Fractional CPO

Product leadership for health and
wellness brands scaling through commerce

I embed with growing health and wellness companies as a fractional Chief Product Officer —
Bringing 20 years expertise in product strategy, branding, go-to-market, supply chain, DTC and digital commerce

Book a 30-min intro call
Options Products
Root Health Header
Blackfullness screens
Pre-Brands Meat
Vital Proteins
Coder Inc.
Sprinter
Simple Mills
Terrabis
BlackFULLness
Root Health
Options Medical
Vital Proteins
Coder Inc.
Sprinter
Simple Mills
Token Design
Packaging
Dashboard
Clinic Refresh
Campaign
Brand System
Whitepaper
eCommerce
Token Design
Packaging
Dashboard
Clinic Refresh
Campaign
Brand System
Whitepaper
eCommerce

Where I focus

Built for health, wellness, and the commerce that powers it.

I’m not a generalist. I understand what it takes to build in regulated, high-trust categories — navigating compliance, earning customer confidence, choosing the right channels, and building products people actually stick with.

Regulated health & wellness
Cannabis, GLP-1 clinics, telehealth, women’s health — industries where compliance shapes the product, the marketing channels, and the entire customer experience
Functional nutrition & CPG
Supplements, functional food, and consumer wellness brands scaling DTC — product strategy, eCommerce, and go-to-market from concept through launch
Digital health & commerce
Patient engagement apps, chronic care platforms, clinical-to-consumer products, and the eCommerce infrastructure behind them

When companies work with me

Sound familiar?

Most health companies reach out when they hit one of these moments.

Series A
“Nobody owns product.”
No roadmap, no design consistency, no one connecting strategy to execution.
What I do: Roadmap, design systems, sprint planning — full infrastructure to ship.
DTC Launch
“The launch isn’t ready.”
Website, purchase flow, subscription model — nobody owns any of it.
What I do: Own the full DTC product layer end to end from day one.
Going Digital
“Nothing connects.”
Multiple agencies, nobody coordinating. The brand experience is fragmented.
What I do: Single point of accountability. One strategy, one experience.
Growth Stage
“We can’t keep customers.”
Retention is low and the digital experience doesn’t match the brand promise.
What I do: Audit, identify highest-impact fixes, and lead execution.
Positioning
“We can’t explain what makes us different.”
Messaging is inconsistent and marketing spend isn’t converting.
What I do: Define positioning and messaging — expressed consistently everywhere.

Proof of work

Built in the industry. Not just consulting to it.

I’ve co-founded a health brand, ran a digital agency, led a launch strategy for a multi-location medical cannabis company, and delivered product work for some of the biggest names in functional nutrition.

Terrabis

Terrabis

End-to-end product strategy for a multi-state cannabis operator — brand, patient experience, and compliant digital platform.

View case study →
BlackFULLness

BlackFULLness

Commercializing an NIH-funded mindfulness app for the Black community — from research tool to consumer product.

View case study →
Root Health

Root Health

Built a functional postpartum nutrition brand from concept through medical formulation and DTC go-to-market.

View case study →

INPAX Shipping Solutions

Full rebrand for a 30-year logistics company — messaging strategy, paid media, video content, marketing collateral, and trade show presence.

View case study →

What you get

End-to-end product leadership. Not just advice.

I do the work — strategy, design, roadmap execution, and team coordination.
You get a senior product leader without the overhead of a full-time hire.

Product strategy & roadmap
Prioritization frameworks, sprint planning, and a clear roadmap that aligns your team, your agencies, and your investors.
Design leadership
High-fidelity UX and design systems built in Figma. From patient journey mapping to polished UI ready for dev handoff.
Multi-agency coordination
Single point of accountability across web, app, and marketing agencies. No rework, no conflicting direction, no wasted spend.
GTM & launch support
DTC strategy, channel sequencing, and the operational infrastructure to take a health product from ready to revenue.

About

Alex Ford-Carther

20 years running product and eCommerce strategy at a digital agency, building across tech, CPG, healthcare, and logistics. Past product and consulting work includes Vital Proteins, Simple Mills, PayPal, INPAX, and the National Association of Realtors. Technology advisor to NIH-funded BlackFULLness, brand and digital lead for PE-backed Terrabis and Options, and Product Lead to seed-funded Root Health. Backed by a track record of taking products from research and concept to market.

Taking on 2 new engagements for 2026

Engagement

Simple, transparent pricing.

Retained monthly engagements with a minimum 3-month commitment.

Fractional CPO
$7,500
per month · 10–15 hrs / week
Embedded product leadership. Strategy, design, roadmap, and team oversight.
Transformation scope
$15K+
per month · project-based
Full strategic orchestration across multiple agencies and business units.

Let’s talk about your product.

30 minutes to see where you are and whether I can help.

Book a 30-min callOr reach out directly — dafordcarther@gmail.com