Curriculum Vitae

Aleksandra
Cugalj

Fractional COO  ·  Automation Consultant
aleksandra.chugalj@gmail.com +31 6 42 57 13 46 linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-cugalj Schagerbrug, Netherlands
Available for new projects
Profile

Fractional COO and automation consultant with over ten years of experience building the operational systems that let businesses scale without adding complexity. I work at the intersection of strategic advisory and hands-on delivery: I design the architecture, then build it. CRM systems, automation pipelines, platform migrations, AI-powered workflows — I handle the full picture, from the first strategy conversation to the moment it runs without anyone touching it.

I have advised C-suite leaders across Europe and North America, led customer success functions, and delivered measurable commercial outcomes for agencies, SaaS companies, and founder-led businesses. My technical background means I can engage directly with product and engineering teams. My commercial mindset means every system I build is tied to a real business outcome. Authorised to work in the Netherlands and comfortable working internationally.

Selected results
20 to 30 hours/week freed and $20K to $30K/month margin added for agency clients at 8 Figure Agency by replacing manual operations with AI-powered workflows and automated reporting.
+25% net revenue retention at Nira.app through a strategic overhaul of the customer engagement model including journey mapping and escalation frameworks.
80% renewal rate and 30% commercial efficiency improvement at Vicert through structured account strategy and executive relationship management.
+25% customer satisfaction scores at Vicert by redesigning the client engagement model and aligning it to measurable outcomes.
Built and scaled a customer success organisation from the ground up at HeyCarson, sustaining year-on-year growth over five years.
Doubled revenue for key enterprise clients as an independent consultant by redesigning commercial approaches and client engagement models.
Experience
Lead Business Process and Automation Architect
February 2025 to Present
8 Figure Agency  ·  Remote
  • Advise C-suite leaders on how to structure their commercial operations, customer success functions, and technology ecosystems to support growth.
  • Define strategic direction for client operations before any delivery work begins, ensuring every initiative is tied to a clear business objective.
  • Consult on CRM strategy and data governance across HubSpot and Salesforce environments, helping clients move from fragmented data to a reliable single customer view.
  • Identify where clients are spending time and money on work that does not need to happen, and redesign their processes so their teams can focus on what drives results.
  • Advise on GDPR compliance strategy, translating legal requirements into practical operational policies.
  • Act as thought partner to founders and executives on organisational design, helping them build teams and structures that can grow with the business.
Founder & Operations Consultant
2024 to Present
Streamline Lab AC  ·  Netherlands
  • Design and build end-to-end CRM and operations systems for agencies and growing companies, including GoHighLevel architecture, automated lead workflows, contracts, invoicing, and membership portals.
  • Delivered a fully automated analytics and reporting pipeline for a performance PR agency, cutting reporting time by 70 to 90 percent per client and saving $30k annually.
  • Led complete platform migrations including asset-by-asset rebuilds from vendor-controlled systems and consolidation of multiple external tools into single owned stacks.
  • Built AI-powered email parsing and bid processing workflows for a construction firm, removing all manual steps from bid detection to proposal generation.
  • Integrated Make.com automations across billing, contracts, CRM updates, Slack, Notion, and QuickBooks.
Software Configuration SME
October 2024 to March 2025
NCR Voyix  ·  Remote, EMEA
  • Provided senior advisory support across the EMEA region, focusing on configuration strategy and reducing friction in enterprise software delivery.
  • Advised internal teams on improving the handoff between customer-facing functions and product and engineering, leading to faster resolution of complex issues.
  • Developed documentation standards and knowledge frameworks that gave global teams a consistent foundation for delivering high-quality outcomes.
Customer Success Manager (Contract)
January 2024 to Present
Nira.app  ·  Remote
  • Redesigned the customer engagement model including journey mapping, success criteria, and escalation frameworks, resulting in a 25% increase in net revenue retention.
  • Advise on portfolio strategy for key accounts, helping the team prioritise where to invest relationship effort to maximise retention and expansion outcomes.
  • Provide strategic input on using product usage data to anticipate customer risk and create proactive intervention strategies.
Senior Engagement Manager
October 2022 to January 2024
Vicert  ·  Belgrade, Serbia
  • Led strategic engagement across a portfolio of enterprise clients, acting as senior point of accountability for relationship quality, commercial outcomes, and delivery alignment.
  • Drove a 30% improvement in commercial efficiency and maintained an 80% renewal rate through disciplined account strategy and executive relationship management.
  • Raised customer satisfaction scores by 25% by redesigning client engagement cadences and aligning them to what each account actually needed.
  • Served as the strategic link between client leadership and internal delivery teams, ensuring business priorities were clearly understood and reflected in execution.
Head of Sales and Customer Success
January 2018 to October 2022
HeyCarson  ·  Remote
  • Led the customer success function as senior owner, responsible for strategy, team leadership, and the commercial outcomes of the entire post-sale relationship.
  • Designed the operating model for the customer success organisation including account segmentation, team structure, and performance measurement.
  • Negotiated complex renewals and expansion contracts across the portfolio and consistently delivered above net retention targets.
  • Advised merchant partners at the strategic level on commercial performance improvement, including conversion optimisation and payment strategy.
  • Used customer and marketing data to guide client investment decisions, identifying where changes would have the greatest commercial impact.
Sales and Account Management Consultant
2013 to 2018
Independent Consultant  ·  Various locations
  • Advised SaaS and e-commerce companies on commercial strategy, customer success, and structuring teams and processes for sustainable growth.
  • Doubled revenue for key clients by redesigning their commercial approach and helping them focus on the right customers and opportunities.
  • Developed customer experience strategies that identified where clients were losing customers and what changes would have the most meaningful impact on retention.
Selected projects
Analytics Automation
Praize Studio

