In this episode of Female Fractionals, host Amanda Nizzere welcomes Katherine Lehman—fractional CMO, advisor, entrepreneur, and founder of KT Creativity. Katherine shares her winding journey from graphic design to revenue marketing, revealing how she’s built a thriving business by blending creative storytelling with analytical precision.

Katherine opens up about:

• Why niching by skillset (not industry) gave her an early advantage
  
  
• The real difference between consultants, advisors, and true fractional executives
  
  
• Her go-to tools and how she stays up to speed in a fast-evolving industry
  
  
• Common pricing mistakes—and how to stand your ground
  
  
• How she balances multiple roles, including running a wellness business, without burnout

She also reveals her favorite productivity app (hint: it’s not Notion), her unexpected start as a professional clown, and the best advice she gives new fractional leaders.

Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your fractional journey, this episode is full of actionable insights on growth, pricing, positioning, and boundaries.

🧰 Tools & Resources Mentioned:

• Motion – Katherine’s favorite productivity and calendar tool
  
  
• Folk CRM – for simple, intuitive relationship management
  
  
• Pavilion & CMO Coffee Talk – communities for ongoing professional growth
  
  

🎧 Don’t Forget:

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow leader or aspiring fractional! Visit femalefractionals.com for the full transcript and episode links.

In this episode of Female Fractionals, host Amanda Nizzere sits down with Natalie Swan, founder of Swan and Associates, to explore what it really means to be a fractional CMO. Natalie shares her journey from scrappy brand manager in the experiential event space to running a high-touch fractional marketing firm serving B2B companies with $5M+ in revenue.

You’ll hear how she landed her first client (hint: it was her former employer), the mindset CEOs need before bringing on a fractional, and why strategy without execution is a common and costly trap. Natalie also talks about growing her business, building a lean but powerful team, and why building trust is the foundation of every successful fractional engagement.

Whether you're a fractional executive yourself, or a CEO considering hiring one, this episode offers actionable insights and permission to scale with clarity—not chaos.

👩‍💼 Guest Bio:
Natalie Swan is the founder of Swan and Associates, a fractional CMO firm that helps B2B companies turn business objectives into actionable marketing strategies. Her team works with companies doing $5M+ in annual revenue, bringing a high-touch, collaborative approach to long-term marketing leadership. Learn more at swanandassociates.co or connect with Natalie on LinkedIn.

💡 Topics Covered:

• Natalie's journey from experiential events to launching her own firm
• How she landed her first client without a full website or email list
• The difference between fractional leadership, consulting, and agency models
• What CEOs often get wrong when hiring fractionals
• Why mindset matters more than metrics in early engagements
• How Natalie built her team to stay in her zone of genius
• The value of LinkedIn recommendations and client success stories
• What to offload as a fractional to stay strategic

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• Project Management Tool: ClickUp
• Book: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
• Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn
• Learn more: swanandassociates.co

⚡ Rapid Fire Answers:

• Productivity Hack: ClickUp for team communication and SOPs
• Fun Fact: Traveled to 6 of 7 continents (Antarctica’s next!)
• Dream Skill: Singing or visual art
• Most Used Emoji: Too many to count—but they’re SOP-approved!

🔗 Full Transcript + More Episodes:
Visit femalefractionals.com for the full transcript, past episodes, and more resources for fractional executives.

Struggling to define your niche or articulate your unique value as a fractional executive? In this episode, Amanda Nizzere sits down with Wes Wheless, founder of Develop My IP, to explore the mindset, methods, and marketing magic behind positioning yourself powerfully in a crowded consulting space.

Wes, a self-described “boomerang consultant,” shares how his journey from BCG to Reforge to solo IP strategist helped him discover the power of niching down and creating “intellectual headshots” — visual frameworks that not only clarify your message but accelerate sales.

Whether you're brand-new to fractional work or refining your position after a year or two, this episode will inspire you to stop hiding behind generalist messaging and start making your expertise visible.

What We Cover:

• Why fear keeps so many consultants from choosing a niche — and how to move past it
• The 5 tangible benefits of niching down (hint: more revenue, less burnout)
• What “intellectual property” really means (and no, you don’t need a book or lawyer)
• How visual frameworks speed up trust, sales cycles, and client fit
• Step-by-step tips for sketching your first “intellectual headshot”
• A behind-the-scenes look at Wes’ 2-week IP Builder Sprint
• Rapid-fire questions that reveal Wes’ favorite tools, mentors, and mindset hacks

Resources & Links:
🔗 Download Wes’ free guide and access referenced resources: developmyip.com/female
📬 Subscribe to “The Lightbulb,” Wes’ daily email of bite-sized consulting brilliance
🧠 Follow Wes on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wheeless

Quotable Moments:

Connect with Us:
💻 Visit femalefractionals.com for full transcripts and show notes
📲 Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for upcoming episodes
🎧 Don’t forget to rate, review, and share the show!

