How to Know When You Need a Fractional Leader
And why it’s not the same as hiring an agency or another consultant
Not every business needs another consultant.
And not every problem needs a full-time hire.
Sometimes, what you need is someone who can walk in with a clear head, take ownership of a critical initiative, and move the business forward — without the long onboarding, big overhead, or vague PowerPoint deliverables.
That’s where fractional leadership comes in. And for many of the companies I work with, it’s the exact right fit.
🚩 The Business Scenarios That Call for Fractional Help
You might be in one of these situations:
Growth is happening fast — but your internal structure hasn’t caught up.
Your head of marketing or ecommerce just left — and you can’t afford to lose momentum.
You’re preparing for a rebrand, platform migration, or launch — and need someone to own the work.
You’ve brought in an agency — but no one internally is steering the ship.
You’re PE-backed — and need better reporting, faster results, or smarter go-to-market execution.
These are exactly the types of challenges I support as a fractional executive — bringing structure, strategy, and speed to businesses in flux.
💼 What a Fractional Executive Actually Does
While consultants advise and agencies execute, a fractional executive does both and leads.
When I step into a fractional role — whether as CMO, GM, Head of Digital, or project lead — I don’t just assess. I direct. I execute. I collaborate. I deliver.
That might include:
Defining go-to-market or brand strategy
Overseeing a DTC or Amazon relaunch
Managing a Shopify migration or digital transformation
Leading customer experience, CRM, or loyalty initiatives
Running point on a marketing turnaround
Leading operational change to improve margins or reduce cost
Reporting into leadership, boards, or investors with clarity and credibility
I embed quickly, lead confidently, and work alongside your internal teams to get results — not just recommendations.
⚖️ Fractional Leader vs. Consultant vs. Agency
If you’re not sure which kind of support you need, here’s a quick breakdown:
A fractional executive fills the gap between strategy and action. We’re part of the team, but only for as long as you need us.
✨ What It’s Like to Work With Me
I call myself the Mary Poppins of consulting — I come in when things are messy, I bring a little magic, and I leave your business stronger than I found it.
I’ve worked with public companies, PE-backed brands, and founder-led startups in ecommerce, retail, beauty, CPG, and wellness. My clients value that I’m:
Experienced across brand, marketing, ops, and digital
Able to quickly assess, prioritize, and implement
Comfortable managing teams, agencies, and internal politics
Focused on outcomes — not just activity
Some examples of the work I’ve done:
Migrated a brand from WordPress to Shopify and reset their digital growth strategy
Relaunched a DTC business for a PE-backed brand, improving margins and retention
Oversaw CRM, loyalty, and mobile ordering programs for a beauty and wellness portfolio
Drove topline and margin improvements by restructuring marketing and P&L ownership
Positioned a legacy brand for digital-first growth across channels
🔑 How to Know If You're Ready
If you’re asking yourself…
“I need this done, but I don’t have the bandwidth to lead it myself.”
“We can’t hire full-time yet, but we need someone with senior-level experience.”
“We’ve lost time, and we can’t afford to lose more.”
“We’re growing — but not operationally ready.”
…then a fractional executive might be the right move.
Start with a call. Let’s talk about what you’re facing and how I might help. I’ll give you a clear sense of scope, timing, and expected outcomes — and whether I’m the right fit.
I’m reasonably priced. Deeply experienced. And fast to impact.
📩 Reach me directly at ps@ps7marketing.com
Let’s bring clarity to your next chapter.
