You’re a small but growing business, but you’re hitting roadblocks and struggling to get through them. You feel like ​you’ve taken your business as far as you can and you’re maxing out your skills. It’s a tale as old as time. I can’t tell you ​how many times I’ve heard this story from business owners, followed by the question, “What do I do?”

“Oh, that’s easy!” Ophelia said, as she popped into existence next to my keyboard.

Ophelia is kooky and silly and immature and older and wiser than anyone I know. She’s also a Doxie. You’ve never ​heard of a Doxie? I hadn’t either until my life took a turn toward the really strange. Ophelia looks a bit like a tiny anime ​dragon. She stands about 6 inches tall when on all 4 legs, but seems able to walk on two when she needs to. She has ​a thick round body, short thick tail, and a big round head with big round eyes. She has two curled horns and wings like ​a bat. Her skin is textured like a salamander but brightly colored and slightly spotted. She’s usually a pinky purple ​color with bright blue spots but that seems to be a stylistic choice rather than natural. She can change color at will or ​depending on her mood.

Ophelia is also one of my students at the Business Witch Academy and enjoys popping up and sticking her nose in ​my business, all-the-time.

“Easy you say? What do you think I’m going to tell that business owner?”

“Actually, they have a few options,” she said smugly. “They could buy a book, take a course to learn more skills or they ​could work with a business coach or consultant.”

“You’re not wrong…”

Ophelia did a little celebratory twirl sending off a shower of green sparkles.

“But…” I continued, “there is another option that I think a lot of business owners don’t know about and should.”

“Another option? Ok, I’m listening.” Ophelia said plopping down on my desk and pulling a ​notepad and tiny pen from thin air.

“Today, we’re unraveling the mystery of the fractional executive. Imagine, if you will, a wizard ​of business, one who sweeps in, conjures success with a flick of their wrist and disappears ​again just as quickly.”

“Oh, like Gandolf in the Lord of the Rings movie?”

“Yes, exactly like Gandolf,” I agreed. “He doesn’t accompany the party transporting the ring ​on every step of their journey. He shows up when they need him the most, accomplishes ​feats that none of the others are capable of doing, stays with them as long as they truly ​need him, and then disappears to parts unknown, presumably to help someone else in ​need.”

“Or to knit a sweater.”

“To knit a sweater?” I asked.

“Sure. Why not? Wizards need hobbies too!” Ophelia ​huffed. “I once met Oblerine the Great. He was the most ​famous fire conjurer in the lower worlds and in his spare ​time he made the most intricate blown glass hearts I’ve ​ever seen. They doubled as explosives, but do you expect ​from an evil wizard of the lower worlds?”

“He specialized in heart attacks?” I snickered. Ophelia ​raised an eyebrow in response and I continued, “Anyway, ​these business wizards are called Fractional Executives. ​For small and growing businesses hiring a fractional ​executive can get you all the powerhouse skills and ​experience you need to take your business to the next ​level at a price you can afford because you don’t have to ​pay them a full time salary. Fractional Executives come in ​a variety of…”

“Colors? Ooo…can I get a green one? Green is the color of ​the week!”

“Um…no, not colors. Types. Fractionals come in a variety of ​types or specialties. You can hire COOs, CEOs, CMOs, CFOs, ​RevOps Managers, that’s me, and several more.”

“What’s a COO-LMNOP?” Ophelia asked stumbling over the acronyms.

“They are different types of executives with different skill types. Some specialize in providing expertise in financial ​planning or marketing strategy. And some, like me, are generalists. As a RevOps Fractional, my role is to ​understand the big picture of the business, where it’s going and what needs to happen to get there and oversee ​all the departments, processes, people and technology platforms of the business to ensure that they are all ​working in concert toward a common goal. I remove bottle necks, break down information silos, and keep ​everything running smoothly. Here…” I rummaged in a drawer and found the paper I was looking for. “Here, Ophelia. ​I have a list of the 12 Most Common Types of Factional Executives, you can have it.”

“Oh, cool! Thank you!” She then set about folding the paper in a series of intricate steps. I’ve seen her do this ​before, she’ll be a minute, so let’s move on.

Why Hiring a Fractional ​Executive is a Brilliant Idea

When you think about it, hiring a fractional executive can ​be the perfect solution to grow your business. Imagine ​finding a brilliant person who has all the skills and ​experience you’re looking for. They can drive your ​strategic plans and help you chart a course into the ​future while helping you avoid the speed bumps that they ​can see coming a mile away because they’ve driven this ​road before. But the price tag…hiring that kind of skill and ​experience isn’t cheap. That sort of person can mean the ​difference between wild success and utter failure for ​growing business, but only if you can afford them. What is ​a small business owner to do?