In this episode of Female Fractionals, Amanda Nizzere sits down with Kerry Curran—a seasoned marketing executive, founder of Revenue Based Marketing Advisors, and host of the Revenue Boost podcast—for a conversation that redefines what it means to be a fractional leader today.

Kerry shares how she transitioned from traditional agency roles to becoming a sought-after fractional Chief Growth Marketing Officer. Together, they explore the evolution of the fractional CMO beyond interim roles or cost-saving hires and into a powerful, strategic partnership that enhances go-to-market (GTM) effectiveness across marketing, sales, and customer success.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why pairing a fractional CMO with a full-time CMO can be a growth multiplier
• How modern CMOs must evolve from brand stewards to GTM architects
• What the emerging role of the “Chief Go-To-Market Officer” looks like in action
• Kerry’s GTM maturity model for aligning marketing, sales, and customer success
• Why customer feedback and NPS interviews should shape your brand messaging
• How agencies and B2B service firms can apply ABM principles to win high-value clients

Plus, Kerry shares her favorite meeting icebreaker, her most unusual Zoom call location, and the unusual skill that’s helped her career (spoiler: synchronized swimming may be involved).

📌 Resources Mentioned:

• Revenue Based Marketing Advisors
• Revenue Boost Podcast
• Pavilion (professional community Kerry recommends)
• Book: The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran

📲 Connect with Kerry Curran:
Find her on LinkedIn: Kerry Curran
Listen to the Revenue Boost podcast on your favorite platform

—

🎙 Subscribe to Female Fractionals for more interviews with powerhouse women who are reshaping the executive landscape—one fractional role at a time.

📍 For the full transcript and show resources, visit FemaleFractionals.com

In this powerful episode, Amanda sits down with Beth Wanner, a seasoned marketing executive and the founder of Mother Cover—an innovative agency providing interim and fractional CMO coverage during parental and personal leave.

Beth shares her deeply personal and professional journey through infertility, layoffs, discrimination, and ultimately entrepreneurship. Her story highlights the often unspoken challenges women face in high-level careers when starting or expanding a family.

We dive into:

• The origin story of Mother Cover and Beth’s vision for equitable leave coverage
• How Beth is building a dual-sided marketplace supporting both companies and individuals taking leave
• Why fractional and contract work is becoming a lifeline for women seeking control and flexibility
• The power of community and storytelling in launching and growing a values-driven business
• Practical tips on setting boundaries, maintaining energy, and staying grounded as a fractional leader and entrepreneur

Whether you’re a fractional executive, a founder navigating work-life balance, or someone planning to take leave—or cover one—this episode offers heartfelt insights and actionable takeaways.

👉 Learn more about Mother Cover: mothercoveragency.com

✨ For a full transcript, links, and more episodes:
 Visit femalefractionals.com

💬 Don’t forget to follow, rate, and share the show if this episode resonated with you.

In this episode of Female Fractionals, Amanda sits down with digital strategist Peter Bender, founder of Sitelogic, to talk about what every fractional executive needs to know about organic search in 2025. They explore the future of SEO, the rise of LLMs, and why your website is still your most valuable digital asset.

You’ll learn:

• Why SEO is still relevant—and how to niche down effectively
• Practical tools (free & paid) for keyword research and trend spotting
• How LLMs like ChatGPT are shifting search behaviors
• Metrics that matter (and ones that don’t)
• Why consistent branding across platforms is more crucial than ever

Plus, Peter shares actionable advice on how fractional CMOs and CROs can better serve clients through smarter content strategies.

📌 Resources mentioned by Peter can be found at femalefractionals.com.

Is the money management side of your fractional business stressing you out? You’re not alone. In this episode, fractional CFO Rebecca Blankenship joins Amanda to break down the top 5 financial questions fractional leaders ask her most.

From S Corp timing to how to pay yourself (without triggering red flags), cash flow vs. P&L, sales tax surprises, and profit margin benchmarks—this conversation is packed with practical, approachable advice for fractionals at any stage.

Whether you’re brand new or 5 years in, this episode will leave you feeling more confident about your numbers.

In This Episode:

✅ When should you become an S Corp?
✅ How to pay yourself and stay compliant
✅ Why your P&L doesn’t match your bank account
✅ Do you need to worry about sales tax?
✅ What’s a “good” profit margin—and how to know if you’re on track
✅ How to avoid tax season panic
✅ What is “Profit First” and why Rebecca recommends it
✅ Why confidence with finances is a skill anyone can build

Connect with Rebecca:
🌐 SnowdropBookkeeping.com

Enjoying Female Fractionals?

