The benefits of a Fractional CMO

Written By David Rebetzke

Today’s business landscape looks vastly different from the one I entered many years ago. Larger companies are expected to achieve greater growth with fewer resources, while SMEs are eager to scale rapidly but often lack the cash flow to support full-time senior leadership. Enter the Fractional CMO—a senior marketing leader who brings deep expertise and strategic insights without the full-time cost or commitment of a traditional hire.

Fractional CMOs provide years of industry knowledge and a fresh perspective, offering a flexible, cost-effective alternative to full-time leadership. Based on our experience, there are four key benefits to leveraging fractional expertise:

1. Cost-Effective Access to Top Talent

Engaging fractional experts allows companies to tap into senior-level experience without the expense of a full-time salary, benefits, and bonuses. This is particularly beneficial for startups, SMEs, and businesses undergoing transformation.

2. Immediate Impact

Fractional professionals hit the ground running, bringing strategic insights and execution capabilities that drive immediate results. Whether launching a new product, repositioning a brand, or entering new markets, they help businesses navigate complexities with speed and efficiency.

3. Objective and Fresh Perspective

External experts offer an unbiased, outside-in viewpoint, helping to identify blind spots and uncover new opportunities that internal teams may overlook.

4. Agility and Flexibility

Businesses can scale expertise up or down as needed, allowing for a more dynamic approach to business challenges without long-term commitments.

How Flightpath Strategy Stands Apart

What sets us apart is our ability to both define and execute strategic work within the daily operations of your business. For example, if you need brand positioning or customer journey mapping, we don’t just develop a strategy in isolation—we run live sessions within your business, ensuring all the right stakeholders are involved. This approach ensures that strategic initiatives are not only developed but also seamlessly integrated into operations, delivering immediate impact while building long-term capability within your teams.

We have helped companies of all sizes with strategic projects such as refining brand positioning, driving innovation through new product development, and briefing large-scale campaigns to accelerate growth.

If your organization is facing any of the following challenges, a fractional expert could be the solution:

  • A junior team that needs guidance with more challenging strategic marketing initiatives

  • A start up/scale up that needs some experienced marketing help to get things moving, but doesn’t have the budget for a full time CMO

  • Resource gaps due to staff not being available for a period of time and the projects can’t be put on ice

  • Managing external agencies to maximise their output for your business

David Rebetzke