CMO School

When Things Feel Hard: 5 Strategies to Help You Get Out of a Rut

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0700

You know those seasons where business (or life) just feels harder than it should?

A few things haven't gone your way. You've lost some momentum. You're questioning decisions you normally feel confident about. And somehow, without really noticing when it happened, you just don't feel quite like yourself.

I've been through enough of these seasons to know that there are a handful of patterns I fall into every single time. They seem small in the moment, but together they can keep me stuck in a rut for way longer than I need to be.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

The five patterns I watch for when business (or life) starts to feel hard
The subtle ways we can accidentally make a difficult season feel even heavier
What I do differently now when I notice myself slipping into one of these patterns
How I start finding my way back to feeling clear, grounded, and like myself again
The questions I ask myself before making big decisions from a difficult headspace

If you're in a season where you're overthinking everything, questioning what's next, or simply feeling a little off, this episode is for you.

You might not be able to change everything that's happening around you right now. But there are things you can change about how you move through it, and sometimes that makes a much bigger difference than you'd expect.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 What to Do When Everything Feels Hard

01:30 The Habits That Make Hard Seasons Even Harder

02:25 #1: Take Care of Your Body First

04:15 Start Small When Your Routine Falls Apart

06:00 #2: Stop Isolating Yourself

08:20 #3: Make Space to Actually Feel What You’re Feeling

10:35 Why Your Problems Feel Smaller When You Regulate Yourself

11:10 #4: Get Outside of Your Own Head

13:10 Helping Someone Else Can Shift Your Perspective

13:55 #5: Stop Believing Every Thought You Have

15:35 Separate the Facts From the Story You’re Telling Yourself

16:50 Borrow Confidence From Your Past Self

17:45 Don’t Make Big Decisions From a Bad Headspace

18:35 Get Back to Yourself Before You Fix the Problem

How to Think Like a CMO: 6 Laws for Better Marketing Strategy

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Anyone can put together a deck full of marketing recommendations. Building a strategy that actually feels like it came from a really good CMO requires a completely different level of thinking.

Over the years, I've realized there are a handful of principles I come back to every single time I'm building strategy for a client. They've changed the way I make recommendations, how I work with founders, and honestly, how confident I feel making the calls I'm being paid to make.

This week's episode is actually pulled from a training I taught inside Fractional CMO School, and I'm walking you through what I call the Six Laws of CMO-Level Strategy.

In this episode, we're covering:

The six laws I use when building high-level marketing strategy for clients
How to start thinking like the person leading marketing instead of simply doing the marketing
The common mistakes that can make an otherwise solid strategy feel more junior or execution-focused
How to develop stronger strategic judgment when there isn't one obvious "right" answer
How to make recommendations you can actually stand behind and communicate confidently to your clients

The more you develop this way of thinking, the easier it becomes to walk into a business, see what's actually going on, know where to focus, and make the calls your clients are looking to you to make.

And that's such a huge part of stepping into the CMO role with confidence. You trust your thinking more, your clients trust your recommendations more, and you start showing up as the person who can actually lead the marketing.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The 6 Laws of a CMO-Level Marketing Strategy

01:14 How to Think Like a Marketing Leader

01:55 Law #1: Think Like an Owner, Marketer Second

05:25 Law #2: Your Client Is an Unreliable Narrator

08:10 Law #3: Trust Your Strategic Instincts

10:40 Law #4: Be a Leader, Not an Order Taker

14:40 The Client Mistake That Taught Me to Speak Up

16:35 Law #5: Right-Size Your Strategy to Their Resources

18:50 Law #6: Know When to Zoom In & Zoom Out

20:20 Stop Overcomplicating Your Marketing Strategy

Sometimes I Feel Like I'm Bad at Marketing (And I Know It's Not Just Me)

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Ever found yourself questioning whether you're actually good at marketing?

Maybe you had a client launch go poorly, or they were unhappy with their marketing results. Either way…cue existential crisis.

It doesn't matter how much experience you have – most marketers go through periods where they lose confidence in themselves. It's easy to assume the problem is you, when it’s usually just a mismatch in expectations.

The more I've spoken to marketers over the years, the more I've realised this isn't just my experience. So many of us carry this around, but very few of us actually talk about it.

In this week's episode, I'm unpacking:

Why self-doubt is SO normal, even if you're experienced
The three growth phases every business experiences AND what happens in marketing at each phase
The framework I use to regain my confidence when I'm starting to feel imposter syndrome creep in

If you've ever found yourself lying awake wondering whether you've still "got it," or questioning everything after a few disappointing weeks, I really hope this episode reminds you that you're probably doing better than you think.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Do You Ever Feel Like You're Bad at Marketing?

01:20 Why Even Experienced Marketers Lose Confidence

03:00 The Real Problem Isn't Your Marketing

04:20 Phase 1: Build

06:45 Phase 2: Stabilize

09:20 Phase 3: Grow

11:10 Why Most Businesses Stay Stuck

12:20 Ask This Before You Change Your Strategy

13:20 Stop Measuring Success Against the Wrong Phase

14:00 You're Probably Doing Better Than You Think

3 Ways to Grow Your Marketing Business Without Working More Hours

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 02:00:00 -0700

If you've built a successful marketing business, you've probably realised that making more money often means taking on more clients, more projects or working more hours.

And at some point, you stop wanting that.

The problem is, most marketers only see one obvious next step: build an agency. But that's not the right path for everyone.

In this episode, I'm talking about the three different directions experienced marketers can take when they want to keep growing—and why I think the better question isn't, "How do I grow my business?" It's, "What kind of business do I actually want to build?"

Because the business you build next should fit the life you want, not just your revenue goals.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

FRACTIONAL CMO START UP GUIDE: https://www.thecmooffice.com/fcmo-guide

BOOK A CALL → https://calendly.com/the-cmo-office/fcmos-clarity-call

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How to Grow Without Working More

01:10 The Question That Changes Everything

02:35 Option 1: Become the Premium Solo Expert

04:50 Why I Didn't Choose the Solopreneur Path

06:10 Option 2: Build an Agency

08:00 Why an Agency Wasn't Right for Me

09:00 Option 3: Become a Fractional CMO

11:20 Why I Chose the Fractional CMO Model

13:00 Which Business Model Fits Your Life?

14:10 Build a Business You Don't Want to Escape

Thinking About Becoming a Fractional CMO? 5 Fears About the Role (That Aren't Actually True)

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Thinking about becoming a Fractional CMO but worried you'll be on Slack all day, stuck in back-to-back meetings, and responsible for absolutely everything?

I hear these concerns from marketers all the time. And honestly? Almost every one of them comes from a misunderstanding of what the Fractional CMO role actually is.

In this week’s episode, I'm breaking down:

The 5 biggest myths that stop great marketers from stepping into the Fractional CMO role
Why so many Fractional CMOs end up creating a business that burns them out
The difference between being a strategic leader and becoming another member of the marketing team
What the role should actually look like inside a client's business
And how to build a Fractional CMO business that's sustainable, profitable, and gives you the freedom you were looking for in the first place

If you've ever thought, "I'd love to become a Fractional CMO... but I don't want to be responsible for everything," this episode is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The 5 Biggest Myths About Becoming a Fractional CMO

01:05 Myth #1: You'll Spend All Day in Slack

03:10 Myth #2: You're Responsible for Everything

05:45 Why CMOs Lead Instead of Execute

06:45 Myth #3: Every Client Emergency Is Your Emergency

09:00 Myth #4: You'll Spend All Day in Meetings

11:30 Set Boundaries Before Clients Set Them for You

12:30 Myth #5: Clients Expect You to Do Everything

14:15 Teach Clients How to Work With You

15:35 Build a Fractional CMO Business That Gives You Freedom

Miranda Doubled Her Income Working Less as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 02:00:00 -0700

What if you could leave your full-time job, work fewer hours, and nearly double your income - all while doing work you actually love?

In this episode, I’m joined by Fractional CMO School alum Miranda Holland to talk about how she went from working 40+ hours a week, to doubling her income, working just 30 hours a week as a Fractional CMO.

Before Fractional CMO School, Miranda found herself reacting to whatever marketing requests her clients had, instead of steering the process and strategy. Fractional CMO School gave her the framework she needed to step into leadership and create the spacious business she’d always wanted.

In this episode we cover:

The frameworks that helped her package, position, and price her expertise
What gave her the confidence to leave her full-time job and go all-in on her business
How she realized she was undercharging – and how her perspective on pricing changed
The mindset and imposter syndrome work that came with becoming an entrepreneur and CMO
What her business and life look like now that she has more control over her time, income, and capacity

If you’re curious about Fractional CMO School, and want to hear all about Miranda’s transformation from employee to Fractional CMO, you’ll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Miranda: From Corporate Marketer to Fractional CMO 02:30 Taking the Leap & Leaving Her Full-Time Job

04:05 The Framework That Gave Her Confidence

06:08 From Order Taker to Marketing Leader

08:06 Building a Fractional CMO Offer

09:41 The Results: Double the Income, Fewer Hours

12:45 The Mindset Shift Behind Her Success

15:38 Overcoming “Am I Qualified?” Imposter Syndrome

17:02 Packaging & Pricing Your Expertise

19:13 Why a Fractional CMO Can Be an Early Strategic Hire

21:21 Stop Selling Tactics - Start Looking at the Big Picture

22:34 Miranda’s Advice for Aspiring Fractional CMOs

23:11 Why Fractional CMO School Was Worth It

She Left Her "Dream Job" to Bet on Herself - And 6x'd Her Income

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 02:00:00 -0700

I think a lot of us have been there, - sitting in a job that looks amazing from the outside, the kind where people go "wow, you work THERE?" - and slowly realizing it's just not filling your cup anymore.

That's exactly where my guest this week was. Sydney Hagel left a big-name corporate job to start The Cozy Agency, and just over a year in she's on track to 6x her income. But the part I loved most about our conversation is how real she gets about that first year - the mistakes, the imposter syndrome, and what it really took to get to where she is now.

In this episode of the CMO School podcast, we get into:

How Sydney Hagel knew it was time to leave corporate - and what made her quit with no plan
What her first year in business looked like (including the money mistakes she made)
How she lands high-ticket clients (it’s SO much simpler than you might think)
The one thing she cared about more than profit in year one - and why it ended up building her whole client roster
How she went from "I'll never make good money again" to 6x-ing her income in a single year

If you're waiting to feel ready before you go after the big thing - the new niche, the bigger client, the leap out of your 9 to 5 - this is a conversation I want you to hear. Because you don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to bet on yourself before it feels safe.

Learn more about Sydney:

Instagram

GetCozy

Learn more about Callan Faulkner, AI expert

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Sydney Kaye & What We're Covering

01:50 From Corporate Marketing to Entrepreneurship

05:10 Why We Both Left Corporate

08:15 Knowing It Was Time to Quit

11:50 The Fear (and Freedom) of Starting Your Own Business

15:00 Landing the First High-Ticket Client

18:25 Imposter Syndrome Never Really Goes Away

21:00 How High-Ticket Clients Lead to More High-Ticket Clients

25:25 Why You Can't Skip the Building Phase

27:00 The Mindset That Keeps You Going

29:10 Your "Why" Matters More Than Money

30:50 Where to Connect with Sydney

6 Red Flags I Screen For Before I Take On Any Client as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0700

I've watched smart, capable marketers and Fractional CMOs burn out, lose money, and start to wonder if the whole Fractional path was a mistake — all because they said yes to the wrong client. And I've done it myself, more times than I'd like to admit.

Because the thing is, you cannot out-strategize a bad-fit client. It doesn't matter how good your boundaries, your packages, or your process are — if the person on the other side of the contract is the problem, you can't fix it.

In this episode, I break down:

The 6 red flags I screen for before I'll work with ANY client (steal my checklist!)
How to spot a bad-fit client on the discovery call — before you're locked into a contract with them
The questions I ask that get my leads to reveal who they REALLY are (so I don’t have to find out the hard way)
Why a bad-fit client can make you question whether you're even cut out for this role (spoiler: it's not you)
How saying no to the wrong clients is what lets you get real results for the right ones

The clients you turn down matter just as much as the ones you take on. Once you can see the red flags coming, your work gets way easier — and a lot more fun.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Wrong Client Will Cost You More

00:45 Why You Can't Out-Strategize a Bad Client

01:30 Red Flag #1: They Blame Every Marketer

02:45 Red Flag #2: No Team to Execute

03:45 Red Flag #3: Shiny Object Syndrome

04:45 Red Flag #4: You're Expected to Save the Business

06:00 Red Flags #5 & #6: Unrealistic Expectations

07:45 How to Protect Your Time and Energy

08:45 Choose Clients Who Set You Up to Win

Will the Fractional CMO Model Work in My Niche?

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0700

"Will the Fractional model actually work in MY niche?" — I get this question all the time. And it's the one that keeps people stuck: not starting, saying no to clients who'd be a great fit, or waiting to feel ready before they let themselves go for it.

