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Do I have to be friends with my co workers to get ahead? Should I take the promotion even if I hate the job? Is my salary big enough or am I getting screwed? Do I have to choose between having a family and having a career? I've been laid off now what do I do? I'm Melissa Franks, and I've spent the last 25 years building my corporate career and a family to along the way, there have been bumps and bruises and some epic going down in flames of glory moments. My journey up the corporate ladder found me forging new ground without a safety net. Through my real life stories, experiences, and special guests on the show, I take the mystery out of how to succeed in the corporate world. I'm going to spill all the tea about how decisions are really made, how to tell who the hidden influencers are, and how to realize your full potential while enjoying the process at the same time. Each week, we will dive into a topic where I will share the good, the bad, and the ugly of my experiences and what we can all learn from them. You will walk away each week with a clear set of next steps to take action and improve your circumstances. We are going to speak frankly and freely about when it's time to opt in or to opt out. Opt In is a place where you can come to get practical, actionable advice to propel your career and your life in the direction you want. Work with me: www.melissafranks.com/offers

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Are You the Bottleneck? How to Build a Team That Runs Without You

September 03, 2025 • Melissa Franks

If your business collapses the moment you go on vacation, you don’t have leaders—you have helpers. In this episode of the Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks, your On Call COO, unpacks the hard truth about bottlenecks in small businesses and why your growth may be stalling because you are in the way.

Melissa shares real client stories of founders who couldn’t unplug, explains the signs that you might be the bottleneck, and introduces a practical framework for building a team that can operate independently—whether you’re in the office, on vacation, or preparing your business for a future sale.

You’ll learn:

How to recognize if you’re holding your business back.
The four-part framework for creating a self-sufficient team:
1. Clear roles and accountability
2. Defined decision rights
3. Systems and SOPs
4. Leadership development
Why empowering your team to lead (not just help) is the fastest path to freedom, growth, and long-term business value.

By the end, you’ll know the exact steps to start shifting from being the bottleneck to becoming the visionary leader your business actually needs.

👉 Tune in to discover how to stop firefighting, delegate with confidence, and finally buy back your time.

To get support for this framework or strategic guidance for your business, you can book a complimentary consultation call at https://www.melissafranks.com/fractionalcooservices