Selected work
FOUR COMPANIES, one pattern
Each one started with something the existing systems couldn’t absorb. I stepped in, worked out what was going on, and built what held. Same arc every time: challenge, intervention, outcome.
Challenge, intervention, outcome
01 / MindMed
Foundational Scale
Challenge
A pre-IPO biotech of 15 people with no People function, an upcoming public listing, and an emerging category with no established talent market.
Intervention
Built hiring, compensation, performance, and compliance frameworks from scratch, including the board governance controls a listing requires, and directed M&A integration.
Outcome
Scaled from 15 to 150+ people through a successful NASDAQ IPO, and kept 95% of key talent through the acquisition.
02 / Jacob & Co
Governance & Decentralization
Challenge
A CEO who wanted a higher talent bar and a management structure the company had never had, across four legal entities, five luxury boutiques, and manual multi-state payroll.
Intervention
Rebuilt organizational architecture by function, developed department heads, guided Chairman-to-CEO succession, and consolidated multi-entity payroll into an integrated PEO.
Outcome
Established a fully functional executive structure with capable department leads, cut the monthly payroll close from 12 business days to 3, and generated $485K in annual savings.
03 / Press Hook
Seed to Scale & P&L Ownership
Challenge
A seed-stage company executing a critical pivot with a lean team, no formal operating model, and active venture investor oversight.
Intervention
Owned the P&L and operating model, established the People function from zero, and managed the data room, investor communications, and equity administration.
Outcome
Transformed a seed team into a scalable operating company in about a year while significantly raising individual Account Manager capacity.
04 / Capital Factory
Operational Leadership & Founder Advisory
Challenge
A fast-paced venture ecosystem where large-scale events, internal People infrastructure, and management capability all had to grow at once.
Intervention
Ran major ecosystem events with a 30-person team, ran core People functions, advised department heads on performance plans, job architecture, and hiring, and guided founders at hundreds of early-stage companies on early workforce systems.
Outcome
High team retention, higher management standards across departments, and a repeatable playbook for which organizational choices hold up under rapid growth.
Where I did it
MindMed
Head of Global Business Operations and People
NASDAQ-listed clinical-stage biotech and health technology.
Jacob & Co
Head of People and Global Operations
Global luxury jewelry and watch brand.
Press Hook
Chief Operating Officer
Venture-backed PR technology platform, a two-sided marketplace between brands and media.
Capital Factory
SVP, People Operations
Technology accelerator and venture fund in Austin.
In their words
ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS I stayed at CAPITAL FACTORY is RACHANN MCKNIGHT.
From day one on the team, she has been advocating for me and giving me what I need to be successful. It makes a world of difference.
Team member, Capital Factory
RM
Rachann McKnight is an executive strategist centering People infrastructure and operational systems to help venture-backed companies scale predictably.
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© 2026 Rachann McKnight