Going Fractional?

Plenty of CMOs reach a point where the fractional model starts to look… intriguing. A little more freedom, a little less 24/7 pressure, and a whole lot of variety.

In this episode, Drew brings together three former full-time CMOs who now serve as full-time fractionals: Alan Gonsenhauser (Demand Revenue), Katrina Klier (Sage Strategy Group), and Marshall Poindexter (yorCMO). They get into what it really takes to succeed in the role, from setting expectations with CEOs and boards to choosing the right clients, managing time and scope, and knowing when the fractional model fits and when it is time to move on. 

In this episode: 

• Alan builds trust fast with structured discovery across leaders and the board, using "three magic wishes" to surface priorities before acting. 

• Katrina ties marketing priorities to financial and board targets so strategy supports existing growth and margin commitments. 

• Marshall differentiates fractional work from consulting, using a simple framework and 90-day sprints to drive execution through in-house teams or agencies.

Plus: 

• Narrowing your niche so you attract clients where you create outsized value 

• How to set scope, cadence, and availability so part-time does not quietly become full-time 

• Using process, sprints, and metrics to stay focused when new requests pop up 

• Planning the transition, from mentoring the incoming full-time CMO to creating a clean off-ramp

Tune in if you are considering going fractional, hiring a fractional CMO, or just trying to understand how this model fits into the modern CMO career.

Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 494 on YouTube

Resources Mentioned 

• CMO Huddles 

• Standout Startup by Allyson Letteri 

• Past episodes mentioned 

• • Alan Gonsenhauser 

• • • Customer-Led Growth  

• • Katrina Klier 

• • • The CMO’s Path to the Boardroom 

• • • Content Strategy 

• • • Relating Marketing to Your CEO/CFO 

• • Marshall Poindexter 

• • • B2B Brand Values 

• • • Sales and Marketing Alignment 

• • • B2B Rebranding 

Highlights 

• [2:27] Alan Gonsenhauser: Lead with questions 

• [3:53] Relationships outlive the interim role 

• [5:26] Pick a niche 

• [9:49] Katrina Klier: Fractional moves faster by default 

• [11:49] Start with board questions and targets 

• [14:38] Targeted questions beat wishful targets 

• [17:22] Marshall Poindexter: Fractional CMO vs consultant 

• [19:25] 10-15 hours works when process leads 

• [23:10] Aggressive goals, ruthless prioritization 

• [26:37] CMO Huddles: Guidance & genuine relationships 

• [29:14] Self starter rules for fractional CMOs 

• [32:02] When fractional CMO fits (and when not) 

• [40:56] Build to handoff by design 

• [43:13] How long gigs last and what follows 

• [45:10] Fractional CMO approach to AI asks 

• [45:45] Final words of wisdom on Fractional CMOing

Highlighted Quotes  

"I take about a month to do discovery because I don't want to come on like a ton of bricks. I want to listen to people first and see what they're proud of and see what the gaps are."— Alan Gonsenhauser, Demand Revenue 

"I often find that when you're not a full-time employee, people tell you more. They view you as here to help and here to make sure that we get where we want to go in an efficient and quick manner."— Katrina Klier, Sage Strategy Group 

"I actually did really wrestle with, am I somehow denigrating the marketing profession by pursuing this? The conclusion that I came to is, no, I'm not, because there is a need."— Marshall Poindexter, yorCMO 

Full Transcript: Drew Neisser in conversation with Alan Gonsenhauser, Katrina Klier, & Marshall Poindexter