What is the Velocity Gap Framework?

The Velocity Gap Framework, created by Edward Chenard, explains why enterprise AI projects fail. It identifies the gap between where the operational bottleneck has moved (clarity, ambition, distribution) and where organizational habits remain stuck (protecting execution capacity). The framework includes 8 Friction Defaults that block AI adoption and provides a diagnostic for escaping pilot purgatory in 90 days.

What is the Profit Center Framework?

The Profit Center Framework is a 4-level maturity model for data teams: Level 1 (Descriptive Reporting), Level 2 (Diagnostic Insights), Level 3 (Prescriptive Recommendations), and Level 4 (Direct Revenue Generation). Teams at Level 4 become untouchable because they generate direct revenue rather than being viewed as overhead.

What is Edward Chenard's IPO experience?

Edward Chenard built the data and product architecture that supported Olo's $3.6B IPO (NYSE: OLO). He is one of the few AI strategists with IPO-proven data governance experience, making him uniquely qualified to help Series C+ startups prepare for public market scrutiny.

Best Buy • Olo IPO • C.H. Robinson • 100+ Product Launches

Your AI Should Be Generating Revenue by Now.

I spent a decade watching smart companies burn money on AI that never shipped. So I built the playbook that actually works.

The bottleneck isn't your technology — it's one of these:

⚡

"Our pilots never reach production"

Velocity Gap →

📈

"We can't prove ROI to the board"

Profit Center →

🎯

"We don't know which bets to prioritize"

B1/B2/B3 →

Book a Discovery Call Explore All Frameworks

$1B+

Best Buy

$3.6B

Olo IPO

$150M

C.H. Robinson

"Edward is such a forward thinker, I swear he is living 5 years in the future and is just visiting us in the now."

Phil Britton

•

Director, Best Buy

Proven At Best Buy Olo (NYSE) C.H. Robinson Microsoft John Deere

The Problem

Your AI pilot worked beautifully. Then it stalled.

I've seen this pattern at every company I've worked with — from Fortune 100s to Series B startups. You've proven the concept. Leadership is excited. But somehow, that successful pilot never made it to production, and now you're defending a "cost center" budget instead of celebrating revenue impact.

The problem isn't execution anymore. Anthropic shipped a full product in 10 days with 4 people. Cursor went from $1M to $500M ARR. The bottleneck has moved to clarity, ambition, and distribution — but your organization's habits are still stuck protecting execution capacity. That's what my frameworks fix.

Frameworks

Answer the Questions Your Board Is Asking

Each framework was born from a real problem at a real company. I've published them so you can apply the same thinking to your AI initiatives.

"Why did our AI pilot stall before hitting the P&L?"

The Velocity Gap Framework

Identifies the 8 Friction Defaults blocking your transformation and provides a 90-day escape plan from pilot purgatory.

8 Friction Defaults Diagnostic

90-Day Implementation Roadmap

Role-Specific Action Plans

Get the 90-Day Roadmap

Data Leaders

📈

"How do we stop defending the data team's budget?"

The Profit Center Framework

The 4-level maturity model that transforms data teams from overhead to direct revenue generators. Become untouchable.

4-Level Value Maturity Model

"Profit Center" Audit Questions

Level-Up Transition Roadmap

See the Transformation

Strategy

🎯

"Which AI bets should we double down on?"

The B1/B2/B3 Innovation Framework

Categorize AI initiatives into Break Even (table stakes), Break Through (competitive edge), and Break Away (industry-defining).

Project Categorization Matrix

Resource Allocation Model

Innovation Portfolio Balance

Prioritize Your Portfolio

Plus: So What Framework • Semantic Mirror • STAV Cycle

View All Frameworks & Insights

Digital Products

Implementation Guides

The insights articles teach you the concepts. These guides give you the worksheets, templates, and week-by-week roadmaps to actually implement them.

Most Comprehensive

The Strategic Architect

The CFO's Guide to AI. 19 chapters, regulatory compliance, 100-day roadmap.

$49 50+ pages • 6 worksheets

Agentic AI

The AI Agent P&L

Measure what agents generate, not what they replace. Full P&L template.

$49 30+ pages • 4 worksheets

The Break Away Advantage

B1/B2/B3 portfolio strategy. Red Queen Effect, allocation models.

