Questions About Working Together
What does an operations consultant do for a small business?
An operations consultant comes in and builds the infrastructure a business needs to function without the founder holding everything together manually. That means systems, processes, workflows, team accountability structures, project management, and the operational logic that turns a good idea into a business that actually runs.
For small businesses and solo founders, it often also means diagnosing what's broken before building anything new. Most businesses don't need more tools or more hustle. They need someone to look at what's actually happening and fix the right things in the right order.
What is the difference between an operations consultant and a business coach?
A business coach works on mindset, goals, and accountability. They help you think through what you want and why. That has real value — but it doesn't build the systems that make your business work.
An operations consultant builds the actual infrastructure. Systems. Processes. Team structure. Workflows. The operational machinery that makes a business function day to day without everything running through the founder's head.
Dru works in both spaces. She will look at what's breaking in your operations and build what needs to be built — and she understands the human side of why it kept breaking in the first place. That combination is what makes her work different from a traditional consultant or a traditional coach.
What is a clarity strategist?
A clarity strategist helps founders get clear on what's actually wrong, what matters most, and what needs to happen next — before spending time and money building the wrong things.
Most founders who come to Dru aren't confused about their craft. They're confused about their business. Which offer to prioritize. Whether to hire. What to fix first. How to build something sustainable without burning out in the process.
Clarity work happens at the beginning of every engagement. It's how Dru figures out what to build.
What does an operations strategist do for a wellness business specifically?
Wellness businesses — yoga studios, birth collectives, somatic practices, retreat businesses, holistic health practices — have specific operational challenges that generic business consultants don't understand. Scheduling complexity. Client retention systems. Practitioner team management. Multi-revenue-stream confusion. Underpricing. Burnout that's baked into the business model itself.
Dru has spent years working inside these businesses. She understands the terrain and builds operations that fit how wellness businesses actually work — not how corporate businesses work.
What does a fractional COO do for a small business?
A fractional COO is an experienced operations leader who works with a business part-time rather than as a full-time hire. For small businesses and solo founders who need senior operational thinking but can't justify a full-time executive salary, a fractional COO gives them that capacity at a fraction of the cost.
Dru's Monthly Operational Partnership functions like a fractional COO relationship. She embeds in the business, learns how it works, and takes ownership of the operational side so the founder can stay in their zone of genius.
Who does Dru Erin work with?
Wellness practitioners, yoga and dance studio owners, doulas, midwives, birth collectives, retreat leaders, somatic therapists, sound healers, nutritionists, fitness founders, holistic health providers, artists, and creative founders.
And occasionally: welders, skincare founders, clothing lines, and anyone else building something real with a small team and a big vision.
The common thread is that you're excellent at your craft and overwhelmed by the operational machinery it takes to sustain it.
Do I need to be in the wellness industry to work with Dru?
No. The majority of Dru's clients are wellness founders and practitioners, and it's where her niche expertise runs deepest. But she has worked with founders across industries — the operational problems are often the same. If the description of her work resonates, reach out. The first conversation will make clear whether it's a fit.
I'm just starting out. Is this the right time to work with an operations consultant?
It depends on what's happening. If you're pre-revenue and still figuring out your offer, it's probably too early for operational work — there's nothing to systematize yet.
If you're generating revenue, have clients, and are starting to feel the chaos of trying to hold everything together yourself — that's the right time. The earlier you build good operational infrastructure, the less you have to tear down and rebuild later.
If you're not sure, the Deep Dive Strategy Session is the right starting point. It's a diagnostic. You'll leave knowing exactly where you are and what you need next.
I'm an established founder. My business works but it's messy. Can Dru help?
Yes. This is the most common entry point. The business is running — clients are coming in, revenue is real — but the founder is holding too much in their head, systems are duct-taped together, and growth feels impossible without hiring. Dru comes in, audits what exists, and builds the infrastructure that lets the business grow without the founder becoming the bottleneck.
How do I find an operations consultant for my wellness business?
Look for someone who has actually been inside businesses — not just advised from the outside. Look for operational experience, not just strategic thinking. Look for someone who understands your industry specifically, because wellness businesses have unique operational dynamics that generic consultants miss.
And look for someone whose approach fits your capacity. A consultant who hands you a 40-page strategy document and disappears isn't useful. You need someone who builds things with you and stays until they work.
Dru brings all of this. If you want to explore whether it's a fit, the starting point is a conversation. No sales funnel. Just a real discussion about what's happening in your business.
What is the Monthly Operational Partnership?
The Monthly Operational Partnership is Dru's primary ongoing engagement. She becomes an embedded strategic partner in your business — approximately 10 hours per week of operational work, available on demand, learning how you think and what your business needs.
It's the closest thing to having a COO without hiring one full time. She takes ownership of what needs to be built and managed so you can stay focused on the work only you can do.
Cost: $3,000 per month. One to two spots at a time.
What is the Deep Dive Strategy Session?
The Deep Dive is a two-hour working session — by video or phone — where Dru listens, diagnoses, and prescribes. You tell her what's happening. She tells you what's actually broken and exactly what needs to change.
You leave with a written summary and a clear next-steps plan. It works as a standalone session or as the entry point into ongoing work.
Cost: $495 for the two-hour session.
What is the difference between the Deep Dive and the Monthly Partnership?
The Deep Dive is a diagnostic. It tells you what's wrong and what to do about it. You can take that plan and execute it yourself, hire someone to help, or continue working with Dru.
The Monthly Partnership is ongoing embedded work. Dru isn't handing you a plan — she's building it with you and running the operational side of the business alongside you over time.
Most clients start with a Deep Dive and move into the Partnership from there.
What does project-based hourly work look like?
For founders who need something specific built, audited, launched, or fixed — without committing to an ongoing engagement. Billed at $75 per hour against a defined scope agreed upfront. Minimum five-hour engagement.
This works well for website builds, hiring processes, SOP creation, launch infrastructure, or a specific operational problem with a clear beginning and end.
Does Dru build websites?
Yes. Website and brand strategy is one of Dru's core service areas. She works with Squarespace, Shopify, Wix, and custom platform builds. Engagements range from a site audit and strategy to full build, including lead gen, forms, and booking setup.
Pricing is flat rate based on scope: $3,000 to $15,000.
Does Dru work remotely?
Yes. Dru works with clients remotely worldwide via video and phone. She also offers In-Person Intensives — a full operational takeover in your space over two or more days — for founders who want an immersive, live build. Travel is included in the pricing for in-person engagements.
How do I know if working with Dru is the right fit?
The clearest signal is this: you're excellent at your craft and overwhelmed by the business around it. The work itself is good. Clients come back. The results are real. But the business — the systems, the team, the operations, the infrastructure — is either missing or breaking.
If that's what's happening, it's likely a fit. Reach out and describe what's going on. Dru reads every message and responds honestly about whether and how she can help.
What should I include when I reach out?
The short version of what's happening in your business is enough. What you do, where you are, what's breaking or what you need. You don't need a polished pitch or a detailed brief. A real description of the situation is all that's needed to start a useful conversation.
Is there a discovery call before committing to anything?
Yes. Every engagement starts with a conversation. Nothing gets committed to until both parties are clear it's the right fit. Dru doesn't use a sales funnel or a high-pressure booking process. It's a real conversation about what's happening and whether she can help.