What to Expect in Your First 90 Days With a Fractional CMO
A month-by-month walkthrough of what a typical first 90 days with a fractional CMO looks like — what you'll be asked for, what gets delivered when, and how…
Field Notes
Thinking Built to Survive the Room.
Clear notes on founder-led growth, marketing diligence, positioning, and the systems that make revenue easier to underwrite.
Latest
Essays and operating notes for founders preparing the business for what comes next.
Value-Based Pricing for Marketing Leadership: A Buyer’s Perspective
Comparing fractional CMO rates like a commodity is the wrong mental model. Here's how founders should estimate the value at stake and negotiate a deal that ties price…
Why Cheap Fractional CMOs Are the Most Expensive Hire You’ll Make
A bargain-priced fractional CMO isn't a discount — it's a deferred cost. Here's what you're really paying for when the rate looks too good, and how to tell…
The Real Cost of Bad Marketing Decisions (And Why Strategy Pays for Itself)
Most founders don't lose money to bad marketing luck — they lose it to a handful of predictable, repeatable decision mistakes. Here's what those mistakes actually cost, and…
How to Measure ROI on a Fractional CMO Engagement
A step-by-step framework for measuring fractional CMO ROI — from setting a pre-engagement baseline through leading indicators, lagging revenue outcomes, and why the real payoff eventually shows up…
Retainer vs. Project vs. Equity: Fractional CMO Engagement Models Explained
Fractional CMO engagement models generally fall into three buckets — monthly retainer, project/scope-based, and equity or equity-plus-cash. Here's how each one actually works, who it fits, and what…
How Much Does a Fractional CMO Cost? A Founder’s Pricing Guide
Fractional CMO cost depends on scope, hours, and how much execution is bundled in — not a single number. Here's how the pricing models actually work, with realistic…
How to Structure a Trial Engagement With a Fractional CMO
A practical guide to structuring a fractional CMO trial engagement — scope, duration, deliverables, and the success criteria that turn a paid pilot into a real evaluation instead…
The “Strategy and Run” Problem: Why Some Fractional CMO Engagements Fail
Most failed fractional CMO engagements don't fail on strategy — they fail because nobody stayed accountable for running it. Here's how to spot the "Strategy and Run" pattern…
Industry Experience vs. Cross-Industry Pattern Recognition: Which Matters More?
Founders over-index on "has this CMO worked in my exact industry." Here's the contrarian, balanced case for why cross-industry pattern recognition often matters more — and the specific…