But here's what I want you to hear — the niche is NOT what makes the Fractional model work. What you're selling has nothing to do with the industry. It's YOU. It's your leadership. And that is valuable (and transferable) to any niche.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

The 4 things that ACTUALLY tell you if a business is a fit for the Fractional model — and not one of them is the niche (steal the checklist!)
The real reason marketers get stuck on the niche question and what you're REALLY saying when you ask "will this work in my niche?"
What actually makes you feel ready for this role
How I landed one of the biggest names in the online space as my very FIRST client in a niche I'd never worked in

By the end of this episode, the niche question won't feel so important, because you'll know exactly what to look for instead.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Will the Fractional Model Work in Your Niche?

00:45 The Question You Should Be Asking Instead

01:30 The 4 Signs a Business Is Ready

02:30 Why Revenue and Budget Matter

03:45 Leadership Matters More Than Industry

05:00 Why Marketers Get Stuck on Niches

06:15 Your Skills Transfer Further Than You Think

07:00 Stop Waiting for the Perfect Niche

How I Structure My Contracts as a Fractional CMO (And Why I Make It Easy for Clients to Leave)

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Contracts are probably one of the least exciting things we could possibly talk about, BUT I get so many questions from marketers making the leap into Fractional CMO work and feeling completely overwhelmed by the contract side of things. OR not thinking about it at all… until something happens and they've got serious regrets.

If your immediate thought is "cool cool cool, can I just copy yours?" 😂 — you absolutely can. I share exactly where you can grab all of my behind-the-scenes business systems in the episode!

In this episode, I break down:

How I structure my contracts after 5+ years of testing long-term, short-term, and month-to-month (steal the setup!)
Why I DON'T lock clients into long-term contracts — and what I do instead
The scope language that keeps you from ever being "in default" of your own contract
The tool I use to get a new contract out to a client in under 2 minutes
The sneaky little feature that gives me a heads up when a client might be about to give their notice

And at under 10 minutes, it's probably the quickest (and least painful) way you'll ever learn about contracts.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why I Don't Use Long-Term Contracts

01:15 The Contract Structure That Works Best

02:30 Protect Yourself From Scope Creep

03:45 The Contract Tool I Use for Every Client

04:45 My Favorite PandaDoc Feature

05:30 Final Thoughts on Better Client Contracts

How I'm Using AI as a Fractional CMO to Deliver $15K+ Marketing Strategies

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:15:00 -0700

The advice to "use AI to work faster" is great (I've cut my $15K client strategy build time nearly in HALF) but it’s really easy to get generic output if you’re not careful. That’s why I’m breaking down the exact process I use to build my client strategies.

In this episode, I break down:

The 5-step process I use to build my $15K client strategies with AI (so you can set yourself up the same way)
The biggest mistakes I see Fractionals making with AI in strategy work (the last one is the worst)
How I set up my AI to get great output (instead of generic or AI sounding garble)
How I use AI as a thought partner instead of having it do the thinking for me

If you want to use AI for marketing strategy, or you already are, but you’re not happy with the output, you’ll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How I Cut Strategy Time in Half With AI

01:00 The Biggest AI Mistakes Marketers Make

02:45 Build AI Context Before You Prompt

04:15 Turn Your Thinking Into Better Strategy

05:45 Show AI What Great Looks Like

07:00 Why I Build Strategies Section by Section

08:45 The Final Review Most People Skip

10:00 Use AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Strategist

11:00 The Biggest AI Mistake to Avoid

Why I'm Not Taking On More Clients (Even Though I Could)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Here's something I've learned building this business: at a certain point, doing more of what's comfortable stops moving you toward what you actually want. And the most powerful thing you can do is get radically honest about where you're putting your energy.

For years I’ve wanted to grow Fractional CMO School. This year, I finally am — and I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly why, what I'm building, and the vision behind all of it.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

The decision that's reshaping my entire business this year — and the honest realization that got me here
Why I'm intentionally protecting my space instead of filling it (and what that unlocks)
The ecosystem I'm building behind the scenes — including an agency engine designed to send incredible Fractional leads straight to my students
The mission that's driven me from day one: helping women build wealth on their own terms — and the bold number I'm committing to this year

This one is personal, and it's a look at the bigger vision I'm building — for me, and for every ambitious marketer ready to step into their next level. If that's you, you're going to want to hear this.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why I'm Making a Big Change

01:00 The Conversation That Changed Everything

02:45 Why I Chose Fractional CMO School

04:30 The Bigger Mission Behind My Business

06:00 The Vision I'm Building

07:15 Choosing Growth Over Comfort

08:45 Why Fear Is Part of the Process

10:00 My Goal for the Next Year

11:00 What's Possible for Every Marketer

The Best Niches for Fractional CMOs in 2026 (And Where to Find Clients)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Choosing a niche is one of the hardest decisions you'll make as a Fractional CMO. It determines what you charge, how sticky your retainers are, and how long it takes you to hit consistent six figures.

In this episode, I'm sharing the top niches for Fractional CMOs in 2026 — the ones I think you can make the most money in, why they're the best, and where to find them.

Inside this episode:

Where the smart money is moving in 2026 — and the public sources that show you exactly who's got cash to spend
The fastest-growing consumer market on the planet, and the sub-niches inside it nobody's talking about
The category of business most marketers refuse to touch — and the one quietly minting the best-paying clients in the game
The buyers who already know what expertise is worth (and are happy to pay for it)
The one mistake almost every marketer makes when picking a niche — and how to sidestep it so you stop spinning and actually start moving

If you've been stuck waiting for the "right" niche to reveal itself, this is the episode that gets you out of your head and into the work.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Niches I'd Choose Right Now

01:00 The Fastest Path to Clients With Budgets

03:45 Why Health & Wellness Isn't Slowing Down

06:30 The Clients Nobody Talks About

08:30 Why Boring Businesses Win

10:30 The Niche Advice That Keeps People Stuck

11:45 Try This Before Committing to a Niche12:45 The Simpler Way to Get Started

How to Become a Fractional CMO: 5 Things to Do BEFORE You Quit

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Quitting your corporate job too early is why so many new Fractionals undercharge, take on bad-fit clients just to pay the bills, and burn out 6 months in wondering if they made the right call.

The advice to "just take the leap" is great — I'm a huge believer in moving fast — but going Fractional is a business build, not a job change, and the best time to start building it is while you've still got a paycheck coming in.

In this episode, I break down:

The 5 things I'd do BEFORE quitting my corporate job to go Fractional (you can steal the exact list!)
The asset you should be building while you're still inside the company (it'll sell for you for the next 5 years)
The exact ask I'd send to your network that warms up half your first clients without a single pitch
The runway number that lets you charge what you're worth instead of what you need

If you're sitting at your desk thinking "I'm ready for this, but I have no idea where to start" — you'll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Don't Quit Your Job Yet

01:00 The Positioning Advantage Most Marketers Miss

03:00 Build Proof Before You Need It

05:15 Learn From People Already Doing It

07:30 Start Building Your Reputation Now

09:15 Why LinkedIn Matters More Than You Think

11:00 The Runway and Offer Strategy That Changes Everything

12:20 Your Fractional CMO Exit Plan

What To Do When Your Fractional CMO Client Has No Team To Execute

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0700

The worst thing that happens on a fractional CMO engagement isn't bad strategy — it's good strategy with no one to actually execute it.

Every Fractional CMO will eventually land a client who doesn't have the right team to do the work. How you handle is everything.

In this episode, I break down:

The 3 types of team gaps every fractional CMO will eventually hit
The common mistakes that shift you from leader to doer fast (and are hard to come back from)
3 ways to solve team gaps without filling them ourself

Plus, the reframe that turns this whole problem into a pricing and scoping opportunity in your favor.

Your job as a fractional CMO is to build and run the marketing function. Not to be the marketing function.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Fastest Way to Devalue Yourself as a CMO

01:15 The 3 Team Gaps Every Fractional CMO Will Face

04:15 The Mistakes That Turn CMOs Into Doers

07:30 Stop Taking Ownership of Client Urgency

09:15 How Smart CMOs Solve Team Gaps

10:00 Build a Bench of Trusted Contractors

12:15 The Integrator and HR Partnership Strategy

15:15 Turning Team Gaps Into More Revenue

17:00 Protect Your Strategic Value

Can I Be A Fractional CMO If I've Never Been A CMO Before?

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0700

You can be a Fractional CMO without ever having held the CMO title before. If you've been counting yourself out of Fractional CMO work because you’re not sure you’re experienced enough, this episode is for you.

I’m breaking down:

Why your past job title is not as important as you think it is
The three things you need to be a CMO
What to do when you’re not *quite* qualified for a role
And the shift you need to make if you want to step into Fractional CMO work

If you've been counting yourself out of Fractional CMO work because of what's on your resume — you're going to love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Can You Be a Fractional CMO Without the Title?

01:00 What the CMO Role Actually Is

02:00 The First Sign You're Already Thinking Like a CMO

03:15 Why Business Thinking Matters More Than Marketing Skills

04:45 Stop Acting Like an Executor

06:00 Nobody Is Going to Tell You You're Ready

04:50 The Bare Minimum You Need Online

05:40 How to Build Credibility Fast

06:10 Why I’d Focus on LinkedIn

06:45 Instagram Clients Are Different

Stop Posting on Social Media to Get Clients as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 26 May 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Posting on social media is one of the least effective easy to get clients as a Fractional CMO.

I'm a huge believer in being visible online — but social media for lead generation is the SLOWEST and most exhausting route to landing high-ticket Fractional CMO clients.

In this episode, I break down:

3 reasons social media isn't landing you high-ticket Fractional CMO clients
Where high-ticket clients DO come from — and why most Fractionals are looking in the wrong place
The reframe I give my students that ends the content hamster wheel for good
How to make your channels work for you WITHOUT posting every day (you'll get hours back)

If you've been grinding to create social media content on the daily, and not seeing the return on your time, you’ll love this video.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Social Media Didn't Build My Business

00:40 Why Most Social Media Leads Are Bad Fits

01:40 The Content Creation Hamster Wheel

02:50 How High-Ticket Clients Actually Buy

04:10 The Real Purpose of Social Media

05:20 How to Look Credible Without Posting Every Day

06:45 Why LinkedIn Beats Every Other Platform

07:30 Stop Chasing Content

5 Ways to Beat Imposter Syndrome That Work Right Away

Tue, 19 May 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Imposter syndrome is why most Fractional CMOs undercharge, second-guess their strategy, and shrink in client meetings.

And the advice everyone gives you to "work on your mindset” is great, and I'm a huge believer in it — but that takes TIME. And if you've got clients you're leading right now, you need something that works IMMEDIATELY.

In this episode, we break down:

5 tips to help you get past imposter syndrome fast
How to build trust with clients (even when you don't have all the answers)
Why you don't need to be the expert in everything as a CMO
The ONE thing that dissolves imposter syndrome faster than anything else
The question I ask myself when I get stuck in my head with a client (steal it!)

If you're working as a Fractional CMO and imposter syndrome is keeping you from showing up like the leader your clients hired you to be you’ll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Most Imposter Syndrome Advice Is Useless

01:00 You Don't Need to Know Everything

02:15 Build a Team That Fills Your Gaps

03:45 Get Behind the Curtain

05:20 Focus on Results, Not Expertise

06:50 Remember Who You're There For

08:15 The Real Way to Beat Imposter Syndrome

Do I Even Want To Be A Fractional CMO? | Live Coaching Call

Tue, 12 May 2026 02:00:00 -0700

So many people start Fractional work then find themselves burnt out, and questioning if this model is even a fit for them.

I sat down with one of my Fractional CMO School students, for a live coaching call. Lisa came to me feeling disillusioned with the fractional model after a few client experiences, and wondering what to do next.

I helped her see that didn't hate the model, she just wasn’t operating inside the right structure.

She had been making the same mistakes I see others make all the time, so I asked her to come on the podcast because I KNEW her experience would be so helpful for many others.

In this episode, we break down:

The biggest mistake I see CMO’s make when building out strategies (that actually overwhelms your clients too)
The most common places where Fractionals end up overdelivering in their role
A simple filter you can use to make sure you stay in your lane and only do CMO-level work
The driving analogy that helped me step into leadership and totally changed how my clients saw me (you can steal it!)

