WE KICK OFF APRIL 29TH!
Become a Certified Scalable Operations Manager (SOM)
The Missing Link Between Strategy & Execution in Online Small Businesses
For experienced OBMs, PMs, DOOs, and Operational Leaders ready to step into a bigger role without leaving behind hands-on execution.
SOM is the Certification That Meets the Real Needs of Small Businesses and Those That Lead Them Through the "Messy Middle"
Small businesses need more than traditional operational expertise when they are on a path towards scale.
They need trusted strategic thinkers who understand how to take the founder’s vision and goals and translate it into focused execution and predictable results in a fast-moving, high-change environment trying to continuously balance competing demands with limited resources.
It's a LOT of plates to keep spinning to ensure nothing comes crashing down while simultaneously trying to put the right structure in place for things to be less chaotic.Â
The Scalable Ops Manager Certification was built to meet this exact need.
Whether you're an employee supporting a founder from within their business, or an entrepreneur offering operational services to multiple clients, this certification will set you up with the proven frameworks, tools, and leadership skills you need to deliver scalable and sustainable results (without burning yourself out).
Founders hire you as a way to avoid burn out, but who's making sure YOUÂ don't burn out?
Hint: We are!
We help you build the ecosystem that sets the business up for scalable and sustainable growth instead of heroics and constant overwork from you and the team.
Why I Created This Certification
Most programs focus on either large businesses or isolated skillsets, both which leave you trying to stitch together the right strategies for the business(es) you support. This one is different.
It’s designed to be practical, actionable, and specific to the unique challenges of small online businesses.
If you work with a founder who is trying to scale to 7 or multi-7 figures, you already know:
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Things move fast and change often
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The team is lean and often stretched thin
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The founder is still heavily involved in day-to-day operations
You’re managing moving targets, spinning plates, and translating (often unclear) vision and strategy into action - often while doing a lot of the work yourself.
This certification helps you lead through that complexity.
The Three Pillars of the Certification
This isn’t theory. It’s a proven, practical system I’ve developed over 3 decades of helping both Fortune 500s and fast-growing small businesses to scale.
1. Entrepreneurial Project Management (ePM)
You may already be certified in project management, but traditional methods break down fast in a small business. ePM is built for:
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Fast-paced, high-change environments
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Lean teams, fractional contributors, and shifting resources
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Founders who constantly generate new ideas and pivots mid-plan (hello Visionary!)
You’ll learn to use my proprietary planning framework that balances structure with flexibility, and helps you lead projects that actually get DONE and done well.
2. Leadership at the Strategic Execution Level
You're the bridge between strategy and execution. You’ll learn how to:
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Lead high-performing teams (even when they’re not "your" team or who you would have chosen to hire)
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Translate visionary ideas into executable plans
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Build meeting and communication cadences and decision-making filters to minimize noise and confusion
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Effectively communicate with founders and teams in the distinct ways they need to be led
You’ll leave knowing how to lead from the middle, manage up and down, and be the operational glue that holds everything together.
3. Scalable Operations Ecosystem
Business success and founder freedom is about so much more than just SOPs and playbooks. It requires an entire ecosystem that makes scaling possible. You’ll learn how to:
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Architect systems that grow with the business
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Identify the missing and misaligned parts that are blocking scale
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Build a business ecosystem that supports efficiency, profitability, and founder freedom
This is systems thinking at a strategic level - not only what to build, but why and how all the pieces work together.
Each pillar includes live and interactive training workshops, on-demand modules and supporting content, templates, toolkits, and playbooks that you can plug right into your services and begin using right away.
SOMÂ Program Structure
This is a six-month certification experience that blends education with implementation so you are continuously upleveling your skills and advancing towards mastery as you apply and adapt as you learn. It includes:
Monthly Live Half-Day Intensives
Each month kicks off a new framework with a focused intensive:
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Learn Strategic Planning, Strategic Execution, Team Leadership, Operations Leadership, Scalable Systems Strategy, and Scalable Systems Management
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Apply each framework in real time to a project or business you are working with
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You'll leave each session with something complete (i.e. strategic plan, mapped workflows)Â
Weekly Coaching + Situational Training Calls
Get support every step of the way:
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Ask questions based on what you’re facing in real time
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Get situational training on common challenges
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Workshop founder curveballs and how to manage shifting priorities
Plus, exclusively for those who opt for the VIP tier, you will also have monthly 1:1 mentoring sessions.
Implementation Toolkits &Â Playbooks
We make it simple to implement:
- Get access to a robust library of training modules and turnkey templates, toolkits, & playbooks
- Get access to any new templates or training modules we release in the future for as long as you are a certified SOM
Capstone Project
You’ll complete a real-world project that pulls everything together:
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Demonstrate your ability to lead and connect strategy and execution
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Show measurable results from your work
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Use this as a portfolio piece or internal impact case study
If this all sounds great, you may be wondering...
What Exactly is a Scalable Ops Manager?

A Scalable Ops Manager is the bridge between strategy and execution.
A SOM blends the expertise of an ops manager with the strategic insights and scaling expertise of a CSO (Chief Strategy Officer).
