I am excited to be featured in ET Brand Equity on the rise of fractional CMOs. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. Many companies need sharp marketing leadership, but they do not always need—or want—the weight of a full-time executive. That is where a marketing consultant / fractional CMO comes in. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: → Bring cross-industry experience. → Apply those lessons to new contexts. → Drive strategy without being slowed by legacy structures. This freedom leads to faster decisions, sharper execution, and real impact. Fractional leadership is not about being “𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.” It is about focused expertise, agility, and an outside-in perspective that cuts through noise and delivers clarity. For startups, this means unlocking growth without overextending resources. For mid-size organizations, it means scaling up even without the conventional marketing structures. For large organizations, it means injecting fresh energy and sharper execution where complexity has slowed progress. The model is only going to grow because today’s businesses value speed, clarity, and flexibility more than the conventional approach to building marketing structures & expertise in-house. Thank you to ET Brand Equity for inviting me into this conversation. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. Thanks to ET BrandEquity, The Economic Times and Shweta Mulki #fractionalCMO #marketingleader #marketing
Thanks for sharing Vivek:)
Great Article !!! The value of a Fractional CMO is often debated in boardrooms, primarily around their part-time commitment. However, for startups and MSMEs, their worth is undeniable. They provide crucial access to high-level strategic experience and maturity without the prohibitive cost of a full-time executive. This brings much-needed guidance and an objective outside perspective that challenges internal biases and prevents costly mistakes. Ultimately, they help instill method to the madness by implementing structured processes, scalable growth frameworks, and mentorship for the team, transforming marketing from a chaotic effort into a disciplined engine for growth.
Hi Vivek! Good to see you featuring in ET. You make us pause and think with your piece! I always thought that it’s better to turn to the expert in all those areas where we don’t have expertise instead of just keep experimenting. I think a lot of this can be achieved through fractional roles!
Well said! Fractional leadership isn’t about being part-time—it’s about bringing focused expertise, agility, and impact exactly when businesses need it most.
Congratulations Vivek Sharma on this well-deserved recognition! Your insights into the fractional CMO model highlight a transformative approach in marketing leadership, reflecting the growing need for agility and specialized expertise in today’s fast-paced business environment. It’s exciting to see how this shift not only empowers organizations but also signals a new era where impact takes precedence over titles. Looking forward to seeing more of your thoughts on this evolving landscape.
Vivek Sharma Congratulations , and wonderful to read this , the concept of Plug & Play CMO is what our Company : www.thinkasconsumer.com , delivering since 2012 onwards .. Suchismit Ghosh Rajib Chakravorty
Congratulations
Agree Vivek Sharma!! fractional leadership is an optimized way forward to drive meaningful growth and this true for most business functional that are looking for quick transformations with ROI!
Congratulations Vivek! The years of experience that you bring and that too across diverse industries is invaluable to any organization that you associate with. While its called 'Fractional', I have seen you give more than your whole to every assignment. Great to see you featured here! 👏
100% agree on this Vivek Sharma - this to me is very much a part of the 'Gig Economy' which has majorly established itself in various spheres. Sharp, focused energy brought to the table backed by years of experience, can truly boost the marketing journey of a business by leaps and bounds.