Jesse Fowler

About

Most of the founders I talk to are in the same spot: the business is working, revenue is growing, but everything still runs through them. They're the bottleneck and they know it, they just don't know how to build the layer underneath them that lets them step back without things falling apart. That's the work I do. I help companies between $1M and $10M build the operational infrastructure, leadership systems, and revenue architecture that gets the founder out of the day-to-day. I've been the person in that seat, so I know what it actually takes vs. what it looks like in a consulting deck. I also spend a lot of time helping people think through where AI and automation fit into their operations. Not the hype version. The practical version, where you figure out which 3 things to automate first and skip the other 47 that sound cool but don't move the needle. Based in Phoenix. Happy to talk through whatever you're working on.

Experience

• Principal · The Common Ground Group10-01-2019 –

  Common Ground emerged organically from years of operating, investing, and building businesses—often at moments when the work didn’t fit a clean title. Founders, investors, and leadership teams consistently pulled me into inflection points: capital decisions, growth plateaus, operational resets, and leadership transitions where judgment mattered more than theory. Through Common Ground, I partner selectively during these periods—supporting capital strategy, revenue growth, organizational clarity, and execution readiness. Engagements span real estate, hospitality, consumer brands, media, and creative ventures, chosen by design and grounded in trust, alignment, and shared conviction.

• Principal · Lïef Development01-01-2024 –

  Built Lïef Development as a focused real estate platform for projects that sit a little off the obvious path—boutique residential, adaptive reuse, and thoughtfully designed 55+ communities. The work centers on assembling the right people early, being disciplined about capital and underwriting, and staying close enough to execution to know when something needs to change. LÏEF operates as a platform under Common Ground, where development meets the human side of real estate—deals built on relationships, not just spreadsheets.

• President / CEO · Tellus Design + Build04-01-2006 – 12-01-2020

  TELLUS was my longest chapter—and the one that shaped everything that followed. I founded the company in the early 2000s around a simple belief: construction could be more transparent, more collaborative, and more accountable. Over nearly two decades, TELLUS grew into a fully integrated design-build firm delivering hundreds of residential and commercial projects across Southern California. Not everything worked. Vertical integration taught me as much through failure as success. Scaling the business revealed how complexity compounds—legally, emotionally, operationally. COVID accelerated hard decisions around dependency risk, stewardship, and timing that couldn’t be deferred. Choosing to wind TELLUS down deliberately—finishing projects, selling divisions, and closing responsibly—became one of the most formative leadership experiences of my career. It sharpened my judgment more than growth ever did and fundamentally changed how I think about scale, risk, and long-term outcomes.

• President · H.E.E.A.L. Santa Barbara09-01-2010 – 01-01-2015

  This role was deeply personal—and formative. I led H.E.E.A.L. during a period of organizational growth, fundraising expansion, and increased board governance, gaining firsthand perspective on how nonprofit leadership differs from for-profit—and where the overlap is more significant than most people admit. Working inside a mission-driven organization sharpened my understanding of stewardship, trust, and accountability when the stakes are human rather than financial. It reinforced the responsibility leaders carry when resources are limited, missions are fragile, and alignment matters more than authority. That experience continues to inform how I approach leadership, capital, and decision-making—especially in values-driven or transitional environments.

• Sales Director · Smart Systems Technologies04-01-2001 – 04-01-2004

  Smart Systems was my first exposure to rapid growth inside an entrepreneurial organization during the residential building boom. I led regional sales, opened a new office, and conducted hundreds of buyer meetings while managing a fast-moving pipeline. This role sharpened my instincts for sales leadership, client trust, and scaling operations under pressure—skills that became foundational to every venture that followed.

• Founder & Managing Partner · Common Ground Ventures02-01-2023

  Founded and lead Common Ground Ventures, a fractional executive and advisory firm serving founders, investors, and operating partners across real estate, technology, and consumer brands. Provide fractional COO, CRO, and VP Development services to growth-stage companies. Advise on capital strategy, organizational design, revenue operations, and go-to-market execution. Active deal flow across real estate development, construction technology, and AI-powered business automation.

Education

• Saddleback College
• North Medford High School

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