We Are Founders. Just Like You.
“Chaos is a ladder.
Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again.
Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.”
– Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish
OUR STORY
We are Na’ama Moran and Vincent Matranga, and we have worked together for almost a decade. We built a tech-enabled food distributor called Cheetah, which was founded in the Bay Area. Together with our co-founders and team, we led this high growth startup to $150M in sales, across multiple states, with over 350 employees and raised over $130M in venture funding. All the while we scaled the competencies, processes and culture of our organization.
During the COVID pandemic our company lost >80% of our revenue. We had to downscale massively and reorganize in order to survive. The robust systems we built allowed us to both scale responsibly and mitigate the impact of this major crisis. We can confidently say that we understand what it’s like to lead in times of chaos.
The frameworks, tools and systems we developed empowered us to manage through this uncertainty. A testament to the internal structures we built are the individuals who entered our company at a manager level and went on to become directors and VPs at Fortune 500-level companies
Expert Network
We augment our core team with subject matter experts to provide additional lift during complex integrations.
Na'ama Moran
Operator and Systems builder
- Seasoned operator with 20+ years scaling tech companies
- Co-founded Cheetah, grew to $150M revenue
- Raised $130M, scaled Cheetah to 350+ employees
- Rebuilt Cheetah after losing 80% COVID revenue
- Serial founder with exits to Groupon and Xenon
- Mentor at Stanford’s StartX and Alchemist Accelerator
- Leads Waya, coaching Series A–C founders
Vincent Matranga
Lean Process Optimization
- Seasoned operator and entrepreneur with Lean expertise
- Built Lean Process Optimization at Sutter Health
- Trained in Toyota Production Systems with executives
- Co-founded Cheetah, scaled to $150M revenue
- Raised $130M, grew Cheetah to 350+ employees
- Rebuilt Cheetah after near-fatal COVID revenue loss
- Brings battle-tested frameworks to Waya founders
Bjoern Lasse Herrmann
Leadership Transformation
- Technology entrepreneur and AI transformation leader
- AI executive at Sage, co-founded multiple AI ventures
- Bridges AI with real-world operational systems
- Transforms isolated AI initiatives into enterprise-wide change
- Combines technical insight with executive-level systems thinking
- Mentors leadership teams on practical AI strategy
- Drives sustained competitive advantage through AI adoption
Sephi Shapira
Founder Funding Expert
- 4x founder with 4 exits
- Raised $100M+ and helped founders raise $1.2B+
- Author of “Fundable” and creator of the Fundable Method
- Founder of WarmIntro a founder-to-founder investor intro network
- Helps founders become fundable and secure investor meetings
- Brings battle-tested fundraising frameworks to founders
Chris Traub
Executive Search & Community Creator
- Global executive search pioneer and leadership community curator
- Co-founded Strategic Executive Search Group in 1988
- Managing Partner leading C-Suite and Board practices
- Leads Technology and Private Equity search practices
- Partners with world’s largest enterprise companies
- Works with exponential tech and PE-backed ventures
Josh Brajtman
Customer Experience & Support
- 20+ years scaling CX and operations across tech, logistics, and telecom
- Head of CX at Easyplant (~$300M ARR), owning full CX strategy
- Led CX across consumer, courier, and merchant verticals at Wolt, managing 1,500+ staff
- Head of CX at Cheetah, building 24/7 global support across US and Philippines, working closely with CEO on leadership development
- Founded global support operations at Juno, improving driver and rider experience
Gia Ilole
Human Resources, People & Culture
- Executive HR consultant across public and private sectors
- Experience spanning healthcare, tech, and energy industries
- Improves culture, talent pipelines, and performance management
- Partners with leaders on strategic workforce initiatives
- Serves startups through Fortune 500 companies
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt with data-driven approach
- Transforms organizations through culture and continuous learning
Steve Kilts
AI Strategy for SMB Leaders
- Founder, executive, and AI strategist building software to optimize operations
- Background in engineering, computer science, and applied mathematics
- Published in Neural Networks magazine and a high-speed computing textbook
- Founded and exited multiple tech companies, then led business units as VP
- Provides AI strategy and agent implementation to optimize workflows and revenue
- Partners with leadership teams to align AI with core business processes
Sacagawea
The Inspiration Behind Our Name
Our name is inspired by Sacagawea—the Native American guide who helped lead the Lewis and Clark expedition through unknown territory with resilience, clarity, and trust.
At Waya, we take a similar role. We partner with founders navigating the chaos of growth—helping them stay aligned, make confident decisions, and scale with purpose.
Our Core Principles
The compass that guides our own operations.
Mission
Waya brings human-centered business operations enabled by AI to founders navigating high-stakes transitions - scaling, pivoting, or reinventing - so they can build a business aligned with their purpose and bring their vision to the world.
Our Core Values
Walk the talk
We use our own methodology internally. Every tool we sell, we run on ourselves first. We don't advise from the sidelines — if we haven't done it ourselves, we don't teach it.
Human first, AI-powered
AI amplifies human judgment — it never replaces it. We build tools that make people more capable, not more dependent.
Purpose over profit
We choose clients and projects that align with our mission, even when easier money is on the table.
Treat the system, not the symptom
We don't patch — we diagnose. Root cause analysis before solutions. Every fix considers the whole picture, and every process has a next version. We're living through a once-in-a-century technological shift. You can't sit back and expect the world to wait. Continuous improvement isn't optional, it's survival.
Aligned from the inside out
We're transparent with our team, our clients, and ourselves. The work should elevate the person doing it — that's true for us and for the founders we serve. We lead with integrity and don't shy away from hard truths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about working with Waya
What stage should I be at to book a fundraising consultation?
If you’re planning to raise in the next 1–6 months — or if you just closed a round and want to maintain your data room so the next raise isn’t another scramble — this session is for you. We calibrate the checklist to your stage, from Seed through Series B+.
What is unique about the process?
We’re not management consultants who hand over a strategy deck and disappear. We’re founders and operators who design, plan, and execute your transformation alongside you.
It starts with an intensive workshop – a high-intensity, high-alignment experience that creates strategic focus and execution clarity faster than you ever thought possible.
Then we embed with your team for 3-6 months, acting as fractional executives to bring the strategy to life through daily operating rhythms, SOPs, and culture work. During this time we connect you with experts from our Expert Network, who can help address specific business or industry needs.
Finally, we install our AI-enabled operating system – custom-built WayaFrames – to supercharge execution and decision-making at every level.
Why is the integration period important?
The integration period is where strategy becomes daily operations. We ensure that teams don’t revert to old habits and plans turn to real actions that drive the strategic change you are looking for.
What is Financial Model Preparation?
We take whatever you currently have and build a curated financial model that matches your stage and company. Investor ready and tied to your operations.
What is Data Room Preparation?
It’s a one-hour working session where we review your data room against what investors expect at your current stage – across storytelling, financial documentation, data room structure, legal foundation, and cap table. After the call, we fill in the gaps and deliver the final data room for your raise.
What if I don't have a data room yet?
That’s exactly when you should get the Data Room Preparation session. Starting to prepare your data room 3 months before a raise is dramatically better than scrambling from scratch when an investor sends a DD request list while you’re still pitching.
Do we have to be a US based company to work with you?
No, our system works for companies in any region.
Does my company have to be a tech startup?
Waya works with technology companies as well as physical-world companies. You can be the founder of a tech startup, a non-profit organization or a physical-world business. We are particularly effective for organizations that have high level of complexity, like supply chain, healthcare and logistics.
Prepare for the Journey Ahead
Sign up for our newsletter for weekly updates.