Fractional COO and Systems Advisor
I help founders and small business owners reduce chaos and increase follow-through by installing a clear operating rhythm: role clarity, SOPs, accountability loops, and a small set of metrics that turns daily work into predictable execution.
My background is founder-operator experience building and running an all-in-one SaaS operating dashboard for small businesses, plus hands-on Fractional COO engagements where the work includes diagnosis, system design, implementation planning, team enablement, and ongoing KPI review.
Who this is for
- Owner-led businesses where everything runs through the founder and priorities keep changing.
- Ecommerce and service businesses that need measurable growth systems without breaking fulfillment and customer experience.
- Small teams that need SOPs, onboarding, and accountability so work stops slipping.
- SaaS and tech-adjacent teams that need operational clarity, pipeline discipline, and reliable reporting.
Outcomes you can expect
- Less firefighting. A weekly cadence for priorities and follow-through so the business feels manageable.
- Documented execution. SOPs, checklists, and training routines that reduce repeated explanations and owner interruptions.
- Stronger delegation. Clear ownership, due dates, and visibility so the team can execute without constant reminders.
- Operational visibility. A practical dashboard mindset so decisions are based on reality, not guesswork.
- Measured growth systems. Instrumented acquisition, conversion, and retention workflows with a review rhythm to iterate.
What I do
1) Operational diagnostic and constraint focus
We map how work actually flows, identify the primary constraint causing downstream chaos, and choose the few changes that create the biggest leverage. This is the same pattern used across repeated small-business implementations: simplify, instrument, then enforce an operating rhythm.
2) SOPs, role clarity, and accountability loops
I help convert tribal knowledge into documented processes, then make those SOPs the default training tool. The goal is not documentation for its own sake; it is fewer interruptions, fewer dropped handoffs, and reliable execution.
3) Sales pipeline and follow-up systems
Define pipeline stages, required fields, follow-up cadences, and reporting so leads do not slip. Then install a weekly review rhythm that keeps the system alive.
4) Growth operations with measurement discipline
When growth is part of the mandate, the work centers on building a measurable operating system across acquisition (SEO/PPC), conversion (offers, cart, on-site flow), and retention (email cadence, follow-up sequences), with reporting that supports monthly decisions. This is documented across multiple ecommerce engagements where improvements were built as repeatable systems rather than one-off tactics.
5) Execution enablement
I train staff, clarify responsibilities, and reinforce cadence so the systems keep running between check-ins. The aim is durable capability, not dependency.
Proven impact
Hard outcomes across revenue, operational scale, and transaction readiness.
Fit screen
This works best when…
- You have a single decision maker who can approve priorities quickly and protect the operating cadence.
- You want fewer tools and fewer meetings, with clearer ownership, repeatable processes, and measurable follow-through.
- You are willing to name a primary constraint, focus on it for 30 to 90 days, and say no to distractions.
- You want documentation that sticks: SOPs, checklists, scorecards, and a simple weekly rhythm that survives busy weeks.
- You value calm, direct communication and pragmatic execution over hype, theatrics, or constant re-planning.
This will fail when…
- Decisions are slow, politically blocked, or repeatedly reversed after agreement.
- No one truly owns outcomes, or authority is spread across multiple people without a clear tie-breaker.
- The team is unwilling to enforce cadence: weekly priorities, KPI review, accountability check-ins, and issue resolution.
- Leadership wants “results” but will not change behaviors, retire broken processes, or stop reintroducing exceptions.
- The engagement is treated as coaching only, with no expectation of implementation, documentation, or adoption.
Decision ownership and escalation model
Who owns decisions
- CEO or Owner: Holds final decision authority for priorities, budget, hiring, compensation, strategic changes, and any decision that changes risk profile or cash flow.
- Functional leads: Own day-to-day decisions inside their lane once roles, goals, and standards are defined (for example: operations, fulfillment, customer service, marketing, sales). They are accountable for running the process and hitting the agreed metrics.
- Dave as Fractional COO: Designs the operating rhythm, defines role clarity, installs scorecards and SOPs, facilitates decision-making, documents decisions, and drives follow-through. I do not replace the CEO or become the permanent decision maker for the business.
Escalation path when execution stalls
- Clarify the expectation: confirm the owner, the definition of done, the deadline, and the KPI or observable outcome.
- Remove blockers: identify the constraint (tools, training, unclear handoff, missing SOP, capacity) and assign the fix that restores momentum.
- Escalate through the process: move the item onto the issues list for the next operating review so it is resolved in a structured decision window, not in ad hoc messaging.
- Leadership decision: if the stall is caused by competing priorities, unclear authority, or resource tradeoffs, the CEO or Owner makes the call and it is logged as a decision with owners and due dates.
- Rebuild the system: when stalls repeat, the process is redesigned with clearer roles, documented standards, and an accountability loop so the team can run it consistently.
What I will and won’t directly manage
- I will directly manage: the operating system itself (cadence, agendas, scorecard rhythm, issue tracking, decision logs, SOP pipeline), plus cross-functional execution that requires coordination and follow-through.
- I will co-manage with your leaders: operational improvements that require functional ownership (for example: fulfillment flow, customer service standards, sales follow-up discipline, reporting definitions). Your leads run the function; I ensure it is measurable, documented, and sustained.
- I won’t directly manage: day-to-day staff supervision as a permanent manager of record, nor will I act as the CEO, HR department, or long-term project manager for every task. I also won’t take over execution that should belong to a functional owner once the system is installed.
Commercial terms
- Minimum rate: $200/hour, or fixed-fee equivalent for clearly scoped packages.
- Capacity: up to 80 hours per month.
- Work mode: remote, async-first; meetings only where they create leverage.
Final pricing depends on scope, urgency, and meeting cadence. If you want fixed-fee packaging, the scope must be concrete and bounded.