At the end of 2023, Paisley Coxsey faced a question many entrepreneurs wrestle with: Am I finally going to invest in myself? The answer was yes—though the path wasn’t easy. After leaving a stable role, she pieced together side gigs, endured uncertainty, and ultimately stepped fully into the role she was built for: Fractional COO.
Paisley quickly learned that small and midsize businesses often don’t need a full-time executive, but they desperately need the strategy, structure, and accountability that a COO provides. Fractional leadership gives owners access to high-level expertise without the full-time price tag. As Paisley puts it, “How many people are actually working 40 hours a week?”
Her ideal clients? Owners willing to make real changes. Growth isn’t comfortable—it requires tough calls, systems, and accountability. That’s where Paisley thrives. Even in industries she doesn’t know, like engineering, she leans on resourcefulness and relationships to solve problems and build scalable systems.
But the work comes with weight. Making decisions on behalf of a business is stressful, especially when the wrong call could set someone back. Still, she believes intimacy with clients makes the responsibility manageable—and the wins even sweeter.
Paisley’s story is proof that fractional isn’t a stopgap. It’s a long-term play that scales with businesses and often leads to deeper opportunities. For her, the future is about helping founders push past fear, avoid snap decisions, and embrace the operational backbone their business deserves.