If you're working as a Fractional but you’re buried in your client's Slack, your days are FULL of meetings, and you’re being pulled in a million directions, this episode is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Fractional CMO Work Wasn't Working

03:25 Lisa's Background and Why She Made the Shift

08:00 The Strategy Scope Mistake Most Marketers Make

14:00 Why Overdelivering Creates Bigger Problems

22:15 When Fractional CMOs Become Operators

26:00 The Difference Between a CMO and a Marketing Manager

35:20 The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything

40:00 What It Really Means to Own the Marketing Function

45:15 How to Identify the Right Fractional CMO Clients

50:45 Why Every Growth-Stage Company Needs a Marketing Manager

56:00 Where AI Fits Into the Fractional CMO Role

01:04:00 Final Lessons on Scope, Boundaries and Client Fit

How to Sell Fractional CMO Services: Sales Secrets From a 7-Figure CMO

Tue, 05 May 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Sales is the one skill nobody teaches you as a fractional CMO — and it's the one that determines whether your business actually grows. Most of us got into this because we're good at marketing. Not because we love selling. For a long time, I hated it. I wasn't comfortable doing it, I didn't feel like I was good at it, and the idea of getting on a call where someone might say no felt awful. Four years and millions in client revenue later — sales is one of my strongest skills.

In this episode, I'm breaking down every lesson that got me there:

The mindset shift that made selling stop feeling gross
The one thing you can do to make people feel understood before you've pitched anything,
Why I turn people away — and how it's built my business
How to lead a sales call so you're never getting interviewed
How to say your high-ticket prices without flinching.
And what you can do to get better at sales.

If sales still feels uncomfortable, or it’s something you want to get better at, this episode is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 I Used to Hate Sales

01:00 The 3 Shifts That Changed Everything

01:30 Why Sales Is Really Service

02:45 Empathy Is Your Competitive Advantage

04:00 The Power of Selling With Integrity

05:15 How to Lead a Sales Call

07:45 The Secret to Saying Your Price Confidently

10:00 The Only Way to Get Better at Sales

11:10 Why Confidence Comes From Reps

How to Shift From Doing Marketing to Leading Marketing as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

What you spend your time on determines everything — how visible you are to your client, how much authority you actually have, how much they'll pay you, and whether you burn out. If you've ever felt like you're executing all the marketing while your client sees you as someone who takes direction instead of sets it, this episode will help you understand why.

In this episode, I break down:

The four things a CMO actually owns (and where execution lives)
The daily filter you use to know if you're staying in the right scope
Why staying in execution keeps you invisible — and what that costs you
What happens when you start setting these boundaries

This shift isn't about confidence or willpower. It's about clarity on your role. And once you have that, everything changes — how your client sees you, what you charge, how much control you have over your time. Because stepping into the CMO role isn't about doing more. It's about operating at a different level.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Most Marketers Struggle to Lead

01:00 What a CMO Actually Does

02:00 Strategy: The CMO's First Responsibility

04:00 Resource Allocation and Team Decisions

06:00 Accountability Without Doing the Work

08:00 The 30,000-Foot View of Marketing

09:15 What CMOs Should Never Do

10:45 The Filter I Use Every Day

12:15 How to Stop Being the Doer

14:00 The 3-Step Shift Into Leadership

Fractional CMO vs Agency vs Contractor: How Switching Between Roles Is Costing You

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

What you call yourself matters less than what you actually do. And when you code-switch with the same client — saying CMO, operating as contractor — you're losing authority and pricing power.

If you've ever found yourself executing work for a client while also calling yourself their Fractional CMO, this episode will help you understand why.

In this episode, I'm breaking down:

Exactly what to do in your first 90 days as a fractional CMO
What you should do (and not do) in months one, two, and three
How to integrate with the team and establish your rhythm as the leader
Why this progression determines whether you operate like a CMO or a contractor

This isn't about being rigid or distant. It's about clarity and boundaries. Because being a Fractional CMO isn't just about strategy — it's about the seat you're actually in.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Clients Don't See You as a Leader

00:45 Agency, Contractor, or Fractional CMO?

02:00 The Problem With Code Switching

03:15 Why Execution Shrinks Your Authority

04:30 The Scope Creep Trap

05:30 What Changes When You Stay in the CMO Seat

06:30 Why Your Pricing Starts to Make Sense

07:15 Pick a Lane and Stay There

What to Do In Your First 90 as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

How you structure your first 90 days changes everything about your business. When you step into a new client engagement, the order of what you focus on determines whether you're seen as a strategic leader or just another executor.

In this episode, I break down:

The exact order of what to focus on first
How to integrate with the team and establish your rhythm
When and how to prove the strategy works
Why foundation building matters more than you think
And how month three positions you as the strategic owner, not just the executor

This isn't about moving fast. It's about moving in the right order. When you follow this progression, you're not operating like a contractor. You're operating like a CMO — thinking, leading, and making decisions.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 What Your First 90 Days Should Look Like

01:00 Month One: Slow Down Before You Speed Up

03:00 Month Two: Build Relationships First

04:30 Quick Wins vs Long-Term Projects

06:00 Month Three: Start Thinking Like a Leader

07:15 The Skill That Separates Great CMOs

08:15 How to Build Trust With Clients

09:15 Why the First 90 Days Matter So Much

10:00 The Fractional CMO Roadmap

My $20,000 Strategy Process (And The Mistakes Fractional CMOs Make)

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

I charge up to $20,000 for a marketing strategy — and in this episode I’m pulling back the curtain on exactly how I build it.

Most fractional CMOs are winging their strategy process and massively undercharging because of it. So I’m walking you through my exact four-phase process — Discovery, Strategy Development, Delivery, and Alignment & Next Steps — and the mistakes I see people make at every stage.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Most CMOs Undercharge for Strategy

01:00 Phase 1: Discovery Changes Everything

02:15 Stop Taking the Client's Word for It

03:45 The Goal-Setting Mistake That Ruins Strategies

05:15 Phase 2: Building the Right Strategy

06:45 Why Bigger Isn't Better

08:15 Phase 3: How to Deliver a Strategy

09:45 Phase 4: Turning Strategy Into a Retainer

11:00 How to Charge $20K for Strategy

Why Most Marketing Hires Fail (And How to Fix It)

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

I see this all the time — founders frustrated with their hires, marketers frustrated with their clients, and everyone pointing the finger at the other person. But most of the time, it’s actually no one’s fault.

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down:

The biggest misunderstanding around hiring marketing support
Why you’re not getting better results
The unrealistic expectations placed on one “unicorn” hire
And the industry dynamic that keeps founders investing in tactics instead of building strategy

If you’ve ever hired “marketing help” and still ended up feeling overwhelmed, unsupported, or unsure what’s actually working, this episode is for you.

And if you’re a marketer, this will help you see where unclear roles and structural gaps are setting you up for failure — even when you’re doing the best you can.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Marketing Hires Keep Failing

01:00 The Biggest Hiring Mistake Founders Make

02:30 More Marketing Doesn't Mean Better Results

04:15 Why Strategy and Execution Are Different Jobs

05:45 The Unicorn Myth That's Burning Everyone Out

07:45 Why Great Marketers Still Struggle

08:45 The Fractional CMO Advantage

10:00 The Industry Problem Nobody Talks About

11:00 Leadership vs Execution: The Real Question

Why Clients Don’t See You as A Leader (And How to Fix It)

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

How your clients see you determines everything — how much they trust your decisions, how often they question your strategy, how much control they take in meetings, and ultimately how much they’re willing to pay you as a Fractional CMO.

If you’ve ever felt a client slowly start directing you, second-guessing your recommendations, or treating you more like an executor than a strategic leader, this episode will help you understand why.

In this episode, I break down:

The communication shifts that position you as a strategic leader
The subtle behaviors that weaken your authority
The biggest mistake marketers make when they’re trying to show up as a leader
And how to recalibrate the dynamic with a client if you’re sensing they don’t see you as a leader

This isn’t about being louder or more dominant. It’s about showing up with clarity, direction, and confidence in every interaction. Because being a CMO isn’t just about strategy — it’s about leadership and communication.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Clients Don't See You as a Leader

00:45 Communication Shift #1: Always Bring a Recommendation

02:15 Communication Shift #2: Set the Agenda

03:45 Communication Shift #3: Be Proactive

05:45 The Biggest Mistake That Destroys Trust

07:30 Small Words That Shrink Your Authority

09:15 Stronger Language Builds Stronger Leadership

10:30 How to Reset the Client Dynamic

12:00 Lead With Confidence, Not Perfection 13:00 The Difference Between a CMO and an Order Taker

What I Do (and Don’t Do) With Campaigns and Launches as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Launches and marketing campaigns are one of the biggest areas, I see Fractional CMOs overstep their boundaries,

It starts with mapping out a campaign or launch…and quickly turns into building timelines, reviewing every asset, sitting in execution meetings, and basically project managing everything.

In this episode of my “What I Do and Don’t Do as a CMO” series, I’m breaking down how I approach campaign and launch planning including:

The 6 key things I own when planning campaigns or launches
The difference between strategy and project management
Where most CMOs overstep during a launch or campaign
And the filter I use to protect my time and boundaries

If you’ve ever had PTSD from launching or doing marketing campaigns (lol I feel you), this episode will help you reset your boundaries and operate at the CMO level.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Are You Doing Too Much as a Fractional CMO?

00:25 When This Level of Campaign Involvement Applies

01:40 Should You Even Launch in the First Place?

03:15 Build the Strategy Before the Assets

05:30 Connect Every Campaign to One Business Goal

06:50 Set Channel Direction—Not Daily Tasks

11:10 Where the Campaign Budget Should Go

13:20 Monitor Performance Without Pulling the Data

16:50 What I Never Do During a Launch

18:50 The Biggest Mistake Fractional CMOs Make

20:40 The Filter That Protects Your Scope

21:35 Lead the Launch—Don’t Project Manage It

22:10 Step Fully Into the CMO Role

What I Do (and Don’t Do) With Hiring for Clients as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

When you don’t know what you should own (and what you shouldn’t) during the hiring process, you end up posting job descriptions, screening resumes, running interviews, onboarding new hires…and quickly turning your fractional role into a full-time job.

In this episode of my series “What I Do and Don’t Do as a CMO,” I’m breaking down how I handle hiring for clients.

We cover:

The 5 things I own when it comes to hiring for client teams
The biggest mistake I see marketers make when they try to “be helpful” with hiring
Where the line is between strategic leadership and operational recruiting
And the simple filter I use to protect my time and keep my boundaries

Hiring impacts marketing performance — but running the entire process is not your job.

If you’ve ever found yourself slipping into recruiter or marketing manager mode, this episode will help you reset your boundaries and operate at the CMO level.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Hiring Is Strategic—Recruiting Is Operational

00:50 Evaluate the Team Before You Hire

02:15 Build the Right Team for the Business

03:40 Define the Role Before You Recruit

05:35 Structure Compensation Strategically

06:55 Guide the Hiring Process—Don't Run It

08:50 The Boundaries Every Fractional CMO Needs

09:55 My Filter for CMO vs. HR Work

10:45 Stay Strategic Without Becoming the Recruiter

Three Ways to Get Clients as a Fractional CMO (No Audience Needed)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

You don’t need a huge audience to get Fractional CMO clients.

But you do need to stop approaching sales like a freelancer.

If you’ve been posting educational content, creating freebies, or “putting yourself out there” and it’s not turning into clients, this episode will show you exactly why and what to do instead.

Today, I’m breaking down the 3 fastest ways to get booked as a Fractional CMO — and what most marketers are doing wrong when they try.

In this episode I break down:

The three fastest ways to get Fractional CMO clients, like yesterday
The biggest mistakes I see marketers make when they’re looking for clients
A simple “start here” plan you can follow over the next 30 days to help you land clients fast
And the one sentence that instantly positions you as a leader instead of “someone who helps with marketing”

If you’re done hoping dream clients will just land in your inbox, and you're ready to take things into your hands and make it happen, this episode will show you exactly how to do that.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

RESOURCES

Become a Booked Out CMO - Get my free cold pitch email templates here: Fractional CMO Sales Email Templates — The CMO Office

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Why Most Fractional CMOs Struggle to Get Clients

02:15 Stop Selling Yourself Like a Contractor

02:55 Method #1: Leverage Your Warm Network

03:40 The 3 Biggest Referral Mistakes

07:00 The Follow-Up Most People Skip

08:20 Method #2: Build Strategic Partnerships

10:30 How to Create Referral Partners That Actually Send Clients

13:00 Method #3: Cold Pitching That Doesn't Feel Salesy

15:15 The Cold Pitch Formula That Lands Dream Clients

18:30 The Biggest Cold Outreach Mistakes

20:45 The CTA That Gets More Replies

22:15 Why Follow-Up Wins More Clients

23:45 Your 30-Day Client Acquisition Plan

25:15 The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

How to Price Yourself as a Fractional: CMO Real Rates + The Biggest Mistakes I See

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0700

If you’re a Fractional CMO and you’ve ever wondered, “What should I be charging?”, this episode is for you.

So many experienced marketers undercharge in this role, and it’s one of the biggest reasons Fractional CMOs feel overworked, underpaid, and burned out.

In this episode, I break down:

The core mindset shift around pricing that changes how clients perceive your value
The real pricing ranges Fractional CMOs are charging — and when each range actually makes sense
The two most common pricing models and which one I recommend
The six biggest pricing mistakes that keep smart, experienced marketers undercharging — and how to fix them

This conversation is about pricing at different levels of leadership in a way that reflects responsibility, decision-making, and ownership — and supports building a lucrative, sustainable Fractional CMO business where you’re paid appropriately for the role you’re doing.

