Fractional COO and Systems Advisor

I help founders and small business owners reduce chaos and increase follow-through by installing a clear operating rhythm: role clarity, SOPs, accountability loops, and a small set of metrics that turns daily work into predictable execution.

My background is founder-operator experience building and running an all-in-one SaaS operating dashboard for small businesses, plus hands-on Fractional COO engagements where the work includes diagnosis, system design, implementation planning, team enablement, and ongoing KPI review.

Who this is for

  • Owner-led businesses where everything runs through the founder and priorities keep changing.
  • Ecommerce and service businesses that need measurable growth systems without breaking fulfillment and customer experience.
  • Small teams that need SOPs, onboarding, and accountability so work stops slipping.
  • SaaS and tech-adjacent teams that need operational clarity, pipeline discipline, and reliable reporting.

Outcomes you can expect

  • Less firefighting. A weekly cadence for priorities and follow-through so the business feels manageable.
  • Documented execution. SOPs, checklists, and training routines that reduce repeated explanations and owner interruptions.
  • Stronger delegation. Clear ownership, due dates, and visibility so the team can execute without constant reminders.
  • Operational visibility. A practical dashboard mindset so decisions are based on reality, not guesswork.
  • Measured growth systems. Instrumented acquisition, conversion, and retention workflows with a review rhythm to iterate.

What I do

1) Operational diagnostic and constraint focus

We map how work actually flows, identify the primary constraint causing downstream chaos, and choose the few changes that create the biggest leverage. This is the same pattern used across repeated small-business implementations: simplify, instrument, then enforce an operating rhythm.

2) SOPs, role clarity, and accountability loops

I help convert tribal knowledge into documented processes, then make those SOPs the default training tool. The goal is not documentation for its own sake; it is fewer interruptions, fewer dropped handoffs, and reliable execution.

3) Sales pipeline and follow-up systems

Define pipeline stages, required fields, follow-up cadences, and reporting so leads do not slip. Then install a weekly review rhythm that keeps the system alive.

4) Growth operations with measurement discipline

When growth is part of the mandate, the work centers on building a measurable operating system across acquisition (SEO/PPC), conversion (offers, cart, on-site flow), and retention (email cadence, follow-up sequences), with reporting that supports monthly decisions. This is documented across multiple ecommerce engagements where improvements were built as repeatable systems rather than one-off tactics.

5) Execution enablement

I train staff, clarify responsibilities, and reinforce cadence so the systems keep running between check-ins. The aim is durable capability, not dependency.

What this looks like in the real world

The proof points below are pulled from documented case-study records and reflect the kind of measurable change that happens when the operating system is installed and maintained.

  • Ecommerce growth from early baseline to scaled operations: a wellness ecommerce business documented monthly sales rising from about $500 to $54,564 within the tracked period, alongside increased throughput and operational scale-up (including hiring and SOPs).
  • Rapid acceleration after installing a measurable marketing cadence: a specialty ecommerce retailer documented monthly sales increasing from about $1,000 to about $14,000 within six months after implementing lead capture, tracking, follow-up, and a monthly KPI review cadence.
  • Breaking a long plateau with a measurable growth system: an ecommerce brand documented a baseline plateau around $7,000 per month and later reported monthly milestones exceeding $100,000, including a $122,000 peak month, supported by an operating system spanning website modernization, email cadence, SEO/PPC measurement, and reporting rhythm.
  • Operational stabilization and cash-flow discipline in a high-ticket service shop: a specialty restoration shop engagement documented time accountability, job-costing discipline, and a formal billing cadence, plus financial packaging support during sale preparation.
  • Founder-operator experience building an operating dashboard for SMBs: built and operated an integrated platform combining CRM, email marketing, tasks, timecards, ecommerce/invoicing functions, and reporting, delivered with hands-on implementation and coaching. Public coverage in the source record includes retention and adoption metrics during a growth phase.
  • Long-term fractional COO coaching that reduced emotional load: a multi-year coaching engagement documented the shift from constant interruptions to SOP-driven training and follow-through routines, with reported improvements in owner stress and delegation.
  • Early-stage COO work: operating model plus investor readiness: built an operating plan, financial model, and investor preparation package to make an early-stage venture operationally credible and fundable.

Engagement options

Option A: Ops Diagnostic (fast clarity)

  • Map workflows, identify the primary constraint, and define the operating rhythm.
  • Pick a small set of KPIs that reflect business health (not vanity dashboards).
  • Produce a prioritized plan: SOPs, ownership, cadence, and the first implementation sprints.

Option B: Fractional COO Retainer (install and sustain the system)

  • Weekly or bi-weekly operating cadence: priorities, follow-through, KPI review.
  • SOP library buildout and reinforcement through training routines.
  • Delegation systems: clear ownership, deadlines, and visibility.
  • Measurement discipline for pipeline, fulfillment, and customer lifecycle.

