The Case Against Calling Fractional Executives a Cost Play
The conversation around fractional leadership keeps circling the same talking point. A closer look reveals what companies are actually buying and why that distinction changes everything.
The email landed in the founder's inbox on a Tuesday afternoon, somewhere between a board deck and a product sprint. Her business had crossed the threshold where operational complexity was outpacing her ability to manage it alone. The advice she'd received from peers was predictable: hire a fractional executive. It would be cheaper than a full-time CFO, they'd said. More flexible. Easier to manage. Six months later, the engagement had ended. The relationship had never found its rhythm. The fractional CFO had...
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