Cedar Operations vs much. Consulting: Which Operations Partner Is Right for Your Business?
Detailed comparison of Cedar Operations and much. Consulting. Understand the key differences between full-spectrum operations consulting and marketing-focused operations to choose the right partner for your business growth.
Cedar Operations vs much. Consulting: Which Operations Partner Is Right for Your Business?
When your business hits that critical growth phase—typically between $500K and $10M in revenue—operational challenges multiply fast. You're juggling multiple departments, struggling with inefficient processes, and wondering whether you need help with marketing operations, full business operations, or both.
Two consulting firms frequently come up in these conversations: Cedar Operations and much. Consulting. While both offer operations expertise, they take fundamentally different approaches to solving business challenges.
This comprehensive comparison will help you understand which partner aligns with your business needs, growth stage, and operational priorities.
Executive Summary: Key Differences at a Glance
Cedar Operations is a fractional COO and full-spectrum operations consulting firm that transforms businesses through technology-enabled process optimization across all departments—from finance and HR to sales, marketing, and customer success.
much. Consulting is a marketing and operations consultancy with a strong focus on marketing operations, brand strategy, growth marketing, and creative services.
The fundamental difference: Cedar Operations treats your entire business as an interconnected system, while much. Consulting specializes in marketing-centric operations and growth.
Scope of Operations: Full-Spectrum vs Marketing-Focused
Cedar Operations: Enterprise-Wide Operational Transformation
Cedar Operations approaches your business holistically, recognizing that marketing operations don't exist in isolation. When you engage Cedar, you're getting comprehensive operational expertise across:
Finance & Accounting Operations
- Accounts receivable automation and cash flow optimization
- Financial reporting systems and dashboards
- Budgeting and forecasting processes
- Integration between financial systems and operational tools
Revenue Operations (RevOps)
- End-to-end sales pipeline optimization
- CRM implementation and automation (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive)
- Lead routing and sales territory management
- Revenue forecasting and analytics
Human Resources & People Operations
- Employee onboarding and offboarding automation
- Performance management systems
- Hiring process optimization
- HR tech stack implementation
Marketing Operations
- Marketing automation platform setup and optimization
- Lead scoring and nurturing workflows
- Attribution modeling and ROI tracking
- Marketing and sales alignment
Customer Success Operations
- Client onboarding automation
- Customer retention systems
- Support ticket workflow optimization
- Customer health scoring and intervention triggers
Supply Chain & Fulfillment (for product businesses)
- Inventory management systems
- Order fulfillment workflow optimization
- Vendor and contractor management
- Logistics automation
This comprehensive approach means Cedar can identify and fix operational bottlenecks that marketing-focused consultants might miss entirely. For example, your marketing team might generate plenty of leads, but if your sales operations are broken or your finance team can't track customer acquisition costs accurately, you're still losing money.
much. Consulting: Marketing Operations Excellence
much. Consulting brings deep expertise to marketing operations and growth, with strengths in:
Marketing Strategy & Planning
- Brand positioning and messaging
- Go-to-market strategy
- Marketing channel selection and planning
- Campaign planning and execution
Marketing Operations
- Marketing technology stack optimization
- Campaign workflow management
- Marketing analytics and reporting
- Marketing team structure and processes
Creative Services
- Brand identity and design
- Content creation and creative production
- Campaign creative development
- Marketing collateral design
Growth Marketing
- Acquisition channel optimization
- Conversion rate optimization
- Growth experimentation frameworks
- Performance marketing strategy
much. Consulting excels when your primary operational challenge is marketing-related. If you need help building your brand, optimizing your marketing technology, or scaling your marketing operations, they bring specialized expertise to those challenges.
Specialization Areas: Generalist Operations vs Marketing Specialist
Cedar Operations: The Fractional COO Model
Cedar Operations functions as your fractional Chief Operating Officer—a strategic partner who understands how all business functions interconnect and optimize for enterprise-wide efficiency.
