Hiring a full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) can be pricey. That’s where fractional CMOs come in. In Charlotte, more businesses are turning to fractional marketing leaders to help scale their growth without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a startup or a growing company, finding the right CMO can make all the difference.
What Is a Fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO is basically a part-time Chief Marketing Officer. Instead of hiring a full-time executive (which can be super expensive), you bring in an experienced marketing leader to work with your business for just a few hours a week or on specific projects.
They help set the big-picture strategy, lead the marketing team (if you have one), and make sure your efforts are actually driving growth. Whether it’s building your brand, improving lead generation, or launching campaigns, a fractional CMO brings the expertise without the full-time cost.
Think of it like this: you get the brains of a top-level CMO, but only pay for the time and guidance you actually need. It’s a smart move for startups, small businesses, or any company in Charlotte that’s looking to grow without going all-in on a full-time salary.
NUOPTIMA’s C-Suite Connect: Strategic Marketing, On Demand
NUOPTIMA’s C-Suite Connect, founded by Alexej Pikovsky, redefines marketing leadership for Charlotte’s fast-growing businesses by offering access to pre-vetted, fractional CMOs who deliver real results through strategic, data-backed marketing. Specializing in founder-led companies, our CMOs are carefully selected through a rigorous, multi-step vetting process led by Alexej himself, ensuring only the most qualified experts join our network.
Our selection process includes:
- Background check: Verifying a proven history of driving marketing growth and brand success.
- Marketing strategy assessment: Testing expertise in campaign planning, demand generation, and digital marketing.
- Reference calls: Confirming past performance, leadership style, and business impact.
- Culture fit interview: Ensuring strong alignment with your company’s mission and communication style.
- Paid trial sprint: Providing an opportunity to demonstrate practical execution and value in real-world conditions.
Only top-performing marketing executives are invited into the C-Suite Connect network, ready to help Charlotte businesses unlock next-level growth.
What Makes NUOPTIMA’s C-Suite Connect Different
- Strategy + Execution: Our CMOs don’t just plan, they lead execution and deliver results.
- Charlotte Market Insight: Deep knowledge of the regional business landscape, from finance and healthcare to tech and ecommerce.
- Fast, Tailored Matches: Get paired with the right CMO for your business in just 7–10 days.
- Founder-Focused Fit: Every placement is personally reviewed by Alexej to ensure a perfect strategic and cultural match.
With C-Suite Connect, NUOPTIMA gives Charlotte businesses access to high-impact marketing leadership that’s flexible, affordable, and built for growth, powered by our expertise in both C-suite hiring and data-driven marketing strategy.
Top Fractional CMOs for Charlotte Businesses
1. Olajumoke Abiodun
Olajumoke Abiodun is a seasoned marketing executive with over 13 years of experience driving growth, enhancing customer retention, and building market leadership for brands across e-commerce, SaaS, and tech industries. Based in Charlotte and leading MarketEdge Advisory, she brings a bold, no-nonsense approach to helping founder-led businesses scale strategically with measurable results.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Olajumoke has led high-impact teams across Africa and the U.S., including her role as Chief Marketing Officer at Jumia Nigeria, where she exceeded business growth targets by 20% and contributed to a 30% increase in customer retention year-over-year. Her leadership at ShopEX saw the successful launch of Africa’s first omni-channel tele-shopping platform, capturing a significant 25% share of the market. At Eze, she continued to drive forward-thinking marketing strategies focused on B2B growth.
At MarketEdge Advisory, she works with early-stage startups to build marketing infrastructure from the ground up. She leads customer acquisition with a data-driven approach, implements marketing automation systems, and ensures brand messaging is tightly aligned with revenue-focused outcomes.
