Growth Unlocked Consulting
Helping Business Owners Scale Smarter.
Unlocking 10+ hours a week of hidden capacity through operational strategy, AI automation, and hands-on implementation.
About Growth Unlocked Consulting
Helping Service Business Owners Scale SmarterAt Growth Unlocked Consulting, I believe your business should work FOR you.
Too many business owners are successful enough to have a team and customers, but stuck in the middle of every decision. Growth has meant added hours and stress because the business runs on the owner, not on systems.I started Growth Unlocked Consulting because I saw a gap. Large companies have operations teams, documented processes, and automation that let leadership focus on strategy. Small businesses don't have those resources, but they deserve the same results.
My mission is to bring the operational discipline that scales Fortune 500 companies to growing service businesses, in a way that's practical, affordable, and built to stick.Reclaim Your Time:
Identify where your hours are going and build systems that give you 10+ hours back every week. Document what lives in your head so your team can execute on their own.Streamline Your Operations:
Map your workflows, remove the friction, and put repeatable processes in place. The same approach that cut manual effort by 90% at a Fortune 500 company, adapted for your business.Implement AI That Pays for Itself:
Find the automation opportunities that deliver real ROI. I help you choose, set up, and adopt the right technology for your stage and budget.Scale Sustainably:
Grow your revenue and your team on a foundation that supports it. I build the operational infrastructure for your next stage of growth, so scaling feels manageable and sustainable.
Meet the Founder
Erin Bigelow
I spent 20 years scaling operations at Fortune 500 media and technology companies, where I learned what it takes to make a business run on systems, not on one person's willpower.
I led production operations for large global teams, managed significant budgets, and increased content output by 350% and cut costs by 27%. I expanded global operations by 400% and built the systems that let teams deliver consistently across 13 brands. I piloted AI editing workflows that delivered a 67% efficiency gain and deployed automation that cut manual effort by 90%.
Those results came from the same playbook every time: document what's in people's heads, streamline the workflows, match the right automation to the real bottleneck, and measure what matters. Fortune 500 companies invest millions in this. Growing businesses deserve access to the same discipline, sized and priced for their stage.
That's what I do now. I help service business owners build the documented processes, clear roles, and automated workflows that let them step back from daily operations and focus on growth.
I'm based in Cary, NC, where I balance building this practice with being present for my husband and two young kids. I know what it means to want a business that supports your life, and I build operations that make that possible.
Credentials:
- Certificate, Applied Agentic AI for Organizational Transformation, MIT (2025 - 2026)
- Certificate, Organizational Leadership (Agile Management), Villanova University
- Certificate, Transformational Nonprofit Leadership, University of Notre Dame
- B.A., Electronic Media Production, Northern Arizona University
- Edward R. Murrow Award (ABC News)
- Marquis Who's Who in America (2024)
Services
I bring Fortune 500 operational rigor to growing businesses, without the corporate overhead or complexity.
Here's how we could work together:
Download the Owner's Quick Health Check: a simple guide to spot the workflow bottlenecks slowing your business down.
Five questions. Five minutes. Instant clarity on what's costing you time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What makes you different from other consultants?
A: I've done this work at scale. I led operations for large global teams at Fortune 500 media and technology companies, where I increased output by 350%, cut costs by 27%, and built the automation systems that let those businesses run efficiently. I bring that same playbook to growing businesses, sized for your stage and budget. And I stay through implementation. You get a clear diagnosis, a prioritized plan, and a partner who helps you execute it.
Q: Why do you focus on operations instead of marketing or sales?
A: Because operations is what determines whether your business can handle growth. I've seen business owners invest in marketing, bring in more customers, and then watch the team struggle to keep up. Systems come first. Once your operations are solid, I help you layer in the right AI and automation to multiply what's already working.
Q: Who do you typically work with?
A: My specialty is mid-sized media production companies in growth mode, where I understand the workflows, the team structures, and the scaling challenges inside and out. That said, the operational playbook I use works across industries. If you're a business owner with 5+ full-time employees, you've outgrown your current way of operating, and you know the business needs better systems to reach its next stage, we should talk.
Q: What does AI implementation look like for a business my size?
A: It starts with understanding your operations, not picking a tool. I map your workflows, identify where time and money are leaking, and then match the right automation to the problems that will give you the biggest return. The goal is AI that pays for itself, not technology for the sake of it. Every recommendation is practical, measurable, and built for your team to actually use.
Q: I'm worried about disrupting my business with changes.
A: Take the free Operations Health Score. It's a 3-minute assessment that scores your business across 4 critical dimensions and identifies your top 3 priorities for unlocking growth. If the results reveal gaps you want to fix, we can talk. No signup required, instant results.
Q: How much do you charge?
A: It depends on what you need. Diagnostic assessments start at $3,500 and give you a clear picture of what to fix first and where AI and automation can help most. Ongoing advisory retainers run $6,000 to $15,000/month for businesses that want a fractional operations partner. Implementation projects are scoped based on complexity. Every engagement starts with a free discovery call so we can figure out if and how I can help.
Q: I'm worried about disrupting my business with changes.
A: That's exactly why every engagement starts with a diagnostic. The goal is to find the highest-impact improvements that create the most momentum with the least friction. Usually that means fixing 2 to 3 key workflows first, then building from there. I sequence changes so your team can absorb them and your business keeps running smoothly throughout.
What People Say About Working With Me:
Contact
Whether you have a question, want to explore working together, or just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you!
If you're tired of being the bottleneck in your own business, let's talk.
A 30-minute discovery call costs you nothing and could change how you think about what's possible.
Follow Growth Unlocked on LinkedIn. I share daily frameworks, real-world lessons, and practical tips for service business owners. No fluff. Just what works.
