What is a fractional COO?
A fractional COO is an experienced operating executive who works inside your company on a part-time, ongoing basis, usually one to two days a week, instead of as a full-time hire. The role is the same as a full-time chief operating officer: own the operation, run the management rhythm, hold people accountable, and fix the systems that are costing money. The difference is the time commitment and the cost.
Companies between roughly $2 million and $20 million in revenue are the natural fit. They are too big for the owner to run every department personally and too small to justify a $200,000-plus executive salary with benefits and equity. A fractional COO fills that gap.
When an owner-led company needs one
Owners usually call us when several of these are true at once:
- You are still the first call for every problem, and the business slows down when you are out.
- Revenue has grown but profit has not kept up, and nobody can say exactly why.
- Projects start and stall. Good ideas from six months ago are still ideas.
- Managers are busy but not accountable to numbers they own.
- You have hired a consultant before and got a report instead of a result.
- You are two to five years from selling and the business is not yet something a buyer could run without you.
What we actually do
The work is hands-on. A typical engagement looks like this:
- Weekly operating rhythm. A standing leadership meeting with a scorecard, owners for every number, and a short list of priorities that gets reviewed every week until it is done.
- Two or three named improvement projects at a time. Job costing, scheduling, purchasing, a hiring plan, a pricing fix. We run them, your people do the work, and we report progress to you.
- Management of your managers. Clear roles, clear expectations, and the hard conversations when someone is not carrying their weight.
- A direct line to the owner. You have our cell. When something breaks, we are the call, not you.
- Monthly review with you. Financials, scorecard, what moved, what did not, what we change next month.
Fractional COO vs. full-time COO vs. consultant
| Fractional COO | Full-time COO | Consultant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time in the business | 1 to 2 days a week, ongoing | Full time | Project based |
| Owns results | Yes | Yes | Usually recommends only |
| Typical annual cost | $60,000 to $150,000 | $200,000 to $350,000 plus benefits and equity | Varies by project |
| Time to start | Days | 3 to 6 months to recruit | Weeks |
| Commitment | Month to month after an initial term | Permanent hire | Ends with the project |
What a fractional COO costs
Across the market, fractional COO engagements generally run from about $5,000 to $15,000 a month depending on days per week, company size, and the executive's background. Hourly arrangements exist but are less common, because the value is in owning outcomes over time rather than billing by the hour.
Our engagements are a flat monthly retainer with a six-month initial term, priced by days per week. Most owners start with the two-week Operations Review or a short diagnostic so both sides know what the work is before committing to a retainer. Call for a quote; we will tell you plainly whether we are the right fit and what it would cost.
Who does the work
Roger Johnson, the firm's founder, spent fourteen years in professional motorsports, including eight as a car chief in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, then fourteen years owning and running a manufacturing and distribution business in Statesville, North Carolina, which he returned to profitability within a year and sold in 2023. He holds a North Carolina general contractor license and has built homes and run service businesses. He has sat in the owner's chair, which is why owners find him easy to work with.
In person or remote
We are based in Mooresville, North Carolina. For companies in the Charlotte and Lake Norman region we work on site. For companies elsewhere we work by weekly video, shared scorecards, and a quarterly visit. Both work; the operating rhythm is the same.