7 Signs you Need a Fractional COO:

1. You’re Drowning in Operations 

If your days are consumed with managing logistics, people, processes, or putting out fires, you  probably need strategic ops support so you can refocus on growth, vision, or product. If  everything runs through you — and nothing moves without your input — you’re the bottleneck. A  fractional COO introduces decision-making frameworks and operational autonomy. 

“You built the business to grow, not to babysit every moving part.”

2. Growth Is Outpacing Your Systems 

You’re scaling fast, but your processes haven’t kept up. Things are starting to break — missed  deadlines, confused roles, bottlenecks. Dare I say, notes are still on paper?!?? Maybe  processes live in people’s heads (mostly yours), and every new hire means reinventing the  wheel. A fractional COO can document SOPs, create playbooks, and build a repeatable  machine. A fractional COO can also optimize workflows, implement systems, and structure  your team for sustainable scale. 

3. You’re Not Ready for a Full-Time Executive 

You know you need executive-level operations help, but you don’t have the budget (or enough  work) for a full-time COO. A fractional COO brings senior-level expertise at a fraction of the  cost. OPPs can also help you on your path to finding the right full-time person. 

4. Projects Are Stalling or Slipping 

Initiatives that should take weeks are dragging into months. Accountability is low, and execution  is inconsistent. Maybe you’ve grown quickly, and the business is legit now, but your ops still feel  scrappy or improvised. A fractional COO can professionalize your internal operations to  match the level of your external growth. 

5. You’re Doing Too Many Roles 

As the founder/CEO, you’re acting as the COO, head of HR, and maybe even project manager.  It’s burning you out and holding the business back. What is the ROI on your time when you  wear all the hats? 

Time to delegate leadership, not just tasks. 

6. Team Alignment Is Off 

If departments aren’t communicating, people are unclear on priorities, or you’re constantly  realigning your team, it’s a sign your org needs a strong operational leader to create clarity  and cohesion. 

7. You’re Planning a Big Move 

Whether it’s launching a new product, expanding markets, raising capital, or prepping for  acquisition, a fractional COO can help plan and operationalize your vision with less risk and  more precision. You’re full of big ideas — but they don’t seem to stick or get executed  effectively. A great COO translates vision into clear execution plans and makes sure it actually  happens.