What the heck is Fractional Operations Management?

I recently attended an in residence course for my MBA in Calgary, Alberta, and had many of my classmates ask me what does Fractional COO mean? In fact, I am from Alberta, so the word 'Fractional' immediately meant 'oilfield', and they assumed I helped out with operations on oil sands projects. Truly, I first heard of it when I first engaged with a Fractional CFO to help out a small business. The fractional support executive space has been growing in recent years (especially post-covid), but does that mean that it is well-known? I have been asking the question of anyone I know who considers themselves an entrepreneur, or a small business owner. The answer is.... most do not know what it means!

(I have even considered re-branding as an Online Business Manager... let's see if it is more effective!)

Okay... back to the question, What the Heck is Fractional Operations Management?

Most firm's cannot justify the cost of a full-time COO before proof of concept and earnings align with this expensive resource. A Fractional COO helps to bridge that gap, bringing strategic management and operational discipline 1 - 3 days a week instead of the full 5. This personal assumes full accountability of strategy and execution as a part-time operations leader, helping build durable processes and improve the organizational outcomes. Most importantly, the Fractional Operator is meant to build a scalable internal set of systems that can remain continuous, even after the persons departure from the organization. So enter an organization, build business-level strategy, resilient processes that can be enacted by the companies existing or acquired resources. The actual deliverables can vary based on the size, life cycle and nature of the organization. Some typical duties and responsibilities might include: Strategic alignment, process mapping, identifying bottlenecks, strategic planning cycles, and key success measurements. This includes thoughtful approaches to integrating technology, understanding where the business is flourishing and where it needs help, along with an action plan to fix any challenges. Companies can expect to increase their clarity, better measure their deliverables, and be more efficient with delivery. Founders can often improve their lives and spend their time in a more balanced way with this level of strategic and business-level support.

If you are still unsure what a Fractional Operator does, and want to learn more, I would be happy to chat more about it. And not just because that's what I sell, I am truly passionate about helping others through collaboration and co-creation. When we support each other through our understanding and community, everyone wins!