Skilling for Business Growth

Pravasi, our Chief Learning Strategist, joins the client firm as a Fractional CLO to:

• Establish L&D Infrastructure - Design the systems, processes, and governance framework for learning that can scale as the organization grows.

• Align Learning with Business Growth - Ensure learning programs directly support the company’s growth trajectory and market ambitions.

• Build Scalable Learning Pathways - Create structured development journeys for technical, functional, and leadership roles.

• Develop Leadership Pipeline - Identify and support high-potential employees to build the next line of leaders. Design programs that prepare first-time and mid-level managers to handle larger teams and responsibilities.

• Drive Engagement & Adoption - Build a culture of continuous learning through campaigns, success stories, and leadership advocacy.

• Enable Future-Readiness - Upskill employees in emerging areas (e.g., Data Science, AI, digital skills) to position the start-up as an innovation leader.

• Demonstrate Impact to Stakeholders - Define metrics (certifications, engagement, retention, readiness indices) and track outcomes regularly.

• Establish and Coach an Internal L&D Team - Build and mentor a core L&D team who could independently sustain and evolve learning initiatives post-engagement.

For a rapidly scaling start-up, hiring a full-time Chief Learning Officer (CLO) may not be practical, or even required. A Fractional CLO offers the same strategic expertise and leadership, but in a more flexible model and at a significantly lower cost.

Benefits of a Fractional CLO:

• Strategic Expertise Without Full-Time Cost – Access to senior-level L&D leadership at a fraction of the investment of a permanent hire.

• Faster Setup of Systems & Processes – Bring in tried-and-tested frameworks to establish L&D functions quickly.

• Scalable Solutions – Leverage experience of designing programs, structures, and technologies that are flexible and scalable, so they grow as the organization grows.

• Knowledge Transfer & Sustainability – Bring in a tenured leader to build and coach internal teams to manage learning independently, reducing long-term dependency.

Partnered with Business Leaders

• Collaborated with business heads to identify immediate challenges and long-term opportunities that could be addressed through skilling.
• Prioritized critical skills for growth functions such as data engineering, business analytics etc.

Designed Scalable Processes & Programs

• Set up the foundation for the L&D function, including processes for learning needs assessment, program design, and measurement.
• Built scalable learning pathways for both technical and leadership capabilities.

Bringing in Technology for Growth

• Introduced self-directed learning and a Learning Management System (LMS) to handle the increasing scale of learners and their dynamic schedules.
• Partnered with a content library provider, giving employees flexible access to learning resources that matched their diverse needs.

Drove Engagement & Adoption

• Collaborated with business SMEs and curated programs that were directly relevant to roles, ensuring high levels of participation.
• Fostered a culture of continuous learning by running campaigns that kept learning visible and top of mind. Identified and empowered learning champions, showcasing their success stories where skilling was central, and in turn made learning aspirational across the organization.

Ensured Stakeholder Alignment

• Secured sponsorship of key stakeholders, including CXOs, to embed learning into the company’s growth strategy.
• Shared regular progress updates during QBRs, highlighting tangible outcomes and impact.

Established L&D Function

• Reorganized the L&D function by clearly defining roles, processes, and systems.
• Coached and upskilled the team on learning design, stakeholder engagement, and measurement, gradually transitioning ownership so they could operate independently.

Within one year, the initiatives created significant business impact:

• Industry Certifications: Certifications grew by 200%, with the company achieving the #1 position globally in its domain.

• Leadership Pipeline: Built a structured development journey that helped create the next line of leaders critical for scale.

• High-Potential Talent Growth: Designed career development interventions that supported the growth and retention of top performers.

• Future-Ready Skills: Upskilled data engineers in Data Science and AI, enabling the start-up to establish a dedicated client-ready AI practice.

In just one year, the start-up moved from having no formal L&D function to having a structured, technology-enabled learning ecosystem that fueled its rapid growth. The L&D function is now seen as a strategic enabler — not just supporting the present, but actively shaping the company’s future capabilities.