Industry Specialization
Olajumoke brings deep experience in:
- E-commerce and Retail: Including marketplace growth and customer retention
- B2B SaaS: With a focus on go-to-market strategy and demand generation
- Consumer Tech: She blends storytelling and data to drive measurable brand growth
Education and Certifications
- MBA, University of Suffolk
- Postgraduate Diploma, Digital Business – Emeritus
- Certified Management Consultant (CMC)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Agile Certifications, including PSM II and PSPO II
How She Works with Clients
Olajumoke is known for being results-oriented, collaborative, and direct. She doesn’t just advise, she gets in the trenches with founders to turn complex data into clear marketing priorities, align marketing and sales efforts, and build customer-centric campaigns that deliver real business results.
Her leadership style combines strategic clarity with hands-on execution, making her a top choice for Charlotte businesses looking to scale smartly and efficiently.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/theolajumoke
2. Barbara Rozgonyi
Barbara Rozgonyi is a standout fractional CMO in Charlotte known for helping businesses and thought leaders cut through noise and stand out in an AI-saturated world. With over 30 years of experience in digital marketing, PR, branding, and leadership strategy, she leads with a unique blend of creativity, clarity, and data. As the founder of CoryWest Media, Barbara empowers companies to craft bold marketing roadmaps that align messaging with measurable results, using her signature WIRED PR in 5D framework.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Barbara’s background spans global organizations, Fortune 50 companies, and ambitious entrepreneurs. She is a pioneer in digital marketing who has advised clients like the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Bosch, and Boston Scientific. Through her leadership at CoryWest Media, she has developed integrated marketing campaigns, AI-powered brand strategies, and visibility plans that drive authority, trust, and market impact.
She works directly with leadership teams to align sales, marketing, and executive presence. Whether it’s launching an influencer campaign, training a salesforce on LinkedIn strategy, or guiding PR through a rebrand, Barbara brings a sharp strategic lens and a deep understanding of how to connect brands to audiences in ways that resonate.
Industry Specialization
- Professional Services: B2B marketing strategies for consultants, trainers, and expert brands
- Finance and Healthcare: Thought leadership, sales enablement, and executive branding
- Events and Tech: AI-powered content, visibility campaigns, and audience engagement strategies
Education and Certifications
- B.S., Marketing – Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Certified Virtual Presenter – eSpeakers
- Influencer Marketing Fundamentals – LinkedIn Learning
- Honors – Top 100 Keynote Speaker to Watch (2025), New Rope Award for Marketing (NSA Carolinas)
How She Works with Clients
Barbara brings a creative, structured, and results-oriented approach to every engagement. She partners with founders and executive teams to clarify brand voice, craft bold narratives, and develop marketing strategies that convert. Her work goes beyond tactics – it’s about leadership through visibility, blending digital PR, storytelling, and AI tools to amplify brands authentically.
Known for her high-energy style and deep insights, Barbara doesn’t just build campaigns – she builds momentum. Her work as a fractional CMO is ideal for Charlotte-based businesses that want to lead with purpose, rise above the noise, and expand their influence both locally and globally.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/barbararozgonyi
3. Mandy Idol
Mandy Idol is a respected fractional CMO based in Charlotte who brings a mix of big-agency sophistication and startup agility to every engagement. As the founder of Indigo Collective Group (ICG), she partners with companies looking to elevate their brand, sharpen their strategy, and grow sustainably. With deep expertise across B2B fintech, professional services, and digital-first brands, Mandy has built a career on helping organizations stand out through meaningful storytelling and data-backed decision-making.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Mandy has spent more than a decade leading marketing initiatives that fuel business expansion and brand visibility. At XUP Payments and later at KeyBank, she helped shape the embedded finance narrative while owning go-to-market and brand leadership. During her five-year tenure at KPMG, she developed high-impact marketing strategies across key accounts and enterprise innovation.
Through Indigo Collective Group, Mandy now works as a fractional CMO with clients who need more than tactical support. She helps build end-to-end marketing programs, introduces structure to brand storytelling, and ensures every marketing action is tied directly to performance metrics. Her leadership has earned national recognition, including nominations for Marketing Leader of the Year, Agency Owner of the Year, and Digital Woman of the Year.
