STRATEGIC ADVISORY • AI CONSULTING • ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN

Navigate Your Next Inflection Point

Through The Second Step, I partner with both high-growth SaaS companies and enterprise organizations to navigate critical inflection points — from early commercial build-out to AI-driven transformation.

SERVICES

What I Do

Scale-Up Strategy

Designing and implementing scalable Sales, Marketing, and Operations functions for start-ups and scale-ups ready for their next growth phase.

AI Advisory

Advising enterprises on AI strategy, use-case definition, and technical adoption paths that deliver measurable results.

Compliance & AI

Helping organizations integrate AI responsibly within complex compliance frameworks — including ISO 27001 and SOC 2.

Leadership & Culture

Supporting leadership teams with mission, vision, culture, and organizational design for sustainable growth.

20+Years Experience
SaaS & EnterpriseDual Market Expertise
AI-FirstStrategy & Deployment

EXPERIENCE

A Career Built on Scaling Impact

2022 — Present

Chief Operating Officer

Deepdesk

Leading the operational engine combining human expertise with AI-driven automation. Driving 2x year-over-year revenue growth.

2021 — Present

Principal Owner

The Second Step

Partnering with high-growth SaaS companies and enterprises to navigate critical inflection points.

2020 — 2022

VP Marketing

Surfly

End-to-end B2B international enterprise marketing strategy. Scaled from seed to multi-country operations.

See My Full Experience
Brendan Jackson headshot

ABOUT BRENDAN

Brendan Jackson

Principal — The Second Step

Building, growing, optimizing, and leading start-ups and scale-ups for over two decades. Currently focused on helping enterprise organizations implement results-focused AI solutions within complex compliance environments.

As COO at Deepdesk, I lead the operational engine combining human expertise with AI-driven automation — overseeing Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Legal, Compliance, HR, and Finance.

I bring together 20+ years of scaling companies with hands-on experience deploying AI in large, regulated environments.

COMPANIES I'VE WORKED WITH

Partners on the Journey

From scale-ups to global enterprises — the teams I've helped grow, transform, and lead.

Deepdesk logo

Deepdesk

Rabobank logo

Rabobank

bol logo

bol

Swisscom logo

Swisscom

Everyone.org logo

Everyone.org

Surfly logo

Surfly

FAQ

Common Questions

How do engagements typically start?

Most partnerships begin with a focused discovery conversation and a 30-day diagnostic sprint to define priorities, risks, and measurable outcomes.

Do you work with both start-ups and enterprise teams?

Yes. I support growth-stage SaaS operators and large organizations navigating AI adoption, operating model shifts, and cross-functional execution challenges.

What outcomes should I expect?

Clients typically gain sharper strategic focus, faster cross-functional alignment, and execution plans tied to revenue, adoption, and operational performance metrics.

Ready to Take the Second Step?

Whether you're scaling a start-up, transforming an enterprise, or navigating AI adoption — let's talk about how I can help.

Schedule a Conversation