Fractional C-level help for agencies

Does your agency need a fractional CFO, COO, or head of HR?

That’s the question that Chip and Gini explore in this week’s episode — along with follow-up questions of what to look for in these outside advisors.

These fractional roles have become popular positioning tactics, including for agencies themselves who may position their offering as a Fractional CMO service. But is it more than marketing-speak? And what is the right way to get the help that you need as an agency leader?

Key takeaways

* Chip Griffin: “Don’t fall for the marketing spiel, focus on what your actual needs are first and then figure out how you get there.”* Gini Dietrich: “HR is the one place that we all tend to sort of wing it, but it’s probably the place you need the most help.”* Chip Griffin: “You need to know what fits for you, because if you don’t enjoy the conversations that you’re having with these outside advisors, you’re not going to have them. You’re going to avoid them.”* Gini Dietrich: “Even if you have a long term relationship with somebody and they’re giving you bad advice, or they’re not helping you grow in the way that you want to grow, find somebody who will.”

View Transcript

The following is a computer-generated transcript. Please listen to the audio to confirm accuracy.

Chip Griffin: Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Agency Leadership Podcast. I’m Chip Griffin,

Gini Dietrich: I’m Gini Dietrich.

Chip Griffin: And I am the fractional host of today’s show, which we’ll talk about more right after this,

Gini Dietrich: The fractional host?

Chip Griffin: Fractional host. I do not need to put in a, a full week of effort for this show. I’m just gonna put in about 30 minutes effort.

Gini Dietrich: So what does that call me? Semi fractional? Part time fractional?

Chip Griffin: You put in the same amount of effort as I do, which is…

Gini Dietrich: Oh, you put – well, I guess Jen, Jen puts in more effort than the both of us. Probably.

Chip Griffin: Yes, we, we have shifted that. So I do almost none of the post production. All I gotta really gotta do is hit record here and start yapping. So that comes easily to me.

Gini Dietrich: That does come easily to you.

Chip Griffin: Yeah, so, but we’re not gonna talk about that, but we are gonna talk about fractional help for your agency, because this is a popular topic, particularly fractional CFOs, but I’ve also seen fractional COOs, fractional heads of HR, fractional…

Gini Dietrich: CMO.

Chip Griffin: Yeah. Most agencies wouldn’t hire a fractional CMO, although sometimes the agencies themselves become fractional CMOs for other people. So it, it is a two way street, but we’re gonna focus for on those fractional roles that help the agencies as they grow. So are they a good idea? When should you think about them?

What should you look for if you do just anything related to it? So where would you like to start Gini?

Gini Dietrich: You know, this, this is gonna come as a big surprise, but it depends.

Chip Griffin: I, I mean, I really think we should just record it depends. And just end every show that way.

Gini Dietrich: Just, just do that every week.

Chip Griffin: Every week.