CMO School

What if you could leave your full-time job, work fewer hours, and nearly double your income - all while doing work you actually love?

In this episode, I’m joined by Fractional CMO School alum Miranda Holland to talk about how she went from working 40+ hours a week, to doubling her income, working just 30 hours a week as a Fractional CMO.

Before Fractional CMO School, Miranda found herself reacting to whatever marketing requests her clients had, instead of steering the process and strategy. Fractional CMO School gave her the framework she needed to step into leadership and create the spacious business she’d always wanted.

In this episode we cover:

• The frameworks that helped her package, position, and price her expertise
• What gave her the confidence to leave her full-time job and go all-in on her business
• How she realized she was undercharging – and how her perspective on pricing changed
• The mindset and imposter syndrome work that came with becoming an entrepreneur and CMO
• What her business and life look like now that she has more control over her time, income, and capacity

If you’re curious about Fractional CMO School, and want to hear all about Miranda’s transformation from employee to Fractional CMO, you’ll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Miranda: From Corporate Marketer to Fractional CMO 02:30 Taking the Leap & Leaving Her Full-Time Job

04:05 The Framework That Gave Her Confidence

06:08 From Order Taker to Marketing Leader

08:06 Building a Fractional CMO Offer

09:41 The Results: Double the Income, Fewer Hours

12:45 The Mindset Shift Behind Her Success

15:38 Overcoming “Am I Qualified?” Imposter Syndrome

17:02 Packaging & Pricing Your Expertise

19:13 Why a Fractional CMO Can Be an Early Strategic Hire

21:21 Stop Selling Tactics - Start Looking at the Big Picture

22:34 Miranda’s Advice for Aspiring Fractional CMOs

23:11 Why Fractional CMO School Was Worth It

I think a lot of us have been there, - sitting in a job that looks amazing from the outside, the kind where people go "wow, you work THERE?" - and slowly realizing it's just not filling your cup anymore.

That's exactly where my guest this week was. Sydney Hagel left a big-name corporate job to start The Cozy Agency, and just over a year in she's on track to 6x her income. But the part I loved most about our conversation is how real she gets about that first year - the mistakes, the imposter syndrome, and what it really took to get to where she is now.

In this episode of the CMO School podcast, we get into:

• How Sydney Hagel knew it was time to leave corporate - and what made her quit with no plan
• What her first year in business looked like (including the money mistakes she made)
• How she lands high-ticket clients (it’s SO much simpler than you might think)
• The one thing she cared about more than profit in year one - and why it ended up building her whole client roster
• How she went from "I'll never make good money again" to 6x-ing her income in a single year

If you're waiting to feel ready before you go after the big thing - the new niche, the bigger client, the leap out of your 9 to 5 - this is a conversation I want you to hear. Because you don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to bet on yourself before it feels safe.

Learn more about Sydney:

Instagram

LinkedIn

GetCozy

Learn more about Callan Faulkner, AI expert

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Meet Sydney Kaye & What We're Covering

01:50 From Corporate Marketing to Entrepreneurship

05:10 Why We Both Left Corporate

08:15 Knowing It Was Time to Quit

11:50 The Fear (and Freedom) of Starting Your Own Business

15:00 Landing the First High-Ticket Client

18:25 Imposter Syndrome Never Really Goes Away

21:00 How High-Ticket Clients Lead to More High-Ticket Clients

25:25 Why You Can't Skip the Building Phase

27:00 The Mindset That Keeps You Going

29:10 Your "Why" Matters More Than Money

30:50 Where to Connect with Sydney

I've watched smart, capable marketers and Fractional CMOs burn out, lose money, and start to wonder if the whole Fractional path was a mistake — all because they said yes to the wrong client. And I've done it myself, more times than I'd like to admit.

Because the thing is, you cannot out-strategize a bad-fit client. It doesn't matter how good your boundaries, your packages, or your process are — if the person on the other side of the contract is the problem, you can't fix it.