If you’ve been questioning your rates, feeling stretched thin, or sensing there’s a gap between the work you’re doing and what you’re being paid, this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been looking for.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Biggest Pricing Mistake Fractional CMOs Make

01:05 Stop Charging for Hours

02:10 Why Retainers Win

03:05 What Different Pricing Ranges Actually Mean

04:25 Advisory Pricing ($2K–$5K)

05:45 Mid-Range Pricing (And Where Burnout Starts)

07:00 Premium Fractional CMO Pricing

08:40 Pricing Mistake #1: Charging Hourly

09:35 Pricing Mistake #2: Selling Deliverables Instead of Leadership

10:45 Pricing Mistake #3: Undefined Scope

11:50 Pricing Mistake #4: Using Your Old Salary as a Benchmark

12:45 Pricing Mistake #5: Filling Execution Gaps

13:45 Pricing Mistake #6: Undercharging Yourself

14:45 Price for Leadership, Not Tasks

What I Do (and Don’t Do) With Social Media as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0700

One of the fastest ways Fractional CMOs burn out is by not being clear on their role. When you don’t know what you should own – and what you shouldn’t – you end up overdelivering, doing work you shouldn’t, and being way busier than you need to be, which ultimately limits your earning potential.

In this episode of my series “What I Do and Don’t Do as a CMO,” and I’m diving into Social Media

We cover:

What social media ownership actually means as a CMO
How to think about channel selection and prioritization
The role of positioning and high-level content direction
What it looks like to guide performance without getting pulled into daily execution
Why clear boundaries around social media are essential for protecting your time and value

If you’ve ever found yourself mapping out content calendars, reviewing captions, editing reels, or posting content, — this episode will help you reset your boundaries and focus on the strategic role you’re meant to play as a CMO.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Social Media Burns Out Fractional CMOs

00:45 Choose the Right Channels—Not Every Channel

02:00 Give Every Platform a Clear Job

03:15 Positioning Matters More Than Content

04:30 High-Level Strategy vs. Daily Content

06:20 Keep Every Channel Aligned

07:30 Monitor Results Without Managing Social Media

08:50 What I Never Do as a Fractional CMO

09:45 Stay in the CMO Seat

What I Do (and Don’t Do) With KPIs as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0700

In the first episode of my series “What I Do and Don’t Do as a CMO,” and I’m starting with KPIs and data.

In this episode, I break down what I do (and don’t do) as a CMO when it comes to KPIs and data.

In this episode, we cover:

What CMOs should (and should not) do when it comes to pulling and reporting on marketing data
The four areas I stay focused on when it comes to marketing performance and data
The biggest mistakes and misconceptions I see when it comes to analyzing and reporting data to CEOs and leadership teams
How to build a tracking plan that supports real decision-making

If KPIs feel intimidating or you’ve ever thought “I’m not a numbers person,” this episode will show you that you don’t need to be an analytics expert to be a great CMO. You just need clarity on your role, strong strategic thinking, and the confidence to stay in your lane.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The KPI Mistake That Burns Out Fractional CMOs

00:45 The 4 Things I Actually Own

01:20 Build a Tracking System That Matters

03:00 Analyze Trends—Not Just Numbers

04:10 Find the "So What" Behind the Data

05:20 Turn Insights Into Action

06:40 Zoom Out Before You Zoom In

08:25 What I Never Do as a Fractional CMO

09:40 How I Report KPIs to Clients

11:10 You Don't Need to Be a Data Expert

12:00 Make Better Decisions with Better Data

What Founders Need From Marketers and Fractional CMOs with Heather Chauvin

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Why do founder–marketer relationships break down so often — even when everyone has good intentions?

In this episode, I’m joined by Heather Chauvin, leadership coach and longtime founder, to talk honestly about what founders are actually looking for when they hire marketing support — and why marketing can be one of the most emotionally charged hires a business owner makes.

We unpack:

Why many founders develop trust issues with marketing (and how those experiences shape expectations)
The hype problem in marketing — and why results are never guaranteed
What founders really want beyond revenue: to feel seen, heard, and supported
The “secret ROI” conversations most marketers never ask — and why they matter
Why energy management, capacity, and boundaries are part of the job
How strong Fractional CMOs lead as partners, not order-takers or hype machines

If you’re a Fractional CMO or senior marketer, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening underneath founder expectations — and how to lead the relationship with more clarity, confidence, and trust.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Founders Feel Let Down by Marketing

01:30 Meet Heather Chauvin

05:30 When Marketing First Became a Business Need

08:20 Why Founders Struggle to Trust Marketing

12:30 What Great Marketing Leadership Looks Like

16:10 The Value of a Fractional CMO

19:20 Results Aren't Guaranteed - And That's Okay

24:10 Marketing Is More Like Diet Culture Than We Admit

27:15 Why Great Marketers Hold Founders Accountable

31:30 Confidence, Boundaries & Human Skills

36:00 The ROI Beyond Revenue

39:45 What Founders Actually Need From Marketing Partners

42:00 Final Advice for Marketers & Founders

How to Price Yourself as a Fractional CMO: Real Rates + The Biggest Mistakes I See

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0700

If you’re a Fractional CMO and you’ve ever wondered, “What should I be charging?”, this episode is for you.

So many experienced marketers undercharge in this role, and it’s one of the biggest reasons Fractional CMOs feel overworked, underpaid, and burned out.

In this episode, I break down:

The core mindset shift around pricing that changes how clients perceive your value
The real pricing ranges Fractional CMOs are charging — and when each range actually makes sense
The two most common pricing models and which one I recommend
The six biggest pricing mistakes that keep smart, experienced marketers undercharging — and how to fix them

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How to Price Yourself as a Fractional CMO

01:15 Stop Charging for Hours & Deliverables

02:25 Hourly vs. Retainer Pricing

03:30 What Fractional CMOs Actually Charge

04:15 $2K–$5K: Advisory Pricing

05:35 $4K–$10K: Where Scope Creep Gets Dangerous

06:40 $10K–$20K+: Full Fractional CMO Pricing

08:05 The 6 Pricing Mistakes Keeping You Underpaid

08:35 Mistake #1: Charging Hourly

09:10 Mistake #2: Selling Deliverables Instead of Leadership

10:00 Mistake #3: Not Defining Your Scope

11:15 Mistake #4: Pricing Based on Your Old Salary

12:00 Mistake #5: Filling Execution Gaps

13:30 Mistake #6: Undercharging Yourself

14:35 Price for Leadership, Not Tasks

The AI Playbook Every Fractional CMO Needs to Get Hours Back and Stay Ahead with Callan Faulkner

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0700

If you’re leading marketing in 2025, you can’t afford not to understand AI.

In this episode, I’m joined by Callan Faulkner, AI coach and founder of The Uncommon Business, who built a $4M company in 18 months with four AI-trained employees while working less than 40 hours a week. And here’s what matters: Callan isn’t teaching the surface-level “prompt for a caption” stuff you’ve already seen everywhere. She’s teaching what it actually looks like to become an AI Architect — building systems that give you back your time, protect your creative edge, and raise the quality of your work.

We dig into:

The shift from AI Offloader to AI Architect, and why it’s the next evolution of marketing leadership
Why “opening a chat and generating content” is the fastest way to get generic, mediocre output
The real unlock: documenting your frameworks and “genius” so AI can think like you, not like the internet
The three projects Callan recommends every Fractional CMO build: a Brand Guardian, a Sales Wizard, and a Money Coach
How to slow down up front (training systems) so you can move faster every week and reclaim real hours

If you’ve been curious about AI but hesitant to go all-in because you don’t want to lose your voice, this conversation will change how you think about AI, leadership, and what’s possible in your business.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Callan Faulkner & The Future of AI

01:50 Why Most People Are Barely Using AI

05:10 From Burnout to Building a $4M AI Business

09:10 Leaving a Successful Business to Start Again

12:15 The Biggest AI Mistakes Marketers Make

18:40 AI Offloader vs. AI Architect

23:20 How Jess Uses AI to Save Hours Every Week

26:30 Why Most Marketers Are Thinking Too Small

31:30 AI Won't Replace Great Copywriters—It Amplifies Them

34:10 The 3 AI Systems Every Fractional CMO Should Build

39:20 Build Your Brand Guardian

40:50 Create an AI Sales Coach

45:30 The Money Coach That Changes Everything

52:00 The Mindset Shift Behind Higher Pricing

56:00 Why AI Is Really About Better Thinking

57:20 Where to Learn More from Callan

How to EASILY Hit 6 Figures as a Fractional CMO With 1-2 Clients

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 02:00:00 -0700

If six figures as a Fractional CMO feels out of reach — like something only “top-tier marketers” or “big-name consultants” can do — this episode is going to shift that belief fast. Hitting six figures isn’t a stretch goal in this role. It’s actually the simplest part of the business when you structure it the right way.

In this episode, I break down:

• The biggest mindset blocks keeping marketers underpaid

• Why high-ticket clients are more common than you think

• How scope (not skill) is the reason your pricing feels “too high”

• Three simple paths to six figures — even if you prefer light delivery

• What it actually takes to build a six-figure FCMO business that feels easy

If you’ve been questioning whether this level of income is possible for you, I want this episode to show you just how accessible it really is.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 You Don't Need More Clients to Hit Six Figures

01:10 The Mindset That's Keeping You Underpaid

03:10 How I Went From Corporate to a Million-Dollar Business

06:15 Why Fractional CMOs Earn More Than Marketers

07:50 Stop Charging for Execution

09:00 Where High-Ticket Clients Actually Come From

11:00 The 3 Paths to Six Figures

12:10 Path #1: One Premium Retainer

13:00 Path #2: Low-Touch Advisory Clients

13:45 Path #3: The Hybrid Model

14:45 Build Your Business Like a Fractional CMO

15:45 You Don't Need to Play Small

Fractional CMO School: Inside the Top Training Program for Fractional CMOs + Marketing Leaders

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0700

If you’ve been curious about what actually happens inside Fractional CMO School — the structure, the support, the strategy, and how marketers and fractional CMOs are scaling to six figures and beyond — this video gives you the full inside tour.

I’m sharing the real story behind the program, why I created it, what makes it different, and what students are experiencing once they get inside. If you’ve wondered whether becoming a Fractional CMO is right for you — or you want a clearer, more sustainable way to lead as a marketer — this will give you a clear picture of what’s possible.

Inside this episode:

• How I went from burnt-out marketer to six-figure Fractional CMO

• The gap I saw in this industry and why Fractional CMO School exists

• A behind-the-scenes look at the 6-month structure, coaching + support

• The real transformations students are seeing (income + identity shifts)

• What the fractional CMO role can unlock in your work, income, and life

Whether you’re an experienced marketer who’s ready to move out of execution and into leadership — or you’re already a Fractional CMO and want a better way to build your business — this episode will help you understand whether this path is right for you.

____

If you’ve been curious about Fractional CMO School and want to learn more, this is your chance to peek behind the curtains.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Welcome to Fractional CMO School

01:30 Why I Built This Program

05:00 Discovering the Fractional CMO Model

08:30 Why Most Programs Miss the Mark

12:00 What Makes Fractional CMO School Different

16:00 Learn to Think Like a CMO

19:00 Daily Coaching & Community Support

22:30 Inside the Program Structure

26:00 The Course, Templates & Frameworks

31:00 Live Coaching & Expert Training

35:00 Real Student Success Stories

40:30 Who This Program Is For

43:30 Who It's NOT For

45:00 The Biggest Mindset Shift You'll Make

46:00 Ready to Become a Fractional CMO?

The Work Beneath the Work: How I Rewired My Beliefs About Money, Success, and Worthiness (with Jess Belsky)

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0700

You can do everything “right” — build the strategy, put in the hours, chase the next level — and still feel stuck. Like there’s something invisible holding you back from the growth you know you’re capable of.

I’ve been there. And what I learned is this: it’s not your strategy. It’s your subconscious.

When I started working with Jess Belsky, a Transformational Leadership Coach and Hypnotherapist, I thought I was fixing my money mindset. But the real shift came when I started rewiring my subconcious beliefs — the ones that were shaping how I led, what I earned, and how I showed up in my life and business.

In this episode, we unpack:

How subconscious patterns keep high-performing leaders from reaching their next level
The exact inner work that changed how I think, lead, and run my business (and life)
What it looks like to reprogram your beliefs so your conscious and subconscious are aligned

If you’ve been pushing harder but not getting further, this episode will help you see what’s really been in your way — and how to finally lead from the inside out.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Success Starts with Self-Worth

02:00 Meet Jess Belsky

05:30 The Money Mindset Session That Changed My Life

12:40 Why Inner Work Isn't Just About Business

16:20 Awareness Isn't Enough—You Need Transformation

19:00 The Tax Bill That Changed My Relationship with Money

24:30 Breaking the Burnout Cycle

27:30 What's Really Driving Your Overworking?

