Structure the business.
Develop the people.
Two levels of operational structure support for founder-led businesses between £500k and £15M — both installing the Firm Foundation Framework: Financial Visibility, Decision Authority, Leadership Rhythm, and Accountability Design.
Growth is a design problem
Most founders do not fail from bad decisions. They fail because responsibility grows faster than structure — until the business depends on one person to hold it together. That gap is correctable, and it looks the same in a law firm, an agency, or a construction business.
The structural maturity gap — where complexity outruns structure.
Structure beats willpower. The work is not to push harder inside a broken design — it is to redesign the system so the business no longer needs you as its engine.David Schofield · Purpose In Action
The Firm Foundation Framework
Four pillars. Each maps a human symptom to a structural correction, installed in sequence.
Financial Visibility
Predictive 30–90 day forward cash flow and margin-by-service-line tracking.
Decision Authority
Threshold-Based Authority Maps — who decides what, without the founder.
Leadership Rhythm
Decision-First Cadences that replace activity-reporting meetings.
Accountability Design
Outcome Governance — one accountable owner for every critical KPI.
Which pillar is breaking first?
Sixty seconds, four questions. The diagnostic names your weakest pillar and the first three moves to correct it.
Answer four quick questions to find your weakest operational pillar.
The two services
Most engagements start with a 4-Week Operational Assessment — a paid, no-obligation read of how I work that ends in a prioritised plan, yours to keep with me or without me. From there, two ways to continue:
Founder Operational Advisory
Installs operational structure and develops the leadership team to hold it across all four pillars, then hands ownership back — install, stabilise, exit.
Right when revenue is £500k–£2M and the right systems do not yet exist.
- Works with founder and leadership team
- Technology and AI positioning included
- Structural independence within 3–6 months
- £2,600–£5,500 / month
Fractional COO
Embedded operational leadership for businesses needing ongoing governance rather than time-limited correction. Enforces accountability through Outcome Governance.
Right when drift keeps returning and revenue is £1M+ with compounding complexity.
- Embedded in the leadership layer
- Ongoing KPI governance and enforcement
- Technology governance in the operating model
- £6,500–£11,500 / month
How the engagement runs
Install
Operating structure built across all four pillars, with the leadership team developed to hold it.
Stabilise
The structure runs under live pressure; drift is caught and corrected, and ownership transfers to the team.
Exit
The business runs without the founder as the bottleneck. The engagement ends; the structure stays.
What changes
Three to six months in, the business runs differently — in ways you can feel.
- You can be unreachable for two weeks and nothing stalls.
- Cash position is known weeks ahead, not felt.
- The leadership team resolves issues without you in the room.
- Every critical number has an owner who governs it.
- Growth stops landing on your shoulders and starts being absorbed by the system.
Calm, by design.
What founders say
AAWe love working with David. It may end up being the most impactful decision we have made in our business.
Law firm partner
AMHis guidance throughout the operational work has been transformative.
Alejandro Meyerhans · CEO
TTDavid has a rare ability to help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters.
Tomaš Tašić · CEO
How the two services compare
Both begin with the same Operational Clarity Call. The difference is whether the business needs a defined-term correction or ongoing embedded governance.
| Founder Operational Advisory | Fractional COO | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Structural correction needed | Ongoing governance needed |
| Shape | 3–6 months: install, stabilise, exit | Embedded, continuous |
| Investment | £2,600–£5,500 / month | £6,500–£11,500 / month |
| End state | Business structurally independent | Drift prevented under live pressure |
Proven outcomes
Built for your sector
The same Firm Foundation Framework, tuned to how your industry actually breaks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Founder Operational Advisory and a Fractional COO?
Founder Operational Advisory installs operational structure and develops the leadership team to hold it, then hands ownership back — a time-limited engagement of three to six months. Fractional COO is embedded, ongoing operational leadership for businesses that need continuous governance.
How long is a typical engagement?
A Founder Operational Advisory engagement typically runs three to six months — install, stabilise, exit. A Fractional COO engagement is ongoing for as long as embedded governance is required.
How much does it cost?
Founder Operational Advisory is typically £2,600–£5,500 per month. Embedded Fractional COO support is typically £6,500–£11,500 per month, depending on depth.
Who does Purpose In Action work with?
Founder-led businesses between £500k and £15M in professional services, legal practices, digital agencies, consultancies and construction, across the UK and United States.
What happens if David is unavailable?
Sick days happen, so the work is built to carry on without David. From the first month, everything he installs is written down, and people inside your business own it: the authority map, the weekly leadership meeting, the forward cash forecast. They keep those running while he is away. If David’s part in a meeting needs covering at short notice, a senior fractional COO colleague steps in with a written brief.
How many clients does David take on at once?
A small number, because David leads every engagement himself and never hands it to a junior after the sale. If there is no room for a new client, he will tell you on the first call and give you a realistic start date. Most engagements start two to four weeks after the Clarity Call.
Can I speak to a past or current client?
Yes. Once a first call shows a real fit, David will introduce you to a client whose situation matches yours. Public reviews are on Clutch.
Do you work with UK businesses?
Yes. David is based in Lubenham, Leicestershire, and works with founder-led businesses in the UK and the US. Clients include a London software firm and a founder-led construction business, as well as US law firms and international agencies. UK work is priced in pounds.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Yes. Purpose In Action holds professional indemnity insurance. Every engagement runs on written terms, with David Schofield as the contracting party.
What happens in the first 30 days?
Financial Visibility comes first. In the first month the forward cash flow and the margin-by-service-line view go live, so you can see 30 to 90 days ahead and take your first pricing and capacity decisions against real numbers. Decision authority and the weekly leadership meeting follow in days 31 to 60. The full sequence is in the fractional COO's first 90 days.
Begin with a conversation
A focused 30-minute Operational Clarity Call — a direct read of where the business stands, not a sales pitch. Time-boxed work, ownership handed back, no obligation.
Book an Operational Clarity Call →