The Fractional vs Full-time Decision (part 1)
A founder's guide to evaluating whether fractional or full-time GTM talent is right for your business
Hi friends - We’re going all in on the fractional GTM exec topic for the next few weeks.
Last week we covered - What do fractional GTM execs actually do?
This week we’ll dig into the fractional vs full-time decision for founders.
Every company and situation is different, there are no universal right answers. I’ll do my best to give you guidance on how to evaluate your options and determine the best path for you.
And because this is a complex topic, I’ll cover it in 2 parts.
Let’s go!
The Fractional vs Full-time Decision (part 1)
Top variables to consider
Let’s start with the top variables to consider:
Your maturity or growth stage (and subsequently your needs and budget)
Your GTM expertise and capacity to manage the resources
Let’s unpack those further…
‼️ Reminder: All of this advice is tailored for B2B SaaS startups.
#1 Your maturity or growth stage, and subsequently your needs and budget
Needs
Budget
Of course the other factor that comes into play here is your budget.
Most fractional GTM execs I know do not charge by the hour, but their average effective hourly rate is $300-400. Many charge a fixed monthly fee or retainer based on the scope or work and total time they are pre-allocating for your business each month.
Fractional Rates
Full-time Rates
Note: I sourced this data from Pave.com on Jun 7, 2025 (Filters: All US companies, Private, Enterprise Technology, non-founder, total cash, 60th percentile).
So the average among all of these is ~$300k total cash annually. Let’s add a multiple of 1.3 for benefits = $390k ($32,500/month).
That’s before any equity grant folks!
So even though fractional execs might sound expensive at $10k a month…it’s a whole lot less expensive than full-time. Especially if your business is not yet to a maturity level where you truly NEED full-time VP or executive level GTM talent.
#2 Your GTM expertise and capacity to manage resources
After reading all that you might be thinking…
”Well, maybe I don’t need VP/exec level talent at all right now…maybe I can just hire mid or entry level sales and marketing talent. They’re cheaper and I can get them full-time for the same cost as a part-time senior person”.
So here is where I’d encourage you to consider your (the founder) -
GTM expertise - how much do you really know or how much experience do you personally have with GTM strategy and execution?
Capacity to manage - how much time do you have to manage the people you hire? Most founders I know are spread thin as it is…before they hire anyone else.
Why do I ask those questions?
Because if you don’t have the expertise personally…you shouldn’t hire entry to mid level resources. It will be the blind leading the blind. You need someone with true expertise to guide you and any other resources you hire in that functional area.
Because the less time you have to manage people, the more senior I’d encourage you to hire. Senior level hires have the leadership experience, knowledge, and executive presence to be more autonomous. You won’t have to babysit them or be overly directive - they will just come in and get moving.
Here is an image I like to depict this:
Ok, part 1 of this topic ✅ .
We’ll cover a few additional considerations for this decision next week! See you there!
With love and gratitude -
If you want to learn more about working with me directly…
For B2B startups I serve as a Fractional GTM executive or advisor. Learn more about-
When you’re ready, let’s connect to discuss your specific growth goals and challenges.
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