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Malloy Industries
Fractional Operations Executive

Hire a Fractional COO and Get Out of the Daily Fires

Your day goes to escalations, handoffs, and the things that only work because you're watching them. A fractional operations executive takes the function over, documents how it should run, then trains your team to run it without you.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →

15 minutes. Free. You'll leave knowing your next step either way.

In seat in about 2 weeks●4.5k one-time success fee●Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee™

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15 minutes. Free. You'll leave knowing your next step either way.

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150+
Companies Transformed
95%
Success Rate
750+
Vetted Experts

Trusted clients who love our fractional executives

Aged Diagnostics Coursera Georgetown University Mindshare RightHear Tarsus
What you're actually hiring

Different Operations Problems Need Different Hires

Undocumented process, departments working past each other, and no operating model are three separate problems, and they call for three different people. Most CEOs ask for a COO when the first real gap is a manager, or ask for a manager when the operating model itself is the thing that's broken. Here's the difference.

Nothing is written down

Operations Manager

Hands on the daily workflow, so the work stops depending on who happens to remember it.

  • ✓ Core processes documented and actually followed
  • ✓ Manual steps automated where they earn it
  • ✓ Real-time visibility into your key operating numbers
  • ✓ Errors and rework caught before a customer sees them

You need this when the work gets done, but only by the people who have always done it.

Departments work past each other

Director of Operations

Leadership across the seams, so work stops getting dropped in the gaps between teams.

  • ✓ Handoffs between departments defined and owned
  • ✓ KPIs that mean the same thing in every function
  • ✓ Growth initiatives executed across teams, not just assigned
  • ✓ Complex workflows managed without full executive cost

You need this when each department is doing its job and the result still arrives late.

You are the operating model

Fractional COO

Ownership of how the company runs, so the operational decisions stop queueing behind you.

  • ✓ An operating model that holds at your next size, not this one
  • ✓ Capacity, cost, and throughput decisions made with data
  • ✓ Department leaders held to a standard you didn't have to set
  • ✓ The work trained down to your team as it becomes repeatable

You need this when growth keeps making the business harder to run rather than easier.

Not sure which one you're looking at? That's the first thing we sort out on the discovery call, and plenty of CEOs find they need less than they thought. Fifteen minutes, no cost, and you'll know either way.

What changes

From Firefighting to a Business That Runs Without You

Nobody hires operations help because they want more process. They hire it because the company has outgrown the way it was built, and every workaround that got you here now needs someone watching it.

Fractional COO Director of Operations Operations Manager

What the first 90 days actually produce

Your fractional operations executive starts with the constraint that is actually costing you, not with a full process audit. They document how the core work runs today, fix the handoffs that keep dropping it, and put numbers on the parts nobody could see. They work inside the tools you already use.

Then they train your team and shift the day-to-day down to them, so the engagement gets cheaper as the system gets more repeatable. By the end of the first quarter the operational decisions that used to route through you get made without you.

What most CEOs ask for: Someone to tidy up the processes.
What they end up with: An operating model that survives the next stage of growth.

In the first 90 days

  • ✓ Your biggest operational constraint named and a plan against it
  • ✓ Core processes documented well enough for someone new to follow
  • ✓ Handoffs between departments defined, with an owner on each
  • ✓ A KPI view that shows throughput and cost, not just activity
  • ✓ Your team trained on the system, so the work shifts down to them
Every engagement is backed by the Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee™, so the risk of getting the person wrong sits with us, not with you.
Mike Malloy, CEO of Malloy Industries
Mike MalloyCEO, Malloy Industries
The math

COO-Level Operations Leadership Without the COO Salary

A full-time COO costs $200K to $400K+ once you add salary, bonus, benefits, and a 4 to 6 month search. A fractional operations executive gives you the same seniority for the hours you actually need.

The full-time hire
$200K–$400K+
per year, loaded
  • ✕ 4 to 6 month executive search before day one of value.
  • ✕ Equity dilution and full payroll burden for one function.
  • ✕ A mis-hire costs 6 to 12 months of momentum.
The smarter bet
The fractional operations executive
4k-15k
per month, scaled to your scope
  • ✓ In seat in about two weeks.
  • ✓ No equity. No payroll. No long-term lock-in.
  • ✓ Scale up for the build, scale back down once your team owns it.
  • ✓ One 4.5k success fee when we place your match.

Want numbers for your exact situation? Run them on our fractional executive cost calculator.

Mike Malloy, right, in the Hawaiian shirt, sealing a match with a client and their new fractional executive
Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee™

Wrong hires burn cash and kill momentum.

If the first match isn't right, the second one is on us.

If your fractional operations executive isn't hitting the agreed-upon outcomes, we deploy a better fit at no additional cost, for as long as you're an active client. In more than 150 engagements, it's been used twice.

Zero additional fees No expiration date Forever
What CEOs Are Saying

Real Results. Real CEOs.

★★★★★

"It became clear in the first 2 weeks of the onboarding process that Malloy Industries was actually dedicated to understanding the root causes of our problems. I was impressed with the thoroughness, diligence, and well documented process. They were clear in how it works and helped me feel confident that they know what they're doing."

Alex EstepAlex EstepCo-Founder & COO, Little Arms Studios
★★★★★

"Honestly, I was concerned about the upfront cost and risk associated with making the 7.5k investment...Working with Malloy definitely made finding a good fit to lead our sales team a lot easier. Unlike competitor firms or individual fractionals, who might rush to figure out the quickest thing they can start working on to make money ASAP without understanding all the variables, the Malloy Industries team invested a lot of time to deep dive into the business."

Kyle BishopKyle BishopCo-Founder & CEO, Little Arms Studios
Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee™ ·
Ready to move fast?

You've Waited Long Enough.