Industry Specialization
- B2B Fintech and Payments: GTM execution, messaging strategy, and customer education
- Professional Services and SaaS: Brand positioning, demand generation, and executive visibility
- Women-Led Startups and Agencies: Growth planning, team development, and content-led marketing
Education and Certifications
- B.B.A., Marketing – University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Digital Marketing Foundations – Market Motive
- Authentic Leadership – Udemy
- Multiple marketing leadership honors, including Fearless 50 and Top 70 Digital Women to Watch
How She Works with Clients
Mandy’s approach is intentional, collaborative, and rooted in strategy. She thrives in helping clients clarify their vision, define their audience, and launch marketing programs that resonate. Her partnerships often start with foundational brand work and evolve into long-term support across content, campaigns, and growth metrics.
She is known for being hands-on, responsive, and thoughtful. Clients appreciate her ability to blend creative insight with measurable results, making her a standout choice for Charlotte companies that are ready to scale with purpose and precision.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mandyidol
4. Lisa Sperow
Lisa Sperow is a results-oriented fractional CMO based in Charlotte with more than two decades of experience helping organizations accelerate growth through data-driven marketing and digital transformation. Currently a key leader at yorCMO and a long-time strategic consultant, Lisa brings a sharp eye for operational efficiency and a passion for aligning brand strategy with real business outcomes. Her blend of enterprise expertise and hands-on execution makes her a trusted partner for companies navigating complex markets or undergoing major change.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Lisa’s marketing leadership spans sectors including healthcare, finance, SaaS, and nonprofit. At MedSend, she served as Chief Marketing Officer, leading a digital transformation that increased donor revenue by 33 percent year over year and grew web traffic by 37 percent. She introduced webinar-driven campaigns, revamped storytelling efforts, and spearheaded a Salesforce integration that streamlined communication and campaign execution.
In earlier roles with Dentsply Sirona and as a digital marketing consultant, Lisa led teams focused on SEO, content strategy, and multi-channel digital campaigns. She has worked closely with developers, product teams, and executives to align strategy across functions. Her current work with yorCMO and KCP Physical Therapy as a fractional CMO reflects her ongoing focus on scaling marketing systems, improving operational visibility, and ensuring long-term brand alignment with growth goals.
Industry Specialization
- Healthcare and Wellness: Digital campaigns, patient engagement, and donor development
- B2B and Professional Services: SEO strategy, messaging frameworks, and funnel optimization
- Faith-Based and Nonprofit Organizations: Fundraising campaigns and marketing transformation
Education and Certifications
- B.S., Business Administration – Marketing – Miami University
- Career, Business, and Executive Coaching Certification – World Coach Institute
- Health and Wellness Credentials – Stanford Center for Health Education, Harvard Medical School Executive Education
- Marketing Awards – Top Guest Blogger by Profiles International, with publications featured on Careerealism and Simply Hired
How She Works with Clients
Lisa takes a strategic yet practical approach to every engagement. She partners closely with leadership teams to clarify goals, measure progress, and design campaigns that are built to scale. Her clients value her ability to merge marketing with systems thinking – making sure the strategy is actionable and fully integrated across departments.
She is both analytical and empathetic, balancing stakeholder needs while keeping the customer at the center. Whether she is leading an SEO overhaul, building a brand message, or designing a full-funnel content calendar, Lisa brings a clear focus on results and a strong commitment to making marketing efforts matter.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lisasperow
5. Steve Kaminski
Steve Kaminski is a high-impact fractional CMO based in Charlotte with over two decades of global experience in marketing leadership, brand storytelling, and campaign strategy. With a background spanning real estate, sports, franchise, retail, and technology, Steve blends creative vision with sharp business acumen to deliver measurable brand and revenue growth. Through his firm KLI Global, he partners with companies to architect marketing transformations that drive results across both B2B and B2C landscapes.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Steve has led marketing functions at top-tier organizations like Greystar, Adams Outdoor, and The Collier Companies, where he consistently delivered substantial annual revenue increases ranging from 9 to 23 percent. At Greystar, he spearheaded a full global brand repositioning for a $49 billion portfolio, managing the creative strategy for 2,300 properties across North America, Europe, and Asia.
