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Research: The CEO’s Guide to Choosing a Great Fractional Leader

CEOs: Don’t Just Hire a Resume. Hire a Force Multiplier.

Over the past few years, we’ve worked with dozens of CEOs who brought in fractional executives—fractional CMOs, CROs, COOs, Heads of GTM Strategy.

Some of those partnerships were transformative.

Others were disappointing at best and damaging at worst.

Here’s the hard truth:
Hiring a fractional leader is not the same as hiring a full-time executive.
It’s not about headcount. It’s about leverage.

If you’re hiring a fractional leader to fill a gap or help your team grow through a major transition, you need to know what to actually look for—beyond industry buzzwords or referrals from your VC Slack group.

In a Tightening Economy, Fractional Leaders Are No Longer a Luxury. They’re a Leverage Point.

In 2024 and beyond, economic uncertainty is reshaping how companies build their leadership teams.

Budgets are tighter. Hiring freezes are more common. Investors are prioritizing efficient growth over headcount expansion. As a result, fractional leadership is on the rise—not just as a cost-saving move, but as a smart, strategic bet.

Done right, a fractional executive can deliver the clarity, momentum, and execution power of a full-time leader—without the long-term commitment or price tag. But done wrong? You’ll waste precious time and money at a moment when neither is in abundance.

Whether you’re bringing in a fractional CMO, CRO, Head of RevOps, or GTM leader, we can help you make the right call.

10 Traits to Look For in a Great Fractional Leader

1. Relevant Experience: Not Just Industry, but Stage and Motion

They should understand your industry, company stage, and go-to-market (GTM) motion.
It matters whether they’ve:

• Helped companies shift from founder-led sales to repeatable pipeline

• Led a PLG motion for a Series A SaaS startup

• Rebuilt a funnel post-merger or acquisition

Bonus: If they understand the GTM Operating System (like the one taught by GTM Partners), they won’t just see your problems—they’ll know how to fix them systemically.

READ: The CEO Manifesto on Connecting Strategy to Execution

2. Strategy + Execution: Can They Do Both?

They must be able to zoom out to set strategy and roll up their sleeves to implement.
Look for:

• Clear frameworks

• Tactical playbooks

• Examples of how they’ve delivered quick wins and long-term impact

3. Chemistry: With You, the Team, and the Work

Trust and alignment matter more than you think.
Do they:

• Challenge you without posturing?

• Win trust with your senior leaders?

• Lead with humility but act with confidence?

4. Track Record of Durable Outcomes

Ask:

• What changed after you left?

• What KPIs improved?

• What stuck six months later?

Fractional work should leave behind momentum, not mess.

5. Fast Pattern Recognition

You’re not hiring someone to “learn the business.” You’re hiring someone to spot what’s broken fast.

Look for:

• Strategic diagnosis in the first few weeks

• Ability to synthesize insights across sales, marketing, CS, and product

• Comfort making decisions with imperfect data

6. Emotional Intelligence & Executive Maturity

Fractional leaders are often dropped into messy, high-pressure situations. They need:

• Confidence without ego

• Curiosity without indecision

• Calm leadership in a chaotic org chart

7. Influence Without Authority

They don’t have a title to rely on. So they better:

• Communicate clearly

• Earn credibility quickly

• Navigate conflict with grace

8. Clarity on Working Model

Don’t skip the logistics.

• What’s their availability?

• How do they prefer to communicate?

• What does “done” look like?

A fractional leader should have a tight onboarding plan and set expectations clearly.

9. Learning Mindset and Adaptability

If your GTM motion is evolving fast (hint: it is), you don’t want someone stuck on what worked in 2019.

Look for:

• Recent examples of adaptability

• A healthy relationship with experimentation

• Familiarity with AI, automation, and buyer behavior shifts

10. Reputation and References

Finally, check their receipts.
Ask:

• What would your last CEO say about you?

• What hard thing did you help a company do?

• What would you do differently next time?

Bonus: What to Look for Based on Function

Your expectations should shift depending on the kind of fractional leader you’re hiring. Here's what to focus on function by function:

Fractional GTM Leader (Head of GTM)

Best for:

• Aligning sales, marketing, and CS under a unified strategy

• Driving GTM transformation (new motion, new ICP, new market)

• Creating a system that connects strategy to execution

Look for:

• Familiarity with the GTM Operating System (segmentation, roles, data, enablement, etc.)

