Lately, I’ve had a lot of conversations with doctors and business owners who are curious—if not a little puzzled—when I say I work as a “Fractional CMO.” The most common question I get is: “What’s that?” And if you’ve been wondering the same thing, you’re not alone. So, let’s unpack it—simply, practically, and with examples that make sense.
First things first: What is a CMO?
CMO stands for Chief Marketing Officer—a senior-level executive overseeing a company’s marketing strategy and execution. Big companies have full-time CMOs to guide brand development, lead generation, advertising, digital strategy, and more. But most small businesses and practices don’t have that kind of budget—or need—for a full-time CMO.
That’s where the “fractional” part comes in.
A Fractional CMO gives you executive-level marketing leadership—without the full-time cost.
I work with growing small businesses (including dental practices) that need help making sense of their marketing—but don’t want to hire a full-time executive. I step in part-time to help clarify strategy, improve performance, and get marketing genuinely working as a growth engine.
Sometimes, that means working closely with an existing marketing team or agency. Other times, it means rolling up my sleeves and building a plan from scratch. Either way, the job is the same: to bring authentic marketing leadership to the table without the fluff, confusion, or big-agency bloat.
“Wait, so how is that different from a marketing agency?”
Great question. I wrote a whole post on that [here]—but the short version is this:
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Agencies typically sell services: website design, SEO, social media management, ads, etc.
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Fractional CMOs provide leadership: We help you choose the right tactics, vendors, and strategies based on your goals, not what we’re trying to sell.
It’s like the difference between hiring a contractor to build a kitchen vs. working with an architect to plan your entire home. Both are valuable—but the roles are very different.
“We don’t need a website.” (And why that moment matters.)
The other night, a practice manager told me, “We don’t need a website.” And to be honest, I wasn’t surprised. Not because she’s wrong—but because of how often practices hear from marketing vendors.
The reality is: doctor-owners and small businesses get bombarded with cold calls and emails from agencies trying to sell them websites, ads, and SEO packages. So when they hear “marketing,” what they often really hear is: “Here comes another pitch.”
And I get it. I’ve sold marketing services in this industry for years. Some folks may recognize my name from a past conversation or proposal—and they may assume I’m still in the same role, just trying to sell the same service.
But here’s the difference:
I’m not here to sell you a website. I’m here to help you figure out if you even need one in the first place.
That’s what a Fractional CMO does. I’m not attached to a specific service or agency deliverable. I’m attached to your growth strategy.
So whether your practice already has a great website—or hasn’t updated it since 2011—my role is to help you understand how it’s working (or not working) as part of your overall marketing engine. And then we figure out the smartest next step, based on your goals and your market—not what someone’s trying to sell you.
What kinds of businesses benefit from a Fractional CMO?
While my sweet spot is working with businesses in the $2M–$10M revenue range, I’ve worked with a wide range of companies—some just getting started, others well past that mark. What they have in common is a need for clarity, alignment, and smarter growth.
For example:
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A dental practice adding a second or third location and needing a more strategic, scalable marketing plan
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A travel startup looking to build its first audience and generate early engagement
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A national marketing agency wanting to better align inbound marketing with sales to drive more qualified leads
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A home services company that relied on referrals but needed to grow beyond word-of-mouth
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An engineering consultancy needing to define a niche and create awareness in a highly technical space
Whether it’s a practice, a startup, or an established service business, I help owners and teams figure out what to focus on—and how to build marketing that supports real growth.
What does a Fractional CMO do?
Here’s a short, non-jargony list of what I help with:
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Clarifying your marketing strategy – What should you be doing to grow? What’s worth spending on?
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Auditing what’s working (and what’s not) – Ads, SEO, website, reputation, content, email, social… it’s all on the table.
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Making the numbers make sense – No more guessing if your marketing is working. We track it.
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Leading your team (or agency) – Many clients already have vendors or staff. I help lead, guide, and hold them accountable.
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Building the plan – Whether it’s a 90-day fix or a 12-month roadmap, I help get everyone moving in the same direction.
I don’t come in to “take over.” I come in to bring clarity, structure, and focus so your marketing can start driving real business results.
Marketing shouldn’t be a mystery—or a money pit.
If you’re a doctor-owner or small business leader trying to figure out what marketing you actually need (and what you can skip), a Fractional CMO might be the missing piece.
You don’t need a full-time exec. You don’t need a bloated agency contract. You need a trusted partner who can guide the strategy, make sense of the chaos, and drive results that matter.
That’s what I do.
Need clarity on your marketing?
Grab a free marketing audit or let’s talk about a Growth Game Plan. You don’t have to guess your way to growth.