Mary Alice Duff: Fractional COO & Living the Life of My Dreams
- Author
- Joshua Wold and Lance Robbins
- Published
- Mon 21 Jul 2025
- Episode Link
- None
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-alice-duff/
Many fractional leaders feel the pull to build bigger, scale faster, and take on more — until they burn out. In this episode, we talk with Mary Alice Duff, a seasoned fractional COO who chose a different path: designing her business around the life she wants to live.
She shares her journey from running a Philadelphia clothing company (and drinking the “hustle harder” Kool-Aid) to moving to France, learning the language, and creating a calm, intentional career. Along the way, she offers practical advice for fractional professionals: why you should never onboard two clients at once, how to set and hold boundaries from day one, and the importance of being specific about your services so others can help you.
We also swap stories about cultural differences, negotiating better asks, and why success doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can build a thriving fractional business without the frenzy, this episode is for you.
