Building the Best Possible Enterprise™
An 18 month program for owners, CEOs, and boards who want calm, clarity, and consistent execution.
Our Role: To be Your Trusted Partner in Your Next Chapter in Business
Your business has already accomplished a great deal. The next chapter calls for steadier operating rhythm, clearer numbers, and leaders who fully own outcomes.
Our Fractional COO program strengthens what’s already working and helps your team perform at its best — with sleeves rolled up, a practical plan, and deep respect for the people who built the enterprise.
We don’t replace leadership; we help it operate with greater confidence, alignment, and momentum.
Why a Fractional COO
When daily operations pull leaders away from strategy, growth stalls and stress rises. A fractional COO adds seasoned, hands-on operational leadership on a part-time basis — aligning people, processes, and priorities while you stay focused on vision, customers, and growth. You gain executive capacity and execution discipline without a full-time hire.
This is not consulting at a distance. We step into your operating cadence, lead key meetings, coordinate leaders, and help your team get important things finished. Our authority is limited and clearly defined; your leadership retains P&L and personnel decisions.
Engagement Structure (18 Months)
A steady, humane pace that respects your culture and builds ownership:
Pre-Engagement
Pilot Alignment Session to confirm fit, readiness, and commitment. Go/No-Go
Phase 1 — Align & Map (Months 0–3)
• On-site discovery over the first weeks: interviews, observation of meetings, review of metrics and processes.
• A basic, shared roadmap that clarifies priorities for the next two quarters, with 30/60/90-day checkpoints.
• Early wins to reduce noise and create momentum.
Phase 2 — Execute & Strengthen (Months 4–12)
• Establish a reliable operating rhythm: weekly leadership meetings, one‑on‑ones, and monthly reviews.
• Verify practical KPI dashboards so decisions reflect facts, not guesswork.
• Document and improve core processes; align roles, handoffs, and accountability.
• Coach leaders to own outcomes, communicate clearly, and resolve issues quickly.
• Track progress with brief quarterly business reviews.
Phase 3 — Empower & Transition (Months 13–18)
• Identify and develop an internal successor or help recruit a permanent operations leader.
• Gradual handoff of responsibilities while monitoring KPIs to protect gains.
• Finalize an Operating Playbook and succession plan so the team thrives without us.
Focus Areas & Benefits
• Leadership Development — managers who lead, not just manage; stronger bench.
• Culture of Execution — roles, standards, and accountability people are proud of.
• Operational Cadence — predictable meetings, priorities, and follow‑through.
• KPI Systems — clear, visible numbers that guide decisions.
• Change & Turnaround — steady hands during resets, integrations, or urgent fixes.
Outcome: a self‑managing company with fewer surprises, better margins, and a leadership team that operates with calm confidence.
Example Client Results
Over three decades, we’ve guided nearly 80 companies through operational transformation and leadership renewal — always in partnership with executives and teams committed to meaningful, lasting change.
JSW Steel USA — embedded as SVP, Operational Excellence and acting COO for the US Division. Stabilized performance within 90 days, leading to the first quarter in which forecasts were met in months; monthly records for shipping and production each of the final 6 months; re‑established safety discipline, implemented reliability assessments, and led a culture reset across 900+ employees.
Oregon Steel Mills — guided leadership alignment and process redesign that produced the highest profits in the company’s 120‑year history, a 200% stock value increase, and a successful sale at 8× EBITDA.
Food Services of America — supported executive transition, governance redesign, and continuity planning that restored growth and long‑term stability in a $3B enterprise.
U.S. Army Chemical Weapons Program — led urgent safety and performance recovery for a 20‑year federal contract at risk of cancellation; achieved 100% award‑fee performance thereafter.
U.S. and Canadian Commercial Nuclear Power Operations — facilitated executive realignment, culture change, and system recovery leading to the fastest restart in U.S. nuclear history after NRC shutdown.
Evraz North America — sustained cultural transformation, leadership development of all Executives, and operational performance across U.S. divisions.
Columbia Sportswear — advised executives on operational excellence and manufacturing strategy during rapid global expansion.
Groupe Danone — strengthened innovation discipline, accountability, and leadership depth — Commercial sales increased by 50%, 50% stock value increase, all participating executives advanced within one year.
Each success shares a common thread: committed clients, disciplined systems, and a shared commitment to building what we call the Best Possible Enterprise™ — one that performs with purpose, precision, and pride.
Why Pilot Advisors
Three decades of enterprise‑scale operations, regulated environments, and complex transformations. We bring a practical playbook, steady leadership presence, and respect for your people. Our aim is simple: help you build your Best Possible Enterprise™ — and then make sure it runs without us.
Investment & Fee Structure
The Fractional COO program is designed for an 18-month embedded leadership engagement. Fees are based on company size and operational complexity.
Base Engagement: $150,000 for companies up to $100 million in annual revenue.
Scaling: For larger enterprises, add $2,000 per month for every additional $100 million in annual revenue above $100 million. Fees cap at companies of $3 billion or more.
Fee Schedule:
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Annual Revenue
|
Total Engagement Fee (18 Months)
|
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$100M
|
$150,000 (base)
|
|
$200M
|
$192,000
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$500M
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$276,000
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$1B
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$396,000
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$3B or more
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$756,000 (maximum)
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Fees are structured as a retainer aligned with outcomes and milestones, reviewed quarterly during the engagement.
Next Step
Every lasting improvement begins with alignment.
The first conversation costs nothing — and clarifies everything.
Schedule a brief Pilot Alignment Session to review where your organization stands today, what you want it to achieve, and how disciplined operational leadership can accelerate progress. It’s a focused, no-pressure conversation — designed to create clarity, direction, and confidence in the path forward.
If we’re both confident in the alignment and timing, we can confirm our agreement and begin based on a mutually appropriate start date — moving forward with clarity and shared commitment.
The Pilot Advisors Promise
Every organization has potential. Few ever reach their best possible performance.
At Pilot Advisors, we help leaders and teams close that gap, and guide enterprises through the rough waters of complexity toward clarity, confidence, and execution excellence.
For over 30 years, Pilot Advisors has partnered with CEOs, executives, and boards across industries — from manufacturing and energy to food, technology, and defense.
We bring a disciplined, proven process — The Pilot Way — which integrates strategy, culture, and leadership into one continuous system of improvement.
This is not consulting. It is partnership, and a guided journey to build what we call the Best Possible Enterprise™.
The Pilot Way
1. Clarify the End Goal – Define vision, purpose, expectations, and ownership.
2. Objectively Assess Capabilities – Evaluate team, culture, systems, and market realities.
3. Determine Willingness to Change – Test commitment, confidence, and readiness for accountability.
4. Develop a Realistic Plan – Prioritize, integrate, assign roles, and build systems that last.
5. Facilitate Execution – Provide coaching, accountability, pace, and celebration of progress.
The Engagement Model
1. Objectively assess the current situation.
2. Clarify goals and verify willingness and capacity.
3. Develop a plan for sustainable success.
4. Facilitate disciplined execution.
5. Course-correct and sustain results.
What Client's Say
“Outstanding! Well, in one word, that about sums up our experience. The Pilot Advisors team did an excellent job.”
— Martin Feinstein, Senior Vice President, Farmers Insurance
“The fit was right because Pilot Advisors facilitated solutions from within our team rather than dictating answers.”
— John Robinson, COO, Dean Foods