Christy Maxfield, Fractional COO

Christy Maxfield is the founder of Purpose First Advisors, a firm that specializes in helping business owners enjoy the highest possible income, wealth and freedom from their businesses. 

In addition to serving as a fractional COO for clients like Gladiator, Christy advises business owners who want to deeply understand their business, optimize its performance, and position it to be profitable and transferrable. She believes profitable ownership and successful exit planning are important strategies for individual and generational wealth building, particularly for women and entrepreneurs of color. 

Raised in a family floral business in New Jersey, Christy started her career as a professional fundraiser before doing her first startup in 2010. She has designed and taught entrepreneurship courses at the University of Missouri St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis. She also co-created and co-hosted the Entrepreneurially Thinking podcast, which elevated and celebrated hundreds of local underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Christy has a Bachelor’s in Political Science degree from Montclair State University and a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. She is an executive coach with Story Fruition and earned her certified exit planning advisor credential in 2023.