By: Joshua Finley
The traditional model of hiring full-time executives is evolving. As companies seek experienced leadership without the overhead costs, a new approach is gaining traction—fractional executives. These seasoned professionals bring decades of expertise to multiple organizations, working on a part-time basis to support growth and innovation. Among the pioneers of this movement is Archita Fritz, who, after 20 years in corporate roles across engineering and marketing, now helps private equity-backed companies work toward ambitious growth targets through fractional leadership. Her journey from a corporate executive to a fractional CMO offers valuable insights into this evolving business model.
Building Experience Across Multiple Domains
Archita’s corporate background spans engineering, quality systems management, and marketing strategy. “I became what a lot of people call a T-shaped expert, broad experience across a bunch of things, but also the ability to go deep if needed in each of these,” she explains. This versatile background proved invaluable when she decided to explore ways to help more companies navigate growth challenges.
During her first six months as a business owner, Archita discovered the concept of fractional leadership. “A fractional leader is someone who has significant amounts of experience within that function, but they can come into your company as what you might call a contractor and work with your company on a fractional basis,” she explains. “You’re working two days a week or three days a week, or two days a month. But you’re able to tap into that experience of 15-30 years in curated periods of time.”
Archita quickly identified private equity-backed companies as her ideal clients. These companies, typically generating $10-25 million in revenue, often lack large internal teams but face ambitious growth targets. “Privately held companies backed by PE firms have specific growth targets and expectations every 18-36 months to 5 years,” she notes. “These companies are often expected to grow at a rate higher than 10-12%, sometimes even 30-40%.”
Advantages of Fractional Leadership
One key benefit of the fractional model is cost efficiency. “A Chief Marketing Officer for a company would probably cost $300-400,000 a year in the US with everything—healthcare, insurance, etc.,” Archita points out. Fractional executives offer access to the same level of experience at a fraction of the cost while often helping companies achieve results more quickly. This speed to value was highlighted in a recent conversation with a board member. “After I walked through my go-to-market strategy with him, he was like,’ so you’ve been working with us since October,’ and I was like, ‘No, since January 8th,'” Archita shares. “He was surprised by how quickly I had synthesized everything and activated the team.”
Working with multiple clients simultaneously allows fractional executives to bring fresh perspectives and apply proven solutions across industries. “You’re learning from so many different industries, and you’re able to bring back this learning while doing, instead of just reading a case study in Harvard Business Review,” Archita explains. “It’s like you learn by doing and then you get to go help your other clients with this cross-pollinated learning as well.”
Keys to Success with Fractional Executives
For companies considering a fractional executive, Archita emphasizes several critical factors:
- Previous Experience with Contractors: “One of the first questions I ask is ‘Have you ever worked with a freelancer?'” she says. This experience helps set realistic expectations about availability and communication.
- Clear Expectations: “Clear expectation setting right from the start and staying within scope is critical,” Archita stresses. Companies need to resist the temptation to overload their fractional executives just because they have extensive experience.
- Empowerment to Lead: The fractional executive needs authority to make decisions. “They happen to be the CMO or the product leader, or the tech leader—whatever it might be. They are that person there right now, and they need to be empowered to make those decisions,” Archita explains.
The demand for fractional executives appears to be increasing, with many professionals noting a significant rise in opportunities over the past year. For companies considering this model, Archita offers a final piece of advice: “Start with a strategy of what you’re trying to do, identify what your skill gaps are today within the company, and then go hire your fractional executive. Don’t get carried away with titles—get clear on what jobs need to be done because those are the skill gaps that exist today.”
To connect with Archita Fritz and learn more about leveraging fractional leadership for your company’s growth, visit her LinkedIn profile.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional business or financial advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research or consult with a qualified expert before making any business decisions.
Published by Drake M.