FAQ
Questions, answered.
If yours is not here, ask it on a clarity call, email us at hello@bigbow.com, or send a DM through social media.
I.
About fractional COO and OBM support
What does a fractional COO do?
A fractional COO is a part-time chief operating officer: senior operational leadership without a full-time executive hire. At Big Bow Solutions, that means helping you set the priorities, overseeing their execution, and taking a seat at the leadership table across operations, marketing, and growth. We help you decide what needs attention now, where resources should go, and what needs to change before the business grows further. Then we make sure those decisions actually move.
When does a business need a fractional COO or business manager?
When the founder has become the center of everything. Every question, every approval, and every next step runs through one person. Projects take longer than they should, marketing goes out rushed or not at all, and good ideas sit exactly where they landed months ago. These are signs of a business that has outgrown the way it currently runs, and that is the moment to bring in operational leadership.
What is the difference between an online business manager and a fractional COO?
An online business manager (OBM) is responsible for executing a direction that already exists. A fractional COO helps set the direction, then drives it forward. Our Business Management Retainer is close to OBM support, with one difference: we take responsibility for outcomes, not a task list. Our Fractional COO Partnership adds strategic leadership, from setting priorities to overseeing your team’s execution. It is a different level of access, responsibility, and leadership, not the same support with more added.
What is the difference between a virtual assistant and an online business manager?
A virtual assistant completes the tasks you assign. An online business manager takes responsibility for how defined areas of the business run and is accountable for how they perform. With an assistant, you still decide what happens next. With business management support, someone else sees what needs to happen and moves it forward, so you are no longer the one holding everything together.
Should I hire a fractional COO or a full-time COO?
For most expert-led businesses at this stage, a fractional COO is the stronger choice. You do not need another person to manage. You need someone who can step in, see the gaps, and improve how everything operates without adding internal complexity. A fractional COO gives you experienced operational and marketing leadership without the overhead, onboarding, or long-term commitment of a full-time executive role.
What is a business operations assessment?
A business operations assessment is an objective review of how a business runs, where friction is building, and what should change first. Ours is the Business Performance Intensive. Over three weeks, we assess the business through three lenses (how it runs, how it is seen and sold, and how it grows) and deliver a prioritized Performance Roadmap. Every recommendation is held to one standard: it must save time, save money, create capacity, or create revenue.
II.
Working with Big Bow
Where should I start if I am not sure what my business needs?
Start with the Business Performance Intensive. It gives you an objective view of what is working, what is not, and where refinement is needed, before you commit to anything larger.
Who does Big Bow Solutions work with?
Established founders, consultants, and expert-led businesses with existing revenue, proven offers, and often a small team or trusted contractors. Our clients value recommendations, not only output, and are ready to hand over real responsibility. If you are looking for someone to complete a list of tasks at the lowest cost, we will not be the right fit.
Do you work with businesses in San Francisco, Oakland, and the Bay Area?
Yes. Big Bow Solutions is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and serves founders in San Francisco, Oakland, and across the region, as well as clients nationwide. All engagements are conducted remotely, inside your existing systems, communication channels, and workflows, so nothing is lost across locations or time zones. For in-person needs, such as events or meetings, travel can be discussed.
What is it like to work with Big Bow Solutions?
Working with Big Bow feels like everything is finally handled the way it should have been all along. Structure without rigidity. Communication without back and forth. Progress without things slipping.
We integrate directly into your business, with clear expectations and proactive communication. You are not managing us; you are supported by us. Most clients describe it as having a right hand who anticipates what is needed before it becomes urgent. Their own clients notice the difference, too: see the kind words they share on Instagram at @bigbowsolutions.
How many clients do you work with at once?
Intentionally few. The Big Bow standard requires a level of attention and presence that cannot be spread thin, so client capacity is kept limited. When you work with us, you are not one of many. Availability is confirmed on your clarity call.
Who does the work?
Shelbee does. Every engagement is managed and overseen by Shelbee Szeto, founder of Big Bow Solutions. All strategy is custom created by her for your business, and execution is typically completed, and always finalized, by her. Big Bow brings in contractors only for its own business operations or administrative assistance.
How do you handle sensitive or confidential work?
With discretion, precision, and a very high standard of care. Shelbee has worked in environments where the cost of disorganization is significant, including legal settings where confidentiality is non-negotiable. That experience shapes how we handle information, how we communicate, and how we move within your business. Behind every system, conversation, and deliverable, there is a reputation and a client relationship at stake.
What does onboarding look like?
Onboarding begins once your proposal is accepted, the agreement is signed, and the initial payment is made. For the Business Management Retainer, we then hold a 60 to 90 minute scoping session. If you completed the Business Performance Intensive within the past 30 days, a brief conversation to align on first priorities and timeline is all that is needed. From there, we set up your client portal, shared Google Drive, account access, and communication channel. The Fractional COO Partnership follows the same order.
The first week is intentionally observational. Nothing is disrupted before it is understood.
What happens on a clarity call?
A clarity call is an intentional conversation about how your business runs today: what is working, what is not, and where refinement matters most. You do not need every answer. It is not a consulting session. It is how we learn enough to recommend the one level of support that fits, then follow with a tailored proposal.
III.
Investment and commitment
How much does a fractional COO cost?
At Big Bow Solutions, the Fractional COO Partnership starts at $5,500 a month. The Business Management Retainer starts at $3,500 a month, and the Business Performance Intensive starts at $1,500. Investment is priced by how much of the business we lead, not by hours, and is confirmed in a tailored proposal after your clarity call.
Is there a minimum commitment?
Yes. New Business Management Retainer clients can begin with a three-, six-, or twelve-month term. The Fractional COO Partnership begins with a six- or twelve-month term. Both renew in six- or twelve-month terms. The longer the term, the greater the savings. Operational change takes time to show its full effect.
How soon will I notice a difference?
Most clients notice a meaningful shift within the first few weeks. By the end of the first month, the foundation is in place. Deeper structural improvements compound over time. This is not a quick fix. It is a higher standard, built to last.
Begin here
Still wondering?
Schedule a clarity call and ask us directly, or explore how we can support your business.