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Best Fractional COO Services in Chicago
Top Chicago Outsourced COO Services & Fractional Chief Operating Officers (COOs)
When it comes to scaling businesses with precision and purpose, Chicago has long been a powerhouse for talent, grit, and execution. But today’s fast-growing companies need more than just hustle—they need operational leadership that’s flexible, seasoned, and deeply aligned with the demands of modern growth. Enter the fractional COO.
A fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a senior executive brought in on a part-time or interim basis to help founders and executive teams optimize operations, improve strategy, and drive outcomes. Whether launching a new business unit, navigating a funding round, or transforming legacy systems, fractional COOs provide high-level expertise—without the full-time overhead.
At Digital Reference, we’re reimagining how professionals document, validate, and amplify their contributions to the organizations they serve. That means creating space for fractional leaders to be seen, celebrated, and connected. This curated list of fractional COOs in Chicago showcases individuals who are not only making an impact behind the scenes—they’re pushing businesses forward across industries.
Our Methodology - How We Selected the Best Interim, Outsourced, and Fractional COO Services in Chicago
We selected this group through a thoughtful process of research and community input, using the following criteria:
- Active fractional or interim COO or operations leadership role
- Based in Chicago or surrounding areas with clients in the region
- Operate as solo consultants, small firms, or boutique leadership advisors
- Have visible experience in operations, growth strategy, process design, and leadership development
- Align with the Digital Reference mission of radical authenticity, structured professional storytelling, and a more transparent talent ecosystem
These are the operators who help founders sleep at night—and help teams scale with confidence.
Meet The Best Fractional COO & Outsourced COO Services in Chicago
Mark Scrimenti
Founder, Vivid Path Consulting
Mark Scrimenti is a fractional COO and operational strategist who helps founder-led companies scale sustainably through clarity in people, processes, and performance. With experience in e-commerce, SaaS, and professional services, he designs systems that are simple, scalable, and aligned with business strategy and culture.
Highlights:
🏢 Fractional COO, strategic planning, and organizational design
📑 Helps founders scale operations without unnecessary complexity
💬 Skilled at translating vision into execution with clarity and culture in mind
Mark enables fast-moving, purpose-driven teams to scale systems, coach leaders, and build operational structures that preserve both growth and organizational soul.
Jesse Hallock
Founder, Arabona
Jesse Hallock is a fractional COO and operations strategist who brings structure and clarity to startups, nonprofits, and service-based organizations seeking intentional growth. He helps clients implement repeatable systems while strengthening leadership and culture.
Highlights:
🏢 Expertise in financial modeling, process mapping, and operational audits
📑 Builds repeatable systems and workflows with clients
💬 Leads with curiosity, accountability, and operational clarity
Jesse enables purpose-driven organizations to grow sustainably by balancing heart and systems, ensuring performance improvements align with relationships and culture.
Marisa Mann
Founder, Uplift All
Marisa Mann is a strategic visionary and fractional CXO who helps mid-market, impact-driven organizations achieve sustainable growth through digital transformation, risk management, and executive coaching. With 30+ years of experience across Accenture, JPMorgan, Kin+Carta, and Gartner, she navigates complex operational ecosystems with precision.
Highlights:
🏢 Aligns technology, operations, and compliance to accelerate scale
📑 Leverages metrics and AI to drive top- and bottom-line results
💬 Builds resilient, high-performing teams through empathy and structure
Marisa enables organizations to thrive at the intersection of growth, inclusion, and operational excellence.
Valentina Mendoza
Founder, Mynt Planning
Valentina Mendoza is a fractional COO who helps impact-driven organizations translate vision into action through operational clarity and strategic roadmaps. She has experience across nonprofits, startups, and corporate strategy, and designs systems that align with culture and values.
Highlights:
🏢 Deep expertise in goal setting, strategic planning, and executive collaboration
📑 Specializes in mission-led businesses and high-growth teams
💬 Values-aligned approach to operations, finance, and communications
Valentina enables leaders to implement structure without rigidity, fostering high-performing teams that stay true to their mission.
Josh Chapman
Co-founder, Green Granite
Josh Chapman is a hands-on fractional COO and builder who works with startups and scaling businesses to design resilient teams and scalable systems. He blends operational leadership with strategic advisory to support execution while preserving vision.
Highlights:
🏢 Tech-forward, systems-led approach to organizational design
📑 Focus on founder enablement, leadership coaching, and culture
💬 Combines COO services with strategic advisory and org development
Josh enables growth-focused companies to turn strong visions into operational reality with clarity and sustainable systems.
Jennifer Ludwig Clark
Fractional/Interim COO
Jennifer Ludwig Clark provides interim and fractional COO support to nonprofits and mission-driven organizations navigating strategic change. She brings operational clarity, collaborative leadership, and a systems-focused approach to teams in transition.
