What is a fractional CRO?

And how to work with me

The goal of this post is to answer the most common questions people have about the fractional CRO role, including how to work with me:

• What does a fractional CRO do?

• How does the scope of help compare to hiring an advisor or part-time exec?

• Advisor vs Fractional vs Part-time vs Full-time. Which option is best for you?

• How much does it cost to hire a fractional CRO?

• What does a typical fractional CRO engagement involve?

• How to work with me!

What does a fractional CRO do and how does the scope of role compare to an advisor or part-time exec?

Startup CEOs have 4 options for executive help with GTM strategy and execution:

1. GTM Advisor

2. Fractional CRO

3. Part-time CRO

4. Full-time CRO

Here’s a breakdown of the scope of responsibilities you can expect from each option:

• The main difference between a fractional CRO and an advisor is that a fractional CRO guides the GTM team through a structured process whereas an advisor provides point solution advice for specific problems.

• The main difference between a fractional CRO and a part-time (or full-time CRO) is that a fractional CRO coaches the GTM team, whereas a part-time or full-time CRO also manages the GTM team.

Advisor vs Fractional vs Part-time vs Full-time. Which option is best for your startup?

Choosing the right option for executive GTM help is a function of your company size and revenue growth rate. Fractional CRO and GTM Advisor roles are a good fit for early-stage companies, whereas part-time and full-time CRO roles generally only make strategic sense for later-stage companies with larger GTM teams.

• An advisor is a domain expert and is best for an early-stage startup where:

  • Annual revenue is <$5M (e.g. pre Series B).

  • Revenue growth is steady.

  • One or more of the founders are experienced GTM executives, having previously held a C-suite revenue leadership role, such as a CMO, CRO or COO or having previously built and sold one or more startups.

• A fractional CRO is a go-to-market coach and is best for an early-stage startup where:

  • Annual revenue is <$5M.

  • Revenue growth is slow or unpredictable.

  • The founding CEO is the de-facto GTM leader and doesn’t have a lot of prior GTM experience, for example a first-time founder or a founder from a product background.

• A full time CRO is best for a growth-stage startup (Series B+) where:

  • Annual revenue is >$5M.

  • Revenue growth is steady.

  • The GTM team has experienced leaders in sales, marketing and CS and the CEO is looking to build more predictability and enter new markets.

• A part-time (or interim) CRO is a turnaround exec best for a late-stage startup (Series B+) where:

  • Annual revenue is >$5M.

  • Revenue growth has plateaued.

  • The GTM leadership team has turned, usually after missing goals several times and the goal is to get the company in a position to sell for a non-fire-sale price.

How much does a fractional CRO cost?

Here’s what you can expect to pay per month in cash and equity for each of the options, and how long a typical engagement will last.

• A GTM advisor is best for startups that just need ad-hoc help from time to time, for example with recruiting and customer introductions.

• A fractional CRO is best for startups that need ongoing guidance but aren’t yet able to commit to the long-term cost of hiring a full-time or part-time CRO.

• A part-time or full-time CRO is best for startups that are comfortable committing to an exec for the long term and integrating them into their senior leadership team.

What does a typical fractional CRO engagement involve?

This is what a typical 6 month engagement for an early-stage startup that works with me looks like:

Interested in working with me?

When you work with me, you get a GTM expert who has coached and advised 100+ startups over the past 10 years, been the CRO of 3 startups and the CEO of a fourth. Whatever GTM problem you are facing, I’ve probably seen it several times before and can guide you quickly to implement the solution.

For example, I can help you:

• Refine your ideal customer profile to focus and simplify your GTM strategy

• 10x your outbound prospecting results by focusing on warm intros and referrals

• Double your win rates by using a sales framework and improving your discovery and multi-threading skills.

• Reduce your churn by building your customer journey around impact moments.

• Maximize your upsells by defining a process with goals, roles and responsibilities.

If you are interested in working with me, I’d love to hear from you! Please email me at arnie@therevenuearchitect.com or DM me on LinkedIn.