Fix bottlenecks fast
I find the handoff, metric, or process that is actually slowing you down and remove it.
Founder. Operator. Systems Architect. Built Under Real Pressure.
I build systems that scale under pressure.
Most companies don’t have an execution problem. They have a systems problem.
About
Most companies don’t have an execution problem. They have a systems problem. I’m Derek Rodriguez. For 15+ years I’ve built and scaled systems where reliability and clarity matter more than slideware—healthcare, regulated environments, and consumer fintech. I founded and ran Gridlock as CEO: raised $2M, grew to 100k+ users with 80% organic growth, built a 15-person distributed team across 10 time zones, led product and engineering direction, owned go-to-market, and navigated real compliance work (FinCEN MSB + GDPR).
Before that, I spent eight years at Epic Systems, moving from engineering execution into leadership on enterprise-scale deployments. I built reporting infrastructure standards adopted across Epic’s customer base. I later consulted with healthcare organizations, designing ETL pipelines and analytics systems operating at real-world scale—where downtime and bad data have consequences.
Today I work with founders and operators on the same problems I’ve spent my career solving: operational clarity, systems that scale, and execution that doesn’t collapse under growth. Typical work includes rebuilding metrics and reporting so decisions are obvious, tightening ownership so projects move, and engineering workflows that keep teams aligned.
How I help
Build operating systems
I turn fragile workflows into systems with clear ownership, clear data, and fewer misses.
Scale without chaos
I design architecture and execution cadence that survive growth, not just launch week.
What this looks like in practice
At Gridlock, I raised $2M, grew to 100k+ users with 80% organic growth, and led a 15-person team across 10 time zones. That same operating standard is what I bring to client work.