Why use a fractional CMO?

After decades of being a CMO at top global lifestyle brands like Levi’s and The North Face, I transitioned to working as a fractional CMO. There are many reasons behind my decision, but on the professional side, my primary motivation is the incredible value I can bring to a wide variety of clients, often at critical inflection points in a brand’s lifecycle. 

As a fractional CMO, I bring proven leadership tools and global experience to marketing, e-commerce, and retail teams as they navigate big changes. I can help CEOs make quantum leaps in short time frames and keep brand teams moving to meet their goals while finding the right person to fill the role permanently. Helping brands and brand teams successfully through significant transitions is one of the most satisfying roles I have served in my professional life. 

For those new to the terms “fractional” or “interim,” these roles engage experienced senior managers and executives part-time (fractional) for a limited term of often 3 to 18 months (interim), allowing them to contribute their expertise to an organization without the extensive commitment of a full-time position. These roles usually involve a daily, monthly, or project-based fee. 

Here are some of the reasons this model seems to work so well for brands of all sizes, especially for the role of CMO;

It’s cost-effective

Fractional hiring allows smaller brands and start-ups access global talent in proportion to their needs and budgets. In the marketing world, this helps balance leadership costs with actual marketing expenses and lets CEOs navigate through tricky transitions, periods of scale, or periods of slower-than-expected growth. 

It’s faster, especially in a period of sudden change

Fractional placements significantly reduce the time and effort involved in hiring compared to traditional full-time roles. That buys time to find and hire the perfect long-term person, which the fractional CMO can help find and onboard. Their quick integration also minimizes disruption to the existing team and alleviates stress during the scaling process.

It’s safer than making a hasty, long-term hire

Operating on short-term contracts, fractional leaders minimize the risks associated with long-term commitments and potential mismatches, especially when a brand is in a hurry. 

A fractional CMO brings their network with them

When I work with a brand, I bring my extensive industry network with me. I can bring in trusted, road-tested professionals to support the in-house team and target them on challenging projects, knowing they will get the job done. I also regularly tap my network to recruit and hire full-time talent for my clients, giving them a better chance of finding top-quality people who will truly fit the position.

It’s often smoother and surprisingly effective

Fractional CMOs are skilled at integrating into existing cultures and leveraging team resources. Their job is to skill the team up, not make it “their own.” This skill often leads to surprising successes in using existing resources in new ways. Also, the approach to objectives and KPIs in a fractional contract generally helps everyone keep things much more targeted, achieving a focus many long-term leaders would envy.

We bring a fresh set of eyes

Much of my value in my fractional roles involves my external viewpoint. With deep global experience and industry knowledge, I can help prevent tunnel vision and aid in objective decision-making. The benefits to the brand can last long after I leave my role. A fractional leader can help gently open up the brand culture and build lasting feedback loops to keep fresh insights flowing. 

We are experienced guides

Leveraging our wealth of experience, fractional leaders provide invaluable insights and foresight, helping companies navigate challenges and avoid common pitfalls. We have seen this terrain before. As seasoned guides, we offer strategic advice and assistance in dealing with the uncertainties of scaling, often saving companies a lot of money. 

Sea to Summit Case Study

At Sea to Summit, a global outdoor lifestyle brand based in Australia, I spent 18 months as fractional CMO, helping the brand scale globally while simultaneously preparing to transition from founder-owned to investor-owned. During that period, we were able to refocus the entire global team around an evolved brand DNA and brand identity, reshape the marketing team and its systems for the next level, and find and onboard the new permanent CMO. It was a fantastic experience for me, yielding wide-ranging results for the brand that are still paying off. Take a quick look at our case study to see what we accomplished.

I love the fractional CMO role for all the reasons above. But I especially enjoy offering my lifetime’s worth of hard-won knowledge and understanding to the fantastic array of talented, committed people I meet. These people care deeply about their brands and are eager to take the next step to evolve and grow professionally. It is an ongoing inspiration, personally and professionally.

About Aaron Carpenter

As the former VP of Marketing at Levi Strauss and a transformative CMO at The North Face, Aaron has guided some of the world’s most dynamic brands into the digital era, helping to shape their unique brand identities to meet the evolving global marketing environment. Today, Aaron lends his expertise to a wide range of brands through powerful fractional work, while maintaining his position as a prominent global lifestyle marketing figure.

Lock in Your Fractional CMO

BOOK a discovery call with Aaron Carpenter 

 Level 1: Engaged - serve as fractional CMO 10-20 hours per week. Deliverables include an audit of the team/processes, 1-year marketing plan recommendation, daily and weekly team leadership, agency management, and a 3-month minimum commitment. $15K-$30K/month

 Level 2: Half-Day Consultative Strategy Session - 4-hour session to tackle key marketing challenges or map out the annual strategic plan. Includes a 7-day prep period via email. Deliverables include a marketing punch list, a list of blindspots, and marketing campaigns for the next 1-6 months. $5K-$7K one-time fee

 Level 3: Advisor - available for quarterly planning calls and bi-weekly sprint calls per 2xmonth. Unlimited email correspondence and advice for the marketing team and/or CEO. $3K/month