31:30 Healthy Self vs. Survivor Self

35:30 Creating Space Between Trigger and Response

40:00 The Real ROI of Inner Work

46:30 Why This Isn't "Woo Woo"

49:30 Conscious Leadership Starts Within

52:00 Knowing It vs. Embodying It

54:00 Where to Start Your Own Inner Work Journey

56:00 Final Reflections

The Fractional CMO Trap: When You’ve Built Yourself a Job

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0700

If your Fractional CMO business doesn’t feel like the freedom you wanted, this episode is for you.

So many experienced marketers end up stuck in what I call the Fractional CMO Trap: the place where you’ve technically built a business, but it still feels like a job.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

What the Fractional CMO Trap is
The two doors that usually lead you into it — and how to back yourself out of each one
How to redesign your business to gives you the freedom (and income) you set to to create
A simple 30-day reset plan to help you reclaim your time, tighten boundaries, and build a Fractional business that’s sustainable

If you’ve been feeling stretched, stuck, or like you’re constantly proving your value this episode is going to change how you run your business.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Fractional CMO Trap

01:45 Door #1: Scope Creep

03:45 Own, Influence & Delegate

06:30 Why Great CMOs Don't Review Everything

08:30 Door #2: Selling Your Time Instead of Your Value

11:15 What Clients Are Actually Paying For

14:30 Your 30-Day Business Reset

15:15 Week 1: Audit Your Time

16:45 Week 2: Reset Client Expectations

18:15 Week 3: Repackage Your Offers

19:45 Week 4: Fine-Tune Your Boundaries

20:45 Build a Business—Not Another Job

Next-Level AI: How to Use AI as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 03:00:00 -0700

AI is moving so fast it’s hard to keep up. Some days it’s magic, other days it’s chaos. ChatGPT forgets what you told it three prompts ago. It starts using formatting you hate. It spits out content that feels flat or off-brand. Or worse — it makes stuff up and says it with confidence.

This episode is about going beyond “just using AI” — and learning how to make it a tool that makes you sharper, faster, and more strategic… while delivering work that genuinely moves the needle for your clients.

Jim Carter III is the AI strategist and tech founder behind some of the biggest personal brands in the world — Lewis Howes, Jay Shetty, Ed Mylett, Matthew Hussey, Jay Abraham, and Gary Vee — plus he’s worked with global companies like Verizon, Yahoo!, and AT&T. Jim doesn’t just “use AI” — he builds it into the way businesses run so it’s producing consistent, high-value results.

In this episode we cover:

How to get AI to produce high-quality work on the first try — without endless back-and-forth or rewrites.
How to set up Custom GPTs and projects — and when each approach gives you the best results.
Advanced ways to use AI for strategy work — not just content creation.
The biggest mistakes even experienced marketers make with AI (and how to avoid them).
Where AI is headed in the next 12–18 months so you can stay ahead of the curve

If you already see the value of AI but want to start using it at a level most marketers aren’t even touching yet, this episode is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

Do I Have the Right Background to Be a Fractional CMO?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 03:00:00 -0700

If you’ve ever wondered if you’ve got the right experience to be a Fractional CMO, this episode’s for you.

I’m breaking down why there’s no “perfect” background for this kind of work — and why that’s actually the best news. Whether you’ve been in one industry or role your whole career, or jumped around, , you’ve built skill sets that uniquely prepare you for this role.

In this episode, I share what kind of experience you really need in this role, how to position your background as your superpower, and how to start leading with the confidence of a CMO.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Do You Have the Right Background to Be a Fractional CMO?

01:40 There's No "Perfect" Fractional CMO Resume

03:00 If You've Spent Your Career in One Industry

05:30 If You've Worked Across Multiple Industries

07:00 If You're a Marketing Specialist

09:25 If You're a Marketing Generalist

11:25 Why My "All Over the Place" Career Became My Advantage

13:00 What Lululemon Taught Me About Being Qualified

15:25 What Clients Actually Need From a Fractional CMO

17:30 You Don't Need to Know Every Area of Marketing

19:00 The Questions I Ask to Build a Marketing Strategy

21:20 The 4 Qualities of Great Fractional CMOs

22:40 Find Your Unique Strengths as a Marketing Leader

24:15 Stop Questioning Your Background

Finding Your Ideal Fractional CMO Clients (And Red Flags to Avoid)

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Not every client is a fit for a Fractional CMO — and the wrong ones can derail your business, your confidence, and your sanity.

When you’re building your Fractional CMO business, it’s easy to say yes to anyone who wants to hire you. But fit matters more than opportunity. The right clients make your work easier, your results stronger, and your business more sustainable.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

How to identify your ideal clients as a Fractional CMO
The red flags that signal a partnership won’t work
The hard lessons I learned from saying yes when I shouldn’t have
And the filters I now use to choose clients wisely

If you want to attract clients who truly value your leadership, and build a business that feels as good as it looks, this episode is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Finding Your Ideal Fractional CMO Clients

01:20 #1: Does the Client Have Enough Revenue?

03:05 Why Profit Margins Matter

04:55 Do You Want to Be the “Fix-It” CMO?

06:30 #2: Do They Have the Right Marketing Team?

09:10 The Client Mistake That Made Results Impossible

10:20 #3: Does Their Business Model Fit Your Lifestyle?

12:05 #4: What Stage Is the Business In?

13:20 Why Product-Market Fit Changes Everything

14:50 #5: Trust the Vibes & Your Intuition

16:20 The Client Red Flag I’ll Never Ignore Again

17:45 No Amount of Money Is Worth the Wrong Client

18:15 The Wrong Client Can Make You Question Everything

Why You Need a Niche as a Fractional CMO (Even If You Don’t Want One)

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0700

When I first started as a Fractional CMO, I did not want to niche. I was scared it would limit my opportunities, make me miss out on clients, or box me into something I’d get bored of. But the truth is — niching was such a catalyst to my growth.

In this episode, I’m sharing:

What happened when I tried to serve everyone
How I tested different niches behind the scenes
Why I eventually chose a niche and how it was the catalyst to growth (AND time freedom)

If you’re still figuring out your niche — or resisting the idea altogether — this episode will help you see why narrowing your focus might be the best move you can make.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why You Need a Niche as a Fractional CMO

01:20 Why I Was So Resistant to Niching

02:50 The Problem With Trying to Serve Everyone

04:05 My Secret Way to Test a Niche

05:25 How Niching Makes Finding Clients Easier

07:05 You’re Allowed to Change Your Niche

08:05 How I Finally Found My Fractional CMO Niche

09:05 Benefit #1: Build Repeatable Systems & Processes

10:15 Benefit #2: Become a Better Fractional CMO

11:05 Benefit #3: Become Known for Something

12:20 Why Niching Became My Competitive Advantage

12:45 Test Your Niche Before You Commit

Rewire Your Subconscious for Business Growth with Mindi Huebner

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0700

You can have the best strategy in the world, but if your subconscious isn’t on board, you’ll find yourself spinning in the same patterns.

In this episode of CMO School, I sit down with Mindi Huebner to unpack the identity shifts and subconscious rewiring that allow high-achieving women to grow businesses that feel as good as they look.

We talk about:

Why strategy alone won’t work if your subconscious is stuck in old patterns
How to spot the limiting beliefs and identities running your business behind the scenes
Common conditioning loops like “rest is lazy” or “my worth = my output”
Small steps you can take today to start rewiring your subconscious and closing the “identity gap”

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still not getting where you want to go, this conversation will help you understand why, and what to do differently.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently lead, land high-ticket clients, and build the business you want.

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

Episode Resources:

Mindi’s Instagram: mindihuebner.com/IG
Mindi’s Subconscious CEO Identity Quiz: mindihuebner.com/ceoquiz
Mindi’s FREE Identity Alignment Call: mindihuebner.com/id

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Strategy Alone Isn't Enough

01:12 Meet Mindi Huebner

05:06 When Your Worth Is Tied to Your Output

09:14 Where Your Subconscious Beliefs Come From

13:41 Your Brain Is Always Trying to Prove You Right

15:17 How to Identify Your Limiting Beliefs

17:50 The First Step to Changing Your Identity

19:26 How to Spot the Beliefs Holding You Back

21:16 The Identity Gap: Who You Are vs. Who You Want to Be

23:00 The Limiting Belief That Was Blocking a $1M Business

25:43 You're Not Broken—and You're Never Done

27:48 Every Identity Has a Role and a Goal

29:46 Hustle vs. Rest: Integrating Conflicting Identities

33:04 Start Becoming Your Future Self Now

37:29 The "24 Karat" Future-Self Exercise

38:57 Stop the Guilt & Shame Spiral

39:48 Your Language Is Shaping Your Identity

42:39 How to Actually Rewire Limiting Beliefs

45:36 Stop Chasing Someone Else's Version of Success

48:03 How to Release the Emotional Charge Behind Fear

49:03 How Quickly Can You Change a Limiting Belief?

52:40 Two Things You Can Do Today

54:02 Where to Connect with Mindi

How I Got Started As A Fractional CMO (and Why I Built Fractional CMO School)

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0700

I get asked all the time how I got started as a Fractional CMO — what background you need, what steps to take, and what I’ve learned along the way.

So today, I’m breaking it all down for you. In this episode I’ll be sharing:

My career background and how it set me up to become a Fractional CMO
The misconception I had around my own experience and readiness for this role
The early months of trial and error — what I tried, what worked, and what didn’t
The biggest lessons I learned in that first year
And ultimately, what led me to create Fractional CMO School and help other marketers build their own thriving businesses as Fractional CMOs

If you’ve been curious about becoming a Fractional CMO, or you’re already in the role and figuring it out as you go, this episode gives you a real behind-the-scenes look at how to get started.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How I Got Started as a Fractional CMO

01:20 The Career Experience That Prepared Me for This Role

03:15 Why Corporate Burnout Changed Everything

05:10 Becoming a Mom Changed What I Wanted From Work

06:40 Starting My Own Business on Maternity Leave

08:05 I Had No Idea What My “Superpower” Was

09:15 The Work I Realized I Was Actually Best At

10:15 Discovering the Fractional CMO Role

11:10 How I Learned What Fractional CMOs Actually Do

12:45 The Investment That Gave Me Confidence

14:10 Charging $10K–$15K/Month Felt Possible

15:05 What My Fractional CMO Training Didn't Teach Me

16:00 My First Year Was a LOT of Trial and Error

17:05 Why I Eventually Built Fractional CMO School

18:20 Helping Other CMOs Avoid the Mistakes I Made

19:00 Build a Fractional CMO Business Without the Burnout

Why So Many Fractional CMOs Burn Out (and How to Reset)

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0700

I talk to so many Fractional CMOs who are exhausted, underpaid, and questioning if they made the right move stepping into this role. That’s exactly why I made this episode.

It’s not you - and it’s not the model. Most people are just running their business in a way that isn’t sustainable. If you’ve been feeling burnt out, like you’re trying to squeeze a full-time job into part-time hours, this one’s for you.

What we cover:

The biggest mistakes Fractional CMOs make that lead to burnout
What the role is actually meant to look like
How the wrong clients can derail your business (even if you’re doing everything else right)
How to reset if you’re already burnt the f out

Think of this as a permission slip to stop doing it the hard way. You don’t have to overwork to prove your value. You don’t have to keep saying yes to clients who drain you. And you definitely don’t have to settle for building a business that feels heavier than the one you left. There’s a better way—and I want this episode to show you how to find it.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why So Many Fractional CMOs Burn Out

01:45 You're a Strategic Leader, Not a Marketing Manager

03:40 What a Sustainable Fractional CMO Model Looks Like

05:30 Stop Customizing Every Client Package

07:15 The Meeting Mistake That Fills Your Calendar

09:00 The Wrong Clients Will Drain You

10:30 Red Flag #1: They Don't Have a Team

12:00 Red Flag #2: They Haven't Proven Their Offer

14:15 Don't Become the "Fix It" CMO

15:45 Red Flag #3: The CEO Won't Hand Over the Reins

17:15 The Discovery Questions That Reveal Bad-Fit Clients

19:30 Ask This Before You Take On Any Client

21:15 Already Burnt Out? Here's How to Reset

22:15 Repackage, Raise Your Rates & Reset Expectations

23:15 Make Room for Better Clients

LinkedIn for Fractional CMOs: From Profile to Pipeline

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0700

LinkedIn isn’t just a place to park your work history — it’s where your next high-ticket client is scrolling right now. The question is: will they see you as another marketer, or as the strategic leader they’ve been looking for?

