A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who works with your business part-time — typically one to three days a week — owning growth strategy and its delivery, for a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. “Fractional” refers to the time, not the seniority.

When it’s the right call

You’ve found product-market fit and need efficient scale; you’re the founder hitting a ceiling; or you have an execution team but no strategic head — and a £150k+ permanent CMO is premature.

What you get

Strategy and ownership, hands-on leadership, the operating system (measurement, cadence, playbook), and board-ready reporting in CAC, payback and pipeline. The distinguishing feature versus an agency is accountability.

How engagements work

Most begin with a fixed-scope Growth Diagnostic, then a retained arrangement. Good fractional leaders make themselves progressively less essential — and help you hire your first full-time CMO when the time comes.