Our Approach NextLevel Operations
Experienced Hands, When You Want Them
NextLevel Operations (NLO) is Level's in-house operating team: functional specialists who provide hands-on operational guidance across the core domains of a growing software company.
Operating Depth Crafted for Software Growth
NextLevel Operations is Level's in-house operating team. NLO is made up of serial operators who have been in the trenches scaling growth stage software companies. They bring strategic and tactical capability and pattern recognition to the common questions facing growth companies — pricing, hiring a first CRO, maturing the finance function, practical AI strategy, and M&A integration. NLO and our investment team partner with management to define a scope that is focused on the highest strategic priorities.
- Marketing
- Demand generation, messaging, and brand.
- Sales
- Structure, pricing, and incentive design.
- Customer Success
- Onboarding, retention, and expansion.
- Revenue Operations
- Pipeline discipline, reporting, and systems.
- Product
- Roadmap, positioning, and what to build next.
- Engineering
- Team structure, architecture, and development practice.
- AI
- Where it applies and what it changes.
- Strategy
- Planning, prioritization, and resource allocation.
- Finance
- Reporting, forecasting, and the infrastructure to scale.
- M&A
- Sourcing, diligence, and integration.
- Executive Development
- Coaching, succession, and leadership team.
- Recruitment
- Sourcing, assessment, and incentive design for senior hires.
- Organizational Planning
- Workforce planning and team structure.
The statement provided herein was made by Ray Carey, the former Chief Executive Officer of Optimere, a former portfolio company of one or more funds managed by Level. Mr. Carey is currently an employee of Level, serving as Head of NextLevel Operations, and is compensated by Level for his services as an employee. Mr. Carey is also a current investor in Level Equity Growth Partners VI, L.P., Level Equity Opportunities Fund 2025, L.P. and Level Structured Capital III, L.P., each a private fund managed by Level. The statement is deemed a “testimonial” because it is made by a current private fund investor and describes Mr. Carey’s experience with Level. Mr. Carey was not separately compensated for making this statement. However, as a current Level employee and an investor in funds managed by Level, Mr. Carey has a direct financial interest in the success of Level’s activities and the performance of those funds, and a material conflict of interest in presenting Level in a favorable light. In addition, Mr. Carey held an equity interest in Optimere, which received financial investment from Level through one or more funds managed by Level.
In-House Operators,
One Call (or Slack) Away
Every operating resource in NLO is a seasoned professional who has held the role they now advise on. They have run these exact functions inside software companies and solved common scaling issues across multiple operating roles.
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Ray Carey
Head of NextLevel Operations
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Amy Kramer
Head of NLO Go To Market
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Caleb Hill
Operating Partner, Finance & Operations
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Michael Scappa
Operating Partner, Tech & AI
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Ron Yang
Operating Partner, Product Strategy & AI
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Katie Christian
Operating Expert, Retention
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Jennifer Flanagan
Operating Expert, Revenue Operations
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Kristen Hoey
Operating Expert, Talent
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Hilary Kay
Operating Expert, Marketing
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Amanda Mertes
Operating Expert, Operations and M&A
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Jake Foster
Special Operator, Technology
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Patrick Donnelly
Special Operator, AI
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Sam Miller
Special Operator, GTM
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Rob Holland
Special Operator, Operations
Experience Shared Across the Portfolio
NextLevel Operations was built to work with management teams to increase the enterprise value of Level's portfolio of middle market technology companies. Their goal is to help in any way which enhances this collective goal, whether the work is an acquisition, a senior hire, or a move into a new market. We collectively identify what will move the business and what resources are needed to get there.
- New Products Launched
- 51
- New Geographies Entered
- 13
- New Verticals Expanded
- 9
- Acquisitions Completed by Portfolio Companies
- 42
- Strategic Growth Levers Supported
- 239
- Senior Executives Hired for Portfolio Companies
- 133
*As of October 30, 2026. The above information reflects activity at Level portfolio companies during Level’s ownership with NextLevel Operations support. Results are attributable to many factors, and Level’s involvement was not the sole cause.
A Network Built for Growth
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Exclusive access to the LevelUp portal, a library of proprietary guides, templates, tutorials, and AI skills & agents
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Conferences and events on technology and product, GTM, value creation, and financial operations
See past events
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- Join a community of 600+ B2B software executives within Level’s portfolio for insights and best practices
- Velocity matters in high growth companies – get immediate answers in function-specific Slack channels
- 1:1 coaching and mentoring
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A vetted ecosystem of third-party specialists for deeper-dive projects, recommended service providers, and pricing leverage on top technology vendors
"I can confidently say that Level Equity is a top-notch investment firm that truly cares about the success of their portfolio companies. Their team is made up of seasoned experts who not only bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table but also a genuine passion for entrepreneurship. Their approach is collaborative, transparent, and always focused on creating value for their partners."
Mr. Morse is the founder and former CEO of Tripleseat, a current portfolio company of funds managed by Level. He is a current investor in funds managed by Level, and this statement is therefore a testimonial. He received no compensation from Level for this statement, but has a material conflict of interest as a result of Level’s investment in Tripleseat and his investment in funds managed by Level. See Testimonial and Endorsement Disclosure.
Want to Learn More About Our Approach and Working with NextLevel Operations?
Schedule Time with RayNEXTLEVEL OPERATIONS DISCLOSURE: NextLevel Operations and Level’s Special Operators provide operational support to portfolio companies at Level’s discretion, and not every company receives the same type or level of support. Some of these services may be compensated by the portfolio companies receiving them or the funds holding such portfolio companies. Any such fees are treated as described in Level’s Form ADV. These arrangements create conflicts of interest. There can be no assurance that NextLevel Operations’ involvement will improve a company’s operating or financial results. Special Operators are not employees of Level. See Important Information for more.
TESTIMONIAL AND ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: The statements provided herein are made by certain founders or executives of Level’s past and/or current portfolio companies. Certain of these individuals are current investors in one or more private funds managed by Level, and their statements are deemed “testimonials” because they are made by a current private fund investor and indicate approval, support, or a recommendation of Level, or describe the individual’s experience with Level. The remaining individual is not a past or current Level client or fund investor, and that individual’s statements are deemed “endorsements” because they are made by an individual other than a current client or private fund investor and indicate approval, support, or a recommendation of Level, or describe the individual’s experience with Level. None of these individuals has been directly compensated for making these statements. However, the portfolio companies in which these individuals hold or held a significant equity interest may have received financial investment from Level through one or more funds managed by Level. As such, these individuals may have an indirect financial interest in the success of Level’s activities or in presenting Level in a favorable light. In addition, individuals who are investors in funds managed by Level have a direct financial interest in the performance of those funds, which creates an additional conflict of interest.
These individuals’ statements reflect past, subjective experiences and are not indicative of future performance or success. Any testimonial or endorsement made by these individuals does not guarantee that future clients or portfolio companies will have similar experiences or achieve similar outcomes. Investment outcomes are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that any investment will achieve its objectives or that investors will not experience losses. The statements made by these founders should not be considered specific investment advice, does not take into account any specific situation, and is not intended to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed.