A Q&A with Work Heartily’s Shane Sloan
When a founder-led business starts to scale quickly, everything can feel urgent. Systems strain, roles blur, and the founder’s to-do list never ends. That’s where Shane Sloan, Fractional COO at Work Heartily, steps in. Shane specializes in helping growth-stage and founder-led companies bring operational clarity, strengthen processes and systems, and build the foundation needed to scale confidently.
How do you prioritize what to fix first when everything feels like a fire?
Businesses must focus on three essential pillars: Get Work, Do Work, and Get Paid. Fires that threaten any of those three areas take top priority. Beyond that, I look for opportunities to drop or defer lower-value work until the core pillars are under control.
How does your role differ from a traditional COO or consultant?
My role is similar to that of a full-time COO, but I bring the outside perspective of a consultant. I’ve worked with many businesses over the years, gaining the kind of broad operational experience, and a few scars, that help me quickly identify what needs to change.
What types of businesses get the most value from a Fractional COO?
Founder-led businesses tend to see the most transformation. But any small to mid-sized company preparing to scale, through M&A, external funding, or organic growth, can benefit from fractional operations leadership.
What does success look like at the end of a fractional COO engagement?
I measure success across four pillars of business maturity: People, Process, Systems, and Analytics. Over the course of our work together, each of these areas matures, creating a company that not only runs more efficiently but is also better positioned to scale.
When does it make sense to bring in a Fractional COO instead of hiring full-time?
If your company has grown to the point where you’re considering a full-time COO, a fractional leader can be the ideal bridge. Often, businesses need transformation or structure before a full-time hire makes sense. Once those foundational improvements are made, your future COO can focus on strategic growth rather than firefighting.
What are the most common operational bottlenecks in founder-led companies?
In most cases, the founder becomes the bottleneck. As companies grow organically, teams get used to “asking the boss.” While that works early on, it doesn’t scale. The challenge is helping founders shift decision-making and empower leaders to own their areas.
What’s one thing founders can do right now to move from working in the business to working on the business?
Look at your past two weeks, and the next two, and list everything you’re doing that doesn’t require you specifically. Even if you can’t delegate it immediately, show the list to your leadership team and brainstorm ways to offload or eliminate tasks. You’ll be surprised at how much time you can reclaim.
What’s the first thing you look for when stepping into a new company as a Fractional COO?
If company size allows, I talk to every employee. I ask three questions:
- What’s working well?
- What isn’t?
- What would you change if you were in charge?
This provides an honest view of the company’s reality. After that, I review the income statement, cash flow, and overall strategy to align operations with the organization’s vision, mission, and values.
Ready to scale with clarity and confidence?
If your company is growing fast but struggling to keep up, it may be time to bring in a Fractional COO.
Schedule a free strategy session with Work Heartily to see how fractional leadership can help your business streamline operations, empower your team, and scale with confidence.