Core Specializations:
Process Automation Across All Departments
- Identifying manual, repetitive tasks consuming valuable time
- Implementing automation using tools like Zapier, Make.com, n8n
- Building custom workflows that connect disparate systems
- Training teams to leverage automation tools independently
Systems Implementation and Integration
- Evaluating and selecting the right technology stack for your business
- Implementing and customizing business systems (CRM, ERP, project management, HRIS)
- Creating seamless integrations between tools to eliminate data silos
- Ensuring systems scale with your business growth
Workflow Optimization and Process Design
- Mapping current processes to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks
- Designing optimized workflows based on lean principles
- Creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for consistency
- Implementing continuous improvement frameworks
Data and Analytics Infrastructure
- Building executive dashboards that surface key metrics
- Creating data pipelines that aggregate information from multiple sources
- Establishing KPIs and tracking systems across departments
- Enabling data-driven decision-making at all levels
Operational Strategy and Planning
- Developing operational roadmaps aligned with business objectives
- Capacity planning for headcount, systems, and infrastructure
- Risk assessment and operational contingency planning
- Cross-functional project management for major initiatives
The fractional COO approach means you get C-level operational expertise without the $200K+ salary commitment. Cedar works embedded in your business, not as an external advisor making recommendations you'll struggle to implement.
much. Consulting: Marketing Operations Specialist
much. Consulting brings concentrated expertise to marketing and growth operations:
Core Specializations:
Marketing Technology Optimization
- Marketing automation platform expertise
- Marketing analytics and attribution tools
- Ad tech stack optimization
- Marketing data integration and reporting
Brand and Creative Strategy
- Brand development and positioning
- Creative campaign strategy
- Content strategy and planning
- Visual identity and design systems
Growth and Performance Marketing
- Paid acquisition channel management
- Conversion optimization and testing
- Customer acquisition strategy
- Performance marketing analytics
Marketing Team Development
- Marketing organizational design
- Marketing process and workflow optimization
- Marketing talent strategy
- Agency and vendor management (marketing-focused)
If marketing is your primary bottleneck and you already have operations handled in other departments, much. Consulting's specialization could be exactly what you need.
Service Model: Hands-On Implementation vs Consulting & Execution
Cedar Operations: Strategy + Implementation + Training
Cedar Operations operates on a "we build it with you" model that combines strategic consulting with hands-on implementation:
Engagement Model:
- Fractional COO Retainer: Ongoing monthly engagement (typically 20-40 hours/month) where Cedar acts as your operational executive
- Project-Based Implementation: Defined projects with clear deliverables (e.g., "Implement CRM and sales automation" or "Build finance operations dashboard")
- Operations Transformation Programs: 6-12 month comprehensive operational overhauls
How Cedar Works:
- Discovery and Assessment: Deep dive into current operations across all departments, identifying pain points, inefficiencies, and opportunities
- Strategic Roadmap: Prioritized plan for operational improvements with clear ROI projections
- Hands-On Implementation: Cedar doesn't just make recommendations—we configure systems, build automations, create processes, and train your team
- Knowledge Transfer: Your team learns how to maintain and improve systems independently
- Continuous Optimization: Ongoing refinement and scaling of operations as your business grows
Key Differentiator: Cedar doesn't hand you a strategy deck and walk away. We stay embedded until systems are working, your team is trained, and you're seeing measurable results.
Typical Cedar Operations Engagement Timeline:
- Month 1: Discovery, audit, and roadmap development
- Months 2-3: Core systems implementation and quick-win automations
- Months 4-6: Advanced workflow optimization and cross-departmental integration
- Months 6+: Continuous improvement, scaling, and new initiative implementation
much. Consulting: Consulting + Creative + Execution
much. Consulting combines strategic consulting with creative services and marketing execution:
Engagement Model:
- Strategy consulting engagements
- Creative and brand development projects
- Marketing operations optimization
- Growth marketing execution
How much. Consulting Works:
Their approach blends strategic guidance with hands-on marketing work, particularly strong in creative execution and marketing campaign implementation.