At The Collier Companies, Steve led a full brand overhaul, which resulted in a 200 percent increase in website traffic within 45 days. He launched the firm’s first brand standards guide, created a company-wide social media strategy, and implemented performance-driven marketing campaigns across 50+ properties. Currently at KLI Global, Steve offers fractional CMO services to real estate, hospitality, franchise, and sports marketing clients. He brings a data-informed, brand-forward approach to help growing companies elevate their messaging, streamline marketing operations, and reach broader audiences with precision.
Industry Specialization
- Real Estate and Multi-Family Housing: Brand elevation, marketing operations, and community-level campaigns
- Sports and Hospitality: Event marketing, media strategy, and creative development
- Franchise and Retail: Regional expansion strategies, omnichannel marketing, and team building
Education and Certifications
- B.A., Communications and Advertising Art – Texas Christian University
- Leadership and Strategic Planning Roles across industry associations and nonprofit boards
- Volunteer Leadership – Classroom Central, Southlake Carroll ISD
How He Works with Clients
Steve takes a collaborative and methodical approach to marketing leadership. He aligns closely with internal stakeholders from sales to operations, ensuring that every campaign is not only creative but also accountable. He excels at integrating traditional and digital channels, designing systems that scale, and elevating brand standards across organizations.
Known for building award-winning in-house agencies and developing long-term brand equity, Steve offers Charlotte-based companies the type of global strategy and structure typically reserved for large corporations. His creative discipline and operational rigor make him an ideal partner for businesses that want to compete on a bigger stage without losing focus on execution.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevekam
6. Portia Mount
Portia Mount is a seasoned fractional CMO based in Charlotte with over 20 years of experience across Fortune 500 companies, global NGOs, and high-performing agencies. She leads Mount Creative, where she partners with mid-market industrial and professional service companies to build, rebuild, or scale their marketing engines. Portia blends analytical rigor with bold creativity, using her cross-sector leadership background to drive marketing transformation, team performance, and long-term business growth.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Portia’s career includes executive roles at Topcoder, Trane Technologies, and Ingersoll Rand, where she restructured marketing departments, launched global brand initiatives, and built go-to-market strategies that delivered measurable growth. At Topcoder, she led a full brand transformation and recruited a high-performing marketing team that boosted platform conversions by 2 percent and delivered $650K in cost savings.
Portia has built and led marketing organizations of all sizes, including teams of 60-plus professionals across digital, content, UX, and martech. As CMO at Mount Creative, she helps organizations shift from outdated tactics to modern marketing frameworks that blend storytelling, data, and operational excellence. Her clients rely on her for strategic marketing, team development, and thought leadership that sticks.
Industry Specialization
- Industrial and Manufacturing: Full-funnel brand and marketing strategy for complex B2B products
- Professional Services and Nonprofits: Growth strategy, brand storytelling, and executive coaching
- SaaS and Technology: Performance marketing, martech stack optimization, and user engagement
Education and Thought Leadership
- MBA – Wake Forest University School of Business
- MA, Cultural Anthropology and East Asian Studies – University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Author – Kick Some Glass: Ten Ways Women Succeed at Work on Their Own Terms
- TEDx Speaker and featured keynote for ANA, Walmart, Johns Hopkins, and more
How She Works with Clients
Portia brings a structured yet energetic approach to every engagement. She begins by helping clients define the true business problem behind their marketing challenges, then aligns strategy, team resources, and execution for rapid impact. CEOs hire her when they need to pivot, unlock new markets, or improve alignment between marketing, product, and sales.
