Fractional COO
Experienced operating leadership embedded in your business. The practice sells outcomes and operating capability — not hours, not reports, not recommendations that sit in a folder.
What this actually is
A Fractional COO is a part-time, embedded operating executive — not a consultant who delivers a deck and disappears. Engagements have clear scope, executive access, measurable priorities, and a defined management cadence.
With roughly three decades across biotechnology, healthcare operations, pharmaceutical distribution, and regulated manufacturing — and having personally built a company from concept to revenue — Brett understands the difference between what looks right on paper and what actually works inside a small, capital-constrained business operating in a regulated environment.
“Experienced executive capacity, operating discipline, faster execution, reduced founder dependency, and better decisions — without immediately adding a permanent COO.”
When companies typically reach out
These are the trigger events that usually start the conversation.
- →The founder or CEO has become the operational bottleneck
- →Revenue, headcount, or complexity has grown faster than internal systems
- →Leadership lacks reliable KPIs, forecasts, or operating cadence
- →Preparing for commercialization, a new facility, or geographic expansion
- →Investors or the board are asking for more professional operating discipline
- →The organization needs COO-level capability but cannot justify a full-time hire
- →The business is considering AI but doesn't know where it creates practical operational value
Engagement options
Three ways to engage — scoped to the situation.
Embedded senior operating leadership on a retained basis. Direct access to the CEO and leadership team. A defined management cadence, clear priorities, and monthly executive review.
What drives the fee
Fee reflects days of involvement per month, number of sites or functional teams, and whether the role carries direct implementation responsibility or operates in an advisory capacity. A lighter monthly advisory rhythm sits at the lower end; active cross-functional leadership with on-site involvement moves toward the higher end.
A structured assessment: leadership interviews, operating-system review, founder dependency analysis, KPI and reporting review, process and accountability assessment, top risks, and a 90-day prioritized action plan.
What drives the fee
Fee reflects organization size, number of leadership interviews, and site complexity. A focused single-site business is typically at the lower end; multi-site or operationally complex environments at the higher end.
For technical companies approaching manufacturing, launch, facility development, financing, or commercial expansion. Commercialization roadmap, manufacturing strategy, regulatory readiness, financial model, and investor business case.
What drives the fee
Fee reflects scope, duration, and implementation involvement. A focused roadmap or investor business case sits at the lower end; full-scale manufacturing strategy, regulatory readiness coordination, and active implementation support across multiple workstreams moves toward the higher end.
Pricing is an initial framework. All engagements are scoped individually.
What the work covers
Scope is shaped around the specific business — these are the building blocks.
Strategic Execution & Operating Plans
Annual and quarterly operating plans with clear priorities, owners, and review cadence — not strategy documents that sit on a shelf.
Organizational Design & Accountability
Define who owns what, how decisions get made, and how accountability works. Build management structure before it becomes urgent.
KPI Dashboards & Management Reporting
Build the reporting layer so the right information reaches the right people — without manual compilation or founder interpretation.
Budgeting, Forecasting & Capital Planning
Financial operating discipline: budgets that inform decisions, forecasts that surface problems early, and capital plans that support growth.
Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Vendor Oversight
Operational rigor for companies that make things — in regulated environments where quality, compliance, and delivery actually matter.
Founder Dependency Reduction
A structured program to map every activity that flows through the founder and build the systems, team capability, and delegation structures to change that.
Who reaches out
Four types of buyers — the conversation is different for each.
Founder / Technical CEO
You created the company and are still deeply involved in daily execution. You cannot keep doing everything, but you do not want a large bureaucracy or an expensive full-time COO.
Investor / Board Member
The technology or product is promising, but the company needs stronger operational discipline and management depth. Execution risk is the concern.
CEO Preparing to Scale
You are leading a 25–150 person organization facing expansion, a new facility, commercialization, or increasing regulatory complexity.
AI Transformation Client
You believe AI matters but have fragmented processes, undocumented knowledge, and no practical implementation roadmap.
Industries
Geographic focus: Alberta, British Columbia, and remote engagements throughout Canada.
How an engagement runs
Let's talk about your operations
No pitch. A direct conversation about where things stand and whether working together makes sense.
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