A Fractional COO is a game-changer!

If you’re a founder, you’ve heard it 347 times:
“Stop working in the business and start working on it.”

Great advice. But you know what they never say?
How.

Here’s how:
Hire a Fractional COO.

An experienced operator—often a former manager, director, or C-suite leader—who works 8–10 hours per week and makes sure your house doesn’t burn down while you’re still in it.

They’re not flashy. They’re not loud. But they’re the reason things get done, people stay sane, and strategy actually turns into results.

What Is a Fractional COO?

A Fractional COO (Chief Operating Officer) is exactly what it sounds like:

• C-suite or senior leadership experience
• Engaged 8–10 hours per week
• Paid on retainer
• Delivers calm, clarity, and execution

They go by a few names:

• Fractional Chief of Staff
• Business Manager
• Growth Operator
• She or He Who Makes the Founder Sleep at Night

But whatever the title, their mission is the same:
Create focus. Instill order. Drive results. Protect the vision.

What I’ve Seen (And Why It Matters)

In the last six years as a Fractional CMO, I’ve also played the role of Fractional COO—but only in the absence of one. And very temporarily.
Not because I wanted to.
Not because I’m good at it. (I’m not.)
But because the seat was empty.

And an empty COO seat? Oh, that’s just trouble right there.

Things break. Communication goes sideways. Nobody knows who’s doing what, or by when, or even if. Progress stalls. Money goes in all directions.

When I step into a new client where the founder is also acting as COO, the first thing I advise is to get out of the FCOO-ing as fast as they can.

While the founder is out trying to change the world for the better, the team (fractional and otherwise) needs someone who can build the engine, so we can all step on the gas. The founder can do the founder things. The visionary can do the visionary things.

EOS Integrators vs. FCOOs: Cousins, Not Clones

I like EOS.
I love EOS.
I like Traction. I’ve seen what EOS Integrators can do, and I tip my marketing fedora to them.

But—but, but, but… EOS is a system.
A Fractional COO is a person.

And some of best Fractional COOs?
They often were Integrators—who evolved into FCOOs. Or they read the book at least. They know the playbook. But they also know when, why, and how to go off the playbook and improvise from experience, wisdom, and their own pattern recognition.

The Data: This Is Bigger Than Your Gut Says

You’re not imagining it—the Fractional wave is real, and it’s expanding rapidly:

• Fractional leadership roles doubled, growing from roughly 60,000 in 2022 to 120,000 in 2024, according to the 2024 State of the Fractional Executive report.
• A recent LinkedIn search revealed 144,000 profiles containing “Fractional” in the title—up from just over 2,000 in 2022.
• By 2025, 35% of U.S. businesses are projected to leverage fractional talent, per Sidekick Consulting and Vendux industry forecasts.

This isn’t just a workaround—
It’s the next normal.

A Tale of Two Teams

Without a Fractional COO:
“Hey, can we move the QBR to Friday? Also, who’s in charge of onboarding again? No one? Also also, should we launch a podcast?”

With a Fractional COO:
“QBR is Wednesday, onboarding is nailed, and we’re not launching a podcast—we’re launching repeatable revenue. Next question?”

When you know you need an Fractional COO

You don’t always know you need a Fractional COO—until things start… unraveling. Slowly. Then suddenly. Here are some signs the wheels aren’t just wobbly—they’re rolling away:

• You’re still making 90% of the decisions.
  And not just the big ones. You’re weighing in on font sizes, vendor selections, and why Karen hasn’t updated the tracker.
• You’re thinking too much about this week and not enough about next year.
  If everything’s urgent, nothing’s strategic. A FCOO gets you off the hamster wheel and back onto a roadmap.
• “Accountability” is tossed around a lot—but never lands.
  You’ve got titles. You’ve got tools. But somehow, nobody’s quite sure who owns what, and deadlines keep slipping like a greased pig. (This is a midwestern phrase I grew up with. It makes sense in the Minnesota farmlands.)
• Your meetings have meetings.
  And those meetings are somehow both too long and accomplish nothing. The FCOO doesn’t just attend meetings—they make them matter (or eliminate them altogether).
• You’ve hired help… and now you’re managing all the help.
  Congrats—you’ve outsourced the work but internalized all the oversight. You’re now the COO and the CEO. A FCOO gives you your role (and sanity) back.
• You’re growing—but everything feels… shakier.
  Growth shouldn’t feel like a root canal. If every win comes with a side of “how are we going to handle that?”—it’s time.
• The phrase “we’ll figure it out” is your unofficial mission statement.
  And your unofficial strategy. And your unofficial onboarding plan.

If any of this feels a little too familiar… yeah. It’s time.

Why Full-Time Isn’t Always the Move

Hiring a full-time COO sounds nice until you see the price tag—and the 401(k), benefits, parking, etc…

That’s overkill for many small and mid-sized companies.

A Fractional COO gives you the wisdom and horsepower—without the bloat.

The Final Word on Fractional COO

I’ve watched Fractional COOs quietly save companies from themselves.
I’ve watched them bring calm to chaos, movement to meetings, and dignity back to operations.

They don’t ask for attention.
They just get sh*t done.

And in a world full of visionaries, that’s worth its weight in gold.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to work on your business instead of in it?
This is your permission slip.

Ready to Dive In Getting or Being a Fractional COO

To find a great FCOO, learn how to become one, connect with other Fractionals, or simply cannonball into the deep end of this movement…
Get yourself to FRAK — the conference for everything Fractional.