• Experience running integrated revenue teams

• Ability to work cross-functionally at the exec level

Fractional RevOps Leader

Best for:

• Unifying GTM functions

• Fixing pipeline and forecasting

• Scaling infrastructure

Look for:

• Systems thinking

• CRM + tool proficiency

• Experience aligning teams on shared metrics

• Fast diagnostic ability

Fractional Sales Leader

Best for:

• Building or restructuring sales orgs

• Entering new markets

• Fixing accountability and process gaps

Look for:

• Leadership and team development skills

• Playbook creation and execution

• Experience closing enterprise deals or building velocity models

Fractional Marketing Leader

Best for:

• Positioning and messaging refinement

• Demand generation strategy

• Aligning brand with GTM

Look for:

• Full-funnel thinking

• Data-informed creativity

• Cross-functional collaboration with sales and product

TL;DR

You’re not hiring a fractional leader to “fill a seat.” You’re hiring them to accelerate clarity, execution, and outcomes

Make sure you’re choosing someone who can:

• Think systemically

• Act fast

• Align with your GTM strategy

• Leave your company better than they found it

Find the Best Fractional Leaders in the GTMarketplace

The following fractional leaders have been trained and certified in the Go-to-Market Operating System. Connect with them to see how they can help you implement your GTM strategies.

Dave Babst – DNA Business Consulting

Solves GTM challenges for growth-ready founder-led tech and services companies.
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity

John Ryan – GTM Value

Delivers holistic GTM alignment across marketing, sales, and CS to maximize valuation.
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity, Revenue Operations, Total Relevant Market

Sue Foley – MarketCraft GTM

Aligns strategy, messaging, and execution for B2B teams.
Clients: Introzy, MYOB
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Total Relevant Market

Andrew Kappel – LeaderLev Consulting

Connects strategy and execution for growth.
Clients: Mural, Optimize.Health, EOS
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity, Revenue Operations, Total Relevant Market

Dory Schrader

Fractional CMO helping mission-driven companies unlock growth through clear strategy, brand-building, and team leadership.
Clients: Knowbly, SherpaiAI, Bonsaify
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Pipeline Velocity, Total Relevant Market

Scott Travis – StageWise GTM

Helps early-stage B2B founders build the right GTM OS for growth.
Expertise: Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity, Total Relevant Market

Heidi Hattendorf

Fractional CMO and GTM strategist focused on results-driven marketing.
Clients: SaaS, AI, biopharma, manufacturing
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity

Sarah Allen-Short

GTM advisor, fractional CMO, and executive coach for startups and SMBs.
Clients: Verint, Chain.io, University of Michigan
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity, Total Relevant Market

Tim Hillison – Entry Point 1

Scales startups with Fractional CMO and GTM Advisory services.
Clients: PayPal, Visa, Microsoft
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Total Relevant Market

Celeste Jacroux – Swell Marketing Advisors

Guides teams through GTM resets and steps in as a fractional marketing leader to drive growth without full-time cost.
Clients: ReputationDefender, Televerde, Qualys, Insure Compliance, Axway, W5 Consulting
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Total Relevant Market

Newell Falkinburg – Agile Revenue

GTM leader accelerating Series A–C startup revenue with deep experience from Google, Microsoft, and early-stage teams.
Clients: Google, Microsoft, Dito, Common Good IT, Qumu, Nylas, PacketFabric
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity, Total Relevant Market

Michelle Killebrew – Pegasus Strategy Co.

Delivers AI-powered fractional marketing and sales leadership to drive scalable growth for tech companies.
Clients: AI & SaaS, IT Infrastructure, Tech Services
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Market Investment Map, Pipeline Velocity, Revenue Operations, Total Relevant Market

Tracy Hernandez – SaaS Lumen

Provides Revenue Acceleration services to improve expansion and renewal metrics.
Clients: Enterprise SaaS companies
Expertise: Customer Expansion, Customer Time-to-Value, Leadership & Management, Revenue Operations

Caitlin Clark-Zigmond — Clark Growth Partners

Delivers GTM alignment services to unify product, marketing, and sales for scalable revenue growth.
Clients: Fortune 500 Tech, B2B SaaS Companies, PE-backed Scaleups
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Pipeline Velocity, Total Relevant Market, Leadership & Management, Customer Time-to-Value, Customer Expansion

Sam Knight

Helps founders grow fast with GTM infrastructure that turns brand and media into pipeline and revenue.
Clients: AI, B2B SaaS, Martech, Cybersecurity, and Fintech
Expertise: Brand & Demand, Pipeline Velocity, Customer Time-to-Value, Customer Expansion, Revenue Operations

What to learn more about who else is certified:

GTMarketplace has additional fractional and agencies who are certified and ready to work for you.

If you’d like to be a certified GTM Partner like these fractional leaders, we’d love to talk to you about how to make that happen.

Make Me a Certified Partner

Love,

Bryan and Sangram