Please like, comment, share, and follow to support the show!
Full transcripts & resources → FemaleFractionals.com

In this episode of Female Fractionals, host Amanda Nizzere sits down with Michael Lopez — author, speaker, and transformational consultant — to break down what it really takes to embrace change, especially as a fractional executive or aspiring entrepreneur.

Michael shares insights from his new book, Change Six: Science-Backed Strategies to Transform Your Brain, Body, and Behavior, and explores how we can flip the script on fear, stress, and uncertainty. Whether you're already living the fractional life or contemplating your leap, this episode will rewire how you think about discomfort, motivation, and what it means to build something of your own.

🔥 Episode Highlights:

• Michael’s eclectic background from government intelligence to corporate intrapreneur to founder
  
  
• Why vision boards might actually demotivate you (GASP!)
  
  
• How to build a healthier relationship with stress — and why it’s critical to your growth
  
  
• The myth of needing to “listen to your brain”
  
  
• How motivation is driven by action (not outcome)
  
  
• Why falling in love with the process is more powerful than achieving the end goal
  
  
• The science behind why doing hard things builds a stronger brain
  
  
• Practical advice on pricing, outreach, and business development as a fractional
  
  
• What Michael would do differently two years into his entrepreneurial journey
  
  

Grab Michael’s Book: Change Six: Science-Backed Strategies to Transform Your Brain, Body, and Behavior on Amazon and other major platforms. You can also find it on his website: michaeljlopez.coach

✨ Learn More: Visit femalefractionals.com for the full transcript and links to everything we discussed.

In this episode of Female Fractionals, Amanda sits down with Erika Weiss — a seasoned fractional CMO, founder of Elevated Brand, and adjunct professor at Loyola Marymount University. With a rich background in brand strategy, fitness, wellness, and consumer marketing, Erika shares her journey from corporate leadership to launching her own consultancy after four layoffs in four years.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• Why Erika left the corporate world to create her own path as a fractional executive
  
  
• Her personal definition of what it really means to be “fractional” — and why embedding with the client is key
  
  
• The importance of resilience, upskilling, and building a strong professional network
  
  
• How Erika lands clients through authentic relationship-building and a standout LinkedIn presence
  
  
• Tactical advice for marketing yourself as a fractional, especially in competitive industries
  
  
• How she balances her roles as a consultant, professor, and mom — and why agency over her time is her biggest win
  
  
• What she wishes she’d known at the start of her fractional journey
  
  

💡 Erika’s mantras:
 “Resilience is my ethos.”
 “Always be learning.”
 “Make friends before you need them.”

📘 Mentioned in the episode:

• Obsessed by Emily Heyward (Erika’s favorite business book)
  
  
• Her mentors she wants to give a shout-out to: Gordon Ho and Suzanne Blankenship
  
  

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review if you enjoyed the episode!
 🌐 Full transcript and links: femalefractionals.com

What happens when a fractional CMO meets the rise of AI? Magic—and massive efficiency. You'll want to grab a pen and paper for this one!

In this episode of Female Fractionals, host Amanda Nizzere sits down with the dynamic Crys Black, a fractional CMO and RevOps leader at Crys Black Consulting. Crys shares how she leverages over a dozen AI and tech tools to run her business, amplify client results, and build an AI-powered digital twin to manage her social presence (yes, really!).

You’ll hear how her nonlinear career—from IT to marketing to fractional life—intersects with her love of experimentation, and how AI has not only improved her workflows but also helped her create a custom Valentine’s Day album.

Whether you're overwhelmed by the pace of new tools or just wondering where to start, this episode will give you inspiration, a real-world roadmap, and full permission to just start playing.

💡 Highlights:

• How Crys transitioned from Silicon Valley IT to fractional CMO life
  
  
• Her go-to AI tools, including ChatGPT, Motion, Storm, and Lovable
  
  
• How she uses deep research tools to prep for sales calls in 10 minutes flat
  
  
• Why your digital twin might be your best content creator yet
  
  
• Her approach to staying current without getting overwhelmed
  
  
• How she used AI to win Valentine’s Day (we’re serious)
  
  

🔗 Resources + Links:

• Connect with Crys Black on LinkedIn
  
  
• Tools like Motion
  
  
• AI Book Mentioned: The Playground (fiction)
  
  

✨ Fractional doesn’t have to mean frazzled. With the right tools, you can scale your value—without scaling your hours.

Visit FemaleFractionals.com for the full transcript and bonus resources from this episode.