm not the Harvard-Wharton-McKinsey-Goldman corporate guy who manages from a spreadsheet. I'm a guy with a resume built on hard success from starting and selling my own businesses, leading teams, raising capital, and advising dozens of business owners on doing the same. Some specific things I can help you with: - Financial planning & budgeting - Raising debt/equity capital - Cashflow management (incl. in a cash crisis) - Financial controls - Debt restructuring - Accounting management - Bookkeeping management - Analyzing and presenting key financial information to management & the board - Business strategy - Managing strategic objectives to completion - Operational Excellence in finance operations - Navigating the M&A process - LOI to Due Diligence to closing - Post-close integration Here's what some of my clients say about me: "Andrew has a knack for pushing the envelope and having it actually work. I watched over and over again as he brought fresh ideas and initiatives into fruition that directly translated into ROI... Andrew is a blast to work with. He's witty, hyper intelligent, and above all else, he genuinely cares about the people that are in front of and alongside him. 10/10." - President, SpeakerFlow "Working with Andrew has been a fantastic experience. I'm grateful to have him as part of the team! He brings great ideas to the table, keeps things organized, and sees his initiatives through. I would highly recommend Andrew and his partners for any project that you may have - you won't regret it!" - Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, CoolBot "Andrew is genuine. He offers information transparently, and in an accessible way - even if you don't have prior [technical] knowledge. Highly recommend Andrew and his team." - Founder & President, BELA / TCF "Andrew has developed and implemented several key projects and initiatives with our team in recent years and has simply exceeded expectations at every juncture... always with stellar results. Identify a project, talk to Andrew, and Go!" - EVP Sales & Marketing, Arctic Industries

👉 Top Rated Plus and Expert Vetted - One of the top management consultants on Upwork 👈 Do you own an agency, consultancy, or service business? If your business can’t survive without you because... 😒 You play a major role in guiding client strategy. 😧 There’s no one in a high-level operations role on your team. 😖 You’re the main driver of revenue at your company. Then keep reading... Does the thought of a three-week vacation excite you... then fill you with anxiety about your business? I know how you feel. I’ve been there myself. ❌ You’re frustrated that your team can’t run your business without you. ❌ Your business is preventing you from living your dream life. ❌ Another year of anemic growth and you’ll pull your hair out! It doesn't have to be this way! You know this. You just don't know how to get there. You’re in luck. I’ve built a system that will level-up your business, shift your mindset, and deliver MASSIVE improvements in operations, revenue, and your quality of life. Are you ready for: ✅ A growth SYSTEM that pours rocket fuel into your business 🚀 ✅ Crystal clarity on how to put your business to work for you 💎 ✅ Overcoming the anxiety keeping you chained inside your business ⛓ (the thinking that got you here will KEEP you there!) ✅ OWNING a businesses instead of operating one 💪 I've delivered & implemented strategies that have: 💥 Scaled an agency from $150k to $4mil ARR in 10 months 💥 Increased a digital marketing agency’s productivity levels by over 450%, dramatically increasing profitability 💥 Streamlined a SaaS product’s roadmap, reducing development costs by 45% while increasing execution speed by over 25%. 💥 Developed and executing a repositioning strategy that landed a web development agency a long-term contract with a Fortune 100 company 💥 Repositioned of an app development agency that grew recurring revenue from 2% to over 50% of total revenue within three month 💥 Built a sales organization of 65 sales people in two years 💥 Orchestrated & executed a legal & and business strategy that lead to a sale of key assets of a SaaS platform for a significant premium over the market value of the company The results speak for themselves: “Working with Brian has transformed my business. And more than that - my outlook and perspective on life. Revenue... we skyrocketed 260% in just 90 days! A genuine, thoughtful and extremely knowledgeable coach who gets results!" "Brian is intelligent, well spoken, and a brilliant strategist. In a short time he helped me get crystal clear on the next steps in my business. Two months ago I was working 60 hours a week. Today I’m down to 40 hours and working towards 30! Worth every penny." Are you tired of small, incremental improvements? Are you ready to make a REAL change in your business and your life? Then let's talk. A bit more about the guy behind these achievements (me!): I'm a 15-year veteran entrepreneur, I've got three 7-figure exits under my belt, I've coached & consulted over 1000 entrepreneurs. I’m not corporate. I won’t make you corporate. I challenge convention and I will challenge YOU. DISCLAIMER: Upwork makes me use my first name - but no one else does. Most people know me as S. Brian Smith, or just Brian 😁

I help founders, startups, and growth-stage teams turn complex opportunities into clear strategy, sharper positioning, stronger brands, and executable plans. I’m a global startup advisor, serial entrepreneur, and Yale MBA with 20+ years of experience advising entrepreneurs and building businesses across AI, consumer, marketplaces, membership, loyalty, Web3, travel, financial services, real estate, retail, and emerging markets. I’ve advised 1,000+ founders and operators, traveled to 100+ countries, and worked across industries where the right strategy depends on understanding markets, customers, competition, incentives, timing, taste, and how people actually behave. Clients usually come to me when they need clarity on one or more of these: • Startup strategy, positioning, and business model design • Brand strategy, messaging, narrative, and market feel • AI-era opportunities, workflows, and market strategy • Go-to-market, growth, loyalty, membership, and rewards models • Pitch decks, investor narratives, financial models, and strategic plans • Competitive strategy, pricing, customer psychology, and execution priorities Earlier in my career, I managed Membership Rewards partnerships and card strategy at American Express, including work across the Black, Platinum, and Gold Card portfolios. I have an MBA from Yale and a BA from Cornell. My strength is taking messy, high-stakes business questions and turning them into structured clarity: what matters, what does not, where the leverage is, and what to do next. A lot of my work sits where strategy, brand, UX, incentives, and execution meet: finding the angle, the story, the feel, and the business logic that make something click. I’m a game theory thinker and former professional poker player, so I pay close attention to incentives, competition, risk, uncertainty, and whether a business is being looked at honestly, not just optimistically. I also genuinely enjoy this work. I like big ideas, weird markets, ambitious founders, sharp strategy, strong brands, good design, and figuring out what is really going on beneath the surface of a business. Personally, I’m a lifelong athlete, avid traveler, and deeply curious about food, language, culture, cities, markets, and how people think in different parts of the world. Hablo español. Je parle français.

Fractional COO | EOS Integrator | Scale Operations for Founder-Led Businesses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If projects slip, priorities constantly change, your team lacks accountability, or everything still depends on you, you've come to the right place. I work as a Fractional COO and implement business operating systems (like EOS) for founder-led businesses to build the systems, processes, accountability, and leadership needed to scale. Whether you need strategic guidance or someone to work alongside your team, I help turn ideas into execution. Over the past 15+ years, I've helped more than 200 founder-led businesses, from startups to $40M companies, improve execution through business operating systems, leadership development, process optimization, and operational strategy. I don't just make recommendations, I help implement them. My approach is hands-on, practical, and focused on building a business that can grow without relying on the founder for every decision. I can help you with: ✔ Fractional COO & Operational Leadership ✔ EOS / Business Operating System Implementation ✔ Strategic Planning & Quarterly Execution ✔ Leadership Team Development & Accountability ✔ SOP Development & Process Optimization ✔ Project Management & Execution ✔ Technology & Systems Implementation ✔ Business Development ✔ Financial Analysis & Planning Feel free to contact me to discuss your situation and how I can help.