What is a fractional COO?

A fractional COO is a part-time Chief Operations Officer. Instead of hiring someone full-time for $150K+/year, you get experienced operational leadership on a fractional basis — a few hours a week or month, at a fraction of the cost.

How is a fractional COO different from a consultant?

An operations consultant typically gives advice and walks away. A fractional COO stays involved — we implement, we train your team, we make sure it actually works. I'm hands-on, not just strategic.

How much does a fractional COO cost?

The Clarity Transformation is $10,000 for 3 months (fixed fee). Ongoing fractional COO services through Clarity Operational Partnership start at $2,750/month for 10 hours. Much less than a full-time COO salary.

Do I need a fractional COO or just a consultant?

If you need someone to tell you what's wrong, a consultant might be fine. If you need someone to actually fix it, train your team, and stick around until it works — you need a fractional COO.

How long does it take to see results?

In The Clarity Transformation, you'll see quick wins in the first 4 weeks during assessment. Real transformation happens by week 8-12. With ongoing partnership, impact starts immediately.

Do you work remotely?

Yes. I'm a remote operations consultant based in O'Fallon, Illinois, but I work with clients across the United States via Zoom. Most of my work is virtual.

What if I'm not sure if I need this?

That's exactly what the Clarity Call is for. We'll talk through what's happening in your business and whether working together makes sense. No pressure, just clarity.

Hi, I’m Shirley. I’m a Fractional COO.

I help small businesses fix their operational chaos. No corporate jargon. No expensive “solutions” that don’t work. Just clear thinking, smart systems, and straight talk.

Work With Me!

Clarity for the Vision. Systems for the Mission.

How I Got Here

I didn’t start out wanting to be a fractional COO. I started out just trying to make things work.

Throughout my career, I kept landing in the same role: the person who fixes what’s broken. Manufacturing, service businesses, startups, didn’t matter the industry. I’d start at the bottom, see operational problems no one else could quite name, and solve them on my way up. It was never the plan. It’s just what I did.

About 15 years ago, my family was living in rural Missouri. One vehicle. My husband worked as an industrial electrician. I needed work but had no way to get anywhere. So I did something most people weren’t doing yet: I went remote. Found a customer service role at a SaaS company. This was before ‘work from home’ was normal, before Zoom, before remote teams were everywhere.

Within a year, I was their COO. Not because I had fancy credentials, but because I could see what was broken and knew how to fix it. I systematized their operations, built processes that actually worked, turned chaos into something that ran without me micromanaging every detail. And here’s what I realized: when operations are efficient, you don’t need 80-hour weeks. I built myself out of needing to be there full-time. So I took on another client, a digital marketing agency that needed operational help. That’s when it clicked: this is what I’m meant to do. Not fix one company. But help multiple businesses transform their operations.

The pattern I noticed:

Over and over, I saw the same problem: businesses with amazing products, great teams, solid revenue, but operations held together with duct tape and hope. Founders working 80-hour weeks not because the business required it, but because nothing was systematized.

And when they’d hire consultants? Those consultants would deliver a fancy presentation, charge $30K, and disappear. Nothing actually changed.

Why I’m different:

I knew there was a better way. Small businesses don’t need another consultant who tells them what’s wrong and leaves. They need someone who stays, who implements, who trains the team, who actually gives a damn.

That’s what Clarity Engine Ops does. That’s what being a fractional COO means to me, being part of the team, not just a hired gun who shows up and disappears.

What Makes Me Different

Most operations consultants and fractional COO’s sound the same. Here’s what makes me different:

1. I Speak Plain English

No “synergistic paradigms.” No “leveraging core competencies.” No corporate buzzword bingo.

If your systems are broken, I’ll say “your systems are broken.” If money’s leaking, I’ll say “money’s leaking.” Clear language. Clear thinking.

Why this matters: You shouldn’t need a translator to understand what’s wrong with your business. Plain English = clear solutions.

2. I Think Outside the Box

I don’t come from a traditional COO background. That’s actually my advantage.

I see solutions other people miss. I find inexpensive fixes where others push expensive software. I connect dots that traditional operators don’t see.

Why this matters: Cookie-cutter solutions don’t work for unique businesses. You need someone who thinks differently.

3. I Don’t Waste Your Money

I spot bloat. I see where you’re spending $500/month on tools you don’t use. I find the waste others miss.

I’m not trying to sell you the most expensive solution. I’m trying to find what actually works.

Why this matters: Small businesses operate on tight margins. Every dollar matters. I treat your money like it’s mine.

4. I Actually Care

This isn’t just a paycheck for me. I want your business to work. I want you to sleep better. I want your team to know what they’re doing.

When your operations are running smoothly, I feel it. When things click into place, that’s the win.

Why this matters: You can tell when someone’s just going through the motions versus when they genuinely care. I’m in the second camp.