One call. That's all it takes to find out if we're the right fit.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →

15 minutes. Free. You'll leave with a clear next step either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got Questions? We've Got Answers.

The most common questions growth-stage CEOs and Founders ask before working with Malloy Industries.

I'm the bottleneck. Everything runs through me. How does a fractional get things off my plate?

A fractional executive owns a function end to end, turning what lives in your head into systems your team can run, so you stop being the single point of failure.

  • They take what lives in your head and turn it into systems your team can run.
  • They train the team to own it.
  • They report back so you keep visibility without doing the work yourself.

The goal is to remove you as the single point of failure in the part of the business that is eating your time, so you get back to the work only you can do.

I've been burned before. Why should I trust you?

We have 150+ clients who trust us with their businesses, and we're happy to connect you directly with CEOs we've helped. Just book a discovery call and ask.

If you've hired a consultant who delivered a beautiful deck and disappeared, or a "fractional CMO" who talked a big game and produced nothing, your guard should be up.

  • My name is on the door: I'm Mike Malloy, the CEO. The buck stops with me. If something isn't working, you talk directly to me, and I make it right.
  • We prove our value first: Throughout our process, especially Express Match™, we introduce you to candidates and provide strategic recommendations before you invest a dollar.
  • Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee™: For as long as you're an active client, if your fractional executive isn't the right fit, we find a better one at no additional fee.
  • We never disappear: Weekly TPS Reports™, monthly check-ins, and quarterly Strategic Business Reviews with me.
Our sales are unpredictable and we have no repeatable process. Can a fractional build that?

Yes, a fractional sales executive builds the pipeline, the process, the playbook, the cadence, and the coaching, so your team can close without you in every deal.

A fractional sales executive can help you if you have:

  • No defined pipeline: Deals live in inboxes and memory, not stages.
  • No consistent process: Every deal is run differently.
  • Haphazard outreach: Materials and messaging that are haphazard.
  • CEO-dependent deals: Opportunities hover for months by CEO bottleneck.
I'm not even sure what role I need to fill first. Can you help me figure that out?

Yes, the free Scalability Audit pinpoints where the gaps are, how severe they are, and what to fix first.

You will know:

  • The role you need to fill first.
  • The scope of work that role will own.
  • The working-style fits your team needs.
  • Your Prioritized Action Plan for the next 12 months.
When does hiring a fractional executive make more sense than hiring full-time?

A fractional executive makes more sense when you need the expertise now, but not 40 hours a week and not as a $300k+ bet on one person.

  • Immediate coverage: A key team member quit and you need someone now.
  • Stuck in the weeds: You're wearing too many hats.
  • Raising capital: You need to look investor-ready fast.
  • Underperforming department: A function needs an expert turnaround.
  • Budget reality: You can't afford a full-time executive but need the expertise.

Most growth-stage companies aren't ready for a full C-suite. Paying $300k+ to one person is a huge bet you're not ready for yet.

Fractional is the bridge that gets you enterprise-level leadership without enterprise-level risk.

How much do fractional executives cost per month, and how does that compare to a full-time hire?

Most fractional executives run between 4k and 15k per month, depending on seniority, scope, and how much of their time you need. That is the blended monthly investment, and it is the number you plan around.

  • Full-time executive: 150k to 300k in salary, plus 25k to 60k in overhead, plus 30k to 90k in recruiter fees. 205k to 450k total, with no guarantee and 17 weeks to hire on average.
  • Fractional engagement: Your monthly investment plus a flat 4.5k one-time success fee, backed by our Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee. Live in as fast as two weeks, and you can increase, decrease, or cancel anytime.
We're only a $2M company. Are we too small for this?

No, at your stage you probably already have a CEO bottleneck, and the problem is far cheaper to fix now than after it compounds.

the sweet spot is usually above 3 million, but the decision sums up to:

  • Your margins: Whether the investment pencils out for your business.
  • The time you need: How much of an executive's week your constraint requires.
Will my team respect and follow someone who's only here part-time?

Yes, we design the onboarding and introduction process to set your fractional executive up for credibility from day one.

In our experience, teams respect competence, clarity, and follow-through, and they will be relieved. They've been waiting for someone to bring structure, accountability, and expertise to a function that's been held together with duct tape.

What happens if the fractional executive isn't the right fit?

We activate the Lifetime Second Match Free Guarantee™. Our Client Service team and CEO step in first to understand what's not working, because sometimes the issue is fixable through coaching or a scope adjustment.

If a replacement is the right call:

  • New match: We replace your fractional executive from our network of 750+ at no additional matchmaking cost.
  • Interim coverage: Provided if needed.
  • Timeline: A replacement is typically ready within 1–4 weeks.
What does the process look like from the first call to having someone start?

The process is three steps, everything up to the match is free, and a fractional executive can be working in your business in as fast as two weeks.

  • Day 1: Scalability Audit. 30 minutes. Free. Tell us what's slowing your growth, with no prep and no pressure. We pinpoint the biggest constraint holding your growth back and show you how fractional leadership can fix it. You decide whether you want to see a draft Statement of Work.
  • Day 3 to 7: SOW Alignment Meeting. 30 minutes. Free. We review your draft Statement of Work live on screen, adding, cutting, and adjusting in real time to fit your needs. You walk away with a clear scope, timeline, and investment range, and you keep the SOW to review with your team before anything is signed.
  • Day 7 to 14: Interview 2 Vetted Fractional Executives. 2 hours. Free. You meet operators one and two before you commit to anything, with no obligation to hire either one. Your Client Service Manager facilitates, so it's your interview to run while she keeps the conversation on track. You debrief with her right after and either schedule the kickoff or ask to see who's behind door number three, on a 4k to 15k per month engagement with a flat 4.5k one-time success fee.

Still have a question? Read all FAQs or talk to the team.