20 Years of Expertise in High-Performance Organizations
Growing companies don’t fail because they lack vision, they struggle when growth outpaces the foundation needed to support it. Karcic Partners helps early and mid-stage companies build the people, operating, and organizational infrastructure required to scale with confidence. Through strategic advisory and fractional leadership, we protect capital, accelerate growth, and work alongside leadership teams to turn strategy into measurable business outcomes.
From strategy to hands-on implementation
Strategic Advisory: Growth Readiness & Capital Protection
– Growth Readiness Assessments: Diagnose people, operating, and culture risks around the 50–150 employee tipping point.
– Operating Model & Org Design: Design structures, governance, and decision‑making models that keep agility and accountability as you scale.
– AI‑Native HR & People Systems: Implement an AI‑native HR operating system that removes day‑to‑day HR noise so teams can focus on human work and capital protection.
– Founder & Executive Advisory: Partner with CEOs, boards, and investors to align people strategy with the growth thesis and capital plan.
Fractional HR Executive & Leadership
– Fractional Chief People Officer: Executive‑level HR and people strategy for high‑growth and SaaS organizations navigating inflection points.
– HR Function Build‑Out: Design and stand up HR infrastructure, systems, and processes from scratch, then operationalize them.
– Strategic‑to‑Operational Execution: Run critical initiatives, RIFs, reorganizations, compensation, performance systems, with both strategic rigor and hands‑on delivery.
– Executive Search for Early‑Stage Startups: Structured, network‑driven executive search designed to keep total search costs startup‑friendly while securing high‑caliber leadership.
M&A Advisory & Strategic HR Execution
– People & Culture Due Diligence: Assess leadership, culture, and organizational health to flag integration risks early.
– Integration Design: Build target operating models, org structures, and governance that align product, sales, and back‑office functions.
– HR & Change Execution: Lead RIFs, restructurings, and change programs with practical, humane, and compliant execution.
– Post‑Close Fractional Support: Provide fractional leadership to stabilize the organization and embed new ways of working after the deal closes.
Why we excel
We combine senior strategy with embedded execution, giving growing companies future-ready people and operating systems without the overhead of traditional consulting.
Fractional support at every turning point
We provide fractional HR and leadership before, during, and after transformational work, so one trusted partner guides the entire journey, not just a single project.
Future-ready workforce and operating model
We design teams and operating structures built for tomorrow, with clear governance, empowered execution, and alignment between people, product, and customers.
High-ROI, consumable consulting
We deliver senior-level expertise with startup-friendly costs, focusing on high-impact work, clear outcomes, and recommendations that can actually be implemented and measured.
Holistic view of business and industry
We don’t treat HR in isolation, we connect people, product, customers, and capital, grounding every recommendation in the realities of your business and industry.
Technology-forward and AI-native
We are comfortable in complex SaaS and AI-native environments, using technology and AI to create operating leverage while keeping human judgment at the center.
Meeting you where you are, with a strong network
We meet businesses where they are, respect what’s working, prepare for what’s next, and expand capacity through a curated network of trusted partners when it protects capital or accelerates growth.
Who we work with
Startups & Early-Stage Companies
Pre–Series A to Series B
Building foundations for scale
Closing gap between vision and execution
Mid-Sized & Transformational Organizations
M&A and integrations
Operating model redesign
HR and leadership during inflection points
What people say about us
Geoff Stupay
CEO, Clean.io
Kristina was pivotal in ensuring a seamless transition for the clean.io team during M&A. Her ability to navigate complex conversations around compensation and benefits with empathy and professionalism stood out. She brought warmth and inclusivity to the process, creating a genuinely welcoming environment for my team. Her profound expertise in HR strategy, combined with exceptional interpersonal acumen, made her an invaluable partner throughout the journey.
Ben Hizak
Founder, COO, Cherre
“I deeply value Kristina’s strategic insights and expertise as an HR Executive. Over the years, she has become a trusted advisor, offering invaluable guidance and support with a unique combination of empathy and candor. Kristina’s ability to address challenges head-on while genuinely understanding the needs of both individuals and the business makes her an exceptional partner for any organization seeking to align its people strategy with business objectives and drive meaningful results.
Ronen Avidor
Formerly VP of Field Engineering, Sisense
Working with Kristina as the VP, People and my HR Business Partner at Sisense was a great experience. Her dedication to collaborating with leadership to create a people-first culture drove performance across the organization while ensuring our team felt valued and supported. Together, we developed programs that rewarded growth and development and empowered our people to reach their full potential.
Sabrina Muldoon
Formerly Head of Employee Experience, Sisense
Kristina is, without a doubt, one of the most exceptional managers I have had the privilege of working with during my 15+ year career. She embodies authenticity, professionalism, honesty, and genuine care—qualities that make her highly approachable and relatable both as a person and as a leader. Her unwavering support and encouragement inspire individuals to reach their full potential, not only in the workplace but beyond it.
Ellyn Kirtley
Formerly Chief of Staff, HUMAN Security
Kristina and I partnered closely during her role as Global SVP, People, and my time as Chief of Staff, working together on some of the most pivotal and complex initiatives the organization faced. From a challenging merger of two equally sized companies to a significant fundraise and multiple RIFs and reorgs, Kristina was a steadfast and invaluable strategic partner.
