Essential ➡️ Optional
in your Service Business
Most business owners are trapped by their own success. The company runs—but only when you're running it. You can't step away. You can't scale. You can't sell.
That's The Builder's Paradox™—and I've spent almost 20 years helping founders break free from it.
I'm Jen. Former fractional COO. Trusted advisor to CEOs you've heard of (who've asked me to keep quiet). And the person founders call when systems, integrators, and recruiters all fail—because the real problem isn't just operational. It's you.
Not because you're doing something wrong. Because no one ever taught you how to evolve from hero to mentor.
What I Believe
Most leaders solve the wrong problem. They chase complexity, fight fires, and build systems around symptoms. But true growth doesn't start on the surface. It starts at the core.
Surface solutions are expensive distractions. You don't need more dashboards. You need to see what's actually broken.
Freedom isn't a fantasy. It's designed from the inside out.
The real work is dual: operational and personal. No system can free you if you haven't made the internal shift from operator to owner.
You don't need to push harder. You need to remove what's in the way.
How I Help
I work with $3M–$10M service firm founders who are ready to stop being the bottleneck.
Here's how we can work together:
KPI Gold Score™ Diagnostic
THE PROBLEM YOU’RE FACING:
"I know something's broken, but I can't see what."
WHAT CHANGES:
You finally see the 2–4 root causes—and stop wasting time on symptoms.
YOUR NEW REALITY:
Clear roadmap. No more guessing. You know exactly what to fix first. You have a baseline with which to measure progress.
TIMELINE:
30 days
OpsFreedom™
Group
THE PROBLEM YOU’RE FACING:
"I have a team, but I'm still the glue holding it together."
WHAT CHANGES:
Your business runs without you. Your team leads. You step back.
YOUR NEW REALITY:
40–90% less time in operations. Confident team. Predictable profit.
TIMELINE:
12 months
ICONIC OpsFreedom™
THE PROBLEM YOU’RE FACING:
"I don't have an ops leader—and I need someone to run this now."
WHAT CHANGES:
I run your business, recruit your replacement, and hand you a self-managing company.
YOUR NEW REALITY:
Total freedom. The business scales, sells, or sustains—with or without you.
TIMELINE:
12 months
Not sure which path fits? Let’s Talk!
Ideas Worth Sharing
I write about operational freedom, leadership transitions, and how to build businesses that don't need you.
Recent Posts:
The Owner’s Treadmill™
The invisible loop that keeps you busy, needed, and stuck. Here's how to get off.
The Builder's Paradox™
The business you built for freedom has become the very thing chaining you down. And you're not alone.
The Freedom Filter™
A strategic decision compass for designing a business that can thrive without you.
Why Delegation Fails (And What to Do Instead)
It's not your team. It's the structure you never redesigned.
Where I've Shared What I Know
I've been featured on podcasts and platforms for founders, CEOs, and operators who want to build businesses that run without them.
Podcast 1
Podcast 2
Article 1
Real Outcomes from Real Founders
→ Suzanne cut her schedule by 40%—and now runs delivery in 2 hours/week.
→ Becky scaled from $500K to $1.4M in one year—without adding chaos.
→ Greg gave $180K in bonuses to his self-managed team. They earned it.
→ Jamie sold his company to the very team that helped build it.
Others finally got their weekends back. Or learned how to stop "checking in from vacation." Or created a company they could confidently walk away from. Or built a business that buyers competed for at exit.
A Bit About Me
I've been called many things: fractional COO, operations whisperer, and the person founders call when they're ready to stop being the hero.
I've spent nearly two decades in the trenches with founders: diagnosing chaos, building systems, recruiting operators, and helping CEOs finally step back without everything falling apart.
Some of my best clients are industry leaders whose names you'd recognize. They've asked me to sign NDAs, which I respect. What I can tell you: even the "gurus" need help. They just do it quietly.
The truth is, you don't need more hustle. You don't need another framework. You need someone who can see what you can't—and help you remove what's in the way.
That's what I do.
And I do it with patience, empathy, and zero tolerance for b.s.
I live in rural Nebraska (and still LOVE to visit the city). I'm a former fractional COO turned advisor to 100s of founder-led companies. I've spent nearly two decades diagnosing the root causes behind stalled growth, operational misalignment, and team mismanagement.
I believe the best business advice sounds simple after you hear it—but almost no one figures it out alone.
That's why I do this.
Let’s Find Out What’s Really In the Way
Book a 30-minute Signal Call.
No pitch. Just one constraint identified and one lever you can pull.
If we're a fit, we'll talk next steps. If not, you'll still leave with something useful.