Key Differentiator: Deep marketing expertise with creative capabilities built in, allowing for strategy-to-execution within the marketing domain.
Technology and Automation Approach
Cedar Operations: Technology-Enabled Operations
Cedar's philosophy: technology should eliminate manual work, create visibility, and scale with your business.
Technology Stack Expertise:
- CRM & Sales: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Close
- Marketing Automation: HubSpot, Marketo, ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp
- Project Management: Asana, Monday.com, ClickUp, Notion
- Finance & Accounting: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Bill.com, Expensify
- HR & People Ops: BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling, Lattice
- Automation Platforms: Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), n8n
- Data & Analytics: Google Data Studio, Tableau, Metabase, custom dashboards
- Customer Success: Intercom, Zendesk, ChurnZero, Gainsight
Automation Philosophy:
Cedar believes in "appropriate automation"—using technology where it demonstrably saves time, reduces errors, or improves customer experience, not automation for automation's sake.
Common Automation Examples:
- Automated lead routing from marketing to sales based on qualification criteria
- Accounts receivable follow-up sequences that escalate based on payment status
- Employee onboarding workflows that trigger tasks across HR, IT, and department managers
- Customer health scoring that alerts success teams to at-risk accounts
- Executive dashboards that auto-update with KPIs from multiple systems
much. Consulting: Marketing Technology Focus
much. Consulting brings expertise to marketing technology stacks, with emphasis on:
- Marketing automation platforms
- Analytics and attribution tools
- Creative and content management systems
- Ad tech and performance marketing tools
Their technology approach centers on optimizing marketing operations and enabling growth marketing activities.
Pricing and Investment
Cedar Operations: Simple, Transparent Pricing
Pricing Structure:
- One-time buildout fee: Up to $5,000 for initial systems implementation
- Monthly maintenance: Ongoing fee based on scale and complexity
No hourly billing, no project fees, no surprise charges.
Value delivered:
- Time savings from automation
- Revenue growth from optimized sales operations
- Cost savings from tech stack optimization
- Improved cash flow from accounts receivable automation
- Reduced customer churn from better customer success operations
much. Consulting: Marketing-Focused Investment
much. Consulting pricing varies based on engagement type and scope. Their investment model typically includes strategy consulting fees plus execution costs for creative and marketing work.
For businesses primarily needing marketing expertise, this model provides access to specialized marketing talent and creative capabilities.
Best Fit Scenarios: When to Choose Cedar vs much. Consulting
Choose Cedar Operations If You:
1. Need Full Business Operations, Not Just Marketing
Your challenges span multiple departments—sales is disconnected from marketing, finance can't track profitability by customer, HR is drowning in manual onboarding tasks, and customer success is reactive rather than proactive.
2. Are Scaling and Need Systems That Grow With You
You're experiencing growing pains: what worked at $500K revenue doesn't work at $2M, and you need operational infrastructure that scales to $10M+.
3. Want Technology-Enabled Transformation
You know automation and better systems could save your team hundreds of hours monthly, but you lack the expertise to implement and integrate these tools effectively.
4. Need Someone Who Understands How Everything Connects
Your operational challenges aren't isolated—they're interconnected. You need someone who understands that marketing problems often stem from sales process issues, which connect to data problems, which link to technology gaps.
5. Require Hands-On Implementation, Not Just Strategy
You've hired consultants before who delivered beautiful slide decks but no real change. You need a partner who will configure the CRM, build the automations, train your team, and stay until it's working.
6. Are the Founder/CEO Doing Too Much Operations
You're spending 60% of your time on operational firefighting instead of strategy, business development, and vision. You need a fractional COO to own and optimize operations.
Ideal Cedar Client Profile:
- $500K-$10M in annual revenue
- 5-50 employees
- Growth-stage company with scaling challenges
- Multiple operational pain points across departments
- Ready to invest in systems and processes
- Wants to move from founder-dependent to systems-dependent
Choose much. Consulting If You:
1. Have Specific Marketing Operations Needs
Your operations in other departments are solid, but your marketing function needs specialized expertise to scale effectively.
