What is a Fractional Team?
A fractional team is a leadership team composed of multiple part-time executives working together. Rather than hiring one expensive full-time leader, you assemble several fractional executives who collectively provide comprehensive coverage.
This approach is particularly powerful for scale-ups that need diverse C-suite expertise but can't justify or afford multiple full-time hires.
Example Fractional Team
£5M Revenue Scale-Up: Fractional C-Suite
Comparison: Full-time CFO (£150k) + CMO (£130k) + CTO (£160k) = £440k+ annually. Fractional team delivers senior leadership at ~30% of the cost.
Benefits of a Fractional Team
Diverse Expertise
Access multiple senior leaders with different specialties rather than being limited to one or two full-time hires.
Cost Efficiency
Get comprehensive C-suite coverage for the price of one full-time executive—or less.
Flexibility
Scale each role up or down independently. Add new functions as needed, reduce commitment where less needed.
Fresh Perspectives
Fractional executives work with multiple companies, bringing cross-industry insights and current best practices.
Lower Risk
Easier to adjust or change fractional arrangements than full-time hires. Test and iterate on team composition.
Making a Fractional Team Work
Communication
- Regular leadership team meetings
- Shared communication tools (Slack, Teams)
- Clear async communication norms
- Overlap days where possible
Coordination
- Defined responsibilities and boundaries
- Shared goals and OKRs
- Project management visibility
- Clear escalation paths
Systems
- Shared documentation
- Company calendar visibility
- CRM/ERP access
- Decision logs
Culture
- Include in team events (where practical)
- Treat as leadership team members
- Build relationships between fractionals
- Integrate with full-time team
Common Fractional Team Combinations
Early Scale-Up (£1-5M)
Focus on finance and growth:
Tech Scale-Up (£5-15M)
Add tech leadership:
Pre-Investment (Any stage)
Investor-ready leadership:
Summary: A fractional team combines multiple part-time executives for comprehensive leadership coverage. Typical cost is £8,000-£15,000/month for 2-4 executives—a fraction of equivalent full-time hires while providing diverse expertise.