In this episode, I’m joined by Mandy McEwen, LinkedIn pro, founder of Mod Girl Marketing and Lumin, and someone who’s been ahead of the curve on LinkedIn since before it was cool. Mandy shares exactly how Fractional CMOs can:

Turn their profile into a landing page that actually sells
Ditch the “pitch slap” and start conversations that feel real
Post content that builds authority and trust (without getting lost in the noise)
Use LinkedIn as a true sales channel to consistently fill their pipeline

If you’ve been treating LinkedIn like a resume, or posting and hoping someone notices, this episode will show you a better way.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How to Turn LinkedIn Into a Lead Generation Engine

01:20 Meet Mandy McEwen & Her Journey to LinkedIn

06:44 Why LinkedIn Is a Huge Opportunity for Fractional CMOs

07:50 Stop Just Posting—Start Building the Right Network

08:40 How to Do LinkedIn Outreach Without Feeling Spammy

10:17 The Warm Introduction Strategy Most People Overlook

12:43 Should You Automate LinkedIn Outreach?

13:37 How Many Connection Requests Should You Send?

15:17 When & How to Hand Off LinkedIn Outreach

16:12 Optimize Your Profile to Attract Premium Clients

19:13 What Content Actually Works on LinkedIn

21:13 The Best LinkedIn Content Formats Right Now

22:55 Turn LinkedIn Polls Into Sales Conversations

26:08 Repurpose Your Instagram, TikTok & YouTube Content

27:25 Mandy’s LinkedIn Lead Generation System

29:50 Why You Need to Follow Up More Than Once

32:15 Find the Hidden Leads Already in Your Network

33:11 How to Turn a DM Conversation Into a Sales Call

36:10 The LinkedIn Strategy Most People Are Ignoring

37:30 Where to Learn More From Mandy

How to Land Clients as a New Fractional CMO: A Behind-the-Scenes Coaching Call

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Struggling to land your first clients as a Fractional CMO? You’re not alone - and this episode will show you exactly how to fix it.

I’m coaching listener Deanna Keffer live on the podcast. After 20 years in corporate marketing, she made the leap into the Fractional CMO world and immediately ran into the same roadblock so many new Fractionals face: how do I actually get clients?

Inside this episode you’ll learn:

Why applying for jobs won’t get you Fractional CMO clients (and what to do instead)
How to position yourself so people take you seriously and your online presence actually sells your expertise
The exact outreach strategy I used to land my first clients — and how you can copy it
What boundaries to set early so you don’t slide back into execution or burn out in your new role

If you’re looking to land your first (or next) Fractional CMO clients, this episode will give you the exact steps you need to take.

And if you don’t want to figure it out on your own?

That’s exactly why I created Fractional CMO School. It’s my 6-month coaching program + community where you’ll get the playbook, the support, and the push you need to confidently step into the Fractional CMO role and start signing high-ticket clients.

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

Email templates: Fractional CMO Sales Email Templates — The CMO Office

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Live Coaching: How to Get Your First Fractional CMO Clients

01:45 Meet Deanna & Her Marketing Background

03:00 The Problem With One Full-Time Fractional Client

04:10 What She’s Tried to Find New Clients

05:15 Strategy vs. Execution: What Should a Fractional CMO Do?

08:05 Set Boundaries Before Taking on More Clients

10:10 Why Applying to Fractional CMO Jobs Isn’t the Best Strategy

11:35 Step #1: Fix Your LinkedIn Positioning

13:00 Stop Trying to Be Everything to Everyone

15:50 How to Position Multiple Roles on LinkedIn

18:00 Should You Use Your Name or a Company Name?

19:00 Step #2: Build a Simple Website

20:00 Step #3: Start With Your Existing Network

21:50 Find the “Super Connectors” in Your Network

23:00 The Follow-Up Strategy That Landed My First Clients

24:00 Step #4: Narrow Down Your Niche

27:00 How to Test a Niche Without Committing Forever

28:20 Step #5: Build a List of 100 Ideal Clients

29:20 How Cold Outreach Landed Me a Dream Client

30:30 Should You Target Startups & Small Businesses?

33:10 Step #6: Build Authority on LinkedIn

34:00 Your 30-Day Fractional CMO Client Plan

34:50 Why You Need to Keep Following Up

35:40 The Mindset You Need to Land Clients

From Overwhelmed to His Biggest Launch Yet: Andy Kriebel’s Fractional CMO Client Case Study

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Meet Andy Kriebel. He’s a Tableau Visionary (aka one of the world’s top data visualization experts), a global trainer, and the kind of teacher who’s helped thousands of people grow their careers. But when it came to marketing his own business? He was doing it all himself… and feeling stretched way too thin.

That’s where my team and I came in. Andy joined our Fractional CMO program about six months ago, and since then we’ve been refining his strategy, tightening his focus, and freeing him up to spend more time doing what he does best: teaching.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear Andy’s perspective on what it’s really like to hand off your marketing — the wins, the mindset shifts, and even the surprises. From hitting his biggest launch ever (while raising his average order value by $450 per member!) to nearly doubling last year’s revenue in half the time, Andy shares the behind-the-scenes of what changed once he stopped trying to do it all himself.

If you’ve ever wondered what it could look like to have a marketing partner in your corner, this conversation will show you the before-and-after in real time.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready for a Fractional CMO to step in and lead your marketing, this is what we do. My team and I build the strategy, manage the execution, and make sure your marketing is moving the needle so you can focus on running the business.

🚀 Learn More → Fractional CMO Services

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Andy & Inside Our Fractional CMO Partnership

01:44 What Is Tableau?

02:39 From Corporate Career to Building Next Level Tableau

06:26 Building a Business Without Employees

07:17 How Andy Became a Fractional CMO Client

09:34 The Free Marketing Audit That Changed Everything

10:03 Why I Took On a Smaller Client

13:33 What It's Really Like Working With a Marketing Integrator

15:42 Why I Don't Force Clients Into Weekly Meetings

17:09 Inside Andy's Marketing Strategy & First 90 Days

19:13 How a Fractional CMO Decides What to Prioritize

21:51 The Mindset Shift: You Don't Have to Do Everything

22:51 The Results From Our First 90 Days

24:42 Andy's Biggest Launch Yet

26:51 Using KPIs to Make Better Marketing Decisions

28:17 How We Spotted a LinkedIn Problem Early

30:05 Sometimes the Best Strategy Is to Stop Doing Things

31:50 Building a Business That Doesn't Depend on the Founder

32:30 The Biggest Value of Fractional CMO Support

33:44 Should You Hire a Fractional CMO?

Radical Responsibility: The Mindset Every Fractional CMO Needs

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:15:00 -0700

Being a Fractional CMO isn’t just about building campaigns or hitting KPIs - it’s about leadership.

And leadership means you own it all: the wins, the flops, and even the moments that technically weren’t your fault.

In this episode we’re digging into:

What radical responsibility actually looks like in a leadership role
How to handle the pressure of total accountability (without burning out)
Why it’s just as important to own the wins as it is the losses
Practical strategies for leading through mistakes, pivots, and high-pressure moments

If you’re ready to move from “marketer who executes” to the kind of CMO clients fully trust, this episode is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Mindset Every Great Fractional CMO Needs

01:30 What Radical Responsibility Actually Means

03:15 When Something Goes Wrong: Own It, Don’t Blame

04:20 How to Handle the Pressure of Leadership

05:30 Stay Calm When Sh*t Hits the Fan

07:15 Stop Seeing Pressure as a Bad Thing

08:15 You Need to Own Your Wins, Too

09:45 Taking Credit Isn’t Arrogance

10:20 What Radical Responsibility Looks Like in Practice

11:15 How Great CMOs Handle Last-Minute Changes

12:20 Be the Calm in the Storm

13:05 You Don’t Need to Be Perfect—You Need to Be Accountable

How to Use ManyChat in Your Marketing in 2025

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Many marketers are still sending traffic to landing pages and wondering why conversions are low - when tools like ManyChat are delivering opt-in rates as high as 90%.

In this episode, I’m joined by Madi Beumee, a social media strategist and growth expert who helps online business owners grow with confidence using viral content, community engagement, and automation that actually converts.

We’re breaking down how and where to use ManyChat in your 2025 strategy - whether for your own business or your clients’ - and why ignoring this tool might be costing you more than you think.

We cover:

Where ManyChat fits in a smart marketing strategy this year
Why it's often outperforming landing pages and email
How to use it without sounding spammy or robotic
The biggest mistakes marketers make - and how to avoid them
Tips for making ManyChat work in 2025

If you’re looking to generate more leads, increase conversions, and create a better experience for your audience - this one’s for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How to Use ManyChat in 2025

00:55 Meet Maddie & Her Unconventional Marketing Career

04:06 Why Being a “Try Hard” Is Actually a Superpower

05:42 What Is ManyChat & How Does It Work?

06:41 Why ManyChat Converts So Well

08:00 Is ManyChat Spammy?

08:49 How to Make Automations Feel Human

12:53 When Should You Use ManyChat for a Client?

14:34 The Best ManyChat Use Cases

16:49 The ManyChat Metrics You Should Be Tracking

19:17 Why You Can’t “Set It and Forget It”

20:23 Creative Ways to Use ManyChat

22:03 Start Simple—Then Build Smarter Automations

23:21 The ManyChat Tagging Strategy You Should Start Now

25:03 Is “ManyChat Burnout” Becoming a Problem?

27:49 Creative ManyChat Ideas You Probably Haven’t Tried

30:02 Treat ManyChat Like Any Other Marketing Channel

30:54 When to DIY vs. Hire a ManyChat Expert

31:13 The Biggest ManyChat Mistakes

34:15 The Low-Hanging Fruit That Can Double Your Results

36:06 Test Your Lead Magnet Before Building the Funnel

38:24 How Often Should You Optimize Your Automations?

40:38 Why DIY ManyChat Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect

42:10 Where to Connect With Maddie

$620K in 90 Days: A Fractional CMO Client Case Study with Erin Stetzer

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 03:00:00 -0700

This week’s episode is a behind-the-scenes case study with my client, Erin Stetzer — founder of Erin Stetzer Homes, a Houston-based luxury custom home building company. Erin has been in the industry for over 25 years and is known for her high-end builds, flawless client experience, and legacy projects.

Over the past year, she’s expanded beyond building into homeowner representation, digital products, and coaching other industry professionals. In this episode, Erin shares why she decided to bring on a Fractional CMO, what it’s been like working with our full marketing team, and the results she’s seen in her first six months — from cutting $15K in tech costs to generating over $620K in revenue, including a $130K launch in just five days.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to step into this kind of partnership, you’ll get an honest client perspective on the wins, lessons, and real impact of having a marketing team fully in your corner.

Ready to take the next step?

🚀 Learn More → Fractional CMO Services

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Inside a Fractional CMO Client Partnership

02:10 Meet Erin: From Luxury Home Builder to Digital Educator

04:21 Why Erin Knew She Needed Marketing Leadership

06:13 What Great Fractional CMO Support Actually Looks Like

08:07 Trusting Your CMO With the Bigger Business Picture

09:08 Stop Wasting Money on the Wrong Marketing

11:01 Turning a Founder’s Big Ideas Into a Strategy

12:23 Build a Business That Actually Fits Your Life

14:33 The Hidden Value of a Fractional CMO’s Network

16:59 What Happens When Marketing Is Finally Off Your Plate

18:17 The First 90 Days: $620K+ in Revenue

20:47 Building for Sustainable Growth, Not Just Revenue

22:20 Focus on the Highest-Leverage Marketing

24:23 How I Decide Which Clients to Work With

28:21 What I Do When a Client’s Marketing Is Off Track

30:28 Stop Guessing—Let the Data Tell You What’s Wrong

31:22 How to Prioritize What Actually Moves the Needle

32:45 What’s the Difference Between Sales & Marketing?

34:31 Make Your Offer Easier to Understand—and Buy

36:25 Erin’s Experience Working With Our Marketing Team

37:19 Should You Hire a Fractional CMO?

38:00 What’s Next for Erin

From Nervous to Fully Booked: Abby’s First Year as a Fractional CMO

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 03:00:00 -0700

When Abby left her agency leadership role, she was excited but nervous about stepping into the Fractional CMO world. “I’d done all the things in marketing,” she says, “but I’d never combined them with going out and selling myself.”

Fractional CMO School gave her the framework, tools, and confidence to launch fast, and within her first year, she was fully booked, landing every client through referrals or her website without a single cold pitch or social post.

“I truly mean it when I say I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for you and this course,” said Abby.

This is the story of how she did it, and what she learned along the way.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn more → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 From Nervous to Fully Booked in One Year

01:00 Meet Abby & Her Marketing Background

02:00 Why She Joined Fractional CMO School

04:05 What She Needed Before Starting Her Business

05:00 Avoiding the Mistakes New Fractional CMOs Make

06:10 The Fractional CMO Framework She Made Her Own

08:00 What Changed After Fractional CMO School

08:20 How She Got Every Client Without Cold Pitching

09:20 Finding the Clients & Work She Actually Loves

10:00 Why Your First Year Should Be an Experiment

10:35 What It’s Like Inside Fractional CMO School

12:00 How Coaching Accelerates Your Progress

13:35 Who Should Become a Fractional CMO?

