Frequently asked questions
If you are considering working together and have questions, you are in the right place. If you do not see what you are looking for, book a Clarity Conversation and we can talk it through.
What is a Strategic Operations Partner ?
A Strategic Operations Partner provides both strategic judgment and operational leadership in a single partnership. The role combines executive-level thinking with practical execution support, working alongside founders and CEOs to translate vision into structured execution, sequence decisions in the right order, and build the operational foundation the business needs to grow sustainably. It is not consulting and it is not coaching. It is an active working partnership calibrated to the needs of the business.
What is the difference between the Fractional COO and Advisory engagements?
Both are Strategic Operations Partnerships. The difference is intensity. The Fractional COO engagement is more embedded, with active involvement in operational leadership and execution alongside your team. The Advisory engagement focuses on strategic thought partnership directly with you as the CEO. Neither is project management or administrative support. Both are executive-level partnerships that adjust as the business evolves.
How do I know which level of support is right for my business?
The starting point is always a Clarity Conversation. From there I can assess what the business needs and recommend the right level of engagement. Generally, if the business is navigating significant operational complexity, a growth transition, or an acquisition, the Fractional COO engagement is the right fit. If you have a capable team and need strategic partnership without embedded execution, Advisory is likely the better starting point.
What does it cost to work with a Strategic Operations Partner ?
Engagements typically start in the mid four figures per month depending on scope and intensity. For context, a full-time COO costs $200,000 or more per year before benefits, bonuses, and equity. You are investing in decision authority, operational clarity, and disciplined execution, not hours.
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If growth is creating more complexity than your current structure can absorb, you are ready. The businesses I work with are not in crisis. They are at an inflection point where the decisions are becoming more consequential and the cost of getting them wrong is increasing. That is the right moment to bring in senior-level support, before the complexity compounds.
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Most founders notice greater clarity and reduced decision fatigue within the first 30 to 60 days. Structural improvements including better team alignment, clearer priorities, and stronger execution rhythm typically take hold over 3 to 6 months depending on the stage and complexity of the business.
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A consultant provides recommendations and leaves execution to you. A Strategic Operations Partner works alongside you to make sure those decisions actually get implemented, sequenced properly, and produce results. The difference is not just what I deliver. It is how I am involved.
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Yes, and this is one of the situations where a Strategic Operations Partner adds the most value. Acquisitions come with a clear vision and significant complexity underneath it. I help founders translate that vision into an operational structure the business can actually execute on, identify what needs to change first, and make decisions with the right information at the right time.
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Selectively. If there is capital behind the business and a clear mandate to build, I will consider it. The founders I work best with at this stage are experienced, financially grounded, and looking for a partner who can help them build with discipline from the start rather than figure it out as they go.
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The minimum engagement is 6 months. Most partnerships run 6 to 18 months. The work evolves as the business does, and many founders find the value of the partnership increases over time as I develop a deeper understanding of the business and its leadership.
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Yes. I am based in Toronto and work primarily with founders and CEOs across Canada and the United States. Select international engagements are considered on a case-by-case basis.
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No. My role is to support your decision-making, not replace it. You remain the CEO and the primary decision-maker. What changes is that you have a senior partner helping you think it through, sequence it properly, and execute with more confidence and less noise.
Still have questions?
Book a Clarity Conversation and we can talk through whether this is the right fit.