2. Need Marketing Strategy and Creative Capabilities
You're looking for help with brand development, creative campaign execution, and marketing strategy in addition to operations optimization.
3. Are Primarily Focused on Growth Marketing
Your main challenge is customer acquisition and growth, and you need specialized growth marketing expertise.
4. Already Have Operations Leadership
You have a COO, Operations Manager, or Chief of Staff handling general business operations, and you specifically need marketing operations expertise.
Ideal much. Consulting Client Profile:
- Primarily marketing-focused challenges
- Need for brand, creative, and marketing strategy
- Growth marketing as primary objective
- Operations handled in other departments
- Looking for marketing-specialized expertise
Direct Comparison Table
| Aspect |
Cedar Operations |
much. Consulting |
| Primary Focus |
Full-spectrum business operations |
Marketing operations and growth |
| Service Model |
Fractional COO + Implementation |
Consulting + Creative + Execution |
| Departments Served |
All (Finance, Sales, Marketing, HR, CS, Operations) |
Primarily Marketing |
| Automation Expertise |
Cross-departmental automation and integration |
Marketing automation and martech |
| Technology Scope |
Enterprise-wide systems and integrations |
Marketing technology stack |
| Implementation Approach |
Hands-on configuration, building, and training |
Strategy and marketing execution |
| Strategic Level |
C-level (COO) operational strategy |
Marketing and growth strategy |
| Best for Revenue Stage |
$500K-$10M |
Varies |
| Process Optimization |
Company-wide process design and improvement |
Marketing processes and workflows |
| Data & Analytics |
Enterprise dashboards and cross-system reporting |
Marketing analytics and attribution |
| Typical Engagement |
Ongoing fractional retainer (6-12+ months) |
Project-based and consulting engagements |
| Team Training |
Cross-functional operational training |
Marketing team development |
| System Integration |
Complex multi-system integrations |
Marketing tech stack integration |
| Creative Services |
Not offered (operations focus) |
Brand and creative development |
Real-World Scenarios: Who Needs What?
Scenario 1: The Scaling SaaS Company ($2M ARR, 15 employees)
Situation: Growing fast but operationally chaotic. Marketing generates leads but sales process is inconsistent. Customer success is reactive. Finance can't accurately report on unit economics. Founder is working 70-hour weeks firefighting.
Right Choice: Cedar Operations
Why: This business has operational challenges across multiple departments. They don't just need marketing help—they need enterprise-wide systems, process standardization, automation, and a strategic operations leader to build scalable infrastructure.
Cedar's Approach:
- Month 1: Audit operations across all departments, identify critical bottlenecks
- Months 2-3: Implement CRM with standardized sales process, automate lead routing, build financial dashboard
- Months 4-6: Create customer success playbooks and health scoring, optimize marketing-to-sales handoff, automate customer onboarding
- Months 6+: Continuous optimization, build predictable revenue engine, free founder for strategic work
Scenario 2: The E-commerce Brand ($5M revenue, strong ops team, scaling marketing)
Situation: Operations, fulfillment, and finance are running smoothly. The team has strong operational leadership. Now they're ready to scale customer acquisition and build a stronger brand presence.
Right Choice: much. Consulting
Why: This business already has operations handled and specifically needs marketing expertise. They're looking for growth marketing strategy, creative capabilities, and marketing operations optimization.
much. Consulting's Approach:
Deep marketing expertise, brand development, growth marketing strategy, and creative execution to scale customer acquisition while maintaining strong unit economics.
Scenario 3: The Service Business ($3M revenue, 25 employees, operational chaos)
Situation: Service delivery is good but everything else is broken. Client onboarding takes 3 weeks and involves 47 emails. No standardized processes. Sales pipeline is a black box. Team is using 15 different tools poorly. Finance closes books 6 weeks late.
Right Choice: Cedar Operations
Why: This is a textbook full-business operational transformation scenario. No amount of marketing improvement will help if the underlying operational infrastructure is fundamentally broken.