14:15 From Execution to Higher-Paid Strategy Work

14:45 Is Fractional CMO School Worth the Investment?

15:25 The Support That Helped Abby Build Her Business

16:15 Build Your Fractional CMO Business Faster

Email Strategy for 2025: What You NEED to Know as a Marketer

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Email is still one of the most powerful revenue drivers in a smart marketing strategy - but most marketers aren’t using it to its full potential.

In this episode, I’m joined by Emily Claire, founder of The 10K Email Club and copywriter behind top-performing email campaigns for brands like Clue. She’s on a mission to help business owners write emails that convert without sounding like a sales robot.

We’re digging into what marketers and Fractional CMOs need to know about leading strong email strategy in 2025, including:

How to write emails people actually want to open and read
What to prioritize when building or optimizing a client’s email program
Why most newsletters fall flat and how to fix them
What metrics matter now (and what to ignore)
How to collaborate effectively with copywriters as the strategic lead

If you're ready to take email seriously this year, either for yourself or for your clients, his episode will help you do it smarter, faster, and with way more confidence.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Join the waitlist → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How to Build an Email Strategy That Actually Converts

00:46 From Musical Theatre to Email Marketing Expert

04:52 How Emily Built the 10K Email Club

08:04 What’s Actually Working in Email Right Now

09:35 Is Your Email List Too Small to Segment?

11:33 How to Segment When You Don’t Know Your Audience

12:54 Short vs. Long Emails: What’s Working?

15:17 Why Human-Written Emails Are Winning

15:55 The Biggest Email Marketing Mistakes

17:46 Is Substack Actually Good for Email Marketing?

20:54 Where Fractional CMOs Should Start With Email

23:05 The 3-Email Welcome Flow Every Business Needs

26:28 What Should Happen After Someone Downloads Your Freebie?

27:47 Stop Being Afraid to Sell to Your Email List

29:12 How to Repurpose Email Content Without Repeating Yourself

31:19 How to Turn Podcast Content Into Emails

32:44 The Email KPIs That Actually Matter

35:12 What’s a Good Email Open & Click Rate?

36:51 Should You Use a “Super Signature”?

38:21 The Best Ways to Grow Your Email List

40:15 The #1 Rule for Better Email Marketing

41:24 Don’t Be Afraid to Get Weird With Your Emails

How to Generate Leads as a Fractional CMO with Suzy Crawford

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Struggling to generate consistent leads as a Fractional CMO? You’re not alone, and this episode is packed with practical strategies that actually work.

Susie Crawford, former Google marketing exec and founder of a multi seven-figure paid ads agency, shares how she built a scalable lead gen system that brings in high-ticket clients without burning out.

We cover:

How to combine paid traffic and organic content in a way that feels doable
What to prioritize when you don’t have a full-time marketing team
The role of personal brand in attracting the right clients
How to manage imposter syndrome while growing a high-level business
What it really looks like to build marketing systems that last

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to tighten up your current strategy, this episode will help you approach lead generation with more clarity, confidence, and consistency.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Join the waitlist → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How to Build a Lead Gen Machine as a Fractional CMO

01:15 Meet Suzy: From Google to Entrepreneurship

03:00 How She Landed Her Dream Job at Google

06:40 Why She Finally Bet on Herself

08:10 From Fractional CMO to Multi-7-Figure Agency Owner

10:45 Why “Boring” Businesses Are a Huge Opportunity

11:25 Inbound vs. Outbound Lead Generation

12:15 Why Cold Outreach Is the Fastest Way to Get Clients

13:10 Find Clients Who Are Already Looking for Marketing Help

14:15 The Cold Email Strategy With a 90%+ Response Rate

15:35 How to Write a Cold Email That Actually Gets Replies

17:00 The Goal of Your Outreach Isn’t to Sell

18:00 The Lead Gen Channels Fractional CMOs Are Sleeping On

19:15 Why LinkedIn Is a Gold Mine for Fractional CMOs

20:20 Why Niching Makes Lead Generation Easier

22:20 You Don’t Have to Turn Away Clients Outside Your Niche

24:00 Personal Brand vs. Expert Content

25:25 The 80/20 Content Strategy

28:00 Why Personal Brands Are Winning Right Now

31:20 How Personal Branding Can Transform “Boring” Businesses

32:00 Stop Playing Small in Your Fractional CMO Business

33:00 Show Up Like the Business Owner You Want to Become

35:15 Do It Before You Feel Ready

36:10 Persistence Is What Separates Successful Entrepreneurs

37:15 Being Bad at Something Is Part of Growth

38:30 Why You Should Embrace Imposter Syndrome

39:35 Imposter Syndrome Means You’re Leveling Up

40:00 Build Your Fractional CMO Business Faster

Inside Lori Harder’s Marketing Strategy: Why She Hired a Fractional CMO

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:00:00 -0700

What does it actually look like to support a high-level founder as a Fractional CMO or strategic marketing partner?

In this episode, I’m joined by my client Lori Harder, founder of Glōci, host of the podcast Earn Your Happy, and founder of multiple 7-figure brands - for a candid conversation about what high-growth founders need from their marketing leadership.

We’re breaking down what made Lori decide to bring in strategic marketing support, how to build trust (and what breaks it), and what marketers need to understand if they want to work with founders like Lori.

What we covered:

How Lori and Chris have structured their marketing team across multiple brands
What Lori found most valuable when it comes to working with a Fractional CMO
How to build trust with visionary founders (and what quickie breaks it)
What we did to launch her new mastermind recently
What Lori’s learned from the best (and worst) hires she’s made

Whether you're currently working with personal brands or want to step into higher-level strategic roles, this episode will give you a peek behind the scense of what it really looks like.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → https://www.thecmooffice.com/fractional-cmo-school

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Lori Harder: Building Brands, Businesses & Teams

01:45 How Lori Reinvented Herself Again and Again

03:00 The Superpower Behind Every Business She’s Built

05:10 Why Being Human Is Your Best Personal Brand Strategy

06:10 Behind the Scenes of Lori’s Marketing Team

07:15 Why Lori Chose to Keep Her Team Small

09:15 The Growth Opportunity They Almost Missed

10:00 Build the Business Around the Life You Want

12:00 Why Fractional Leadership Changes the Game

14:15 Why Lori Hired a Fractional CMO

15:15 When It’s Time to Bring in CMO-Level Support

16:00 The Advantage Fractional CMOs Bring to Clients

18:00 How to Build Trust With a New Client

20:45 The Scope Mistake That Breaks Client Trust

22:00 What a Fractional CMO Should—and Shouldn’t—Do

24:30 How Great CMOs Lead the Client Relationship

25:00 When Should You Push Back on a CEO?

26:00 How Visionary Founders Actually Want Feedback

28:00 Work With the CEO, Not Under Them

29:20 Ask More Questions Before Giving Advice

31:00 What Lori Wishes Would Change About Marketing

33:45 What’s Actually Working in Marketing Right Now

34:15 How Lori Uses AI to Create Better Content

35:30 Train AI to Become Your Creative Partner

36:45 The Next Level of Using ChatGPT

37:45 Where to Connect With Lori Harder

38:15 Build Your Fractional CMO Business Faster

How to Know If You’re Ready to Be a Fractional CMO (Even If You Don’t Feel Like You Are)

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 03:00:00 -0700

You don’t need to know everything to be ready for the Fractional CMO role, but you do need to shift how you see yourself and show up.

In this episode, we’re unpacking the real reason so many experienced marketers hesitate to claim the title of Fractional CMO — and it’s not a lack of skills. It’s the belief that they have to be someone else first: more data-driven, more strategic, more “official.”

Here’s what we get into:

What being “ready” actually looks like
How to lead confidently, regardless of your background or experience level
The 3 core traits that matter most in the Fractional CMO role
What to do when imposter syndrome kicks in
How to identify your blind spots (and fill them without trying to “fix” yourself)
The shift from task-doer to strategic partner, and how to start making it today

If you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you you’re ready, this episode is the permission you’ve been looking for.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently lead, land high-ticket clients, and build the business you want.

🎓 Join the waitlist → Fractional CMO School

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 “Am I Actually Ready to Be a Fractional CMO?”

01:35 Why Experienced Marketers Still Feel Unqualified

02:25 There’s No “Right” Background for a Fractional CMO

03:30 Your Blind Spots Don’t Disqualify You

04:30 Great CMOs Don’t Know Everything

05:45 Build a Team That’s Smarter Than You

07:15 The 3 Skills Every Great Fractional CMO Needs

07:30 #1: Ask Better Questions

08:25 #2: Think Like a Business Owner

09:30 Prioritize What Actually Moves the Needle

10:25 #3: Show Up as a Peer, Not a Task-Doer

11:15 Don’t Be Afraid to Push Back on Clients

12:15 You’re Probably More Ready Than You Think

13:00 Stop Waiting to Feel Qualified

13:50 Imposter Syndrome Can Be a Good Sign

14:15 Build Your Fractional CMO Business Faster

How to Get Over the Fear of Rejection: What’s Really Keeping You From Your Goals

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 02:30:00 -0700

If you’ve ever held yourself back from posting, pitching, or showing up because you were afraid of being judged, rejected, or just not “ready” - this episode is going to shift something for you.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Maureen Evelyn - content strategist, personal brand coach, and the founder of Maureen’s Marketing. Maureen helps bold entrepreneurs turn their content into clients by building visibility, authority, and trust at scale. She’s known for creating over 100 pieces of content a month (without burning out) - and for helping her clients do the same.

We’ll talk about:

What it really looks like to go from freelancer to leader
The mindset that’s helped Maureen - and her clients - stop hiding and start growing
How to build a personal brand that sells (without feeling salesy)
Why she built Rejecto, an app that helps people get more comfortable hearing “no”
And the messy, powerful process of stepping into your next-level self - even if it feels scary

Whether you’re a marketer guiding clients through visibility blocks, or a creative who knows you’re meant for more but haven’t fully claimed it yet - this one’s for you.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → Fractional CMO School — The CMO Office

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Maureen: Building a Business at 21

00:45 How Rejection Changed Her Life

02:35 Stop Learning & Start Taking Action

04:45 Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

05:55 How Rejection Makes Business Easier

07:05 Turning Rejection Therapy Into an App

08:20 Rejection Happens at Every Level of Success

09:15 What If You Were Only 20 Rejections Away?

10:55 Why 300 Views Is Still a Win

11:55 How She Posts 100+ Pieces of Content a Month

13:15 The Simple Content Repurposing System

14:30 Stop Overcomplicating Your Content

16:30 Simple Content Can Still Get Huge Results

17:30 What to Post When You Have No Ideas

19:35 Consistency Makes Content Easier

20:50 The Secret to Creating Content That Stands Out

21:05 Double Down on What’s Weird About You

23:30 Stop Creating the Same Content as Everyone Else

24:20 You Can’t Think Your Way Into Great Content

25:35 Let the Algorithm Tell You What’s Working

26:20 The “Bad” Video That Got 20 Million Views

27:25 Content Advice for Fractional CMOs

27:45 Become the Person Your Ideal Client Wants to Be

29:35 Show Your Clients You Can Get the Result

How to Use Evergreen Funnels in Your Clients Strategies as a Marketer

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0700

Evergreen funnels sound like the dream - automated leads, passive income, a marketing system that runs in the background. But for most businesses, funnels don’t work the way they expect.

So, what separates a funnel that actually converts from one that just burns time and money?

In today’s episode, I sit down with Cheyenne Buttrey, founder of Copygirl.co, to break down what marketers need to know before investing in a funnel.

We’re covering:

Who should (and shouldn’t) be using evergreen funnels
What most marketers get wrong about funnel strategy
The biggest mistakes that kill funnel performance before they even launch
What elements make a funnel actually work—and what data marketers should be tracking

If you’ve ever wondered when and how to implement a funnel, this episode will give you the clarity you need.

Ready to take the next step?

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Most Marketing Funnels Don’t Work

01:00 Meet Cheyenne Buttrey: Funnel Strategist & Copywriter

02:20 Does Your Business Actually Need a Funnel?

03:35 The Core Elements of an Evergreen Funnel

04:25 How Long Does It Take a Funnel to Work?

06:55 Funnel Data Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

07:25 The 3 Funnel Metrics You Need to Track

09:25 How to Diagnose a Funnel That Isn’t Converting

11:45 Don’t Scrap Your Funnel—Fix the Leaks

12:10 Why Small Tests Beat a Complete Funnel Overhaul

13:45 How to Set Realistic Funnel Expectations With Clients

15:30 When You Need to Push Back on Your Client

18:40 The Biggest Funnel Mistakes Marketers Make

20:45 Stop Chasing Marketing Shiny Objects

21:30 Why You Can’t Copy Someone Else’s Funnel

23:20 Selling High-Ticket Offers Requires More Trust

24:05 How to Use AI to Build Better Funnels

26:10 Where AI Falls Short With Marketing Strategy

27:20 What’s Outdated in Funnel Marketing?

