CMO School

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) T...

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 build...

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...

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...

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 fro...

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...

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 D...

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 imp...

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 opera...

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 yea...

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 t...

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...

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 work...

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 ever...

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...

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 e...

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 cam...

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...

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...

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 Fr...

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 cove...

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

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 found...

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 Fr...

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 everyw...