What is a fractional COO?

A chief operating officer who works inside your company for part of each week rather than full time. You get the seniority without the full-time cost, for as long as you need it.

How is it different from a consultant?

A consultant delivers a report and leaves. A fractional COO sits in your meetings, owns outcomes with your team, and is measured on what changes.

How much does a fractional COO cost?

It depends on the size of the company and the scope, so we agree it on the call. Two to three days a week of a senior operator costs a fraction of a full-time hire, with no notice period beyond the three months.

When should we hire a full-time COO instead?

When the operating rhythm exists, the owners are in place and the role needs forty hours a week. Part of the fractional job is getting you to that point and helping you hire well.

HomeFractional COO

Fractional COO

A fractional COO for companies past $1m.

Two to three days a week inside your business: operations off your desk, owners and targets set, and the week run with you. A chief operating officer for the part of the week you need one.

Enquire about a fractional role How it runs

Ben Sheppard on the phone in Barcelona — **Ben Sheppard** holds fractional roles today alongside the coaching.

What a fractional COO does

Takes operations off your desk

The things that route through you because nobody else owns them: hiring, suppliers, the numbers, the customer that needs a senior call.

Sets owners and targets

Who is responsible for what, the number each person is measured on, and a weekly meeting that runs the company in an hour.

Runs the big moves with you

A new market, a key hire, a major deal, a reset after a new strategy. Done with you, not written up for you.

How it runs

Two to three days a week, inside your tools and your meetings.
A three-month minimum, so the work compounds.
A weekly operating rhythm within the first month: priorities, owners, numbers.
Real accountability for the outcome, not advice from the sidelines.
Terms agreed on the call, once we both know the scope.

Who it is for

Companies from about $1 million a year, with 10 to 100 people.
A founder who is still the operating system of the business.
A product company that needs its sales and marketing professionalised.
A leadership team launching something new, or a family business handing over.

Questions we get asked

What clients say

★★★★★

“Ben is a brilliant person to work alongside. Incisive, deeply experienced, very hard working, and just a joy to be around. He brings energy and dedication to most everything he does and I'd recommend bringing him on to a project every time.”

Shiv Malik

Founder, Pathaka.ai

★★★★★

“Every single suggestion Ben has made to plan my business and help me grow and manage my team has proven on point and very effective. He was able to see things clearly where I could not and give me mature, balanced advice that I could action and was well perceived with the team.”

Guillaume D

Founder, ASP

★★★★★

“Ben provided exceptional mentoring that was instrumental in helping me settle in my first tech director role.”

Stephanie Itimi

Director, Age UK

Tell us what you need.

Send a short enquiry with the size of the company and the three things that only you can do today, and we will come back to you to arrange a call.

Enquire about a fractional role