We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katie Attard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katie below.
Alright, Katie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today
Being in the operations business, the biggest lesson I’ve learned about starting over is that speed and focus matter more than perfection. If I were to do it again, I would double down on two things: leveraging technology and prioritizing outbound sales.
So many founders (myself included at the beginning) get caught up in the aesthetics—making the website perfect, tweaking branding, or obsessing over details that don’t actually bring in revenue. The truth is, the only thing you really need to start a business is sales. Sales create momentum, keep morale alive, and fuel the operations that support everything else.
My philosophy now is simple for new businesses: sell first, then figure it out. That doesn’t mean ignoring quality, but it does mean proving demand before building complexity. I’d focus on creating a lean system, relying on technology and automation wherever possible instead of hiring too quickly, and putting the majority of energy into outbound sales—connecting, meeting, and closing.
If I had to start over today, I’d spend less time polishing and more time selling. The rest can be built around the revenue once it’s flowing.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I got my start about seven years ago in the cannabis industry, right at the height of its boom. I joined a cannabis manufacturing and equipment company as one of their first administrative hires and quickly grew into the head of operations role. That experience gave me a front-row seat to what it looks like when a business goes from nothing to something at lightning speed—and how critical operations are when you’re scaling fast. My job was to keep the company running smoothly under immense demand, and it taught me that without strong systems, rapid growth can just as easily break a business as build it.
Four years ago, I decided to take those lessons and build Konduit Operations, a fractional Chief-of-Staff and Business Operations partner for startups and scaling businesses. My philosophy is simple: prepare your business to handle growth. That means putting systems in place that allow founders to receive more sales, more leads, and more opportunities—without burning out their teams, increasing financial burn or doubling headcount.
The problems I solve almost always start with chaos: unclear communication, no centralized systems, ad-hoc processes, and founders carrying everything in their heads. When I come in, the first thing I do is design and implement lean, tech-forward systems—project management, automation, workflows, communication frameworks—so that the team feels less overwhelmed and more confident in their ability to deliver.
One of the things I’m most proud of is helping businesses double their revenue without doubling their teams. Grace Churchill & Associates a award winning Executive Coaching Business is a testament to this – they doubled revenue within a year of working with Konduit, without increasing head count. By using technology and automation—sometimes tools that cost less than $40 a month—we’re able to replace repetitive manual work and build scalability into the foundation of the business. I’ve often been the very first fractional hire for new companies, and the results are consistent: faster growth, more clarity, and teams that actually enjoy their work again.
What sets Konduit apart is that we’re not just advisors—we fully integrate into our clients’ businesses and focus on implementation. I don’t believe in “consulting reports” that get shelved; I believe in rolling up my sleeves, building the systems, testing them, refining them, and staying until the business can truly operate more smoothly. Operations might not be the “sexy” side of business, but it’s what makes growth sustainable.
I always use Amazon as an example: people don’t keep buying from Amazon because of flashy marketing; they buy because operations are dialed in. Deliveries are fast, returns are seamless, and the experience is reliable. That’s what I help businesses achieve—whether you’re offering a product or a service. Because if your operations are strong, you earn the trust and loyalty that makes everything else possible.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
For a long time, I relied almost entirely on referrals and word-of-mouth. I’d post on LinkedIn or Instagram here and there, and that was enough to keep my business steady, but it wasn’t enough to really grow. The big change happened when I started leaning into outbound sales, which honestly felt uncomfortable at first. As a woman, cold outreach-whether it was a LinkedIn message, an email, or even bringing up my business in conversation felt intimidating. But I realized that waiting for work to come to me was limiting my growth.
Now, outbound is the backbone of how I grow. I’ve learned that sales is the heart and soul of a business, and keeping a healthy pipeline requires being proactive and consistent, even when it’s uncomfortable. My strategy combines both personal effort and technology: I use LinkedIn automation tools like Meet Alfred, outbound tech like Apollo and Clay to build ICP-driven lists, and even subcontract lead generation support so that calls are being booked directly into my calendar.
It’s not always glamorous, and it requires discipline, but the results are clear. The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been moving beyond referrals, embracing outbound, and building repeatable systems that keep new opportunities flowing.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
This is such a great question, and it’s one I hear often from founders I work with. The truth is, high morale comes down to two things: clarity and empowerment. People need to know that they have a pathway for growth inside the company, what’s next for them, how they’ll develop, and where they’re headed. At the same time, they need to feel trusted and empowered, not micromanaged. When people have the autonomy to make decisions and the confidence that their leader believes in them, morale naturally rises.
I also think the best teams are built on diversity—not just the kind you can see, but diversity in thought, skills, strengths, and execution styles. When different perspectives are valued, people feel like their contributions matter, and that directly fuels engagement and motivation.
For small companies in particular, one of the biggest morale boosters is involvement. When everyone knows their work directly impacts business outcomes, they feel invested in the success of the company. So my advice is: keep your teams lean when you can, pay people well, give them room to grow, and empower them to do their best work. Morale isn’t about perks—it’s about trust, growth, and the feeling that your work makes a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://konduitoperations.com
- Instagram: operationsbykatie
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-attard-38a010199/
Image Credits
Dana – Three Crowns Branding
Victoria Mae Photography