Ep. 1 Interview– Karina Mikhli
Transcript from the show:
Amanda:
Hi everyone, and welcome to the first episode of “Female Fractionals.” I’m Amanda Nizzere, fractional CMO and your host of the show. I’m excited to kick off with a great guest—Karina Mikhli. Karina is a Professional Services and SaaS Fractional COO, Workflow Consultant, and Founder of Fractionals United. She has nearly a decade of experience building, optimizing, and scaling small to mid-sized businesses. While she's capable across functions, her superpower lies in streamlining systems and leading teams.
Karina works best with founders looking for a right-hand partner—someone to manage the business so they can focus on what they do best. Recognizing the unique challenges in the fractional space, she founded Fractionals United in 2023 to create a true community for fractional executives. It’s quickly become a hub for leaders sharing resources, building partnerships, and elevating the fractional model. When she’s not working, Karina loves books, dramatic improv, and all things automation.
Let’s jump into this conversation. Karina, welcome—and thank you for being my very first guest! I wanted you to be first for a couple reasons: I’m a big fan of what you’ve built with Fractionals United, and the more I’ve gotten to know you, I’ve become a big fan of your work and your approach. I know our listeners are going to get a ton from this conversation. Thanks for being here.
Karina:
My pleasure—thank you for having me.
Amanda:
Let’s start at the beginning. Can you walk us through your journey from corporate leadership to becoming a fractional COO?
Karina:
Sure. It happened somewhat by accident—and a little bit by force. I spent 20 years in the publishing industry, which went through a lot of upheaval with Amazon and digital transformation. After being laid off multiple times due to reorgs, I started freelancing out of necessity. Over time, I fell into what we now call fractional COO work—part-time leadership for small businesses. Back then, it was just "freelancing" or "contracting," but I was running multiple businesses so founders could focus on their strengths. Eventually, I created a brand—Right Size COO—because the term "fractional" wasn’t really used yet. Once I started, I realized it gave me more autonomy and variety. It wasn’t easy, but it was fulfilling, and I never looked back.
Amanda:
Was there a moment when you knew you were done with the corporate world for good?
Karina:
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment, but it was definitely a turning point. Ironically, my husband is the risk-taker and I was always risk-averse—but I’m the one who ended up self-employed. Now I usually have three to five clients, and I like the variety and the influence I have in my roles. Once I saw that, I knew I didn’t want to go back.
Amanda:
One thing I love is how clear you are about the definition of "fractional." There’s so much confusion—on both the hiring and service side. How do you define a fractional executive?
Karina:
There’s definitely confusion, especially as the term has gotten more popular. At Fractionals United, we define a fractional executive as a senior, embedded leader—typically director-level or above—who has done the job full-time before. You've led teams, managed people, and can now step in part-time because you already have the experience and strategic thinking required. Fractionals lead; we don’t execute. And that only works if you've already been in those full-time shoes.
Amanda:
That’s such an important distinction. Is that also how you explain the difference between a consultant and a fractional when you're talking to potential clients?
Karina:
Exactly. I offer both consulting and fractional services, and the difference is huge. A consultant handles a project—they do a thing and then leave. A fractional becomes part of your team. I don’t do proposals for fractional work—it’s a two-way conversation. I need to know the CEO will actually let me do what they’re hiring me to do. Some leaders can't get out of their own way, and that’s not a fit.
Amanda:
Have you ever converted a client from consulting to fractional?
Karina:
Yes. One example comes to mind from 2021. I was doing workflow consulting with a client, and their recruiter casually referred to me as “her COO.” That relationship eventually led to a full-time COO role—temporarily. Once systems and people were in place, they didn’t need a full-time COO anymore, which is very common. But that shift happened after they saw the value of what I do.
Amanda:
Let’s talk about Fractionals United. It feels like the group has been around forever, but it hasn’t! What gap did you see in the market that led you to create the community, and how has it evolved?
Karina:
It really started in early 2023. I had just finished a full-time engagement and was looking for my next role—and the landscape had changed. Upwork, which used to be a viable source of leads, had become a race to the bottom. I’m an introvert, so business development and networking drain me. I needed a community. I looked for a space just for fractional leaders—but found mostly paywalls or funnels. Nothing that felt like a true peer community.
So, on January 7th, 2023, I decided to start one. I posted on LinkedIn and a couple other communities asking, “If I build this, will you come?” Over 50 people raised their hands. We started on Slack and now, just over two years later, we’re at 14,200 members.
Amanda:
What can members expect from being part of the community?
Karina:
Fractionals United is a place for aspiring and current fractional leaders to connect, collaborate, and learn. We’re primarily on Slack, with moderated channels so it’s not overwhelming. We have location- and function-based channels, a resource hub, lunch & learns, virtual and in-person events, and a member directory integrated via the Trova app.
It’s important to me that the space stays educational, inclusive, and spam-free. We don’t have niche industry channels because I want everyone learning from each other, not siloed off.
Amanda:
I love that. Okay—let’s shift gears to a few big questions I see come up in the community. The first is pricing. What advice do you have for new fractionals thinking about how to price themselves?
Karina:
Don’t charge hourly—ever. Fractional work is about value, and retainers reflect that better. Your structure might vary—weekly, monthly, by number of days—but hourly devalues the strategic impact you're providing.
Also, do your research. Use the community to ask about price ranges by function. There’s a great book called Fractional Leadership by Ben Wolf that includes a chapter on pricing. And remember: many of us—especially women—underprice ourselves at the beginning. I’ve done it too. Ironically, when I raised my rates, I actually got better clients who took me more seriously.
Amanda:
That’s so true. Are there other common pitfalls you see for people just starting out?
Karina:
Yes—treat yourself like a business from day one. Set up an LLC. Have a business bank account. Don’t operate as an individual. Structure your business like a business, even though you're embedded in someone else’s.
Also, learn to juggle multiple clients and set clear boundaries. I use time blocking to make sure every client has dedicated space. I have set times when I’m available, and I make that clear upfront. You need systems to protect your time and sanity—because no one else is going to do it for you.
Amanda: Totally agree. Okay, rapid fire to close us out. Ready?
Karina: Let’s do it.
Amanda: Most unusual place you’ve taken a client call?
Karina: In the car on the way to visit my son at sleepaway camp.
Amanda: Favorite productivity hack?
Karina: Time blocking.
Amanda: Best investment you’ve made in yourself?
Karina: Improv classes.
Amanda: Early bird or night owl?
Karina: Night owl, 100%.
Amanda: Three apps you can’t live without?
Karina: G Suite, Slack, and Coda.
Amanda: Most unexpected skill that’s helped your career?
Karina: Being a productivity nerd and systems thinker—always improving things.
Amanda: Most used professional emoji?
Karina: Just the smiley.
Amanda: Go-to comfort food?
Karina: Chocolate.
Amanda: Last thing you impulse bought?
Karina: Books—always books.
Karina, thank you so much for being here and for helping me kick off Female Fractionals. I’ll include a link to Fractionals United in the show notes so everyone can join. I’m such a fan of what you’ve built.
Karina:
Thanks for having me—this was great.
Resources & Links:
🔗 Join the Fractionals United community: https://www.fractionalsunited.com
📚 Book mentioned: Fractional Leadership by Ben Wolf 🙌
Connect with Us:
📣 Follow, like, and share if this episode helped you! Help us spread the word!
📬 Become a member of the Fractional Collective community here: https://www.femalefractionals.com/joinus
Listen to full episode :