Tell me, does it really make sense to insist on full ​time hours that your new executive fills with ​pointless meetings, paperwork and menial tasks ​that could be delegated to someone lower on ​the pay scale? Or does it make sense to hire the ​big gun part time. Get ideas, advice, guidance, ​and skills that are hard to find and only pay for ​the absolute best that they have to offer while ​hiring someone else to execute the details? I ​think the math does itself here doesn’t it? Get ​one and half people for the price of one and ​maximize your returns!

A Full-Time Executive Probably Won’t Bring You More ​Value Than a Fractional

“Done!” Ophelia exclaimed, proudly holding up an origami swan for my approval. I glanced over and smiled at ​her. The swan then spread it wings and took off across the room and out the door. I blinked. Hard.

“What? Where did it go?” I asked, astounded.

“Home. That way I don’t lose it.” my whimsical little student stated in a very matter of fact, nothing to see here, ​sort of tone. Ophelia turned her attention to read what I’d just written on the screen. “I understand the benefit ​of the cost savings, but can a part-time executive truly be effective? Shouldn’t the most important people be ​on the scene all the time?”

“First, I’d argue that they are not the most important person. Neither is the owner of the business. It’s a false ​hierarchy awarded based on money and status rather than value. If businesses are going to survive in this ​quickly changing technological, social, economic and political environment, they are going to need to throw ​away outdated ideas and structures and learn to become very, very agile. Part of that is to understand that ​status does not equal value. Just look at what happened all over the world when the pandemic shut down ​almost everything. Who were the people bestowed with the titles “essential workers” and saw “hero pay” ​bonuses in their pay checks?”

“Right! I see. It was the retail workers, the repair people, the medical staff. Largely it was the people with the ​most dis-respected jobs.”

“Exactly. Every person, every role in a business should be critical to its success. Otherwise, why are they there? ​Going back to your question, you asked if a part-time executive can truly be effective. We took a detour and ​established that status does not equal value, but does time or quantity truly equal value?”

“Of course it does! That’s why we pay everyone by the hour.”

“If the time were actually the thing of value, wouldn’t everyone be paid the same amount per hour? I mean my ​hour isn’t any longer than the next guys’.”

“Good point,” said Ophelia sitting down on the side of my keyboard and assuming the classic ‘thinker pose’ by ​resting her head in her hand and her elbow on her knee. ‘Think, think, think’ she muttered to herself. “Ok, I’m ​stumped, if time doesn’t equal value, what does?”

“Quality. Expertise. Experience. These are difficult to ​measure, but this is the true value of an executive and ​why they get paid the big bucks. It’s not about their time ​at all. In fact, I think if you were to poll most workers, they’d ​suggest that most executives and managers waste tons ​of time in meetings and generating reports rather than ​actually solving problems. Had Gandolf stuck around for ​the entire journey with Bilbo the Hobbit, would it have ​provided any more value to the quest? Probably not. It ​would just mean they all had to carry more food. When ​you hire a fractional executive, you gain the essence of ​their magic — insight, strategy, and foresight — without ​the cost of a full-time sorcerer’s salary.”

Value

Quality

Expertise

Experience

Results

How to Find a Fractional Executive

“Wow! Where do I get one? Is there a Fractionals’ Amazon warehouse around here?” Ophelia asked, looking ​around with excitement.

“If a Fractional Executive is the right solution for your business, there are many places you can find them.” I ​rummaged around in my desk drawer again and pulled out a couple more papers. Handing it to Ophelia, I ​said, “Here’s a list of places I’ve found where Fractional Executives advertise their services or you can always ​send me a message. I have a growing list of Fractional Executives I know personally who I can recommend, ​myself included.”

Ophelia’s eyes lit up as she set about crafting another magical origami swa…

“I’m not making a swan this time!” Ophelia huffed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you, Ophelia.”

“It’s just that I’m insulted that you think my origami skills are so limited. I take great pride in my origami. I ​graduated top of my class in origami school as a small doxie,” Ophelia explained while suddenly wearing a ​graduation cap and gown in acid green colors.

“I had no idea Ophelia. So what will it be this time?”

“I’m making a whole horde of dragons!” She said and returned to her task.

Between you and I, I really hope it’s not the fire breathing kind, but I’m little scared to ask. I don’t want to know.

With my action oriented, results driven RevOps business consulting and management services, you’ll save time, maximize ​revenue, and transform your business into a well-oiled, money making, machine. Learn more or hire me at Carnanco.

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Places to Find and Hire a Fractional Executive

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First, there really isn’t a wrong time to super charge your business with top notch talent and abundant success, but even ​a fractional executive is a sizable expense. If you aren’t there yet, that’s ok. I’m run a business support group at the ​Business Witch Academy that I’ve designed just for you. Super low cost, expert help, supportive community all to help you ​grow your business and overcome obstacles.

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