In this episode, I break down:

• The 6 red flags I screen for before I'll work with ANY client (steal my checklist!)
• How to spot a bad-fit client on the discovery call — before you're locked into a contract with them
• The questions I ask that get my leads to reveal who they REALLY are (so I don’t have to find out the hard way)
• Why a bad-fit client can make you question whether you're even cut out for this role (spoiler: it's not you)
• How saying no to the wrong clients is what lets you get real results for the right ones

The clients you turn down matter just as much as the ones you take on. Once you can see the red flags coming, your work gets way easier — and a lot more fun.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Wrong Client Will Cost You More

00:45 Why You Can't Out-Strategize a Bad Client

01:30 Red Flag #1: They Blame Every Marketer

02:45 Red Flag #2: No Team to Execute

03:45 Red Flag #3: Shiny Object Syndrome

04:45 Red Flag #4: You're Expected to Save the Business

06:00 Red Flags #5 & #6: Unrealistic Expectations

07:45 How to Protect Your Time and Energy

08:45 Choose Clients Who Set You Up to Win

"Will the Fractional model actually work in MY niche?" — I get this question all the time. And it's the one that keeps people stuck: not starting, saying no to clients who'd be a great fit, or waiting to feel ready before they let themselves go for it.

But here's what I want you to hear — the niche is NOT what makes the Fractional model work. What you're selling has nothing to do with the industry. It's YOU. It's your leadership. And that is valuable (and transferable) to any niche.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

• The 4 things that ACTUALLY tell you if a business is a fit for the Fractional model — and not one of them is the niche (steal the checklist!)
• The real reason marketers get stuck on the niche question and what you're REALLY saying when you ask "will this work in my niche?"
• What actually makes you feel ready for this role
• How I landed one of the biggest names in the online space as my very FIRST client in a niche I'd never worked in

By the end of this episode, the niche question won't feel so important, because you'll know exactly what to look for instead.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Will the Fractional Model Work in Your Niche?

00:45 The Question You Should Be Asking Instead

01:30 The 4 Signs a Business Is Ready

02:30 Why Revenue and Budget Matter

03:45 Leadership Matters More Than Industry

05:00 Why Marketers Get Stuck on Niches

06:15 Your Skills Transfer Further Than You Think

07:00 Stop Waiting for the Perfect Niche

Contracts are probably one of the least exciting things we could possibly talk about, BUT I get so many questions from marketers making the leap into Fractional CMO work and feeling completely overwhelmed by the contract side of things. OR not thinking about it at all… until something happens and they've got serious regrets.

If your immediate thought is "cool cool cool, can I just copy yours?" 😂 — you absolutely can. I share exactly where you can grab all of my behind-the-scenes business systems in the episode!

In this episode, I break down:

• How I structure my contracts after 5+ years of testing long-term, short-term, and month-to-month (steal the setup!)
• Why I DON'T lock clients into long-term contracts — and what I do instead
• The scope language that keeps you from ever being "in default" of your own contract
• The tool I use to get a new contract out to a client in under 2 minutes
• The sneaky little feature that gives me a heads up when a client might be about to give their notice

And at under 10 minutes, it's probably the quickest (and least painful) way you'll ever learn about contracts.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why I Don't Use Long-Term Contracts

01:15 The Contract Structure That Works Best

02:30 Protect Yourself From Scope Creep

03:45 The Contract Tool I Use for Every Client

04:45 My Favorite PandaDoc Feature

05:30 Final Thoughts on Better Client Contracts

The advice to "use AI to work faster" is great (I've cut my $15K client strategy build time nearly in HALF) but it’s really easy to get generic output if you’re not careful. That’s why I’m breaking down the exact process I use to build my client strategies.

In this episode, I break down:

• The 5-step process I use to build my $15K client strategies with AI (so you can set yourself up the same way)
• The biggest mistakes I see Fractionals making with AI in strategy work (the last one is the worst)
• How I set up my AI to get great output (instead of generic or AI sounding garble)
• How I use AI as a thought partner instead of having it do the thinking for me

If you want to use AI for marketing strategy, or you already are, but you’re not happy with the output, you’ll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 How I Cut Strategy Time in Half With AI

01:00 The Biggest AI Mistakes Marketers Make

02:45 Build AI Context Before You Prompt

04:15 Turn Your Thinking Into Better Strategy

05:45 Show AI What Great Looks Like

07:00 Why I Build Strategies Section by Section

08:45 The Final Review Most People Skip

10:00 Use AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Strategist

11:00 The Biggest AI Mistake to Avoid

Here's something I've learned building this business: at a certain point, doing more of what's comfortable stops moving you toward what you actually want. And the most powerful thing you can do is get radically honest about where you're putting your energy.