Cedar's Approach:
- Months 1-2: Process mapping, technology audit, operations roadmap
- Months 3-4: Implement core systems (CRM, project management, client portal), automate client onboarding
- Months 5-6: Build sales pipeline visibility and forecasting, create SOPs, optimize tech stack
- Months 6-12: Cross-departmental integration, financial reporting automation, continuous improvement
Scenario 4: The B2B Marketing Agency ($4M revenue, needs marketing ops help)
Situation: Agency serves clients well but their own marketing operations are neglected. They need to systematize their own lead generation, improve marketing attribution, and build a more consistent brand presence.
Right Choice: Could Be Either
Why: Depends on broader operational needs.
- If only marketing ops need work and other operations are solid: much. Consulting
- If they also need client operations, financial operations, HR systems, etc.: Cedar Operations
Common Questions: Making the Right Choice
Q: Can I work with both Cedar Operations and much. Consulting?
Absolutely. In fact, this can be a powerful combination. Cedar Operations handles your full business operations and systems infrastructure while much. Consulting focuses specifically on marketing strategy, creative, and growth marketing execution. The key is clear scope delineation to avoid overlap and confusion.
Q: I'm not sure if my problems are just marketing or broader operations. How do I know?
Consider these questions:
- Are challenges limited to marketing, or do they span sales, finance, HR, and customer success?
- If marketing generated 2x the leads tomorrow, would your systems handle it smoothly?
- Are your operational issues preventing you from executing on marketing strategy?
- Do you have clear visibility into operations across all departments?
If you answered "broader departments," "no," "yes," and "no," you likely need full-spectrum operations help (Cedar) rather than marketing-specific expertise.
Q: What if I just need someone to implement my CRM and marketing automation?
If you have clear requirements and just need implementation, Cedar Operations can execute this as a project-based engagement. However, if this is part of a broader operational need (which it usually is), a fractional COO engagement ensures the CRM integrates properly with your other systems and supports your entire revenue engine, not just marketing.
Q: My budget is limited. Which option is more cost-effective?
This depends entirely on your needs. If you have a specific marketing project, much. Consulting may be more targeted. If you have enterprise-wide operational inefficiencies costing you thousands monthly in wasted time, redundant software, and missed revenue opportunities, Cedar Operations' fractional COO model typically delivers ROI within 3-6 months through efficiency gains and revenue improvement.
Q: How do I know if I need a fractional COO vs just project-based help?
Choose fractional COO engagement if:
- You have ongoing operational challenges, not just one-time projects
- You need strategic operational leadership, not just task execution
- You're in a growth phase requiring continuous operational optimization
- The founder/CEO is spending too much time on operations
Choose project-based if:
- You have a specific, defined operational need (e.g., "implement HubSpot CRM")
- Other operational areas are working well
- You have internal operations leadership but need specialized expertise for a particular initiative
The Cedar Operations Advantage: Full-Spectrum Operations Transformation
While much. Consulting brings valuable marketing expertise, Cedar Operations offers something fundamentally different: comprehensive operational transformation that touches every aspect of your business.
Why Full-Spectrum Operations Matters
Your business isn't a collection of independent departments—it's an interconnected system. Marketing doesn't operate in isolation from sales. Sales depends on finance for accurate pricing and customer data. Customer success needs product, support, and account management alignment. HR impacts every department.
When you optimize only one piece (like marketing operations), you're addressing symptoms rather than root causes.
Example: The Lead Generation Paradox
Imagine marketing operations are optimized and generating 3x the qualified leads. Success, right?
Not if:
- Sales operations can't handle the volume and leads go cold
- Finance can't track which leads become profitable customers
- Onboarding operations can't scale, leading to poor customer experience
- Customer success can't support the new customer influx, increasing churn
This is why Cedar Operations takes a holistic approach. We ensure your entire operational system is ready to scale together, not just one department in isolation.
The Fractional COO Value Proposition
When you engage Cedar Operations, you're not hiring a consultant—you're adding a fractional Chief Operating Officer to your leadership team.
