Hi friends - Happy Sunday! Can you believe we’re almost half-way through 2025? WILD.

This month, I thought y’all would benefit from me breaking down the mystery of fractional GTM execs.

I know you’ve all heard of Fractional CRO’s or CMO’s, you probably know I am one, but in my experience, a lot of what we do, how we operate, what you can expect as a founder if you hire one…is still a mystery.

So, let’s unpack this topic.

And while it might seem* self-promotional for me to write about this…it’s really not (imo). The fractional business is not a volume business. I only have capacity for 3-5 clients at any given time, and I have to choose wisely for my sanity and reputation.

I am grateful to almost always have the champagne problem of more demand than supply (of me). So, I truly hope this helps you better understand the model and more successfully hire one of my peers (or me) if it makes sense for your business.

Throughout the next few weeks I’ll aim to cover -

• What does a fractional GTM exec actually do?

• The fractional vs full-time GTM talent decision - what to consider, how to decide

• How to find and evaluate GTM execs - what to ask us, how to find the best person for your business (hint: we’re not all created equal)

• Expectation management & ROI - what can you expect in terms of support, results, etc

• How to set yourself (and them) up for success - how to integrate them into your team and maximize your value from the investment

Let’s gooooo. 🏃‍♀️ 

What do fractional GTM executives actually do?

Types of Fractional GTM Executives

First, it’s important to understand there are different types of fractional GTM executives. Below are the most common titles and how I’d describe their role + what they do day-to-day or week-to-week.

‼️ Note: This is how I’d describe these roles within organizations with less than $10mm ARR. For orgs who hire fractional help at later stages ($10mm ARR+), these descriptions and their activities look slightly different because there are more resources (people and cash).

Fractional CRO

Acts as the strategic architect who aligns all revenue functions without directly selling. They help hire and coach full-time sales and marketing hires, design hiring & compensation plans, establish revenue forecasting processes, and create cross-functional playbooks. Skills include strategic planning, analysis, team development, project management, and process design. They spend time mentoring the sales team (including the founder) on deal strategy, sales enablement, and customer retention/expansion.

Activities:

• Develop GTM strategy in partnership with founder & executive team (including competitor or market analysis, ICP and buyer persona refinement, positioning, and demand generation tactics)

• Develop sales playbook including deal stages, pipeline management processes, forecasting processes, win/loss analysis, etc.

• Develop hiring & compensation plans

• Provide coaching & training to founder and any other full-time GTM team members

• Develop and analyze revenue KPIs and metrics

• Regular deal & pipeline review, management, and assistance with forecasting

• Assess and recommend appropriate GTM technology (and potentially handle or manage implementation)

Fractional CMO

Develops marketing strategy and is more hands-on or tactical than they would be at larger companies. Skills focus on cost-effective digital marketing, content creation and basic design. They're personally running campaigns, writing copy, managing social media, and doing whatever it takes to generate awareness and leads on a tight budget. They prioritize high-impact, low-cost activities rather than big-budget brand campaigns.

Activities:

• Develop GTM strategy in partnership with founder & executive team (including competitor or market analysis, ICP and buyer persona refinement, positioning, and demand generation tactics)

• Directly run or project manage marketing execution (i.e. content creation/copywriting, social media, email marketing, website design & development, PR, etc)

• Develop lead routing, scoring, and nurturing processes

• Develop and analyze revenue KPIs and metrics

• Design and/or implement marketing automation

Fractional VP of Sales

Often the primary sales coach and trainer. Skills include personal selling, basic CRM setup, and coaching a small team (2-5 reps). They're personally helping reps prospect, work deals, and establishing (or enforcing) sales processes. They focus on establishing repeatable sales motions and tactical execution rather than high-level GTM strategy.

Activities:

• Lead weekly deal and pipeline review meeting, including forecasting

• Lead 1-1’s with founder and/or full-time sales reps to provide coaching, training, and deal support

• Track and manage team sales KPIs

• Develop or refine sales playbook to cover topics like prospecting, objection handling, sales processes, and best practices

• Lead group sales training on sales tools or tactics

• Identify and advocate for any sales enablement needs (tech, sales collateral, etc)

Fractional VP of Marketing

Extremely hands-on, often a one-person marketing department. Skills include DIY content creation, basic web development, email marketing, and performance tracking. They're personally executing campaigns, managing the website, creating all marketing materials, and optimizing conversion funnels. They mainly prioritize immediate lead generation over long-term brand building.

Activities:

• Website ownership (either directly designing and developing or project managing another resource)

• Content creation and copywriting

• Email marketing

• Basic graphic design (social media graphics, sales collateral, etc)

• Marketing automation design and implementation (lead scoring, lead routing, etc)

• Basic PR

• Develop and analyze marketing KPIs and performance

Fractional VP of RevOps

Focused on basic systems setup initially, then more advanced analytics and optimization. Skills include GTM tech configuration, automation, reporting, training, and process documentation.

Activities: 

• CRM implementation, configuration, or optimization

• GTM tech training, integration, and automation

• Develop and enforce standard operating procedures and sales playbook

• Develop and deliver GTM reporting, dashboards, and KPIs

• Executive reporting for leadership on performance, insights, and risks

Which is best for your business?

In my experience, most companies with less than $10mm ARR can’t afford more than 1 fractional GTM executive. So, it’s important to assess where you need the most help and invest accordingly. Usually you determine this by taking inventory of your existing full-time team and your own skill set or expertise as the founder.

For example…

Founders who have more extensive sales backgrounds or experience may not need a fractional CRO and may need more of a fractional CMO or VP of RevOps.

Founders who need more support on the tactical aspects of sales (running discovery calls, managing objections, negotiating pricing etc) may need more of a CRO or VP of Sales vs a CMO.

Founders who have existing full-time junior or mid-level sales or marketing talent may not need VP level fractional help (mainly tactical execution), and may benefit more from executive level strategic support (CRO or CMO).

It’s also worth noting some fractional GTM execs can wear more than one hat mentioned above. I personally wear the CRO and CMO hat within my client engagements, and I am willing to do a lot of the tactical execution of a VP level resource (because I am both impatient and have an ops background).

Depending on my client’s existing full-time team, I may flex more of my CRO or CMO muscles accordingly…I can be both or just one. But every fractional exec is going to have a slightly different skill set, comfort level, and willingness to do certain things.

In the coming weeks we’ll cover how to source and interview fractional talent to make sure you are asking the right questions to 1) manage your own expectations and 2) to get the best resource for your specific needs.

See ya next week!

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With love and gratitude,