Sharon Preston
Grow it. Step back. Exit well.
Fractional CEO & COO | Growth & Exit Strategist
Senior leadership for £2m to £10m owner-led businesses, without the full-time cost.
You built the business. Now it’s built around you.
Every decision still lands on your desk. The team waits for your answer, growth has slowed, and the processes that worked at £1m are creaking at £5m. Stepping back feels risky, and selling or handing over feels a long way off.
It doesn’t have to stay that way. With the right leadership in the room, the business can grow, run without you and become something someone wants to buy or inherit.
I'm Sharon Preston - Built it. Scaled it. Sold it. Now I do it with you.
You didn’t build this business to be trapped by it.
You’re the first in and the last to leave. Every decision waits for you. Holidays come with a laptop. The business has grown, but somehow your freedom hasn’t.
I step into your leadership team, for a set number of days each month, and take that weight off you.
- Growth, operations, succession, exit.
- Owned, led and delivered back to you.
I’ve built, scaled and sold businesses myself. I know exactly where you are, because I’ve stood there.
Why owners trust me with their business
- Multiple seven-figure exits. I’ve sat in the seller’s chair, so I know what buyers look for before they ask.
- 25 years building businesses from scratch. Every growing pain you’re facing, I’ve already worked through.
- Teams led across EMEA and APAC. Your people get leadership that has worked at scale, in different cultures and markets.
- Customer journeys that protect margins. Proven in health, wellness and luxury, where every detail affects profit. The same rigour works in any industry.
- Chair of a Board of Trustees. Governance and accountability built in, the standard buyers and investors expect.
WHAT CHANGES?
- Your business grows without you holding it up. Bottlenecks gone. Systems in place. A team that makes decisions without knocking on your door.
- It becomes worth more. Buyers, investors and the next generation see a business that runs, not one that depends on its owner.
- You choose your exit. A sale, a management buyout, an employee ownership trust or a family handover. On your terms, on your timeline.
THIS IS FOR YOU IF...
- Turnover sits between £2m and £10m, yet growth has stalled
- Everything still runs through you
- Your processes and team structure haven’t kept pace with growth
- You’re thinking about stepping back or getting out in the next two to five years
- You’ve never had a proper plan for what happens when you leave
You are the ceiling. Let’s raise it.
Twenty-five years of building, scaling and selling businesses taught me one thing: most companies don’t stall because of the market. They stall because everything still runs through the owner.
Across the UK, Europe and APAC, I’ve led teams, built customer journeys that protect margins, and achieved multiple seven-figure exits. Today I step into owner-led businesses as a fractional CEO and COO, taking ownership of growth, operations, succession and exit.
My approach blends hard commercial strategy with the leadership work that makes change last, so your business keeps performing long after I step back.
Listen To My Podcast
"A business that can’t run without you isn’t an asset. It’s a job.”
Who I Work With:
- Owners of £2m to £10m businesses ready to turn a job back into an asset
- Family businesses preparing to hand over to the next generation
- Owners planning a sale, management buyout or employee ownership trust
- Organisations developing managers who still do instead of lead
The Pathways to Work Together
Fractional CEO and COO
Senior leadership without a full-time salary, accountable for results. Button: Book an Introductory Call
Immersive Retreats & Events
Enter the room where evolution happens.
The Alignment Circle Women's Leadership Retreat.
September 21st - 25th 2026 | Tuscany, Italy
SOLD OUT
Organisations
Your managers are still doing, not leading. Step Back to Step Up™, The Next Era™ Leadership Reset, Own The Room™ and Speak Like You Mean It™
Sofi Line - MD, Sweden.
"The dedicated 1:1 time to deeply explore not only my business needs, but my life goals is incredibly valuable. I have been working with Sharon for 2 years as my strategic business partner and I know she has a deep understanding of my goals, values, and the recurring challenges that may be holding me back as I move into the next stage of growth.”
Marilyn Tan, Singapore.
"The ROI has been outstanding. We have tripled our client load while improving the client journey and results. Sharon is more than just a business strategist or operations guru; she combines all these skills as a full-service business coach and helped reshape our mindset. Yes, you’ll make more money, but the real value is how much you’ll grow"
Suzie Web - Founder, UK.
"Sharon's performance is unmatched. I have no idea how she does it but her approach has increased ROI significantly.
Tanya Smiles - CEO, UAE
"We were loosing a lot of business before Sharon came onboard, we increased our prices, gained a higher calibre of loyal clients who appreciate our expertise and she streamlined our complicated systems."
Jenny Seymour - Senior Executive, UK
She is my "Go To". Sharon is extremely professional, knowledgable and has a passion for making things happen!
Faye Wong - Business Owner, Hong Kong
"Sharon helped me to find the mental space that allowed me to think creatively. I was worried about growing the business but found clarity and direction. My business has now expanded into 4 countries and Sharon gave me the push I needed to make this happen. "
Jessica Johnson - Senior Executive, UK
"Sharon is a true inspiration. Her mentoring and support throughout the last few years has enabled me significantly improve my performance as well as my salary."
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Honest, Relatable Insights For Owners Who Want More Than A Job!
Practical strategy, honest lessons and the questions every owner should be asking before a buyer does. Insights on growing, stepping back and exiting well, so your business stays aligned with the life you actually want. From someone who has built, scaled and sold businesses, and still works inside them every week.
