What The Frac? | Your Fractional Executives

Global expansion sounds expensive, risky, and operationally messy until you understand how to approach it strategically. In this episode, Persephone Godwin and James Cummings of London & Partners break down how founders, operators, and executive teams can think about international growth earlier, smarter, and with far more leverage. This conversation is less about hype and more about market re...

Founders keep asking the same question: How do I actually meet the right investors and prove I’m truly investor‑ready? In this WTF? Live! conversation, we sit down with Tom Fulcher (President & Founder, The Idea Gardener®; Venture Madness Board of Directors) and Kyle DeLashmutt (Principal, Grayhawk Capital; Venture Madness Board of Directors) to unpack how Venture Madness and Arizona’s startup...

What happens when you combine a portfolio-life operator, fractional C-suite, and AI agents? In this WTF? Live episode, Nicole and Tamara sit down with Debbie Millin, the operator behind multiple #1 fastest-growing companies in Massachusetts and a former COO who helped scale Globalization Partners (G-P) from 3 people to a $4.2B valuation in under six years. They break down how founders can rethink...

Digital channels are noisy. Your “gifting budget” is sitting untouched. And your revenue team is still sending one more email. In this WTF? Live! conversation, Sendoso Co-Founder & Co-CEO Kris Rudeegraap joins Nicole and Tamara to break down how modern direct mail and corporate gifting, powered by AI and first-party data, can quietly become one of your highest-ROI channels across the entire cu...

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I actually in my zone of genius… or just stuck playing CEO because I’m the founder?” this episode is for you. In this WTF? Live, Nicole and Tamara sit down with Maddie Kelley, founder, strategist, storyteller, and host of Mimir, a top-ranked podcast for founders, investors, and operators. Maddie helps founders turn their weirdest strengths into real, sustainable growth...

Most SaaS founders want more conversions but rarely start with messaging. In this episode of What The Frac? Live, we sit down with Chris Silvestri of Conversion Alchemy to explore how great copywriting, UX thinking, and strategic messaging can transform your funnel. From breaking down buyer committees and user journeys to testing with AI agents and heatmaps, this is a masterclass in writing B2B Sa...

Is it mindset or strategy that really drives business growth? In this episode of What The Frac? Live, we sit down with executive coach and conscious futurist Stephanie Trager to explore how your identity, beliefs, and nervous system capacity shape the future of your business. Hosts Nicole Zeno and Tamara Laine get personal about what it really takes to scale, beyond metrics and marketing plans. If...

What does it take to turn a bootstrapped idea into a global brand? In this episode of What The Frac ?Live , Nicole and Tamara sit down with Eric Malka , co-founder of The Art of Shaving , author of On the Razor’s Edge , and managing partner at Strategic Brand Investments. From selling his car to fund the first store in New York to scaling into a $100M+ luxury men’s grooming brand later acquired by...

In this episode of What The Frac? Live , Nicole and Tamara welcome Guy Barretta “The COO Guy” President of Beretta Consulting and seasoned executive with 25+ years in Fortune 500s, startups, and real estate franchises. Guy reveals why every small business should think about exit strategy from day one , and how a fractional COO can help business owners break free from bottlenecks, avoid burnout, an...

In this episode of What The Frac? Live , we sit down with Lindsey Carnett , CEO of the award-winning PR firm Marketing Maven , to uncover the real strategies behind effective LinkedIn marketing and executive visibility in 2025. Lindsey shares how most professionals are misusing LinkedIn—and how to fix it. From building authentic thought leadership to avoiding the biggest risks of using AI in conte...

In this episode of What The Frac? Live , we dive deep with Adam Povlitz, CEO and President of Anago Cleaning Systems, to uncover the franchise strategy driving their explosive expansion—from $100M in revenue to a bold $300M goal by 2028. Adam breaks down how Anago’s unique 3-tier franchise system separates cleaning, sales, and operations to scale efficiently. He shares the backstory of Vision 2028...

What if your startup’s next great hire wasn’t full-time at all? In this episode of What The Frac? Live , we’re joined by Katy Murphy , founder and CEO of NEXT —an AI-powered, agent-led platform connecting startups with vetted fractional executives. Katy shares how the startup hiring model is shifting dramatically, why fractional leadership is the future , and how AI is eliminating the need for end...

