Why I’m Moving Away from Fractional CMO Work in 2025
Fractional CMO work sounds great in theory, but the reality is different. Here’s what I learned, what I’d do differently, and what’s next.
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Most entrepreneurs chase business freedom by working less—but the real key is choosing the right work.
I thought the fractional CMO model was the perfect balance: impact, flexibility, great clients. The reality? Short-term contracts, unclear roles, constant client chasing.
Today, I’m sharing why I’m pivoting, what I’ve learned, and how I’m reshaping my career for more alignment and sustainability—insights that might help you rethink your own path.
Read time: 8 minutes
This newsletter was drafted with the help of ChatGPT & Claude, then refined and human-edited by yours truly before publishing.
📌 Present: Where I Am Now
After two years as a fractional CMO, I’ve decided to pivot. While the experience has been valuable, I’ve realised that this model doesn’t align with how I want to work long-term.
Instead, I’m focusing on building a life and career that align with my values, energy, and long-term vision. That means prioritising work that makes an impact, allows me to guide rather than grind, and creates the financial and personal freedom my wife and I are working towards.
Why I’m Still Betting on Our Kinds
Even though I’m moving away from fractional CMO work, I’ve stayed on with my final CMO client, Our Kinds, on a sweat equity basis. I was initially brought in for a short-term engagement, but something about this project felt different. The vision, the journey so far, the team, unique business model, and long-term impact align deeply with what I want to build.
A crucial part of my role as fCMO is helping Our Kinds secure funding from suitable investors. I see this as a challenge and an opportunity with a significant learning curve since I haven't worked in this field before. I'm thankful to our CEO, Karen, for recognising the valuable perspective I bring to this effort.
This experience reinforced what I already knew: I don’t want to just consult from the sidelines—I want to create something meaningful.
Moving on…
This shift is about depth, not just revenue. I’m moving towards work that fits my strengths, energy, and long-term sustainability. But before discussing what’s next, let’s look at why I’m leaving most fractional CMO work behind.
💡 Perspective: Why I’m Moving Away from Fractional Work
There’s a lot to love about fractional leadership—but also a lot that makes it unsustainable. Here’s why I’ve decided to step away:
1️⃣ Short-Term Relationships End Abruptly
Fractional CMO work often feels like business “dating”—exciting at first, but soon I’m back to chasing new clients when the contract ends.
The other missing piece is if you’re working 100% remotely, it can be super hard for extended periods without in-person interaction with your team(s).
As yorCMO wrote,
“One of the biggest trade-offs in becoming a fractional CMO is that you miss out on the camaraderie and structure of a traditional office environment. While remote work has become the new norm—with high earners especially leaning into location-independent work—there’s still something to be said for the energy of an in-person team [McKinsey].”
For the past two years I’ve worked with a mix of professional services firms and tech startups. Some projects were great, but others ended abruptly, leaving me searching for the next client and feeling like I’d just been unceremoniously dumped after I thought things were seemingly going well (not a good feeling at all).
I want long-term relationships that can be developed over years, where I can grow with a company and make a lasting impact. I don’t need them to be full-time or in-office, but I’d be open to exploring a hybrid arrangement where it makes sense.
2️⃣ Limited Time, Limited Influence
Driving real marketing transformation is difficult when you only work one or two days a week.
One time when I was hired as a fractional CMO, I was not introduced as such internally. In the presence of colleagues I was collaborating with, the COO referred to me as an “external consultant,” which immediately undermined my authority and created incorrect expectations regarding my role there. I was also not invited to executive meetings or strategic discussions, which made it nearly impossible for me to operate at the level I was hired for.
Without a clear seat at the table, fractional CMOs risk becoming high-priced consultants rather than true strategic leaders. For some folks that’s OK, but not for me.
I’m not the only person who feels fractional CMOs rarely work out in these situations.
That said, I also could have advocated for my role more, established authority early on, and communicated expectations. Leadership isn’t just about having the right title—it’s about how you show up. Lesson learned.
