The Solopreneur's Guide to Working as a Fractional Executive

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This article was written in collaboration with Katie Walter, Fractional CMO & Marketing Consultant.

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As solopreneurs, we're always looking for that sweet spot between meaningful work, steady income, and a flexible lifestyle. If you've been considering fractional executive roles—or are wondering what they are—then this article is for you.

Although part-time executive roles have been around for a while, the term “fractional executive” has only recently become mainstream. As awareness grows, so do opportunities, but questions about fractional executive work/roles remain: Is this just consulting with a fancy name? What kind of experience do I need? Most importantly, can this actually provide the income stability and professional satisfaction I’m seeking?

Here’s what we know about fractional work so that you can see if it's the right fit for your solopreneur journey.

What Exactly Is Fractional Executive Work?

Fractional executives are part-time members of a company's leadership team. Unlike consultants who provide recommendations to address specific problems or opportunities, “fractionals” are fully embedded into the business: they make strategic decisions, attend leadership meetings, and drive long-term initiatives. Fractional executives often work for multiple companies simultaneously, spending about 10-20 hours per week with each client. They may be the first person to hold the title in the business—the first CMO, CHRO, Controller etc.—but they won’t be the last. The business is creating a leadership seat for that role. When the fractional moves on, the work and accountabilities continue.

How This Differs from Interim or Consulting Work

Fractional vs. Interim Roles: Interim executives are full-time temporary replacements—think of someone filling in while someone is on extended leave or while a company searches for its permanent hire. Fractional executives work part-time on an ongoing basis, often for months or years, and they tend to focus on steering the ship rather than daily operations.

Fractional vs. Traditional Consulting: Traditional consulting typically involves discrete projects with defined deliverables and clear exit points. Fractional executive work integrates you much deeper into the organization. You become part of the leadership team rather than an external advisor, which means more influence, more responsibility, and more opportunity to build long-term relationships.

Who Hires Fractional Executives?

Small to mid-market companies are ideal for these types of roles—businesses with $3 million to $100 million in annual revenue or 50 to 500 employees. Look for ones that are beyond the startup chaos but aren't quite large enough to justify full-time C-suite positions across all functions. On occasion, smaller companies ($1-3 million annual revenue) will bring on fractional leaders when they need specialized expertise for growth phases, or larger companies will use fractional executives for new divisions or special projects, but these are outliers. The ideal target client knows they need senior-level strategic thinking but aren’t ready for the expense of hiring full-time leadership. They may have reached a growth plateau and recognize that they can’t move beyond it without different skills and thinking. Or they see an opportunity to grow in new ways but need strategic help.

Common Fractional Roles

Although the fractional concept can be used for just about any job role, these are the most common:

  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - Financial strategy, fundraising, investor relations

  • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Marketing strategy, brand development, demand generation

  • Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) - Sales strategy, revenue operations, go-to-market planning

  • Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) - Talent strategy, culture development, performance management, compliance

  • Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - Technology strategy, product development, digital transformation

  • Chief Operations Officer (COO) - Operational efficiency, process optimization, scaling operations

That said, VP and director-level fractional work is becoming more common. A CMO might hire a fractional director of demand generation, for instance. CHROs hire fractional heads of talent acquisition.

How These Engagements Typically Work

Contract Duration

Most fractional engagements run for an initial period of 6 to 18 months, which gives both sides time to see if the arrangement is working. Many of these relationships extend well beyond the initial term; however, some fractional executives we know have been with the same companies for several years! Fractional work is great for providing the kind of income predictability we all crave as solopreneurs.

Payment Structure

As solopreneurs, it’s better to be paid on a 1099 business-to-business tax basis than on a W-2 employee basis. Although some companies prefer W-2 arrangements, a 1099 payment structure is much more common. (To minimize the client’s co-employment risk, you’ll need to be set up as a legitimate business. See Key #4 in my book, Succeeding as a Solopreneur.)

Compensation can range from $150 to $500+ per hour, depending on your experience level, specialization, and geographic market. While it’s helpful to have an hourly rate in mind for yourself, consider retainer-based pricing instead. One fractional we talked with offers her services for $15,000 a month to serve as a .25 FTE. It keeps you out of discussions about tracking hours but still gives you guardrails on your time and scope.