For years I’ve wanted to grow Fractional CMO School. This year, I finally am — and I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly why, what I'm building, and the vision behind all of it.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

• The decision that's reshaping my entire business this year — and the honest realization that got me here
• Why I'm intentionally protecting my space instead of filling it (and what that unlocks)
• The ecosystem I'm building behind the scenes — including an agency engine designed to send incredible Fractional leads straight to my students
• The mission that's driven me from day one: helping women build wealth on their own terms — and the bold number I'm committing to this year

This one is personal, and it's a look at the bigger vision I'm building — for me, and for every ambitious marketer ready to step into their next level. If that's you, you're going to want to hear this.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why I'm Making a Big Change

01:00 The Conversation That Changed Everything

02:45 Why I Chose Fractional CMO School

04:30 The Bigger Mission Behind My Business

06:00 The Vision I'm Building

07:15 Choosing Growth Over Comfort

08:45 Why Fear Is Part of the Process

10:00 My Goal for the Next Year

11:00 What's Possible for Every Marketer

Choosing a niche is one of the hardest decisions you'll make as a Fractional CMO. It determines what you charge, how sticky your retainers are, and how long it takes you to hit consistent six figures.

In this episode, I'm sharing the top niches for Fractional CMOs in 2026 — the ones I think you can make the most money in, why they're the best, and where to find them.

Inside this episode:

• Where the smart money is moving in 2026 — and the public sources that show you exactly who's got cash to spend
• The fastest-growing consumer market on the planet, and the sub-niches inside it nobody's talking about
• The category of business most marketers refuse to touch — and the one quietly minting the best-paying clients in the game
• The buyers who already know what expertise is worth (and are happy to pay for it)
• The one mistake almost every marketer makes when picking a niche — and how to sidestep it so you stop spinning and actually start moving

If you've been stuck waiting for the "right" niche to reveal itself, this is the episode that gets you out of your head and into the work.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Niches I'd Choose Right Now

01:00 The Fastest Path to Clients With Budgets

03:45 Why Health & Wellness Isn't Slowing Down

06:30 The Clients Nobody Talks About

08:30 Why Boring Businesses Win

10:30 The Niche Advice That Keeps People Stuck

11:45 Try This Before Committing to a Niche12:45 The Simpler Way to Get Started

Quitting your corporate job too early is why so many new Fractionals undercharge, take on bad-fit clients just to pay the bills, and burn out 6 months in wondering if they made the right call.

The advice to "just take the leap" is great — I'm a huge believer in moving fast — but going Fractional is a business build, not a job change, and the best time to start building it is while you've still got a paycheck coming in.

In this episode, I break down:

• The 5 things I'd do BEFORE quitting my corporate job to go Fractional (you can steal the exact list!)
• The asset you should be building while you're still inside the company (it'll sell for you for the next 5 years)
• The exact ask I'd send to your network that warms up half your first clients without a single pitch
• The runway number that lets you charge what you're worth instead of what you need

If you're sitting at your desk thinking "I'm ready for this, but I have no idea where to start" — you'll love this episode.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Don't Quit Your Job Yet

01:00 The Positioning Advantage Most Marketers Miss

03:00 Build Proof Before You Need It

05:15 Learn From People Already Doing It

07:30 Start Building Your Reputation Now

09:15 Why LinkedIn Matters More Than You Think

11:00 The Runway and Offer Strategy That Changes Everything

12:20 Your Fractional CMO Exit Plan

The worst thing that happens on a fractional CMO engagement isn't bad strategy — it's good strategy with no one to actually execute it.

Every Fractional CMO will eventually land a client who doesn't have the right team to do the work. How you handle is everything.

In this episode, I break down:

• The 3 types of team gaps every fractional CMO will eventually hit
• The common mistakes that shift you from leader to doer fast (and are hard to come back from)
• 3 ways to solve team gaps without filling them ourself

Plus, the reframe that turns this whole problem into a pricing and scoping opportunity in your favor.

Your job as a fractional CMO is to build and run the marketing function. Not to be the marketing function.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO.

🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Fastest Way to Devalue Yourself as a CMO

01:15 The 3 Team Gaps Every Fractional CMO Will Face

04:15 The Mistakes That Turn CMOs Into Doers

07:30 Stop Taking Ownership of Client Urgency

09:15 How Smart CMOs Solve Team Gaps

10:00 Build a Bench of Trusted Contractors

12:15 The Integrator and HR Partnership Strategy

15:15 Turning Team Gaps Into More Revenue

17:00 Protect Your Strategic Value