I feel that a major issue with all of this fractional stuff boils down to confusion with what “fractional” actually means. If you ask 20 different fractional leaders, and 20 different businesses working with fractionals, you will get a whole range of responses.
I often return to this definition of fractional leadership which I think explains it well:
3️⃣ Short Engagements Make It Hard to Deliver Big Results
Marketing isn’t instant. It’s a long-term play.
Yet, many fractional CMO contracts I worked on lasted just three to six months—not nearly enough time to:
✔️ Execute big-picture strategies
✔️ Build sustainable marketing systems
✔️ Deliver meaningful results that future clients can reference
Even when one company agreed to an 18-month contract, they ended it after 8 months because:
🔹 They lacked skilled marketing talent to execute my strategies. I took on the responsibility of hiring external support, but that proved unsuccessful.
🔹 The founder struggled with letting go of control, making progress painfully slow.
🔹 Their regulated industry added additional hurdles.
Here’s where I could have improved with this one—clarifying upfront where delays might occur in the workflow for releasing marketing material and raising my concerns when I noticed red flags about progress (we planned to publish a monthly article, but after three months, we finally got the first one live).
In reality, many early-stage companies don’t need a fractional CMO—they need a full-time marketing manager who can execute. Companies may consider hiring a fractional Marketing Director (fMD) instead.
4️⃣ Compensation vs. Commitment
Working with funded fintech and AI startups paid (much) better, but short-term contracts made financial stability unpredictable.
A 12+ month engagement allows for:
✔️ Clearer expectations and structured deliverables.
✔️ More trust and influence within the company.
✔️ Better financial sustainability for both the business and consultant.
Short-term projects often lack these benefits, making it harder to create lasting impact.
5️⃣ Learning to Work With (Not Against) My Projector Human Design
This shift isn’t just about strategy—it’s also about energy.
I’m a Projector in Human Design, which means I excel at seeing the bigger picture, offering strategic insights, and guiding others. But I’m not built for constant execution and grinding through work.
For years, I thought I just needed to “push through.” Over the past decade, I realise that working smarter, not harder, is the only way forward.
Here’s how I’m applying this:
✔️ Focusing on guidance over execution—mentoring, coaching, teaching, and strategic leadership rather than hands-on execution.
✔️ Honouring my energy cycles—batching creative work when I’m in flow, resting when I need to recharge.
✔️ Saying no to work that drains me—only taking on projects where my insights are valued and actionable.
This pivot allows me to lean into my strengths rather than constantly working against them.
🚀 Progress: What’s Next?
Here’s where I’m shifting my focus in 2025:
✅ 1. Building a Community for Immigrant & Minority Professionals
You may have seen my nervous announcement on LinkedIn last week about this (if not, check it out here).
I want to empower immigrant and minority communities to build generational wealth financially, in their careers, health, and relationships.
This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. Too many talented professionals from underrepresented backgrounds struggle to access the knowledge, mentorship, and opportunities they need to succeed.
I don’t know what this will become (if anything), but I feel strongly about it.
Next steps:
🔹 Talking to professionals & businesses already in this space.
🔹 Connecting with potential members & partners to refine the vision.
🔹 Testing different business models before launching.
✅ 2. Teaching & Mentoring
I’m finalising a contract to mentor at a global academy that offers entrepreneurship courses to students. That means I’ll be getting paid to teach in-person and online classes (3 hrs per class) for each course over a number of weeks. I’ll be teaching digital marketing courses as part of their curriculum.
Feel free to reach out if you need someone to conduct workshops or teach courses (either in-person or online) for your team, students, or community.
✅ 3. Writing for Companies & Personal Projects
Writing has always been a core part of my work, and now I’m expanding in two directions:
Getting hired by companies & publications to research and write high-quality, SEO-optimised content—the kind of work that AI alone can’t do. This includes customer case studies, whitepapers, and long-form guides that require expert interviews, deep research, and strategic storytelling.
If you want help writing content for your business, I have capacity. Reach out and tell me about your project.
Investing in personal writing projects—finishing my books (Dare to Escape and Trust Signals), growing my newsletter, and building a long-term body of work.