28:50 The Secret to a High-Converting Funnel

29:15 Build a “Safety Net” Into Every Funnel

30:00 The Most Underrated Funnel Page

30:55 What Digital Marketers Can Learn From E-Commerce

31:15 Cheyenne’s Dream Funnel Client

31:50 Where to Connect With Cheyenne

Should You Ever Work for Free as a Marketer or Fractional CMO?

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0700

I got an email recently that really made me think. It was from someone who turned down an unpaid speaking opportunity within my program, firmly stating that they don’t work for free - and honestly? I respect that. I’ve always been a big advocate for charging what you’re worth.

But here’s the thing…some of the biggest opportunities in my career started as unpaid. Speaking engagements, free power hours, strategic collaborations – when done intentionally – have led to massive payoffs (I’m talking six-figures-from-one-client kind of payoffs).

So in this episode, we’re digging into:

When it actually makes sense to say yes to an unpaid opportunity
The questions I ask myself before deciding
A real story of how one free power hour turned into over $200,000 in revenue from one client

If you’ve ever wrestled with the “should I do this for free?” debate, this one’s for you. Let’s get into it.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 When Working for Free Can Actually Pay Off

01:00 How Free Work Led to $200K+ in Revenue

01:35 Why “Never Work for Free” Isn’t Always the Answer

02:40 Charging Your Worth vs. Playing the Long Game

03:30 The 5 Questions I Ask Before Working for Free

03:45 #1: Does It Put You in Front of Your Dream Audience?

04:20 #2: Could It Lead to Paid Work or Valuable Relationships?

05:15 How Free Work Turned Into a Long-Term Client

05:40 The Free Marketing Audit That Led to $200K+

06:20 #3: Do You Actually Want to Do It?

07:10 #4: Does It Align With Your Bigger Goals?

08:00 Why I Rarely Turned Down Speaking Opportunities

09:20 #5: Would You Regret Saying No?

10:10 What Should a Fractional CMO Consider Doing for Free?

10:25 Free Power Hours & Marketing Audits

11:15 Speaking, Advising & Board Opportunities

12:10 When You Should—and Shouldn’t—Work for Free

13:00 Sometimes Free Work Is the Smartest Long-Term Move

How to Hire & Work With a Paid Ads Agency as a Marketer

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:00:00 -0700

Paid ads can be a game-changer - but only if you know how to hire and manage the right team. As a Fractional CMO or marketing leader, your job isn’t to run ads—it’s to hire and manage an agency that can deliver results for your clients.

In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Spivak, CEO of The Ad Girls, to break down exactly how CMOs can make paid ads work as part of a larger marketing strategy. Jennifer and I have worked together on countless client accounts, and she’s sharing her best insights on how to hire the right agency, manage the relationship, and ensure paid ads actually drive revenue.

We’re covering:

-The biggest mistakes marketers make with paid ads (and how to avoid them)

-How to vet and hire an ad agency for your clients—what to ask, what to look for, and what to avoid

-How to manage and collaborate with an agency as a Fractional CMO to drive better results

-Scaling your business as a marketer or Fractional CMO—Jennifer has built a powerhouse agency, and she’s sharing what it really takes to scale successfully

If you’re a marketer looking to step into CMO-level leadership, knowing how to hire and work with paid ad agencies is a skill you need. And if you’re looking to scale your own business, Jennifer’s insights from building and leading a wildly successful agency are invaluable.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How Fractional CMOs Should Approach Paid Ads

01:25 The Biggest Myth About Paid Ads

02:35 When Is Your Business Ready for Paid Ads?

03:10 How Long Should Paid Ads Take to Work?

04:45 What Marketers Actually Need to Know About Paid Ads

05:20 Don’t Let an Ads Agency Intimidate You

06:45 Paid Ads Are Still Just Marketing

07:30 The Paid Ads Mistake That Wastes the Most Money

09:05 Stop Blaming the Algorithm

10:45 How to Hire the Right Paid Ads Agency

11:50 Good vs. Great Paid Ads Agencies

13:20 Why Ads Can’t Work in a Silo

15:45 Why Full-Service Agency Support Matters

16:15 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Ads Agency

17:40 Does Your Ads Agency Need Industry Experience?

18:45 What Makes a Great Agency Client?

20:05 How to Manage Your Paid Ads Agency

21:25 The Agency Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore

23:10 Trust Your Instincts When an Agency Feels Off

23:45 How Jennifer Built & Scaled The AdGirls

24:20 The Hardest Part of Growing an Agency

25:40 The 25-Step Hiring Process That Changed Everything

27:55 How Long Does It Take to Build a Great Team?

28:50 Stop Assuming Other Experts Have the Answer

30:50 There Is No Secret Behind the Curtain

31:15 Jennifer’s Biggest Agency Scaling Mistake

32:45 How to Grow Beyond Being a Solopreneur

34:10 How to Remove Yourself From Client Delivery

35:25 You Can’t SOP Great Strategic Thinking

35:45 Where to Connect With Jennifer

I Hate Marketing

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Ever had a moment as a marketer where you thought, I hate marketing? You’re not alone. I’ve been there - more than once. But every single time, it wasn’t marketing itself that I hated - it was the wrong job, wrong boss, or doing work that didn’t align with what I loved.

In this episode, I’m joined by my longtime friend, Jessica Turner, who started her career in marketing with me but ultimately took a different path, stepping into product strategy. She’s seen my entire evolution — from fresh-out-of-university marketer to Fractional CMO — and today, she’s helping me break down the biggest reasons marketers feel stuck, how to tell if you’re in the wrong role, and how to pivot into work that actually excites you.

If you’re feeling burned out, uninspired, or questioning your career, this episode will help you figure out what’s really going on—and what to do about it.

Ready to take the next step?

Start or scale as a Fractional CMO → https://fractional-cmo-school.com

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Do You Actually Hate Marketing?

01:20 Where Our Marketing Careers Started

02:05 Why Jess Turner Left Marketing for Product Strategy

03:10 When “I Hate Marketing” Actually Means Something Else

04:05 The Work That Made Me Dread My Job

05:00 I Seriously Considered Leaving Marketing

06:00 You Don’t Need to Have Your Whole Career Figured Out

06:40 The Career Red Flags I Used to Ignore

07:35 Stop Making Career Decisions Based on “Should”

09:15 How I Started Building a Career Around the Life I Wanted

10:00 The Unexpected Job That Changed My Career

12:00 Starting a Business on Maternity Leave

13:10 You Don’t Need to Know Exactly What Your Business Will Be

14:15 Every Career Experience Teaches You Something

14:35 How I Figured Out What I Actually Loved Doing

16:00 Discovering the Fractional CMO Role Changed Everything

17:00 Being a Marketing Generalist Is a Superpower

18:05 What My Work & Life Look Like Now

19:30 The Fears I Had Becoming a Fractional CMO

20:25 You Don’t Need to Know Everything as a CMO

22:00 What to Do If You Feel Stuck in Marketing

23:00 Take Baby Steps Before Making a Huge Career Change

24:00 Do You Hate Marketing—or Just Your Current Role?

25:00 What I’d Tell My Younger Self About Her Career

26:00 You Can Always Change Your Mind

26:25 Trust the Process & Keep Taking the Next Step

27:20 Build Your Fractional CMO Business Faster

Fractional CMO: The First 90 Days

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0700

What actually happens in the first 90 days when a Fractional CMO steps into a business? Where should the focus be? How do you know if it’s working? In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my exact process—from the deep-dive audit that reveals hidden opportunities to the quick wins that drive immediate results, to building a marketing strategy that sets the foundation for long-term growth. Whether you're hiring a Fractional CMO or stepping into the role yourself, this episode breaks down what to expect, what matters most in those first 90 days, and how to ensure you’re making an impact fast.

Fractional CMO School - Fractional CMO School is a six-month coaching program + community designed to help you launch your business, attract dream clients, and build the business you've always dreamed of.
Find me on LinkedIn
Find me on Instagram
Strategic Marketer Assessment - Unlock access to my free self-assessment for marketers who are juggling too much and want to work less while earning more. Uncover your strengths, identify where you're undervaluing yourself, and take actionable steps to maximize your income – without adding more to your plate.
Fractional CMO Business Start Up Guide - Unlock instant access to Your Fractional CMO Business Start-Up Guide + unlock the EXACT steps you need to start and grow your own Fractional CMO business – starting today.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 What Happens in the First 90 Days With a Fractional CMO?

01:05 Month 1: The Deep-Dive Marketing Audit

02:30 What I Audit in a Client’s Business

03:00 Start With Your Ideal Customer

04:25 Audit Your Offers & Find the Gaps

05:25 Find the Leaks in Your Marketing Channels

06:15 Stop Guessing & Start Tracking Your Data

07:15 Build Your 90-Day Marketing Roadmap

08:00 Month 2: Focus on Quick Wins & ROI

08:45 Month 3: Review, Learn & Adjust the Strategy

10:05 What We Actually Do in the First 90 Days

10:20 How We Generated Six Figures in 4 Days

11:00 Build the Marketing Foundations First

11:35 Find Where Your Marketing Budget Is Being Wasted

12:05 How We Saved a Client $15K a Month

12:50 Find the Leads Falling Through the Cracks

13:45 Make Sure Your Fractional CMO Scope Is Right

14:25 Does the Client Have the Right Marketing Team?

15:35 Why Client Check-Ins Matter

16:00 Get Feedback From the CEO, Team & Agencies

What is a Fractional CMO, anyways?

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0700

The term Fractional CMO is everywhere right now, but let’s be real—most people have no idea what it actually means. If you’ve been wondering, Is this just a fancy name for a marketing consultant? Do they run my ads? Why would I hire one instead of a full-time CMO?—this episode is for you.

I’m breaking down exactly what a Fractional CMO does, what they don’t do, and why so many businesses hire one for the wrong reasons. We’ll talk about when you actually need a Fractional CMO, how they fit into your business, and how to spot the difference between a true strategic leader and someone just slapping the title on their LinkedIn profile.

If you’re a business owner thinking about hiring one - or a marketer wondering if this could be your next career move - this episode is your roadmap.

Fractional CMO School - Fractional CMO School is a six-month coaching program + community designed to help you launch your business, attract dream clients, and build the business you've always dreamed of.
Find me on LinkedIn
Find me on Instagram
Strategic Marketer Assessment - Unlock access to my free self-assessment for marketers who are juggling too much and want to work less while earning more. Uncover your strengths, identify where you're undervaluing yourself, and take actionable steps to maximize your income – without adding more to your plate.
Fractional CMO Business Start Up Guide - Unlock instant access to Your Fractional CMO Business Start-Up Guide + unlock the EXACT steps you need to start and grow your own Fractional CMO business – starting today.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 What Is a Fractional CMO, Anyway?

01:00 The Simple Definition of a Fractional CMO

02:00 What Does a Fractional CMO Actually Do?

03:00 Think Like a Business Leader, Not Just a Marketer

04:00 What a Fractional CMO Does NOT Do

05:00 A Fractional CMO Is Not a Project Manager

05:30 When Does a Business Actually Need a Fractional CMO?

06:20 A CMO Can’t Fix a Broken Business

07:10 The Clients I Look for as a Fractional CMO

07:35 What Fractional CMO Support Looks Like in Real Life

09:00 Could You Become a Fractional CMO?

09:15 You Don’t Need to Know Everything About Marketing

10:00 Stop Executing & Start Leading

11:00 Why I Love the Fractional CMO Model

11:25 More Control Over Your Time, Income & Career

Welcome to CMO School for Marketers and Fractional CMOs

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to CMO School, the go-to podcast for marketers who are ready to level up. I’m Jess Shirra, a Fractional CMO, marketing strategist, and founder of Fractional CMO School. After 15+ years leading marketing for brands like Lululemon, Pottery Barn, Strava, Jenna Kutcher, and Lori Harder, I’m here to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to drive growth, lead strategy, and step into your next chapter.

Expect expert insights, real talk about what works (and what doesn’t), and actionable strategies to help you think like a CMO—whether you’re climbing the ladder or building your own Fractional CMO business. This is the CMO School podcast.

Fractional CMO School - Fractional CMO School is a six-month coaching program + community designed to help you launch your business, attract dream clients, and build the business you've always dreamed of.
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Find me on Instagram
Strategic Marketer Assessment - Unlock access to my free self-assessment for marketers who are juggling too much and want to work less while earning more. Uncover your strengths, identify where you're undervaluing yourself, and take actionable steps to maximize your income – without adding more to your plate.
Fractional CMO Business Start Up Guide - Unlock instant access to Your Fractional CMO Business Start-Up Guide + unlock the EXACT steps you need to start and grow your own Fractional CMO business – starting today.