Fractional COO vs. Hiring an OBM: What Growing Online Businesses Actually Need

If you've spent any time in online business circles lately, you've probably seen the debate: Should I hire an OBM or bring on a fractional COO?

The conversation has exploded. Facebook groups are full of founders asking for recommendations. Job posts for OBMs have tripled in the last two years. And "fractional COO" has become the new buzzword for anyone offering strategic support.

But what most of the conversation misses is that these aren't two versions of the same thing. They're different roles solving different problems. And hiring the wrong one for where you are will cost you more than money — it'll cost you time, momentum, and trust in getting help at all.

The Reframe: This Isn't About Who's Better

The OBM vs. fractional COO debate gets framed as a comparison, like you're choosing between two brands of the same product. That framing is the problem.

An OBM is an implementer with management skills. A fractional COO is a strategic leader who happens to execute. One keeps your business running. The other helps you decide how it should run in the first place.

The real question isn't which one is better. It's which one matches the gap you're actually trying to fill.

Case Study #1: When an OBM Is Exactly Right

When an OBM Is Exactly Right

I see this scenario all the time. A founder hits $500K–$700K. She's got systems in place, a team of contractors, and a clear vision for where she's headed. What she doesn't have is someone to manage the day-to-day — keeping projects on track, holding the team accountable, making sure nothing slips.

She doesn't need strategy. She needs execution and management.

An OBM is the right call. Within a few months, she has her time back. The OBM runs the weekly team meetings, manages the project board, and keeps the contractors accountable. The founder stays in her zone of genius — content, sales, client delivery — while the OBM handles the operational middle.

The key: she already had clarity. She knew what needed to happen. She just needed someone to make sure it did.

That's the OBM sweet spot. Founders who have the strategy dialed but need a right hand to manage the execution.

Case Study #2: When an OBM Isn't Enough

When an OBM Isn't Enough

Here's the other pattern I see just as often. A founder at similar revenue — maybe $600K, $700K — but a completely different situation. She's already hired one or two OBMs. Both were talented. Both eventually left, frustrated.

The problem wasn't the OBMs. It was that she was asking them to do a job she hadn't defined yet.

There were no clear systems to manage. No documented processes to follow. No real clarity on priorities, roles, or where the business was headed. She was hiring someone to run the operations, but the operations didn't exist yet. She needed someone to build them first.

When we dig into situations like this, the gaps are almost always the same: no financial visibility, no structured team communication, no way to track what's working and what's not. She didn't need someone to manage the machine. She needed someone to help her build it.

That's the fractional COO sweet spot. Founders who need a strategic partner to create clarity before execution can even happen.

Why This Confusion Keeps Happening

The titles have gotten muddy. OBM used to mean something specific — online business manager, focused on project management and team coordination. But as demand grew, the scope crept. Now you'll see OBMs offering "strategic support" and fractional COOs offering "implementation."

The lines blurred because founders kept asking for both.

Here's what I see over and over: a founder hires an OBM hoping they'll also bring strategic leadership. The OBM tries to deliver but doesn't have the experience or authority to make those calls. The founder gets frustrated. The OBM burns out. Both walk away thinking the other failed.

But nobody failed. They just had mismatched expectations from the start.

You can see it everywhere. OBM certification programs are booming. "Fractional COO" has become one of the fastest-growing search terms in the online business space. The demand for operational support is clearly there — but the clarity on what to hire for isn't.

What You Actually Need (And How to Know)

This isn't about one being better than the other. It's about matching the role to your reality.

You likely need an OBM if:

• You have systems and processes that work — they just need someone to run them

• Your team knows what to do but needs accountability and coordination

• You're clear on your priorities and goals — you need execution, not strategy

• You want to step back from day-to-day management but stay in the leadership seat

You likely need a fractional COO if:

• You don't have clarity on what's working and what's not

• Your team is confused about priorities, roles, or expectations

• You're making good revenue but can't see where the profit is going

• You've tried hiring help before and it didn't stick — because the foundation wasn't there

• You need someone to build the systems before anyone can manage them

And here's the part no one talks about: sometimes you need both — just not at the same time.

Most businesses I work with start fractional COO-heavy. We build the foundation, create the systems, establish the structure. Then, as things stabilize, the engagement shifts to execution and support. Some clients eventually hire an OBM internally and keep us on for strategic oversight. Others keep the full team. It depends on what the business needs at each stage.

What This Means for Your Next Hire

If you're in the market for operational support, pause before you post the job listing.

Ask yourself: Do I need someone to run what I've already built? Or do I need someone to help me figure out what to build?

If it's the first, an OBM might be exactly right. Find someone with solid project management skills, experience with your tools, and the ability to hold a team accountable.

If it's the second, you need more than management — you need leadership. Someone who can zoom out, see the full picture, and help you make the strategic calls that will shape everything else.

The founders who get this right don't just hire faster. They hire smarter. They stop cycling through support that doesn't fit and start building a team that actually works.

The Bottom Line

OBMs and fractional COOs both help online businesses run better. But they're not interchangeable.

One manages the machine. The other builds it.

The founders who scale successfully aren't the ones who hire the trendiest title. They're the ones who get honest about what's actually missing — and bring in the right support to fill that gap.

If you're not sure which one you need, that's usually a sign you need the strategic work first. You can't manage your way to clarity. You have to build it.

If you're stuck in the OBM-or-COO debate, that's usually a sign you need the strategic work first. At AbsoluteOps, we help founders figure out what's actually missing — then build the operations to fix it. Let's talk.

— Darci