Fast 15: Michelle Long
by May 4, 2026 9:11 am 460 views
Michelle Long was unsure whether to take an accounting role after graduation and considered studying abroad.
A University of Arkansas professor and mentor to Long suggested an internship that led to her career in the media and marketing industry.
“It just took off, found that I loved it, and now here I am,” she said.
Her first industry job was at Vendo, starting there in summer 2019 after she graduated from the UA with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She earned a Master of Business Administration from John Brown University in 2021.
Long joined Paradox two years ago as director of digital strategy and has built the agency’s in-house digital and media capability, establishing staff processes and operations needed to support a rapidly growing client base. Long’s leadership has helped to triple the agency’s business.
In 2025, she was promoted to vice president of digital services, and in January, she was named chief operating officer.
In this role, she has implemented best practices across the company, introduced new revenue streams, and refined the operating model to enable the company to work more efficiently while providing the best client experience.
“My whole job is to make sure that the team and the systems are set up for success and that our team has the resources they need in order to grow not only our clients but their own skill set and take them into the next chapter of their career as well,” Long said.
She oversees two employees. Paradox has 11 employees and added four new employees this year.
Her career highlight is “helping shape the next chapter of Paradox,” she said. “I love our vision and where we’re taking the company forward.”
Before Paradox, Long built a full-service media-buying team from scratch during the surge in demand driven by COVID-19. She supported the launch and growth of more than 100 brands entering retail. She also took over a multimillion-dollar outdoor category business that had been established at retail for years and had previously been managed by another agency.
Long is a native of Marion (Crittenden County) and moved to Northwest Arkansas to attend the UA in 2015. She volunteers at Rogers Public Schools, speaking to and mentoring students. She enjoys attending concerts and spending time with her family and dogs.