How we engage

Three engagement shapes, each for a different problem.

Most enquiries fit one of three engagement types. We confirm the right shape on the discovery call. The commercials, time commitment and exit criteria differ for each.

Fractional COO retainer

What it is: ongoing embedded operational leadership, 4 to 12 days per month, owning operational outcomes inside the leadership team.

Best fit: founder-led £1m to £20m product business with no senior ops capacity, needing leadership not just advice.

Commercials: fixed monthly retainer. Initial 6 months, rolling 30-day notice thereafter.

Typical length: 12 to 24 months, ending when permanent capacity is hired or promoted.

Explore Fractional COO

Operations transformation project

What it is: fixed-scope operational change programme. ERP/WMS implementation, warehouse move, restructure, M&A integration, fulfilment redesign.

Best fit: business with leadership in place but one specific change to deliver. Defined start, defined end, defined outcome.

Commercials: fixed price against fixed scope, agreed after a paid 1 to 2 week discovery phase.

Typical length: 8 to 26 weeks depending on project type.

Explore Transformation

Operational diagnostic

What it is: a two-week audit across the six operational areas, ending with a written prioritised plan and quantified opportunities. Standalone or as the entry point to a larger engagement.

Best fit: business not yet sure whether it needs a Fractional COO, or wanting external eyes before committing to a longer engagement.

Commercials: fixed fee, agreed in advance.

Typical length: 2 weeks elapsed, 4 to 6 days of work, deliverable at end.

Discuss a diagnostic

Which one fits?

The discovery call resolves this in 30 minutes. A few rules of thumb:

You know you need ongoing senior ops leadership but can't justify a full-time COO: Fractional COO retainer.
You have an Operations Director already but a specific project beyond their bandwidth: Operations Transformation project.
You suspect there are operational issues but don't know which are biggest: Operational Diagnostic.
You're not yet at £1m of revenue: usually too early for any of these. A coach or advisor is a better fit.

Book a 30-minute call