Stop running your business. Start leading it.
Fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO) services for growing businesses in Exeter, Devon & the South West
What’s your job title? Founder? Decision-maker? Problem Solver? Fire-fighter? How about Bottleneck?
​
You've worked hard to build a successful business. But there comes a point where growth starts creating problems that hard work alone cannot solve. What got you here, won't get you where you want to go.
​
A fractional COO (Chief Operating Officer) gives you experienced operational leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time, permanent member of the executive team. A fractional COO can help you build a business that can scale without relying on you to hold everything together.
When growth becomes a problem
If your business has reached the point where growth is creating complexity and headaches rather than freedom, now is the time to strengthen the way it operates.
If your business has reached the £1m-£10m stage, you'll probably recognise some of these challenges:
​
-
You're still making too many operational decisions because nobody else has the visibility, confidence or accountability to own them.
​
-
Workflows rely heavily on the tribal knowledge of a few key individuals rather than standardized, automated systems.
​
-
Everyone’s working hard, yet projects, customers and priorities still seem to collide.
​
-
Processes that worked brilliantly three years ago now create frustration, delays and unnecessary firefighting.
​
-
You know the business can grow further, but you're worried that scaling will simply multiply the chaos.
This isn't a leadership failure. It's what happens when a successful business outgrows the operating model that got it here. I can help take you to the next level.
Why use a fractional COO?
A Fractional COO brings experienced operational leadership into your business on a part-time basis, becoming part of your leadership team for a short period of time.
​
Instead of just delivering recommendations and walking away,
I work alongside you and your top team and am accountable as such. I help identify operational bottlenecks, prioritise improvements, implement better systems, reporting and KPIs and build the leadership and operational capability required for sustainable growth.
​
For businesses across Devon, Exeter and the wider South West, this Fractional COO service provides access to short term executive-level operational expertise (usually 6 to 18 months in length) without the commitment and cost of a permanent Chief Operating Officer.
You are an accomplished pioneer, visionary and leader, who has the (in my opinion, rare) ability to inspire and attract awesome and talented people to join you on your trailblazing teams.”
Amanda Harrison - Outdoor Leadership Coach
My approach to fractional work
My focus is always practical and personal.
​
How can we improve decision-making and accountability in your team? How can we create stronger leadership and simpler systems? How can we make business fun and rewarding again?
​
Sustainable performance depends on people as much as process. So I’ll also help improve your team culture too, leaving behind an organisation that can continue performing and growing long after I’ve gone.
​
The outcome isn't simply a more efficient business. It's a business that can continue to grow without every important decision requiring your input.
Arrange a no obligation
exploratory call
Whatever stage of your business or operations, I'd love to see if I can add value through working with you fractionally.
​
I have 20 years experience running complex safety-critical operations, am a 3x founder, have lost two businesses, worked both solo and with business partners and successfully exited a company I ran for 19 years.
​
Running a business is hard. Sometimes, an external perspective can make all the difference.
Areas where I can add value and expertise
Leadership
As your business grows, there is a need to move away from solving problems yourself, to a system that enables others to not only solve them, but solve them well. Developing clearer decision-making, stronger management accountability and a leadership team capable of driving the business forward without constant founder intervention is vital.
Systems
Growth exposes every weakness in your operational systems. Together we'll build processes, reporting and management frameworks that are scalable, measurable and repeatable, reducing risk while improving consistency and resilience across the business.
Culture
High-performing businesses don't happen by accident. They use systems, structure and a culture that create clarity, ownership and trust. By strengthening communication, accountability and leadership behaviours, your team becomes more engaged, more resilient and better equipped to deliver consistently.
Workflow
When everyone is busy but progress feels slow, the problem is rarely effort, it's flow. Together we'll streamline processes, remove unnecessary friction, improve cross-functional collaboration and ensure work moves efficiently from idea to delivery.
Agility
Markets change. Customers change. Your business needs to adapt without creating disruption. By encouraging innovation and building flexible operating rhythms and continuous improvement into the business, you'll be better prepared for growth, change and future opportunities.
"Adrian has a rare ability to translate complex ideas about sustainability, organisational culture, and social impact into compelling narratives."
Stephanie Darkes, Marketing Strategist