They focus on helping founders put the foundation in place needed to scale successfully and sustainably.
They lead with a strategic lens, understand how to translate vision into action, and are hands-on enough to roll up their sleeves and get things done.
A SOM goes beyond managing work - they build scalable systems, develop and lead high-performing teams, and drive vision-aligned results.
A Scalable Ops Manager:
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Orchestrates the moving pieces that make growth possible
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Turns high-level goals into actionable plans and measurable results
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Leads both strategy and execution with equal confidence
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Identifies and closes operational gaps that are slowing the business down
Whether embedded in a business or supporting multiple clients, a SOM makes scale not just possible - but sustainable.
Why Small Businesses Need Scalable Ops Managers
Founders of small, fast-growing businesses are constantly balancing vision with reality.
They’re full of big ideas, but often stuck in the weeds.
Here’s where a Scalable Ops Manager comes in:
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They free up the founder by managing the day-to-day execution
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They bring structure to chaos in dynamic, fast-moving environments
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They connect the dots across marketing, delivery, operations, and team
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They drive profitability and performance by focusing on efficiency and scalability
Unlike traditional operational roles, a SOM is built for fluidity and agility.
They can pivot when priorities shift, work across fractional or global teams, and implement just the right amount of process to keep things moving without slowing growth.
As a SOM, you'll master how to build + run scalable systems, build out + lead high-performing teams, and connect strategy to daily execution, ensuring the business is always focused on the right things at the right time.
Want all the details? Of course you do! ;)
GET THE FULL SOM SYLLABUS AND DETAILS
Download our in-depth SOM overview and syllabus
Two Tracks to Match Where You Are
Whether you’re inside a company or building your own business, we support you with track-specific guidance.
Employee Track
For full-time team members or right-hand leaders being sent through the certification by a founder:
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Specialized training on how to better support the founder’s vision
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Focused leadership development for internal teams
- Actionable strategies for leading scalable growth for the business
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Apply everything directly to the business you already work in
Entrepreneur Track
For consultants, ops professionals, and agency owners growing their service-based business:
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Architect an in-demand and scalable offer suite
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Get guidance on packaging, pricing, and positioning your services
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Build a portfolio with real-world case studies from your capstone project
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Learn how to land aligned clients you love working with
SOM is a Practical, Proven Path to Becoming Even More Indispensable
If you want to be the person founders rely on to scale - the one who turns strategy into execution, and chaos into systems - this certification is for you.
We keep this experience small circle and personal, so every participant gets support.
Let’s talk and see if this is the right next step for you.
GET STARTED BY APPLYING NOW“Crista and her team provide a learning environment that truly sets you up to succeed. Having calls to expand on a specific topic, with resources and templates provided for each, lead to systematic, real-time progress within our business.
I also liked how you knew enough about each person's business to inject comments specific to them and their business during the trainings. It made it more tangible and created a more personalized experience for each of us. I can't recommend this program enough!”
It's Time to Step Into Your Next Level of Strategy and Operational Leadership and Stand Out as a Scalable Ops Manager!
6 Months of Training & Mentorship
Certification and Licensing
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Your Investment?
Far Less Than The Value of Gaining Only 1 New Retainer Client
If you love providing feedback and being a part of shaping things, now is the perfect time to join as part of our beta cohort!
Beta pricing is available - join for only $3500 (or $5000 VIP) when you secure your seat for our April 29th start!
Meet Your Instructor, Crista Grasso
Crista Grasso is a business scaling strategist and founder of Lean Out Method® and Strategic Ops Institute™.
With over three decades of experience, she has helped businesses - from Fortune 50 companies to small service-based businesses - streamline operations, implement lean and agile strategies, and scale sustainably.
She specializes in equipping right-hand leaders with the strategy, systems, and leadership skills to drive execution and business growth, positioning them as indispensable partners to CEOs.
Meet Your VIP Mentor, Jessica Maine
Jessica D. Maine is a seasoned strategist, coach, and consultant who is the Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) for Strategic Ops Institute™.
With over 15 years of experience in executive leadership, management, and consulting across various industries, she has a deep understanding of the driving forces behind success and the cultivation of authentic professional relationships.
She has a passion for optimization, empowerment, and sustainable growth, bringing a human-first approach to her work.
APPLY NOWFrequently Asked Questions
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Do I have to renew my certification and license?
What is the application process like?
What's the difference between SOL and SOM?
About Your LicenseÂ
Our systems, templates, toolkits, and assessments have been carefully crafted from more than 30 years of experience leading and scaling businesses ranging from Fortune 500 giants to small online service-based businesses.
There is nothing cookie cutter about the content and it is all exclusive to Strategic Ops Institute and our sister company, Lean Out Method.
With your license, you're not just getting high-value templates and tools, you're getting fully vetted systems that have been used successfully with hundreds of small businesses like the ones you work with.
Click here to explore what you get with your license
Want to Learn More Before Applying?
GET THE FULL SOM SYLLABUS AND DETAILS
Download our in-depth SOM overview and syllabus
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