Fractional CMO leadership
Senior marketing leadership for growing New Zealand businesses - without the full-time hire.
When should you hire a Fractional CMO?
Not a consultant. Not an agency. A senior leader who owns the function.
A Fractional CMO steps into your business on a part-time retainer basis. Not to do the marketing. To lead it.
It's the leadership of a Chief Marketing Officer, without the full-time salary or commitment.
Most growing businesses don't need another junior or mid-level marketer. Junior marketers need direction. Without the right strategy above them, mid-level marketers do too. You end up managing the person who was supposed to take work off your plate, which defeats the purpose entirely.
You need senior leadership. A Fractional CMO changes that dynamic.
Bringing strategic ownership to your marketing
Strategy, clarity, leadership — and yes, we GSD.
As your Fractional CMO, I step in as a senior leader and take ownership of the marketing function. That means setting strategy and direction, aligning marketing with your commercial goals, overseeing agencies and specialists, and building the cadence and accountability that makes things actually happen.
Armed with a clear strategic plan, we know what we're working on, and what we're not. No scattered activity. No chasing the next shiny idea.
We build rhythm. We build momentum. And we GSD (Get Sh!t Done).
Marketing moves from sitting in your head to driving commercial results.
What changes when marketing is strategically led?
The strategy lives somewhere other than your head
Priorities are clear
Agencies get direction
Decisions align with the business plan
Momentum builds
What I own (and what I don’t)
As your Fractional CMO, I take ownership of the marketing function.
That includes:
Strategy and direction
Clear priorities
Positioning and messaging clarity
Oversight of agencies and specialists
Cadence and accountability
Connecting marketing to commercial outcomes
What I don’t personally do:
Design logos
Run ads day-to-day
Build websites myself
Replace good specialists
Many business owners are searching for the marketing unicorn, one person who can do all of it.
The right people, doing the right work, under clear leadership
Who I work great with
I'm straight up, I'll call it like it is. And I'm here to see results.
I work best with owners and leaders who are ready to hand over the marketing function, not just outsource a task. People who want genuine partnership, not another supplier relationship.
If you're ready to back a strategy, give clear direction to your team, and show up consistently, we're going to move the needle.
This is probably not right for you if:
You just want someone to “do the marketing”
Want tactics but don’t think you need a strategy
You're making decisions on price alone, not ROI
Want someone to start writing your LinkedIn for you
This role only works when trust goes both ways. We become partners. We have each other’s back, and we turn action into results.
“Jacqui has created structure and momentum in an area that used to rely on good intentions. Marketing is now strategic, moves consistently, and it reflects the way we actually think and operate.”
Ross McConnell
Marketing still sitting with you?
Wanting to know more? These are a few questions I usually get asked before we start. Otherwise, I'm based in Tairua, in the beautiful Coromandel, New Zealand. Stop by or let's book a Zoom call.
Is a Fractional CMO right for my business?
Usually yes if you're owner-led, marketing activity is happening but nobody senior owns it, and growth has plateaued or feels inconsistent. Usually no if you want someone to execute tasks rather than lead the function.
How is this different from hiring an agency?
An agency delivers work. A Fractional CMO decides what work should be delivered, then leads the people doing it, including your agency. I sit on your side of the table, not theirs.
When should you hire a Fractional CMO instead of a marketing manager?
A Fractional CMO sets the strategy that activity serves and holds it accountable to commercial outcomes. Plenty of businesses may eventually hire a marketing manager or both. I wouldn't hire the manager first, because without strategy above them you end up managing the person who was meant to take work off your plate.
How many hours will you work on my business?
Honestly, it's the wrong question. I scope retainers around outputs and strategic leadership, not hours on a timesheet. You're paying for the thinking, the direction and the accountability, not for time served at a desk. I work with a small number of clients at a time so each one gets proper attention, and if a quarter's worth of momentum lands in three sharp weeks, we GSD.
What does the first 90 days look like?
Strategy first, then rhythm. We get clear on positioning, priorities and the one metric that matters, then build the cadence that makes things actually happen. Momentum usually shows up before the strategy document is finished.