Can I Mix Fractional Executive Roles With Other Work?

Absolutely! Fractional executive work fits beautifully with the portfolio career approach many of us have already adopted. Many successful fractional executives maintain diverse revenue streams, combining these part-time leadership roles with:

  • Strategic consulting projects 

  • Executive coaching 

  • Board advisor positions

  • Speaking and training engagements

  • Mentoring and peer advisory roles

Such diversification will actually strengthen your practice! Taking on a fractional executive role can expand your network and keep your skills sharp in different contexts while providing income stability.

Do I Have What It Takes to be A Fractional Executive?

Most successful fractional executives have at least fifteen years of corporate experience, including several years in senior leadership roles. This makes sense since companies hiring fractional leaders need someone who can make a difference with minimal ramp-up time.

The ideal résumé will include a mix of:

  • C-suite experience (CEO, CFO, CMO, etc.)

  • VP-level roles in relevant functions

  • Senior director positions with P&L responsibility

  • Practice leadership in consulting firms

  • Startup founder/co-founder experience

Other experiences to emphasize if you’re looking for fractional work include:

  • High-growth startups to understand challenges with scaling rapidly

  • Established corporations to bring process and structure knowledge

  • Turnaround situations for crisis management and restructuring experience

Is Fractional Executive Work Right for Me?

Fractional executive work will fit well with your portfolio career as a  solopreneur if you:

  • Enjoy being a key member of a committed team

  • Prefer leading long-term initiatives

  • Like to see the results of your work play out over time

  • Can quickly assess situations and make strategic decisions

  • Have broad functional experience that companies need

The income can be more predictable than project-based consulting, the work is often more strategic and fulfilling, and it leverages the leadership experience many of us have built over our careers.

Finding Fractional Opportunities (The Real Challenge)

As solopreneurs, finding good clients is usually harder than doing the actual work. In that sense, fractional executive positions are no different from consulting roles: some job-hunting strategies work better than others.

Networking and Referrals

When it comes to finding work as a solopreneur, your professional network is your most valuable asset. Start by letting former colleagues, industry contacts, and former clients know about your interest in fractional work. Many of the best opportunities come through warm introductions.

Platforms and Agencies

Some consulting platforms also list fractional roles, and newer agencies are popping up specifically for fractional executive matching. Be forewarned, however: If you find work through a platform or agency, they will take a cut of your income, anywhere from 25 to 50 percent!

Direct Outreach

Many business owners aren't familiar with the fractional model, but they become interested once they understand how a fractional leader can help them. Identify companies in your target industry, geography, or size range and then reach out directly. Fast-growing companies are more likely to need part-time leadership support so start with the Inc. 5000 list or regional lists published by BizJournals.com like these for the SF Bay Area.

Content Continues to Matter

As solopreneurs, we already know the power of thought leadership. Publishing insights about our areas of expertise helps establish credibility and can attract inbound opportunities. LinkedIn articles, industry publications, and speaking engagements all generate leads—just like they do for our other work. 

Suggestions for Getting Started

The easiest way to begin is to talk with colleagues about the idea. “Hey, Joe, I value your opinion. I’m thinking of making a shift in my career and I’d love to get your input. Do you have time for a quick call in the next week or so?” Use these initial conversations to build your confidence, then ask for suggestions for other people to talk to about the idea.

Update your LinkedIn profile and website to incorporate the words “fractional leadership” and “fractional CxO”. For example, under your current job experience you might say “Fractional COO and Process Improvement Consultant” or “Fractional CHRO and Executive Coach”. In the summary section, clearly state the type of situations where you can make a real difference.

If fractional work seems like the right path for you, attend the annual FRAK Conference in October to equip yourself with tools, insights, and inspiration! Save $100 before August 1st with the code FRAKnJuly4.

As solopreneurs, we've already taken a non-traditional career path, but inconsistent cash flow can be a real challenge. Adding one or two fractional executive roles to the mix may be just the ticket!

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