KATIE COCHRANE

Fractional COO

Effectively helping small to midsize organizations identify and execute the goals, strategies, and processes of business operations.

My belief is that operations is not a department – rather, a strategic mindset driven by organizational goals, where processes are created to serve people and business operations focus on increasing value.

Many organizations reach a stage where they need the expertise of an experienced operations executive, but they are not quite at the point where they should or can afford a permanent or full-time person. A Fractional Operations Expert is the solution.

I have the unique experience of assisting in the growth of three successful Chicago technology start-ups and now I utilize my expertise to provide small to midsize organizations with the business execution and leadership assistance that is imperative for success, but often out of reach at early phases of organizational growth.

I am passionate about creating business operations and defining an organizational strategy that enables individuals and businesses to reach the next level of success.

Working out of Chicago, Illinois

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What I do best

My unique background has provided me expertise to offer a wide range of contract services.

Fractional COO

Many organizations reach a stage where they can use the expertise of an experienced operations executive, but they are not quite at the point where they need or can afford a permanent or full-time person. One of the best solutions is a fractional COO.

A fractional COO is a key operations-focused business partner that is used on a less than full-time basis. A fractional COO is an excellent affordable option for many companies.

Chief of Staff

Having a great idea or product is step one. It’s everything after that, including but not limited to, defining success, prioritizing objectives, formulating and executing a plan that I have years of experience assisting in and owning.

My essential function is to codify your ideas into an executable plan.

Operations & process improvement

My growth mindset for all things business process allows me to identify areas of improvement quickly and outline what to do next in an approachable manner. Streamline processes, reduce costs, enhance customer service, increase productivity - sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see what is right in front of you.

Project management

Whether it be assisting a team or on my own, I specialize in initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing out work required to achieve specific goals within any given constraints or timelines.

Beginning-to-end website creation

With me, creating a website isn’t an overwhelming process because I am the project manager , designer, and developer all-in-one. I personally learn your needs and utilize the top website building platforms to make exactly what you are looking for.

Training materials & business documentation

Business documentation is often a task pushed to tomorrow’s to-do list but imagine the time and money that would be saved if new hires onboard quicker and customers receive a consistent service experience. Plus, less questions are asked and repeating valuable information is reduced.

Simply make life easier

With my user-centric point of view and operational mentality it is likely that after a short amount of time together I will have provided you with multiple web-based, simple solutions to a variety of things that have been causing you frustration for way too long.

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Katie is one of the most pleasant people to work with. There's always a smile on her face, a twinkle in her eye, and a spring in her step. She is willing to take on whatever needs to be done and does so with an "I got this" attitude. Any office culture would benefit from her presence as she pays attention to the little things and makes everyone feel special. She became like a sister to me and I'm thankful for the years we shared working together.

Justin, Spotlite coworker

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Katie is extremely proficient in managing a team. Having worked with her as co-leader of a team, I know that she always cares for fellow leaders and team members very well. She pays attention to detail and plans enriching experiences to build trust and efficiency in communication. It was a great honor working with her and I look forward to the day when we can work together on a project again!

John, Team lead partner

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Katie is a very passionate and caring professional. Her ability to connect, genuine desire to understand my goals, and ability to create innovative solutions, made working with her a pleasure. Katie is multi-faceted, which allows her to be a huge asset in any business looking to improve efficiency and/or effectiveness.

Justin, Not for profit client

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I worked with Katie when she was Senior Director of Operations at GetSet. Throughout that time, Katie remained passionately committed to improving processes and operations—she wants to make each process as streamlined and repeatable as possible. She cares deeply for her coworkers and clients, and does all she can to make their lives easier. Most importantly, Katie knows how to get things done. She has a fierce commitment to self-reliance and if you leave her alone with an obstacle to be tackled, you can be certain it will be taken care of when you return.

Anja, GetSet coworker

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Working with Katie was the best decision I've made for my website and business. She made every part of the process simple, straightforward, and blew me away with the minimal direction she required from me.

By doing what seemed so simple, so well – asking questions about me and discussing the vision I had for the site - she created an incredible visual representation of our conversation and my site looks even better than I imagined.

She gave great suggestions for photography and overall layout, and completed everything start to finish efficiently. She literally did all the work for me and I loved the result as if I had put hours of my own into it. Katie's unique combination of creative and technical expertise set her apart from anyone else I've ever worked with. She was able to clearly understand what was important to me, learn my style preferences, and she quickly transformed it into a finished website that I love. I highly recommend working with Katie.

Laura, Business website client