You need an operator, not another full-time hire.
Fractional COO services for small and midsize companies. We run your operations part-time and build the systems, so you can stay focused on growth.
Two exits. One company taken public.
A fractional COO, or fractional chief operating officer, is a part-time COO. They own how the business runs (processes, systems, vendors, fulfillment, reporting) without the cost of a full-time executive. At Lockhold, that means we take over a defined set of operations problems and run them until they're fixed and handed back in working order.
50+
person team built
Joe has built a team of 50+, raised over $30M from investors, and run operations from the factory floor to the boardroom. A fractional COO from Lockhold brings that experience to your business, part-time.
Signs you need a fractional COO
- Every decision still comes back to you.
- There's no operating structure under you: no clear owners, no weekly leadership cadence, no numbers the team runs on.
- Fulfillment, inventory, or customer service breaks every time volume rises.
- Tools don't talk to each other, so people re-key data and things get missed.
- Projects start and stall because no one owns them past kickoff.
- You'd hire a COO, but the business isn't ready for that salary yet.
Fractional COO services: what we take on
- Operations and systems: processes documented, SOPs written, the work handed to your team. Systems & SOPs
- Fulfillment and inventory: 3PL setup or switch, shipping rules, stock planning. Ecommerce and Shopify stores especially. Shopify & 3PL operations
- Tools and automation: software set up properly, integrations, AI where it removes real work. AI automation
- Numbers you can trust: KPIs and a monthly dashboard (not tax planning).
- Company-level projects: sale prep, post-acquisition integration, a new location.
Think of it as fractional operations: senior operating help for the part of the week, or the part of the business, that needs it. See the full list of what we take on.
Fractional COO vs. virtual COO, operations consultant, or full-time COO
- Virtual or part-time COO: mostly different names for the same role. What matters is what they own and how “done” is defined, not the label.
- Operations consultant: usually diagnoses and recommends. Lockhold does that and implements. Operations consulting
- Fractional COO: owns operations part-time with real accountability for outcomes.
- Full-time COO: right once the business can carry the salary and needs daily leadership. Often a fractional COO period sets up that hire well. (We don't do the recruiting itself.)
Who it's for, and who it's not for
For
Owner-led businesses, often ecommerce, service, or multi-location, where the owner is still running operations and wants a capable operator to take a defined chunk of it.
Not for
Businesses looking for a recruiter, a tax strategist, or legal counsel; anyone who wants hours billed without a defined outcome; companies needing a full-time, on-site executive every day.
How engagements work
- Selective. We take a small number of clients at a time. If we can't give it real attention, we'll say so.
- Set scope. Before work starts, you get in writing what we'll own, what “done” looks like, and the timeline.
- Fixed price. Priced per engagement, not by the hour.
- Plain updates. Regular, short updates on what moved and what's blocked.
- No overpromising. We'll tell you what we think is realistic, including when the answer is “not this.”
Free 13-week cash flow template
See the cash crunch before it hits. A 13-week cash flow forecast for Excel and Google Sheets, with a how-to tab and a filled example.
- Thirteen weeks on one page: cash in, cash out, net and ending cash for each week.
- A built-in warning: set your minimum cash, and any week that drops below it turns red.
- A filled example so you can see how it reads before you start.
- Plus the one-page guide: Who owns what: org chart and RACI, ready to print or share.
Here's your 13-week cash flow template.
Plus the one-page guide: download the PDF.
Check your inbox and click Confirm. Then we’ll email you a copy, and you’ll get our monthly operator note.
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Who's behind it
Joe, founder. He started his first company at 24 with no investors, built it on cash flow, and sold it in a seven-figure deal. He has raised over $30M from investors, built a team of 50+, run contract manufacturing for other brands, and helped take a company from an idea to a public listing. Products he built reached 50,000+ U.S. stores and 26 countries.
Ro runs the client experience. No handoffs: the people you meet are the people who do the work. Meet the team.
“At the time I was buying out my partner… and stressed, but through it I got clarity. The last thing I would do is vent to my employees, so I was happy to have Joe to just unload the pressures and get feedback/questions for me to consider.”
Free guides and tools
How to find a fractional COO
Where to look, what to ask before you hire, the red flags, and how a good engagement is set up.
Read the guide Guide
Integrator vs fractional COO
The difference between the two roles, which one fits your stage, and why many owners start fractional and hire later.
Read the guide Guide
Fractional COO vs fractional CFO: who to hire first
What each one owns, how the roles compare, which to hire first, and when you need both.
Read the guideFree tools for this work: the 13-week cash flow tool and the capacity vs demand planner. They run in your browser, and what you enter stays on your device. See all the free tools
The Blueprint
Three full days at your business, working with you and the people who run each area. On the last day we lay out what’s broken, what it costs, and the order to fix it. You get a written plan within a week. From $7,500, travel included. Monthly support is quoted after, once we both know the work.
- 3 full days on site (U.S.)
- Travel included
- Written plan within a week
- From $7,500
Questions about a fractional COO
What is a fractional COO?
A fractional COO is a part-time chief operating officer who owns a business's operations on a set schedule or scope, instead of as a full-time employee. Our guide covers how to find a fractional COO and how to tell a good one.
What's the difference between a fractional COO and a virtual or part-time COO?
Mostly the name. All three describe a senior operator who runs a company's operations for part of the week instead of as a full-time employee. “Virtual” usually signals the work is done mostly remotely, and “fractional” usually signals a set share of time or a defined scope.
What's the difference between a COO and a CEO?
The CEO sets the direction; the COO makes sure the business runs that way every day. Our guide covers what a COO does in more detail.
Fractional COO vs. fractional CFO: which do I need?
A fractional COO runs how the business operates; a fractional CFO runs the money side, such as financial planning, capital, and reporting to owners or investors. If work stalls, breaks, or depends on you, start with operations. Lockhold works on the operations side and doesn't act as a CFO or do tax planning.
When should I hire a fractional COO?
When operations still depend on you and the business can't yet justify a full-time COO salary. Common signs: decisions queue up on your desk, things break when volume rises, and projects stall after kickoff.
When should I hire a full-time COO instead?
When the business can carry the salary and needs daily operating leadership on an ongoing basis. A fractional COO period often sets that hire up well, because the processes and reporting are already in place. We don't do the recruiting itself.
How much does a fractional COO cost?
It depends on scope. Lockhold prices each engagement at a fixed cost, agreed in writing before work starts, rather than an open hourly rate.
How long does a fractional COO engagement last?
As long as the scope needs. Each engagement has a defined finish line; some clients start a new scope after.
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