Ops Retainer
You Need More Than a COO.
You Need a Team.
Your business has more moving parts than one person can manage.
We design a team that covers all of it.
Book Your Discovery Call

Your Business Changes.
Your Ops Team Should Too.

Working with contractors can feel transactional. You get a deliverable, they move on. We show up like we work there. Because for all practical purposes... we do. We become your ops team.

When you bring us in, we get to know your business, the current culture, and all the parts held together with hopes and dreams. Then we figure out what you need, place the right people, and run the business alongside you.

As your business changes, so does your fractional ops team. More capacity when you're scaling, less when things slow down.

We also bring on different roles as your needs shift. Some clients start with an Ops Manager to oversee the hiring or team management. Others start with a bookkeeper to start getting FinOps in order.

We start wherever it hurts most and build from there.

The Agency Is Growing. You're Drowning.

You've got clients. You've got a team. You're busier than ever. But somehow you're still the one approving everything, answering every question, and holding the whole thing together.

You knew it couldn't stay like this forever. You just haven't had time to fix it.

That's exactly where we come in.

How we handle the
ebb and flow of business

There are three key Functions of business: (1) Growth (2) Operations (3) Delivery.

The charts below show these Functions as well as common key Areas (boxes) and key Activities (numbered lists).

You'll also see roles listed for each area. When it comes to small business, these are common combinations of roles that are responsible for those areas but they may differ from business to business.

Although most of the work we do happens in the Operations function, our team's strengths are in management and administrative work.

We run things.

And all three Functions need people running things! 💪

This means that we have roles available to support across all functions of the business. From an Ops Manager and an Executive Assistant to a Project Manager and Bookkeeper—we're here to be the implementers across the business.

Design a Scalable Ops Team

The beauty of working with us is that as your business changes and grows, our level of support changes and grows with you.

We design a scope that combines the roles and expertise that will make the biggest impact for your business. Want an EA to give you relief with admin work first? We got you. Onboarding new clients and need a manager to help run things while refreshing your client experience? We're there.

The scope is based on the number of simultaneous business areas we're managing at a time. The more areas we're covering at once, the higher the package price.

Fractional COO

Your strategic second-in-command. They sit alongside you, think about the business from the top down, and make the big calls on org design, long-term systems, and leadership alignment. This is the role when you need someone to run the business with you, not just for you.

Operations Manager

The day-to-day anchor. They keep workflows documented, processes running, and the team moving without you in the middle of every decision. If you're still the one holding everything together, this is usually the first hire that changes that.

Executive Assistant

Calendar, inbox, travel, research, follow-ups, and everything else eating your time that doesn't need to be yours. A good EA gives you hours back every week — immediately.

Bookkeeper

We place a dedicated bookkeeper inside your business to handle monthly reconciliation and reporting. For founders still doing their own books or working with someone inconsistent, this is often the fastest way to get financial clarity.

Operations Coordinator

The support layer that keeps the ops function running. Scheduling, documentation, systems maintenance, and administrative execution. They free up your Ops Manager to focus on the bigger picture.

Project Manager

Owns the process from start to finish. Timelines, scope, budgets, task tracking, and team accountability. They make sure client work gets done on time and within budget without you having to ask.

Production Manager

Owns the production pipeline. Pre-production through delivery, shoot logistics, vendor coordination, and resource allocation. Built for video and production-heavy agencies where the creative work has a lot of moving parts.

Production Coordinator

The support layer for your production team. Shoot prep, asset tracking, vendor communication, and logistics. They keep the Production Manager focused on the bigger picture while nothing slips through the cracks.

Don't See the Role You Need?

Every agency is different. If your business needs a role that isn't on this list, we'll find the right person. We recruit and vet contractors across a range of ops functions — so if the need is there, we'll build for it.

Custom Packages

Every business has unique challenges, goals, and growth trajectories. That's why we don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions.

Instead, we design custom packages tailored specifically to your needs, combining the right mix of strategic expertise and hands-on support to help you scale efficiently.

Starting at $2,000 per month

See If We're a Good Fit

👋 Hi, I’m Valentina –
Creative Educator Turned Operations Architect​

After years of teaching everything from music composition to web design, I started experimenting with business on the side.

What began as a hobby turned into a whirlwind, leading me to accidentally start a content marketing agency...

Spoiler: it wasn’t fun.

That wild detour helped me realize what I love most—working closely with people to solve complex problems and design systems that just work.

Business isn’t just about making money (though, of course, that’s part of it). It can also be fun, meaningful, and a space for personal growth—if you build it right.

Now, I help creative agencies tame the chaos of growth with systems that make both work and life more enjoyable.

Learn More

Work with Smooth Operators

Let’s talk about how we can help you run your business as smoothly as possible.