The Teardown I Promised You
A couple issues back, I said newsletter subscribers would get the bonus version of my Lightning Lesson.
Here it is — with the data, mistakes, and case study details I couldn’t fit into 30 minutes.
And before we dive in — a huge thank you to everyone who registered and attended. This was my first solo Maven Lightning Lesson, and it was a pleasure to share it with so many of you. 🙌
📑 View the Slides
🎥 Watch the Recording Passcode: Ay1^2lsk
The Data No One’s Talking About
120,000+ professionals now list “fractional” in their titles — up 2,000% since 2022.
By the end of 2025, 35% of U.S. firms are expected to use fractional leaders.
And yet… half of businesses don’t understand what fractional actually is.
That misunderstanding is why so many partnerships fail.
Fractional done right isn’t freelancing. It isn’t a stopgap. It’s leverage.
The 3 Questions That Change Everything
1️⃣ When should you hire a fractional?
When targets are missed, delivery is breaking, growth stalls, or you’re about to hire a $250K exec too early.
2️⃣ What outcomes should you expect?
Revenue growth. Efficiency. Margin. Customer experience. Clarity.
3️⃣ Why do most partnerships fail?
Vagueness, freelancer treatment, and no success metrics.
A Case Study in Leverage
A founder once brought me in and I quickly realized that there margins were non-existent. Sales looked fine on the surface, but underneath delivery was eating them alive.
Here’s what I uncovered:
The problem was delivery: work wasn’t standardized, and inefficiencies were eating into every project.
What I fixed:
Tightened delivery with a clear, repeatable process.
Reduced inefficiencies that were draining margin.
Focused on clean handoffs so work flowed instead of stalling.
The result? A 68-point margin improvement — which gave them months of extra runway without cutting growth.
That’s the power of fractional leadership: finding the leak and fixing it fast.
Putting On My Business Owner Hat
The real turning point in my own fractional journey wasn’t a client win.
It was when I stopped treating myself like an operator-for-hire and started running my practice like a business.
That meant:
Scoping work around outcomes, not hours.
Pricing for sustainability, not scarcity.
Building a pipeline and income streams the same way I help founders do inside their companies.
Fractionals — this shift is what turns “staying busy” into building something that lasts.
More on how to make that shift in next week’s issue.
If this teardown resonated, forward it to someone who needs to hear it.
Because fractional isn’t freelancing. It’s leverage.
All the best,
Natalie
Fractional Strategic Operations Leader
If you’re a CEO missing your numbers and your team’s stretched too thin, let’s talk — I can fix it.
If you’re ready to start a fractional business, The Fractional Launch Lab will get you there in 10 weeks.
Thank you for reading.
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