Strategic Operator | Fractional COO | Trusted Partner to Visionary CEOs

Joe Fenten transforms entrepreneurial chaos into operational clarity, helping CEOs scale, streamline, and prepare their businesses for growth or strategic transitions. As a Partner in TechCXO’s Executive Operations practice, Joe specializes in aligning strategy, operations, and leadership to deliver measurable results for growing companies.

With over 20 years of experience, Joe combines an engineer’s precision, an entrepreneur’s vision, and a leader’s empathy to craft tailored solutions for complex operational challenges. Known for blending empathy with strategy, he partners with CEOs to create scalable systems, improve profitability, and build organizations that thrive under pressure.

Proven Track Record

As the founder and CEO of South Carolina’s first craft distillery, Joe built the business into a top-ranked tourist destination with award-winning products and led it to a successful private equity exit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe demonstrated his adaptability by pivoting operations to sanitizer production, partnering with BMW, Boeing, and Ace Hardware.

This decisive leadership not only preserved jobs but also drove record-breaking profitability, including:

• A 200% increase in cash flow and a 50%+ sales boost in 2021 and 2022.
• Maintaining an 80%+ production efficiency (OEE).
• Achieving a 90%+ employee retention rate, building a resilient, high-performing organization.

Core Offerings

• Operational Tuneups: Rapid diagnostics and actionable solutions to eliminate inefficiencies, reduce costs, and accelerate growth.
• Foundational Systems: Scalable frameworks for processes, KPIs, and workflows that foster operational clarity and investor confidence.
• Exit Readiness & Strategic Investments: Comprehensive preparation for funding rounds, acquisitions, and valuations by aligning operations and maximizing value.

Core Expertise

• Operational Optimization: Simplifying workflows, eliminating bottlenecks, and improving team productivity and profitability.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Developing actionable roadmaps to address critical challenges and achieve long-term growth.
• Financial Optimization: Strengthening cash flow, reducing costs, and building financial systems that inspire investor confidence.
• Leadership Alignment: Creating resilient, high-performing teams by implementing structured accountability and improving decision-making.

Proven Results Across Industries

Joe has driven measurable outcomes across SaaS, technology, manufacturing, consumer goods, retail, hospitality, tourism, and professional services, including:

• Achieving 83% annualized ARR growth by implementing scalable systems and performance metrics.
• Securing a critical bridge funding round by strengthening financial discipline and operational readiness.
• Securing $2M+ in incremental revenue through strategic growth initiatives and operational optimization.
• Boosting gross margins by 7% and reducing customer acquisition cost (CAC) payback periods by 50%.
• Reducing delays and errors by 25% and saving CEOs over 10 hours weekly through streamlined workflows.
• Implementing scalable leadership accountability systems to improve team alignment and performance.

Credentials & Community Leadership

Joe holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University, is a Certified Professional Engineer (PE), and serves as an EOS Integrator. He is a mentor to entrepreneurs and an active contributor to South Carolina’s startup ecosystem.

What Drives Joe

Joe is passionate about empowering CEOs to build scalable, exit-ready businesses—without burnout. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with his wife and two children—values that shape his empathetic, people-first leadership style.