In this episode, Tom Griffiths speaks with Lloyd Thompson, founder of VirtualDOO and a seasoned fractional COO, about how small business owners can step out of daily operations and build more scalable, sellable companies.

Lloyd shares how his team helps businesses (typically with 5–25 employees) by embedding part-time operators who bring structure, accountability, and clarity. He discusses how his approach begins with an operations assessment—reviewing a company’s vision, values, team structures, systems, and feedback loops—to identify where founders are stuck and how to replace their involvement with effective processes and people.

Real-life examples highlight Lloyd’s broad experience across e-commerce, marketing agencies, and even field-based services like rope access. He explains the common pain points: operational chaos, unclear accountabilities, and business owners who struggle to delegate—especially around decision-making, sales, and key client relationships.

A strong focus is placed on measurable improvements. Lloyd outlines how simple dashboards can track essential business metrics—starting with basics like revenue, profit, and cash—and how choosing the right KPIs avoids incentivizing the wrong behaviors.

The conversation also explores exit readiness. Lloyd emphasizes that to sell a business successfully, it must function independently of the founder. His team often supports exit-focused owners by building systems and roles that transfer operational ownership.

Finally, Lloyd breaks down his month-to-month engagement model, designed to deliver value quickly, train internal staff, or prepare the business for a full-time COO hire. It's all about enabling freedom and flexibility while ensuring sustainable growth.

To Contact Lloyd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lloydt/