✅ 4. Launching a Coaching Program for Startup Founders struggling with marketing
I’m exploring the idea and viability of supporting startups with a different approach than typical courses, coaching, and consulting offers.
This isn’t just another “how to do marketing” course that sits on the digital shelf. It’s done-with-you coaching that blends strategy with hands-on execution.
Founders will get:
✔️ A structured roadmap to build their marketing engine
✔️ Hands-on support (strategy + execution)
✔️ A scalable model that lets me go deep with a few key clients
Next step: I’m getting a few Australian founders of funded early-stage startups and small business owners together soon over zoom to brainstorm content engines for leads and sales, and gather feedback on how this might work.
Would you like to join us? Reply with "brainstorm" for details.
✅ 5. A Personal Dream: Our Tiny Home & Off-Grid Living
Beyond work, my wife and I are slowly moving towards financial freedom by building a tiny home on wheels and shifting to an off-grid lifestyle.
These are very early days, and we’re currently working through the overwhelming amount of information available.
Last month, we visited a tiny home showcase by a local builder and learned about two councils in NSW that currently allow tiny homes on wheels.
Next step: We need to investigate further and find landowners in Australia (or NZ) who may be willing to rent land so we can put a tiny house on it. I’d also like to talk to any tiny home owners renting or renting land before moving onto their own. (Know anyone? I’d love an intro.)
🎁 Payoff: Key Takeaways & Next Steps
💡 For Fractional CMOs:
It Can Work (Just Not How I Did It)
Fractional leadership can be brilliant. I know several fractional CMOs who thrive on one—to—two—year engagements.
If I were starting over, here’s what I’d do differently:
✔️ Build a bench of specialised talent
✔️ Set proper minimums (12-month+ contracts with 3-month exit points for example)
✔️ Package my approach with a clear framework
✔️ Price my services taking into account market value for CMOs in the Aus startup world (the Think & Grow 2022/2023 Australian Start-Up Salary Guide is a great starting point)
✔️ Focus on 2-3 standout case studies with solid metrics
✔️ Partner with fractional CFOs, COOs, and CROs for referrals
✔️ Invest in content that attracts the right clients
✔️ Create measurable impact in the first 90 days with each engagement (here’s a great resource on how to do this)
✔️ Get connected with a supportive community of fractionals ASAP, locally and online (I highly recommend the Fractionals United Slack group).
The truth? Fractional work can succeed—but only with proper structure, clear expectations, and solid systems. Mine simply didn’t.
💡 For Founders & Businesses:
Before hiring a fractional CMO, ask yourself:
👉 Do you really need a CMO, or would a fractional Marketing Director (fMD) (who’s more execution-focused) be a better fit?
💡 For Anyone Pivoting in Their Career:
Big moves aren’t just about chasing money—they’re about alignment. The work should fit your energy, strengths, and long-term vision.
If you’ve made (or are making) a major career shift, please hit reply or comment and tell me about it. I’d love to hear your story, and you can ask me questions.
Summary: Key Takeaways
Fractional work offers flexibility but comes with challenges like short-term contracts, unclear expectations, and constant client acquisition.
Effective communication and leadership are essential for success in fractional roles. Setting boundaries, advocating for your role, and ensuring internal buy-in make a difference.
Many early-stage companies don’t need a fractional CMO; they need a full-time marketing manager who can execute.
Shifting to work that aligns with your strengths, energy, and long-term vision leads to more impact and sustainability.
If considering a fractional CMO role, focus on long-term contracts, packaging your services clearly, and creating measurable impact within the first 90 days.
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Live Confidently & Passionately,
PS. Ready to level up? Here are four ways I can help:
Follow me on LinkedIn for tips and insights during the week (free).
Hire me to write content for your business or teach a marketing workshop/course. Let’s Talk.
Ask me about my done-with-you coaching program for startups.
Book me to speak on your podcast, summit, or in-person event.
I know someone else who's a fractional CMO and she has some of the same challenges you mentioned. I'm curious how did you go about finding global teaching opportunities?