What This Means:
- Strategic Partner: Cedar participates in leadership meetings, contributes to strategic planning, and aligns operations with business objectives
- Accountability: We're accountable for operational results, not just delivering recommendations
- Embedded Expertise: We work within your business, understanding your culture, team dynamics, and unique challenges
- Cross-Functional Authority: As your COO, Cedar can drive initiatives across departments, breaking down silos and ensuring alignment
- Continuous Optimization: Operations isn't a one-time fix—it's continuous improvement as your business evolves
Technology-Enabled Transformation
Cedar Operations' core belief: the right technology, properly implemented and integrated, multiplies your team's effectiveness.
The Technology Strategy:
- Audit: Assess current tools, identify redundancies, gaps, and opportunities
- Optimize: Consolidate where possible, eliminate unused tools, select best-fit solutions
- Implement: Configure systems properly, customize to your workflows, integrate across platforms
- Automate: Build workflows that eliminate manual work and reduce errors
- Train: Ensure your team can leverage tools independently
- Scale: Design systems that grow with your business
Real ROI Examples:
Client A (Professional Services, $2.5M revenue):
- Automated client onboarding reduced time from 14 days to 2 days
- Sales pipeline automation increased close rate by 23%
- Financial dashboard reduced month-end close from 4 weeks to 5 days
- Overall time savings: 120 hours/month across team
- ROI: 8x in first year
Client B (SaaS Company, $4M ARR):
- CRM and marketing automation integration improved lead-to-customer conversion by 34%
- Customer health scoring reduced churn by 18%
- Automated reporting gave leadership real-time visibility instead of weekly meetings
- Revenue impact: $680K additional ARR in year one
- ROI: 12x in first year
Making Your Decision: A Framework
Use this decision framework to determine which partner is right for your business:
Step 1: Identify Your Primary Challenge
Is your primary challenge:
- Marketing-specific? (Brand, marketing strategy, creative, growth marketing, marketing ops)
- Operations-wide? (Challenges across multiple departments, founder overwhelmed, scaling pain, systems and process gaps)
Step 2: Assess Operational Maturity
Rate your operations in each area (1-10):
- Finance & Accounting Operations: ___
- Sales Operations: ___
- Marketing Operations: ___
- HR & People Operations: ___
- Customer Success Operations: ___
- Systems & Technology: ___
- Processes & Workflows: ___
Scoring:
- If marketing operations is your only score below 7: Consider marketing-focused partner like much. Consulting
- If multiple areas score below 7: You need full-spectrum operations help like Cedar Operations
Step 3: Define Success Metrics
What would operational success look like in 6 months?
If your success metrics focus primarily on marketing KPIs (lead generation, brand awareness, marketing ROI), marketing-specific expertise may suffice.
If your success metrics span multiple departments (revenue per employee, operational efficiency, time to close books, sales cycle length, customer onboarding time, team capacity), you need comprehensive operations transformation.
Step 4: Consider Your Growth Trajectory
Where will your business be in 12-18 months?
If you're in rapid growth mode, your operational infrastructure needs to be built ahead of growth, not catch up to it. This requires full-spectrum operational planning and implementation that anticipates cross-departmental needs.
Conclusion: Operations as Competitive Advantage
The companies that win in today's market aren't necessarily those with the best product or the most marketing spend—they're the companies with the best operations.
Operational excellence means:
- Faster execution and time-to-market
- Better unit economics and profitability
- Scalable growth without proportional headcount increase
- Superior customer experience through efficient processes
- Data-driven decision making at all levels
- Teams focused on high-value work, not operational firefighting
much. Consulting brings valuable marketing expertise that can significantly improve your marketing operations and growth trajectory. For businesses with strong operational foundations looking to scale marketing specifically, they offer specialized capabilities.
Cedar Operations provides comprehensive operational transformation that touches every aspect of your business. For growing companies experiencing operational growing pains, lacking systems and processes, or led by founders drowning in operational work, Cedar offers the fractional COO leadership needed to build operational excellence across the enterprise.