Or DM me on LinkedIn or feel free to send a good ol' fashioned email!
Services
I bring Fortune 500 operational rigor to growing businesses, without the corporate overhead or complexity.
Here's how we could work together:
Download the Owner's Quick Health Check: a simple guide to spot the workflow bottlenecks slowing your business down.
Five questions. Five minutes. Instant clarity on what's costing you time.
About Growth Unlocked Consulting
Helping Service Business Owners Scale SmarterAt Growth Unlocked Consulting, I believe your business should work FOR you.
Too many business owners are successful enough to have a team and customers, but stuck in the middle of every decision. Growth has meant added hours and stress because the business runs on the owner, not on systems.I started Growth Unlocked Consulting because I saw a gap. Large companies have operations teams, documented processes, and automation that let leadership focus on strategy. Small businesses don't have those resources, but they deserve the same results.
My mission is to bring the operational discipline that scales Fortune 500 companies to growing service businesses, in a way that's practical, affordable, and built to stick.Reclaim Your Time:
Identify where your hours are going and build systems that give you 10+ hours back every week. Document what lives in your head so your team can execute on their own.Streamline Your Operations:
Map your workflows, remove the friction, and put repeatable processes in place. The same approach that cut manual effort by 90% at a Fortune 500 company, adapted for your business.Implement AI That Pays for Itself:
Find the automation opportunities that deliver real ROI. I help you choose, set up, and adopt the right technology for your stage and budget.Scale Sustainably:
Grow your revenue and your team on a foundation that supports it. I build the operational infrastructure for your next stage of growth, so scaling feels manageable and sustainable.
Meet the Founder
Erin Bigelow
I spent 20 years scaling operations at Fortune 500 media and technology companies, where I learned what it takes to make a business run on systems, not on one person's willpower.
I led production operations for large global teams, managed significant budgets, and increased content output by 350% and cut costs by 27%. I expanded global operations by 400% and built the systems that let teams deliver consistently across 13 brands. I piloted AI editing workflows that delivered a 67% efficiency gain and deployed automation that cut manual effort by 90%.
Those results came from the same playbook every time: document what's in people's heads, streamline the workflows, match the right automation to the real bottleneck, and measure what matters. Fortune 500 companies invest millions in this. Growing businesses deserve access to the same discipline, sized and priced for their stage.
That's what I do now. I help service business owners build the documented processes, clear roles, and automated workflows that let them step back from daily operations and focus on growth.
I'm based in Cary, NC, where I balance building this practice with being present for my husband and two young kids. I know what it means to want a business that supports your life, and I build operations that make that possible.
Credentials:
- Certificate, Applied Agentic AI for Organizational Transformation, MIT (2025 - 2026)
- Certificate, Organizational Leadership (Agile Management), Villanova University
- Certificate, Transformational Nonprofit Leadership, University of Notre Dame
- B.A., Electronic Media Production, Northern Arizona University
- Edward R. Murrow Award (ABC News)
- Marquis Who's Who in America (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What makes you different from other consultants?
A: I've done this work at scale. I led operations for large global teams at Fortune 500 media and technology companies, where I increased output by 350%, cut costs by 27%, and built the automation systems that let those businesses run efficiently. I bring that same playbook to growing businesses, sized for your stage and budget. And I stay through implementation. You get a clear diagnosis, a prioritized plan, and a partner who helps you execute it.
Q: Why do you focus on operations instead of marketing or sales?
A: Because operations is what determines whether your business can handle growth. I've seen business owners invest in marketing, bring in more customers, and then watch the team struggle to keep up. Systems come first. Once your operations are solid, I help you layer in the right AI and automation to multiply what's already working.
Q: Who do you typically work with?
A: My specialty is mid-sized media production companies in growth mode, where I understand the workflows, the team structures, and the scaling challenges inside and out. That said, the operational playbook I use works across industries. If you're a business owner with 5+ full-time employees, you've outgrown your current way of operating, and you know the business needs better systems to reach its next stage, we should talk.
Q: What does AI implementation look like for a business my size?
A: It starts with understanding your operations, not picking a tool. I map your workflows, identify where time and money are leaking, and then match the right automation to the problems that will give you the biggest return. The goal is AI that pays for itself, not technology for the sake of it. Every recommendation is practical, measurable, and built for your team to actually use.
Q: What if I'm not sure I need help yet?
A: Take the free Operations Health Score. It's a 3-minute assessment that scores your business across 4 critical dimensions and identifies your top 3 priorities for unlocking growth. If the results reveal gaps you want to fix, we can talk. No signup required, instant results.
Q: How much do you charge?
A: It depends on what you need. Diagnostic assessments start at $3,500 and give you a clear picture of what to fix first and where AI and automation can help most. Ongoing advisory retainers run $6,000 to $15,000/month for businesses that want a fractional operations partner. Implementation projects are scoped based on complexity. Every engagement starts with a free discovery call so we can figure out if and how I can help.
Q: I'm worried about disrupting my business with changes.
A: That's exactly why every engagement starts with a diagnostic. The goal is to find the highest-impact improvements that create the most momentum with the least friction. Usually that means fixing 2 to 3 key workflows first, then building from there. I sequence changes so your team can absorb them and your business keeps running smoothly throughout.
What People Say About Working With Me:
Contact
Whether you have a question, want to explore working together, or just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you!
If you're tired of being the bottleneck in your own business, let's talk.
A 30-minute discovery call costs you nothing and could change how you think about what's possible.
Follow Growth Unlocked on LinkedIn. I share daily frameworks, real-world lessons, and practical tips for service business owners. No fluff. Just what works.
Or DM me on LinkedIn or feel free to send a good ol' fashioned email!