Helping Small Business Owners
Get Their Life Back!

Fractional Executive Solutions provides the experience and knowledge of a high powered operations professional for a fraction of the cost!

Meet David Baughman

"I help you get your life back"!

That's my pitch to a small business owner. One of the hazards of owning your business is trying to do everything yourself.

There are aspects of working on your business that are fun and exciting such as business development, exploring new markets and products as well and creating strategy. But what is not fun is making things happen to get the product or service “out the door”. The little things that have to be done can be hard. Like Operations management.

What you need is an experienced leader who enjoys doing those things. But you can't afford the cost of that leader. That’s where I can help you “get your life back”!

As a career operations executive who has led multiple operational turnarounds, I have seen so many different examples of chaos and poor performance by operations teams that nothing really stumps me. And usually, it is not the fault of the people or management. More often than not, it is systematic and process issues that holds teams back. I have seen it in many small companies and organizations. What some see as an impossible task, I see as an opportunity to have fun!

As a career operations executive who has led multiple operational turnarounds, I have seen so many different examples of chaos and poor performance by operations teams that nothing really stumps me. And usually, it is not the fault of the people or management. More often than not, it is systematic and process issues that holds teams back. I have seen it in many small companies and organizations. What some see as an impossible task, I see as an opportunity to have fun!

As a Fractional COO or Integrator, I can see what the owner may not. What is perplexing to them is an “ I got a process for that” moment for me. Because I have led organizations in both public and private companies, big and small across so many markets, I usually have a solution to most operational challenges. What I do is collaborate with the team to develop their skills and processes while creating a culture of accountability. By engaging with the owner and each manager weekly , I can get to the heart of the matter and provide immediate experienced leadership. All of this usually in one day per week. Coaching, teaching, mentoring and encouraging with my sleeves rolled up and helping do the work.

What I provide is solid experience: at a "fraction of the cost". So, you, the owner, can go to your child’s ballgame or dance recital.

More About Dave

WHAT I DO

Fractional COO

David is an accomplished Fractional COO who quickly evaluates and establishes an orderly process to ensure your operations run smoothly to allow you to do what you do best: grow your company. David provides leadership and guidance to your team to allow them to understand what it takes to provide “operational excellence” daily. With his extensive experience leading organizations across multiple markets, there are no operational challenges that David cannot help guide you and your team to accomplish your short- and long-term goals while developing and enhancing team health and execution.

Executive Coaching

There are numerous leadership coaches to choose from that work with CEOs and owners. At Fractional Executive Solutions, we offer leadership coaching for your team to ensure smooth delivery of your products or services to your customers as well as enhancing your bottom line. If you are an owner or CEO and you have an incumbent in the role of Manager, Director or even COO, we work with them exclusively to learn how to be a “pro,” while becoming a trusted advisor to you. We provide a structured and documented program that is created with your guidance and input to create goals, and skill sets to improve overall executive and leadership performance. Regular feedback is provided to you so you can see the development of your team as they start to leverage their newfound skills and help your your business thrive.

Emerging Leadership

There are numerous leadership coaches to choose from who work with CEOs and owners. At Fractional Executive Solutions, we offer Emerging Leadership Coaching for those who are about to embark on their first role as a manager or leader. For many, the first leadership role is hard because they must learn to be accountable for the performance of others as well as themselves while learning how to provide direction and guidance to a team. From learning how to manage through time constraints, difficult and often new challenges, or conducting “difficult” conversations, we help them learn the skills required to lead, manage, and hold others accountable. All in a structured process that includes a lesson plan and homework. Your new leader will appreciate the knowledge and the opportunity that they are provided to get a “head start” on their management career.

WHO I REPRESENT

Oil and Gas

Power Generation

Aerospace

Product Services

Distribution

Consumer Goods

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

Andy Vawter, MPS Acoustics

“Working with Dave Baughman from Fractional Executive Solutions has been a tremendous benefit to our organization. He has helped us with process flow, hiring, quality improvement, material procurement, cost reductions, and many other areas. Our business is much healthier and efficient due to the improvements implemented by Fractional Executive Solutions.”

