HOW TO MAKE FRACTIONAL WORK… WORK
Why founder/fractional relationships fail and what it takes to get them right.
One of my early mentors, at the absolute top of her field, used to say:
“THE ROOT OF ALL DISAPPOINTMENT IS UNMET EXPECTATIONS.”
She was right. Whether it’s a lousy meal or a client engagement gone sideways, it almost always comes down to expectations. And both sides are guilty.
FOUNDERS often treat fractionals like stopgaps for full-time employees or expect exclusivity while benefiting from a fractionally priced engagement.
FRACTIONALS sometimes slip into “employee brain”—waiting for instructions, over-delivering, avoiding hard conversations.
Add unclear definitions of “fractional,” perceived power imbalances, and fuzzy scopes, and you’ve got a recipe for disappointment.
Clear expectations—set early, revisited often—are non-negotiable.
A FRACTIONAL ROLE THAT WAS FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT IN DISGUISE
My first big fractional COO role was meant to be part-time: a clean scope, smart founder, interesting work.
Part-time quickly became full-time. Scope obliterated. Full-time hours, without pay, benefits, or protections. Scaling back? Pushback. My own business? Forgotten. And guilt over wanting balance? Crushing.
The founder treated me like an employee. And I behaved like one.
This is the trap I see repeatedly: good intentions, wrong mindset. Founders expect full access. Fractionals cling to “employee brain” because it feels safer. Result: strained relationships, wasted money, mutual disappointment.
WHEN FOUNDERS GET IT WRONG
Some founders are off the mark entirely:
DISGUISING EMPLOYMENT AS FRACTIONAL: “Fractional COO, option to go full-time” is not fractional—it’s a trial run to avoid payroll.
CONFUSING URGENT WITH IMPORTANT: Every Slack ping feels like a five-alarm fire. Fractionals aren’t on-call firefighters—they’re strategic partners, system-builders, leverage-creators.
MISALIGNED EXPECTATIONS: Budget for execution but hire for strategy, or vice versa. Either way, unclear expectations guarantee disappointment.
QUICK TIPS FOR FOUNDERS:
Be transparent about why you’re hiring. Strategic partner or executional support? Know the difference.
Don’t expect exclusivity—fractionals should have other clients.
Budget beyond the fractional’s fee. Systems are only valuable if supported by implementation.
Learn to hear “no.” Fractionals add value by challenging ideas, not rubber-stamping them.
WHEN FRACTIONALS GET IT WRONG
Fractionals also fall into traps:
Acting like employees: waiting for instructions, saying yes to everything out of fear.
Over-delivering: piling on hours and output doesn’t fix misalignment—it burns you out.
QUICK TIPS FOR FRACTIONALS:
Treat fractional work like a business, not a stopover to full-time employment.
Don’t over-deliver—have the hard conversation instead.
Price for reality, not fantasy. Your value is in boundaries and expertise.
Protect your pipeline—never rely on one client.
THE TAKEAWAY
Fractional work works when both sides show up clearly:
FOUNDERS respect boundaries.
FRACTIONALS hold scope.
Founders gain senior-level strategy they couldn’t afford full-time, plus a sparring partner who channels ideas into action. Fractionals get freedom, professional growth, and the ability to work across multiple clients.
Fractional work isn’t pseudo-employment or cheap consulting—it’s a partnership. And like any partnership, it thrives on clarity, boundaries, and mutual respect.
HOMEWORK:
FOUNDERS: Audit your fractional relationships. Clear on why you hired them? Budgeted for support? Ready to hear “no”?
FRACTIONALS: Audit your business. Treat yourself like an owner, not an employee. Price for value. Keep your pipeline alive. Can you freely say no?
Fractional work can transform small businesses and startups—but only if done right. When it works, it doesn’t just fill a gap—it changes the game.
Q: SHOULD I ADD ANOTHER EXECUTIVE TO THE TEAM?
A founder once asked me:
“I’ve got a COO and a CMO. They’re great, but projects aren’t finishing as quickly as I’d like. Should I bring on a fractional Chief of Staff?”
My first question: what’s the real gap?
Turns out: they didn’t need another opinion—they needed support for their existing team. The COO needed operational help; the CMO needed someone to wrangle campaigns.
The lesson: balance matters. Too many strategists, not enough execution = nothing gets done. Too many executors, not enough strategy = founder burnout. The magic is in the balance.
💛 MA
