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FRACTIONAL OPERATIONS LEADERSHIP
Embedded operations leadership for growing businesses.
There is a stage of growth where the business needs more operational leadership than the founder can carry, but is not ready for a full-time executive hire.
Fractional operations leadership fills that gap. Senior-level capability, embedded directly in your business, structured to move things forward rather than manage them in place.
Fractional operations leadership is a part-time, embedded engagement where an experienced operations leader works directly inside the business alongside the founder and leadership team. Depending on the organization this may look like a Fractional COO, Fractional General Manager, Fractional Head of Operations, or Fractional Director of Operations, Fractional Integrator. The title matters less than the clarity and capability the role brings.
What This Engagement Includes
Each 90-day engagement is scoped specifically to your business. Typically the work includes:
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Bringing clarity to priorities and decision-making across the leadership team
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Creating operational rhythm and accountability structures that hold without constant oversight
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Building the decision governance that stops work from flowing back to the founder
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Supporting leaders through change, growth, and increased organizational complexity
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Designing the operational systems that allow the business to grow without depending on any one person to hold it together
Not sure if this is the right fit? Read: What Is a Fractional COO and Does Your Business Need One?
How it works
This isn't an open-ended retainer. The engagement runs in focused 90-day increments, typically 12 to 24 months, each anchored to a roadmap built at the outset and an accountability agreement between SOLVED and the founder.
Every 90 days, we assess what's been built, what's changed, and what the next chapter needs. The work stays grounded in where the business actually is, not where it was when the engagement started.
who this is for
Founders whose business has outgrown its current operational structure. Organizations where leadership effort has become the operating model. Businesses that need embedded operational leadership before the right internal leader is identified or developed.
If you have an operator in place who is ready to build this themselves, The Trusted Operator Academy may be the right next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Fractional COO is a senior operations executive who works inside your business on a part-time basis. They provide the same strategic leadership and operational oversight as a full-time COO, attending leadership meetings, making decisions, and driving execution, without the cost or long-term commitment of a full-time hire.
The right time is when growth is creating more operational complexity than the founder can carry, but the business isn't yet at a stage where a full-time COO makes financial sense. Common signs include decisions constantly flowing back to the founder, execution becoming inconsistent, and leadership spending more time managing chaos than moving the business forward.
The work is the same, providing senior operational leadership, building structure, and driving execution. The difference is scope and commitment. A fractional engagement is part-time and designed to meet the business where it is right now, scaling up or down as needs change.
The engagement is structured in focused 90-day increments, each anchored to a roadmap and a mutual accountability agreement between SOLVED and the founder. At the end of each increment, we assess what has been built, what has changed, and what the next chapter needs. Most engagements run between nine and eighteen months depending on where the business is starting from and what needs to be built. The goal is always to develop internal capability so the business is not dependent on outside support indefinitely.
Still clarifying whether fractional leadership is the right fit? Read What Is a Fractional COO and Does Your Business Need One?
START with TRUST
Most engagements begin with a conversation. Book a discovery call and we'll look at where your business is, where trust is breaking down, and what would help most.
Have questions? Read Our FAQs
Fractional executive support for founders of growing service businesses. We build the operational structure that makes trust possible and stepping back safe.
Located in Calgary, Alberta | Serving clients across Canada
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