QUESTIONS.
STRAIGHT ANSWERS.

A fractional executive is a senior leader. COO, CFO, or other C-suite role. Who works with your company on a part-time or project basis. You get C-suite experience and execution at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. Unlike consultants, fractional executives embed with your team and do the work. Not just advise.

Consultants advise. Fractional executives execute. A consultant gives you a strategy deck and leaves. A fractional COO embeds with your team, builds the systems, manages the people, and drives results alongside you. They own outcomes, not recommendations.

Operations Consulting is our foundation: process optimization, profitability analysis, workflow redesign, executive accountability calls, and organizational structure for both businesses and nonprofits. When organizations need dedicated leadership, we offer Fractional COO placement. When they need a full team, we provide Embedded Operations. Each engagement is scoped to your specific needs.

Yes. Nonprofit operations consulting is a core part of our practice. We work with nonprofits of all sizes to optimize program operations, build board accountability, improve financial sustainability, create grant compliance systems, and facilitate strategic planning. The same operational rigor that drives business performance applies to mission-driven organizations.

The Long Drive Group ecosystem. Our operations consultants and fractional COOs have Long Drive Marketing (a full-service agency) available for execution when marketing needs arise. Our team also has access to Long Drive Strategy's government affairs and public affairs capabilities. No other operations firm offers integrated operations, marketing, AND political strategy under one roof.

Fractional executive engagements typically range from $5,000–$15,000 per month depending on scope and time commitment. Compared to a full-time COO ($200,000–$400,000+ annual salary plus benefits and equity), fractional leadership is 60–80% less expensive with zero severance risk.

Embedded team pricing is scoped per engagement based on the roles needed, time commitment, and duration. A typical embedded engagement runs $15,000–$40,000 per month. Still significantly less than hiring an equivalent internal team when you factor in recruiting, benefits, management overhead, and ramp-up time.

We typically start with a 90-day initial engagement to ensure fit and demonstrate results. After that, engagements continue month-to-month with 30-day notice. We earn your business every month. We don't lock you in.

Fractional makes sense when your company is between $500K–$50M in revenue, you need senior leadership but can't justify or afford a full-time C-suite hire, you need results faster than a traditional hiring process allows, or you want to prove the role before committing to a full-time salary.

A 30-minute strategy call to understand your situation. If there's a fit, we propose a scope and timeline. Most engagements begin within 2 weeks of signing. The first 30 days focus on assessment, quick wins, and building the 90-day roadmap.

Most engagements run 6–18 months. The first 90 days focus on assessment and quick wins. Months 3–12 build sustainable systems and processes. The final phase transitions everything to your internal team with documented processes and trained staff.

Days 1–30: Deep assessment of current state, quick wins, and stakeholder alignment. Days 31–60: Strategy development, system design, and team structure recommendations. Days 61–90: Implementation begins, KPIs established, and first measurable results delivered. You'll see progress weekly, not quarterly.

Clean handoff. Every system we build is documented. Every process has an owner. Every team member is trained. We build your company to run without us. That's the goal. Many clients transition to a lighter advisory relationship after the core engagement.

Minimal. The whole point is that we take work OFF your plate, not add to it. After an initial onboarding period (typically 1–2 weeks), we operate independently with weekly check-ins. We integrate with your existing tools, meetings, and communication channels.

Both. We have offices in Nashville, Franklin, Washington DC, and Cheyenne. For local clients, we can be on-site as needed. For clients outside those areas, we work remotely with regular in-person visits. The model flexes to what your business needs.

We’ve served 40+ organizations across professional services, SaaS, healthcare, construction, real estate, manufacturing, nonprofits, and regulated industries. Our consulting model works for businesses between $500K and $50M in revenue and nonprofits with budgets of $500K to $50M.

Absolutely. Many of our engagements involve managing existing agency relationships, in-house teams, or vendor partnerships. A fractional COO often improves vendor performance dramatically by providing the operational direction teams and agencies need to execute effectively.

The methodology is the same but the context is different. Nonprofits measure success through mission impact, not just revenue. Funding comes from grants and donors, not customers. Boards play a governance role distinct from corporate boards. We adapt our approach to these differences while applying the same operational rigor.

Weekly or biweekly structured calls with your executive team or department leaders. We review KPIs, track progress on operational initiatives, identify blockers, and hold leadership accountable for execution. For nonprofits, we also help structure board reporting so governance has the visibility it needs.

Yes. We build proactive compliance systems: deliverable tracking, reporting calendars, documentation workflows, and audit-ready processes. No more scrambling before deadlines or hoping the right data is somewhere in a spreadsheet.

KPIs defined in the first 30 days, aligned to your business objectives. Revenue growth, pipeline value, operational efficiency, cost reduction, team performance. Whatever matters most to your business. We report weekly and adjust monthly. If it can't be measured, we don't claim it.

Quick wins within the first 30 days. Measurable impact within 90 days. Transformational results over 6–12 months. The timeline depends on the complexity of your situation, but we structure every engagement to deliver early proof that the partnership is working.

We'll tell you before you have to ask. If an approach isn't delivering, we adjust. If the engagement isn't a fit, we'll say so. We'd rather end a relationship honestly than bill for work that isn't moving the needle. Our reputation is built on results, not retention.