A fractional executive assistant is a senior-level EA who works with you on a part-time, retainer basis — giving you dedicated, professional support without the cost of a full-time hire. Unlike virtual assistant platforms, which typically match you with offshore or entry-level task workers, a fractional EA brings real executive-level experience, judgment, and discretion. You're not getting someone who follows instructions — you're getting someone who anticipates needs, protects your time, and operates as a trusted extension of you. With Brennan Executive Support, you're also always working directly with Emma — there's no team behind the scenes, no handoffs, and no explaining yourself to someone new.

We agree on a set number of hours per month — typically starting at 20 hours — and that block of time is yours. It secures my availability and ensures you have consistent, responsive support throughout the month. If you need additional hours beyond your retainer, those are billed at my standard hourly rate. Most clients find that once we get into a rhythm, their hours stay predictable month to month.

Any hours beyond your monthly retainer are simply billed at a standard hourly rate. I'll always flag it before we get there so there are no surprises on your invoice.

A part-time employee comes with payroll, benefits, HR obligations, onboarding time, and office overhead. A fractional EA gives you senior-level support with none of that complexity. You pay for the hours you need, you're not locked into a fixed schedule, and you can scale up or down as your needs change. For most business owners, it's a significantly more flexible and cost-effective solution.

Most people are surprised by how much they're carrying that they don't need to be. Email management, calendar coordination, travel planning, meeting preparation, follow-ups, document drafting — these are all things that quietly consume a significant amount of a leader's time and energy. Part of what I do in the early weeks of an engagement is help you identify exactly where your time is going and where it shouldn't be. You don't need to have it all figured out before we start.

It can be — it depends less on the size of your business and more on the complexity of your time. If you're running multiple ventures, managing a busy calendar, handling a high volume of communications, or simply spending too much time on work that isn't your zone of genius, fractional EA support can make a real difference. The best way to find out is to have a conversation.

That's a fair question and an important one. I start every engagement with a discovery call so we can both assess whether it makes sense before any commitment is made. If at any point it isn't working, I'd rather we have that conversation honestly than either of us carry on with something that isn't serving us both well. My reputation is built on relationships, not contracts.

Once we've had our initial conversation, aligned on scope, and completed the client agreement, most engagements are up and running within a week. I'll take the time upfront to understand how you work, what tools you use, and what matters most — so from day one we're moving, not just getting acquainted.