Welcome to The COO Solution Podcast, the go-to resource for business owners, CEOs, and visionary entrepreneurs looking to scale smarter, lead better, and build businesses that run without bottlenecks. I’m your host, Derek Fredrickson, and today’s episode addresses one of the most critical mindset and strategy shifts in entrepreneurship—how to stop being the bottleneck and start building a self-managing business that can run (and grow) without you.

In This Episode:

[00:58] Why Being in Control Is Slowing You Down – The trap of being the go-to for everything and how it holds your team (and business) back.

[03:04] Why Most Founders Become Bottlenecks – The early hustle habits that hurt you at scale.

[05:20] What It Takes to Build a Business That Runs Without You – The three pillars: ownership culture, systems thinking, and trust over control.

[06:35] A Real Client Example – How handing over operations empowered one founder to scale without burnout.

[07:57] The Role of a Fractional COO – Why you need someone to operationalize your vision and create repeatable results.

[09:00] The Host’s Own Experience – How Derek’s business transformed with his COO's help.

[11:26] Real Outcomes of Letting Go – Strategic thinking, empowered teams, faster execution, and increased innovation.

[12:45] Action Challenge – The Calendar Audit: Find hidden hours in your week and reclaim your time.

📌 Why This Matters

You didn’t start your business to be stuck in every meeting, decision, and task. If your business can’t run without you, you’re not scaling—you’re surviving. This episode gives you the clarity and tools to build an actual business, not just a high-stress job.

✅ Action Steps for Listeners:

• Do a calendar audit for the past or next 2–3 weeks.
• Highlight meetings someone else could do if systems or people were in place.
• Circle 3 energy-draining tasks and have a delegation conversation with your COO, OBM, or trusted team member.
• Ask yourself: “If I disappeared for a week, what would break?” The answer reveals your true bottlenecks—and your opportunity to grow.

Resources & Links:

• Free Quiz – Take the free 25-question quiz to see if your business is ready for the support of a Fractional COO: https://thecoosolution.com
• Podcast Page – https://thecoosolution.com/podcast

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