That combination – plain talk, creative thinking, financial discipline, genuine care – is rare in the operations consultant or fractional COO world. It’s what makes Clarity Engine Ops different.

Learn More about The Clarity Transformation

How I Work

My approach to fractional COO work is straightforward:

ASSESS: See what’s actually happening

Not what you think is happening. Not what should be happening. What’s actually happening.

I look at:

Where money goes
How team operates
What systems exist (or don’t)
Where bottlenecks are
What’s truly broken vs just annoying

No assumptions. Just facts.

FIX: Build what needs to exist

Not generic templates. Not “best practices” that don’t fit your business. Custom systems built for how you actually work.

I build:

Processes that make sense
Documentation people will use
Team structure that’s clear
Financial tracking that works
Systems that scale with you

No fluff. Just what works.

TRAIN: Make you independent

You shouldn’t need me forever. The goal is to train your team, document everything, and hand you a business that runs without me.

I ensure:

Team knows the systems
Everything is documented
You understand the why
Processes are repeatable
You can maintain it yourself

No dependency. Just capability.

Assess. Fix. Train. Simple. Systematic. Effective.

That’s how a fractional COO should work.

WHO THIS IS FOR

I work with small businesses in their “toddler” and “teenage years”, not yet corporate-sized. You have real revenue, real team, real operations… and real operational problems.

THIS IS FOR YOU IF:

Revenue: Making $20K-$100K/month
Team: 1-20 people on your team
Stage: Before corporate
Problem: Operations are chaotic or need continuous improvement
Commitment: Ready to actually fix things (not just talk about it)
Openness: Willing to change how things work
Industry: SaaS, professional services, agencies, e-commerce, coaching businesses

THIS IS NOT FOR YOU IF:

Under $20K/month (build more foundation first)
Over $100K/month (you need full-time COO)
Just want someone to tell you what to do (not implement)
Not willing to invest in systems
MLM or influencer business model
Looking for magic overnight fixes

The best clients? You’ve built something real. Operations are the bottleneck. You’re ready to fix the foundation so you can actually grow.

If that’s you, let’s talk.

See If We’re a Good Fit

Where I’m Based

I’m based in Alton, Illinois, but I work with clients across the United States remotely.

Everything is done via Zoom. Weekly check-ins, strategy sessions, training, all remote. Most of my clients have never met me in person, and that works perfectly fine.

Why remote works:

Operations don’t require being in the same room
I can work with the best-fit clients, not just local ones
Flexibility for both of us
Documentation and systems work happen digitally anyway

If you’re in the U.S. and need a fractional COO, location doesn’t matter

What I Believe About Operations

After years of fixing broken operations, here’s what I know to be true:

Operations are about people, not just process.

Systems don’t run themselves. Your team runs them. If your team doesn’t understand why or how, the best systems in the world won’t help.

Simple beats complex every time.

The best operational solution is usually the simplest one. Complex systems break. Simple systems scale.

Documentation is love.

When you document how things work, you’re showing respect for your team’s time and your future self. Documentation isn’t bureaucracy—it’s clarity.

Systems should serve the business, not the other way around.

I’ve seen businesses trapped by their own “perfect” systems. Good operations adapt. Great operations evolve with you.

Honesty matters more than politeness.

If something’s broken, I’ll tell you it’s broken. Sugarcoating doesn’t help. Direct feedback, delivered with respect, gets results.

Most operational problems are simpler than you think.

Businesses overcomplicate operations. Usually the fix is more straightforward than you expect—if you’re willing to actually do it.

That’s the philosophy behind Clarity Engine Ops. Clear thinking. Simple systems. Honest feedback. Results.

Got Questions?

We’re happy to help. If you can’t find the info you’re looking for, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Book Your Clarity Call

Clarity Operational Partnership is ongoing fractional COO services. I serve as your part-time Chief Operations Officer with weekly check-ins, monthly strategy sessions, and evolving support as your business grows.

The Clarity Transformation is a 12-week fixed program to fix broken operations. Clarity Operational Partnership is ongoing support for businesses that need continued fractional COO guidance as they grow and evolve.

Pricing starts at $2,750/month for 10 hours (Foundation tier) up to $16,000/month for 80 hours (Executive tier). Most clients start with 20-40 hours/month ($5,000-$9,000/month).

Not necessarily. If your operations are working but need ongoing strategic guidance, you can start with Partnership. If operations are chaotic and broken, start with Transformation first.

Yes. 30-day notice required. Month-to-month agreement, no long-term contract lock-in. You’re never trapped.

We adjust tier levels as needed. Most clients start at one level and scale up or down based on business needs and growth stage. Flexible, month-to-month.

Ready for Your Business Operations Transformation?

Book a free 30-minute Clarity Call. We’ll talk about what’s not working, what needs to change, and whether I’m the right fractional COO for your business.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about your Business Operations Transformation.

Book Your Free Clarity Call