Brody Hulin, Cypress Fabrication

“Our Cypress Team hired David and Fractional Executive Solutions to be our fractional COO as well as a mentor our new Operations Manager. David quickly established a great bond with our leadership team as well as providing a structured presence within our company. David has provided steady counsel for myself and allowed me to spend more time building our business as he quickly took responsibility for our operational performance. David is an extremely knowledgeable operations executive that combined extensive leadership experience along with Lean Manufacturing skills to help us take the next step in operational excellence journey. He also has become part of the Cypress Family!”

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EXPERTISE

Execution of a Profit Enhancing Financial Model

Fractional Services| coaching

January 21, 2025•2 min read

Deploying a financial model to reduce SG&A (Selling, General, and Administrative) expenses involves a multi-step process that combines strategic planning, data analysis, and careful implementation. There are a couple of key steps to deploy our model to ensure steady progress towards our goal.

1. Identify Cost Reduction Opportunities

• Analyze Model Outputs: Use the model to identify areas where cost reductions can be achieved without significantly impacting business operations or revenue generation.

• Explore Cost-Cutting Strategies: Consider various strategies, such as:

• Process Improvement: Streamline workflows, automate tasks, and eliminate redundancies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

• Negotiation: Renegotiate contracts with vendors and suppliers to secure better pricing and terms.

• Outsourcing: Evaluate the feasibility of outsourcing certain functions to specialized providers.

• Headcount Optimization: Understand staffing levels and consider attrition, hiring freezes, or restructuring options. If your model tells you that you are heavy in headcount, ensure you make the moves your numbers tell you to make.

• Technology Adoption: Implement technology solutions to automate tasks, improve communication, and reduce reliance on manual processes. This can assist in your headcount reduction

2. Implement and Monitor

• Develop an Action Plan: Create a detailed plan outlining the specific steps involved in implementing the chosen cost-cutting measures. Formal 100-Day Plans are helpful to focus the team on solving the problems that the model presents you.

• Communicate and Train: Ensure that all relevant employees understand the rationale behind the changes and are adequately trained on any new processes or technologies.

• Track Progress: Regularly monitor SG&A expenses to track progress toward reduction targets and identify any deviations from the plan.

• Refine the Model: Periodically review and update the model to reflect changes in business conditions, assumptions, or cost drivers.

3. Review the Model and Adjust

• Weekly Review of the 100-Day Plan: Conduct a rigorous review of the details of the plan to ensure progress is being made and the team is focused. Taking your foot off the pedal will slow down your journey to your goals.

• Monthly P&L review: Compare your actuals to the model in your P&L. Be aggressive in the actions and hold the team accountable to what they committed to do.

• Review the Assumptions in the model: There are times when you are going to struggle to attain certain goals within the model. Change is acceptable IF you can find alternatives that secure the bottom line such as looking at other categories that are better than forecast or new information is unearthed that can help. Do not blindly accept regression.

By following these steps and leveraging the appropriate tools, businesses can effectively deploy financial models to reduce SG&A expenses and improve their overall financial performance. Remember that continuous monitoring and refinement of the model are crucial to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.

David Baughman

David Baughman is the consummate Operating professional, who has brought P&L leadership experience to a broad range of sectors, stages of growth, and business environments. His experience includes aerospace, automotive, industrial, and oil & gas. In every engagement, David has dramatically, and profitably accelerated the company’s growth through his deep grasp of all functions and leverage points. Equity participants see virtually immediate acceleration of the topline, gross margin improvement, and EBITDA margin gains. Those quantifiable measures are his keys to unlocking shareholder value. David is a trained Lean Champion by the Lean Enterprise Institute consulting group and holds credentials for Positive Management Leadership from the Columbia University Emerging Leadership Development program. He resides with his wife in the Fort Worth area, and enjoys reading history, working outdoors, and golf.

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