Automated affiliate reporting pipeline using Supabase, Make.com, Google Slides API, and AI. Replaced fully manual workflow with branded, draft-to-send delivery.

70-90% reduction in reporting time · $30k saved/year
Full Marketing Infra Build
Early PR

Complete GHL infrastructure build: automated lead qualification, CRM consolidation, hiring pipeline, calendar system, newsletter migration, and Meta/Google ad attribution.

100% CRM consolidation · full lead automation
Operations Hub Build
Really Good Videos

Built complete operations hub from scratch: CRM, automated contracts, Mercury invoicing via Make.com, and lead capture architecture for a premium creative studio.

8-10 hrs/week saved · contracts automated end-to-end
AI Process Automation
Flairwood

Rebuilt bid-to-invoice pipeline with AI email parsing, automated RFI workflows, pricing logic, and Make.com invoice generation for a high-volume construction firm.

0 manual steps from bid email to proposal
Platform Migration
Halford Hoops

Manual asset-by-asset migration from a vendor-controlled GHL system. Rebuilt funnels, membership portal, courses, payments, and website from scratch.

5 platforms consolidated · full ownership restored
Platform Migration & Launch Page
Sabrina Zohar

Complete Squarespace → GoHighLevel migration with zero downtime for a 7-figure podcast host and author. Also built the full book launch page for Why Am I Like This? — 10+ custom coded sections, Meta Pixel tracking, and animated components ahead of the October 2026 launch.

0 downtime during migration · 10+ custom coded sections
Workflow Optimisation
Jive PR + Digital

Consolidated five tools into GoHighLevel for an award-winning Canadian PR agency. Automated contracts, invoices, follow-ups, and synced Notion and Slack.

$400/mo saved · 70% fewer manual tasks · +15% show rate
Skills
Operations & Systems
  • Automation architecture & build
  • CRM design & implementation
  • Platform migrations (zero downtime)
  • AI-powered workflow design
  • Process mapping & documentation
  • Reporting & analytics pipelines
Strategy & Advisory
  • Fractional COO engagements
  • Organisational design
  • Executive & C-suite advisory
  • Stakeholder & change management
  • Commercial strategy & RevOps
  • Team leadership & mentorship
Technology Stack
  • GoHighLevel, HubSpot, Salesforce
  • Make.com, n8n, Zapier
  • Notion, ClickUp, Airtable
  • Supabase, Google Sheets API
  • Looker Studio, Power BI
  • HTML / CSS, Python (scripting)
Education
Bachelor of Computer Sciences
2010 to 2014
Megatrend University  ·  Belgrade, Serbia
Philological Gymnasium
2006 to 2010
Belgrade, Serbia
Languages
English
Native / bilingual
Serbian
Native / bilingual
Dutch
A2 level · preparing for Inburgering Examen