Fractional Executive

Also called Fractional CxO and Fractional CFO

An experienced executive who works part-time across one or more companies, a fractional CFO or CMO, giving a startup senior expertise without a full-time salary.

Why it matters

Fractional leaders let early startups get seasoned help in finance, marketing, or ops before they can afford or justify a full-time hire. It is a flexible way to fill a leadership gap without overcommitting cash or equity.

For example

A seed-stage startup hires a fractional CFO two days a week to set up its finances, getting senior expertise without a full-time salary.

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Also in Starting Up

See how founders actually handle this on Co-founders, team and legal, part of the Starting Up hub.

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