The question isn't which firm is "better"—it's which firm is better for your specific situation.
If you're experiencing operational challenges that extend beyond marketing, if you're scaling and need systems that grow with you, if you want technology-enabled transformation across all departments, or if you need a fractional COO who can own operations while you focus on strategy and growth—Cedar Operations is built specifically for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What makes Cedar Operations different from other operations consultants?
Cedar Operations combines three elements that most operations consultants separate: strategic thinking (the "what" and "why"), hands-on implementation (the "how"), and training (knowledge transfer). We don't just recommend what to do—we configure the systems, build the automations, train your team, and stay until it's working. We function as your fractional COO, not an external advisor.
Additionally, our technology-first approach means we leverage automation and systems to multiply your team's effectiveness. Every recommendation comes with clear ROI projection and measurable outcomes.
2. How quickly can I expect to see results from a Cedar Operations engagement?
Most clients see meaningful results within 30-60 days through "quick win" automations and process improvements. These early wins might include:
- Automated workflows saving 10-20 hours/week
- Dashboard visibility into previously opaque operations
- Standardized processes reducing errors and inconsistency
- Initial CRM or system implementations improving team effectiveness
Comprehensive operational transformation typically delivers full ROI within 3-6 months, with continuous improvement and optimization continuing throughout the engagement.
3. Do I need to choose between Cedar Operations and much. Consulting, or can I work with both?
You can absolutely work with both firms if your needs warrant it. The key is clear scope delineation:
Cedar Operations: Full business operations, systems implementation, cross-departmental automation, RevOps, finance operations, HR operations, customer success operations, and overall operational strategy
much. Consulting: Marketing strategy, creative services, brand development, growth marketing, and marketing-specific execution
Some clients engage Cedar for comprehensive operations and much. Consulting specifically for creative and brand work—this can be a powerful combination when scopes are clearly defined.
4. What size company is the best fit for Cedar Operations?
Cedar Operations specializes in companies with $500K to $10M in annual revenue, typically with 5-50 employees. This is the growth stage where:
- You've outgrown founder-driven, informal operations
- You need systems and processes but can't afford a full-time COO
- Operational inefficiencies are limiting growth
- You're scaling and need infrastructure that scales with you
That said, we work with some earlier-stage companies with complex operations and some larger companies with specific transformation needs.
5. How is working with a fractional COO different from hiring a full-time COO?
Cost: A fractional COO costs 30-40% of a full-time COO salary while delivering senior-level expertise.
Flexibility: Scale engagement up or down based on current needs. Transition to full-time operations leader when the time is right.
Outside Perspective: Fractional COOs bring experience from multiple companies and industries, offering fresh perspectives and proven playbooks.
Implementation Focus: Cedar Operations combines strategic COO leadership with hands-on implementation—we don't just advise, we build.
Speed: Fractional COOs can start immediately (no lengthy hiring process) and deliver value from day one.
The ideal scenario: Engage Cedar Operations as your fractional COO during your growth phase. As you scale toward $10M+, transition to a full-time COO (we can help recruit and onboard them) while Cedar continues to support specific operational initiatives.
Ready to Transform Your Operations?
If you're experiencing operational growing pains, struggling with inefficient processes across multiple departments, or spending too much time firefighting instead of focusing on strategy and growth, Cedar Operations can help.
Book a free 30-minute operations assessment to:
- Discuss your current operational challenges
- Identify quick-win opportunities for automation and process improvement
- Understand how fractional COO engagement could transform your business
- Get a customized roadmap for operational excellence
Schedule Your Free Operations Assessment →
No sales pressure. No obligations. Just a straightforward conversation about your operations and whether Cedar Operations is the right fit for your business.
Cedar Operations is a fractional COO and operations consulting firm specializing in technology-enabled operational transformation for growing businesses. We help companies $500K-$10M in revenue build scalable systems, automate workflows, and achieve operational excellence across all departments.
CEDAR OPERATIONS