The Fractional Operator

What does a Fractional COO actually do, and when should a business bring one in? In this episode of The Fractional Operator, Michael Nelson sits down with Bill Tansey Jr., Owner of The OpEx Shop, to discuss operational excellence, leading organizational change, pricing fractional services, managing scope creep, and helping companies solve complex business challenges. Bill shares lessons learned from Fortune 50 leadership roles, consulting engagements, and more than a decade of helping organizations improve performance and profitability. Whether you're a fractional executive, consultant, business owner, or operator, this conversation offers practical insights into building trust, delivering ROI, and scaling through change.Connect with Bill Tansey Jr. and learn more about The OpEx Shop at theopexshop.com.00:00 – Introduction to The Fractional Operator & Bill Tansey01:31 – What The OpEx Shop Does and the Fractional COO Role03:10 – Why Companies Hire Fractional Leaders During Change05:47 – Bill's Background: Engineering, Startups & Fortune 50 Leadership08:08 – Learning the Danaher Business System & Lean Operations09:12 – Transitioning into Fractional Consulting10:11 – Two Service Models: Hourly vs Fixed-Fee Engagements13:03 – Demonstrating ROI and Justifying Consulting Investments15:17 – Real-World Client Example: Solving a Cost Crisis17:19 – Defining Problems Before Solving Them20:19 – The Multi-Phase Fractional Engagement Process21:07 – Building Trust During the Sales Cycle24:09 – Managing Scope Creep in Fractional Work30:23 – Client Relationship Management Lessons Learned32:49 – Advice for New Fractional Operators & Finding Success36:15 – Pricing Fractional Services and Choosing the Right Clients38:58 – How to Connect with Bill Tansey & Closing ThoughtsHourglass SaaS: https://hourglasssaas.com/Follow Michael Nelson:Facebook: https://facebook.com/michael.rgh.nelsonInstagram: https://instagram.com/5tmichaelX: https://x.com/5tmichaelLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michaelnelson2#FractionalOperator #FractionalCOO #BusinessOperations #OperationalExcellence #FractionalLeadership

Welcome to the first episode of The Fractional Operator, a knowledge-share podcast built specifically for the fast-growing community of outsourced professionals. Host Mike Nelson introduces the show's mission to help COOs, CTOs, CFOs, and agency owners scale their operations and overcome industry challenges through peer-to-peer conversations. Whether you are focused on a growth play or optimizing a lifestyle business, this show provides the tools and software insights you need to get more done while working less.Discover more episodes, subscribe to our companion newsletter, and learn about the first operations platform designed for this community at hourglasssaas.com.0:02 - Introduction to the podcast and Hourglass SaaS0:53 - The explosion of the fractional industry and the need for a community space1:54 - What to expect from future peer-to-peer knowledge sharing episodes2:43 - Supporting both growth-focused scaling and efficiency for lifestyle businesses3:24 - Release schedule, newsletter details, and finding the episode archiveConnect with host Mike Nelson on social media using the links below to join the conversation.Facebook: facebook.com/Michael.RGH.Nelson/ Instagram: instagram.com/5tmichael X: x.com/5tmichaelLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michaelnelson2/