Option C: Project Rescue (unstick what is stalled)

  • Turn unclear requirements into shippable scope and a practical sequence.
  • Restore execution rhythm: milestones, accountability, and decision gates.
  • Deliver a stable, usable outcome and document the runbook.

How I work

  1. Diagnose. Clarify the constraint and the few metrics that matter.
  2. Design. Define the operating rhythm: cadence, SOPs, owners, and review loops.
  3. Implement. Install the workflows and train the team to run them.
  4. Reinforce. Use regular KPI review to keep the system alive and improving.

FAQ

Is this consulting, coaching, or operations?

Functionally, it is Fractional COO work: reduce chaos, install cadence, create SOPs, improve follow-through, and build operational visibility. Some engagements include growth operations, but the throughline is systems and execution.

Do you only work with ecommerce?

No. The operating system concepts apply across ecommerce, service businesses, and tech teams: workflow clarity, accountability, measurement, and consistent execution.

Do you build software?

I can, and I have extensive founder-operator experience building and running a SaaS platform and designing operational dashboards. The goal in a Fractional COO engagement is not code for its own sake; it is installing systems that the business can actually run.

What makes this different from generic ops advice?

The work is anchored in real operating systems that have been implemented repeatedly: cadence, SOPs, visibility, and reinforcement. The emphasis is on what the team will do weekly, not what they will “plan to do someday.”

About Dave Kramer

I am an American entrepreneur and lifelong programmer with long-running founder-operator experience, including building and operating AllProWebTools, an all-in-one platform designed to centralize operations for small businesses. Across Fractional COO engagements, my focus is consistent: reduce chaos and increase follow-through by installing an operating rhythm that teams can sustain.

Founder education and advisory experience includes structured accelerator programming focused on strategy, customer acquisition discipline, capital readiness, and decision-ready executive communication.

Additional career details and engagement summaries are documented in the career dossier source record.

Fit screen

This works best when…

  • You have a single decision maker who can approve priorities quickly and protect the operating cadence.
  • You want fewer tools and fewer meetings, with clearer ownership, repeatable processes, and measurable follow-through.
  • You are willing to name a primary constraint, focus on it for 30 to 90 days, and say no to distractions.
  • You want documentation that sticks: SOPs, checklists, scorecards, and a simple weekly rhythm that survives busy weeks.
  • You value calm, direct communication and pragmatic execution over hype, theatrics, or constant re-planning.

This will fail when…

  • Decisions are slow, politically blocked, or repeatedly reversed after agreement.
  • No one truly owns outcomes, or authority is spread across multiple people without a clear tie-breaker.
  • The team is unwilling to enforce cadence: weekly priorities, KPI review, accountability check-ins, and issue resolution.
  • Leadership wants “results” but will not change behaviors, retire broken processes, or stop reintroducing exceptions.
  • The engagement is treated as coaching only, with no expectation of implementation, documentation, or adoption.

Decision ownership and escalation model

Who owns decisions

  • CEO or Owner: Holds final decision authority for priorities, budget, hiring, compensation, strategic changes, and any decision that changes risk profile or cash flow.
  • Functional leads: Own day-to-day decisions inside their lane once roles, goals, and standards are defined (for example: operations, fulfillment, customer service, marketing, sales). They are accountable for running the process and hitting the agreed metrics.
  • Dave as Fractional COO: Designs the operating rhythm, defines role clarity, installs scorecards and SOPs, facilitates decision-making, documents decisions, and drives follow-through. I do not replace the CEO or become the permanent decision maker for the business.

Escalation path when execution stalls

  1. Clarify the expectation: confirm the owner, the definition of done, the deadline, and the KPI or observable outcome.
  2. Remove blockers: identify the constraint (tools, training, unclear handoff, missing SOP, capacity) and assign the smallest fix that restores momentum.
  3. Escalate through the cadence: move the item onto the issues list for the next operating review so it is resolved in a structured decision window, not in ad hoc messaging.
  4. Leadership decision: if the stall is caused by competing priorities, unclear authority, or resource tradeoffs, the CEO or Owner makes the call and it is logged as a decision with owners and due dates.
  5. Rebuild the system: when stalls repeat, the process is redesigned with clearer roles, documented standards, and an accountability loop so the team can run it consistently.

What I will and won’t directly manage

  • I will directly manage: the operating system itself (cadence, agendas, scorecard rhythm, issue tracking, decision logs, SOP pipeline), plus cross-functional execution that requires coordination and follow-through.
  • I will co-manage with your leaders: operational improvements that require functional ownership (for example: fulfillment flow, customer service standards, sales follow-up discipline, reporting definitions). Your leads run the function; I ensure it is measurable, documented, and sustained.
  • I won’t directly manage: day-to-day staff supervision as a permanent manager of record, nor will I act as the CEO, HR department, or long-term project manager for every task. I also won’t take over execution that should belong to a functional owner once the system is installed.