In this episode of What The Frac? Live , we're joined by Robin Emiliani, growth marketing leader at Catalyst, to talk about how AI is transforming the relationship between sales and marketing—and what leaders need to know to stay ahead. We cover: Why the sales-marketing disconnect still exists—and how to fix it How AI chatbots like NAVU streamline customer journeys and drive conversion The ris...

What’s the real ROI of your personal brand? In this powerful episode of What The Frac? Live , personal brand strategist Toni Brown breaks down how entrepreneurs—especially women—can build authentic personal brands that drive visibility, trust, and revenue without becoming influencers. Hosts Nicole and Tamara explore: The real difference between branding and personal branding Why personal branding...

What legal mistakes could cost your startup everything? In this episode of What the Frac? Live , we’re joined by Jordan Denning , a seasoned business lawyer and legal strategist with 360 Business Law. He’s helped countless startups and small businesses avoid legal landmines and now he's sharing the legal essentials every founder needs to know . 🎙️ In this conversation, we cover: The #1 legal s...

Why do most leaders fail at company culture—and what can we actually do about it? In this episode of What The Frac? Live , we sit down with Michael Sonbert , bestselling author of Rebel Culture and founder of Skyrocket Education. Michael breaks down why so many businesses suffer from toxic or unclear culture, and what it really means to lead with purpose and accountability. Whether you're a st...

What if your customers didn’t just buy from you, but became your brand? On this episode of What The Frac? Live, we’re joined by certified master marketer, keynote speaker, and author Veronica Romney to explore the powerful world of identity marketing, a framework that taps into who your audience is and who they want to become. Veronica shares how her personal journey led her to develop the Identit...

What separates a forgettable brand from one people fall in love with? In this episode of What The Frac? Live , we’re joined by Reilly Newman, founder of Motif Brands, author of Brandy: 101 Sips of Wisdom for Attaining a Successful Brand , and host of the Brandy podcast, for a fresh, human-first take on brand and rebrand strategy. We explore the psychology behind brand perception, the difference be...

In this jam-packed episode of What The Frac? Live , we sit down with James Archer — a former agency founder turned fractional CMO — to talk about redefining success, building a business that fits your life, and why so many seasoned marketers are ditching the traditional agency model. Nicole and Tamara dive deep into the realities of the fractional world, the emotional weight of entrepreneurship, a...

In this episode of What the Frac? Live , we dive deep into the world of financial leadership with John Frank , founder and CEO of Third Road Management , one of the earliest champions of the fractional CFO model. With over a decade of experience in strategic finance, John breaks down: The real difference between accountants, controllers, and CFOs How fractional leadership can revolutionize small a...

This week on What the Frac? Live , we’re talking about the art (and science) of the pivot — and why the ability to shift direction might just be your most underrated marketing superpower. Our guest is Katy Thomas Young , founder of Bloom Consulting Firm. From occupational therapy to owning a thriving marketing agency, Katy's career is a masterclass in trusting your gut, reading the data, and k...

In this episode of What the Frac?k Live , Nicole and Tamara sit down with impact strategist and nonprofit founder ChristenBrandt to talk about how businesses — of any size — can infuse mission and meaning into their operations from day one. 💥 Christen is the co-founder of She's the First , author of Impact , a member of the Barbie Global Advisory Council (yes, really!), and recently earned he...

Founders, fractionals, and overwhelmed teams—this one’s for you. This week on What the Frac? Live , we’re joined by fractional COO and systems expert Ashley Berghoff of A Squared to dig deep into why every business—yes, even solopreneurs—needs intentional processes to scale. We tackle: Why founders shouldn’t run operations (and why it’s OK) The difference between “winging it” and invisible systems...

Most marketers and founders know they need media exposure—but few understand how PR actually works or how to use it to drive real results. In this episode of What the Frac? Live , we sit down with Brett Farmiloe , founder of Featured.com , to break down a smarter, faster, and more accessible approach to media coverage and thought leadership. Brett shares how he built a double-sided marketplace tha...

What if your marketing was unintentionally excluding entire audiences? This week on What the Frac? Live , we’re joined by accessibility and inclusion expert Mai Ling Chan —speech-language pathologist, entrepreneur, and bestselling author—to explore the real meaning of universal design and why accessibility should be baked into every business and marketing plan from day one. Nicole and Tamara dive...