Highlights:
🏢 Interim executive management, process design, and organizational change
📑 Experienced in fundraising operations, board relations, and program execution
💬 Collaborative leader grounded in impact and operational excellence
Jennifer enables organizations to stabilize, align leadership, and move forward with purpose and clarity during periods of transition.
Why Chicago Is Built for Fractional Leadership
Chicago has always been a city that blends business acumen with Midwestern practicality. Its economy spans industries—finance, healthcare, logistics, food, and tech—making it fertile ground for companies in various growth stages. And as remote work and agile teams become the norm, the fractional executive model is thriving.
Fractional COOs are in high demand because:
- Companies need senior leadership without full-time costs
- Startups need flexibility during growth and fundraising cycles
- Nonprofits and mission-driven orgs need experienced operators on a project basis
The leaders on this list represent the best of what Chicago has to offer: smart, capable, values-aligned operators who know how to get things done.
What Makes a Great Fractional COO?
The best fractional COOs combine versatility with vision. They are:
- Operational generalists with deep expertise in at least one domain
- Comfortable moving between strategy and execution
- Quick to build trust with founders and teams
- Fluent in the language of culture, KPIs, and cash flow
- Structured thinkers who leave organizations better than they found them
They bring order to chaos, clarity to complexity, and calm to uncertainty.
The Digital Reference Viewpoint - Fractional Ops is the Way of the Future
At Digital Reference, we’re building a platform that enables professionals to own their story—not just tell it. For fractional leaders, that means:
- Capturing verified work outcomes and client feedback
- Organizing experience into a structured, professional portfolio
- Building trust and discoverability in a transparent, reputation-driven ecosystem
We believe that the future of executive talent is modular, mission-aligned, and measurable—and that platforms like ours are how we’ll get there.
Final Thoughts
The rise of fractional leadership isn’t just a trend—it’s a signal that organizations are seeking better, more flexible, and more values-aligned ways to grow.
The fractional COOs featured here—Valentina Mendoza, Marisa Mann, Josh Chapman, Jesse Hallock, Jennifer Ludwig Clark, and Mark Scrimenti—aren’t just keeping the wheels turning. They’re building the systems that drive long-term success.
Whether you're a founder preparing for a new phase, a nonprofit in transition, or a scaling company that needs strategic operations—this list is your starting point.
Check Out Our Local Directories of Fractional COO, Outsourced COO Services & Interim COOs by City
Ann Arbor, MI - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Ann Arbor startups and research-driven firms are turning to fractional ops leaders for precision execution and growth strategy.
Atlanta, GA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In a city that blends enterprise and startup energy, Atlanta companies lean on COOs who can unify vision and operations.
Boston, MA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
From biotech to B2B SaaS, Boston’s ops leaders bring structure and speed to innovation-heavy teams.
Chicago, IL - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
COOs in the Windy City are helping companies align their back-end systems with bold front-end goals.
Denver, CO - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Denver’s scale-ups are calling in fractional execs to professionalize their operations without slowing their culture.
Detroit, MI - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
With roots in manufacturing and momentum in mobility, Detroit companies rely on fractional COOs for systems that scale.
Houston, Texas - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Houston’s operational ecosystem is evolving fast. More startups are scaling. More nonprofits are serving complex needs.
London, United Kingdom - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Fractional COO Services are sky-rocketing in popularity in London as labor costs go up and time to market is accelerating.
Los Angeles, CA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In LA, creative industries meet tech—and fractional COOs bring the operational clarity these hybrid teams need.
Philadelphia, PA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Fractional COO Services in Philly are ensuring East Coast startups and high growth companies have the right structure to survive.
Phoenix, AZ - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Phoenix-based COOs help founders transition from hustle to structured scale with systems that grow.
San Francisco, CA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Bay Area COOs are stepping in to help tech companies streamline, automate, and stabilize post-funding growth.
Seattle, WA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In Seattle’s product-driven landscape, ops leaders drive alignment between engineering, GTM, and finance.
Sydney, Australia - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Home to Canva, growing base of purpose-led enterprises, and increasing demand for agile executive leadership, Sydney has become a hotbed for operational talent that doesn’t require a full-time seat.
Toronto, Canada - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Toronto doesn’t just build startups—it builds systems. It’s a city where public meets private, where the startup ecosystem is growing alongside government programs, universities, and a rising impact economy. But for all its innovation, hiring executive talent in Toronto has always come with nuance.
Washington, DC (DMV Area) - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
DC-area operators bring rigor and regulatory awareness—perfect for mission-driven orgs and gov-adjacent teams.
Explore their work. Reach out. And when you're ready to document your leadership story or hire someone who can move your mission forward—start with Digital Reference.
– The Digital Reference Team
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