Known for her clarity, creativity, and strong leadership presence, Portia also brings a unique edge as an executive coach. She knows how to build marketing functions that deliver both performance and purpose, while fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration. For Charlotte-based companies looking to scale intelligently and shake up the status quo, Portia Mount is a standout choice.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/portiamount
7. Jamey Barlow
Jamey Barlow is a Charlotte-based fractional CMO with deep specialization in search engine optimization, growth marketing, and digital strategy. With over 15 years of experience leading SEO and performance teams at companies like Red Ventures and Pillar4 Media, Jamey brings a sharp, analytical approach to building and scaling organic growth engines. Today, through his firm Barlow Media and his leadership at UpRight Growth Company, he partners with startups and mid-market brands to drive traffic, improve conversion rates, and build resilient marketing ecosystems.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Jamey has built and led high-performance marketing teams across both media and commerce platforms. At Red Ventures, he was VP of SEO, overseeing strategy for household brands like CNET and NextAdvisor. He later joined Pillar4 Media to drive content quality, AI innovation, and PR strategy, ultimately helping the company scale authority-driven domains in competitive verticals. His ability to blend technical SEO with CRO, internal site search, and paid media makes him a go-to resource for businesses looking to build sustainable, search-led marketing pipelines.
As a fractional CMO, Jamey helps clients clarify their marketing vision and execute high-impact strategies across acquisition, content, and digital infrastructure. His engagements often lead to measurable lifts in qualified traffic, revenue per session, and long-term marketing ROI.
Industry Specialization
- B2C and B2B2C SaaS: Organic and paid search strategy, CRO, and funnel optimization
- Media and Publishing: Scalable SEO playbooks, editorial quality systems, and authority-building
- Healthcare and Wellness: Technical audits, AI-driven content, and regulatory-aware content strategies
Education and Thought Leadership
- Business – University of Virginia
- English and Philosophy – George Mason University
- Certification – Applied Generative AI for Digital Transformation, MIT Professional Education
- Advisor – 1455 Literary Arts, former president of Carolina BrewMasters
How He Works with Clients
Jamey is known for his methodical approach, technical fluency, and results-first mindset. He works directly with founders, product teams, and marketing leads to diagnose bottlenecks, design SEO-led growth systems, and implement strategies that compound over time. Whether your goal is to outrank competitors, prepare for M&A, or rebuild your content and conversion infrastructure from the ground up, Jamey brings both strategic clarity and tactical precision.
With experience scaling both media properties and growth-stage brands, Jamey helps clients compete where it matters most: in search visibility, authority, and brand trust. For Charlotte companies seeking a data-smart marketing partner who understands both code and content, Jamey Barlow stands out as a strategic asset.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jamey-barlow-3940194
8. Sarah Sanguinetti
Sarah Sanguinetti is a Charlotte-based fractional CMO and founding partner at Emphasis Media, where she leads high-impact marketing and communications initiatives for healthcare organizations and digital health startups. With over 12 years of experience in the healthcare space, she specializes in developing scalable, omni-channel strategies that align brand, messaging, and growth goals for mission-driven companies.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Sarah has built a reputation as a trusted marketing advisor to both early-stage startups and well-established healthcare organizations. Her client list includes Blue Shield of California, Humana, Cedar, Elation Health, and Manifest MedEx, among others. She brings a strategic mindset to every engagement, helping brands move from vision to execution with measurable results.
Through her work at Emphasis Media and All Talk LLC, Sarah helps clients define their brand identity, structure their marketing roadmap, and deliver results across content, PR, and digital strategy. She is especially known for her ability to guide clients through moments of transformation, whether it’s launching a new product, rebranding, or scaling a marketing function from scratch. Her background also includes field marketing roles in biotech and leadership positions at growth-stage companies, where she drove integrated campaigns, developed content ecosystems, and increased engagement across both internal and external channels.