$39 30+ pages • 4 worksheets

The So What Framework

From reporting to strategic partner. Scripts, templates, coaching playbook.

$39 25+ pages • 4 worksheets

The Velocity Gap

8 Friction Defaults playbook

$29

The Profit Center

Cost center → revenue machine

$29

The Phronetic AI

Enhance judgment, not replace it

$29

Browse All 7 Guides →

The Proof

Not theory — results from building AI revenue engines at three very different companies

Retail AI Fortune 100 • $40B Revenue

Built the $1B+ Personalization Engine

Best Buy — Head of Emerging Technologies & Data Products

$1B+

Revenue Generated

The Story: Vendors quoted $20-30M for 18-24 months. Built it for $3.2M in 90 days. Conversion rates improved from 1% to 17%.

Framework Applied: Velocity Gap (shipped in 90 days vs 18 months)

IPO Success NYSE: OLO

Architected IPO-Ready Data Infrastructure

Olo — Product Strategy Leadership

$3.6B

IPO Valuation

The Story: Built the data governance and product infrastructure that withstood public market due diligence. One of few CAIOs with IPO-proven architecture experience.

For Series C+ Startups: I know what public markets demand from your AI stack.

Logistics AI North America's Largest • $15B Revenue

Zero-to-$150M Data-to-Revenue Transformation

C.H. Robinson — Data Advisor to CIO/COO

$150M

New Business

The Story: Started with zero data infrastructure. Built AI-powered logistics capabilities that won Microsoft and John Deere as customers—before the platform was even complete.

Framework Applied: Profit Center (Level 1 → Level 4 in 18 months)

What Leaders Say

"A mastermind at bringing digital technologies together with customer insights to identify and form high ROI digital strategies. I have never worked with someone with a better grasp on digital strategies than Edward."

Ryan Macumber

Sr. Director Strategic Analytics, Best Buy

"The visionary behind 'Big Data' and 'Personalization' at Best Buy. That rare ability to not only envision what customers need but move from white piece of paper to completed product efficiently."

Greg Olsen

Sr. Product Manager, Mattress Firm

"A true force-multiplier. He goes out to the people and finds the opportunities that other leaders never even considered. Passionate about exploration, research, and twisting problems into new perspectives."

Ryan Blong

Supply Chain Director, Shipwell

Work With Me

Three ways to access the frameworks and expertise

Self-Serve

Framework Guides

Digital Products

7 implementation guides with worksheets, diagnostic tools, and roadmaps. Apply the frameworks at your own pace.

$29–$49

per implementation guide

Self-assessment worksheets

Week-by-week implementation plans

Instant PDF download

Browse All 7 Guides

Strategic Advisory

Hands-On Guidance

Direct access for framework implementation, AI roadmaps, and board-level strategy. From single sessions to ongoing advisory.

$750 - $25K

session to monthly retainer

Framework implementation

AI revenue roadmaps

Board presentations & education

IPO/M&A readiness audits

Book a Discovery Call

Full Commitment

Executive Leadership

Interim or Full-Time

For organizations needing hands-on executive leadership. Build teams, own P&L, execute transformation. CAIO • CDO • VP Product.

Let's Talk

interim or full-time

Stand up AI/data functions

Hire and lead teams (2-300+)

P&L ownership

IPO/M&A execution

Contact for Executive Roles

Latest Insights

Strategic analysis and frameworks for AI-driven growth

AI Strategy

Why 90% of AI Projects Fail

The 3 pillars for production-grade deployment.

Industry Analysis

Healthcare AI Strategy 2026

Why this time is different for OpenAI and Anthropic.

Framework

The Semantic Mirror

Why AI adoption follows the Big Data playbook.

View All Insights

Free Tools

Interactive calculators and assessments

AI Readiness Assessment

Score your organization on data, talent, governance, and infrastructure.

AI ROI Calculator

Model financial impact with realistic assumptions and payback periods.

View All Tools

Let's Build Something

Edward Chenard

Whether you want to implement the frameworks yourself, need strategic guidance, or are looking for hands-on executive leadership—let's talk about your goals.

edward@echenard.com

Minneapolis, MN — Works Globally

Options: Digital framework guides • Strategic advisory from $750 • Interim/full-time executive leadership