Industry Specialization
- Healthcare and Digital Health: Strategic marketing, brand positioning, and stakeholder communication
- Health Tech Startups: Go-to-market planning, early-stage brand development, and investor communications
- Nonprofits and Advocacy Groups: Message alignment, PR strategy, and multi-stakeholder engagement
Education and Certifications
- MBA, Marketing and Healthcare Management – East Carolina University
- BS, Business Management – University of Hartford (Top 10 percent of class, Beta Gamma Sigma)
- Certified in Universal Analytics – Google
How She Works with Clients
Sarah is known for her strategic clarity, calm leadership, and ability to simplify complex challenges. She works closely with executive teams, founders, and cross-functional stakeholders to build customized marketing strategies that support long-term business goals. Her focus on trust, transparency, and execution makes her a reliable partner during critical growth phases.
Clients value Sarah’s ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on support. Whether managing a full brand refresh or optimizing internal communications for a growing team, she leads with empathy and a results-first approach. For Charlotte healthcare organizations looking to modernize their marketing or establish a strong voice in a crowded space, Sarah Sanguinetti offers deep industry insight and proven leadership.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-sanguinetti
9. Francesca Kelly-Kimbell
Francesca Kelly-Kimbell is a seasoned fractional CMO with over 20 years of experience helping fast-growing startups and global brands achieve business growth through unified marketing and communication strategies. Based in Charlotte, she specializes in aligning marketing, PR, and sales to drive measurable impact across brand visibility, stakeholder engagement, and executive positioning.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Francesca started her career at Dell and went on to lead business development and marketing strategy at award-winning creative and tech agencies. She has worked with major global brands such as Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Samsung across both EMEA and North America. Her expertise lies in crafting strategies that increase brand credibility, deepen stakeholder relationships, and raise executive visibility.
As a fractional leader and advisor, Francesca partners with C-suite teams to align revenue-generating functions and streamline messaging. She is particularly skilled at integrating marketing and sales to craft compelling pitches and activate growth programs. Her recent focus includes helping businesses strengthen their reputation through targeted communications, thought leadership, and media outreach.
Industry Specialization
- B2B and Enterprise Tech: Go-to-market execution, sales enablement, and brand positioning
- Creative and Agency Partnerships: Growth programs that link marketing strategy to business development
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Aligning PR, marketing, and executive comms under one strategy
Education
- Business, Management, Marketing – University of Surrey
How She Works with Clients
Francesca is known for her ability to unite siloed teams and deliver strategic cohesion across an organization. Whether working on a full marketing roadmap or crafting stakeholder engagement strategies, she adapts to each company’s structure while staying focused on commercial outcomes.
Her style is collaborative and efficient, making her a valuable resource for businesses seeking short- to mid-term leadership support. With her dual base in London and the East Coast, Francesca brings a global mindset to regional growth strategies, making her an ideal fractional partner for Charlotte businesses with ambitious goals.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/francescakelly
10. Shannon Gierhart
Shannon Gierhart is a Charlotte-based fractional CMO and founder of Signal Theory Strategies, where she advises growth-stage and mission-driven companies through complex brand and communication challenges. With a background in psychology and over 15 years of experience leading marketing and communications at regional, national, and Fortune 500 levels, Shannon brings behavioral insight and system-wide thinking to every engagement.
Proven Expertise in Marketing Leadership
Shannon has led marketing, communications, and brand strategy for organizations navigating public scrutiny, regulatory shifts, and high-stakes stakeholder dynamics. At LHC Group, she helped scale revenue from $330M to over $2B, guiding brand integration across more than 350 service lines during a period of aggressive growth and acquisitions. At One Acadiana, she helped secure $455M in investment through narrative-driven campaigns tied to economic development and capital strategy.
As a fractional CMO, Shannon partners directly with executive teams to align brand, marketing, and communications with business outcomes. She has supported a $12M Series B fundraise through strategic narrative development and led rebrands for organizations facing growth, regulation, and stakeholder complexity. Her clarity-first approach turns fragmented marketing operations into focused engines that deliver both traction and scale.
Industry Specialization
- Healthcare and Health Tech: Deep expertise in regulated industries, multi-brand integration, and policy-aware communication
- Public and Private Sector Alignment: Economic development, community engagement, and investment narrative strategy
- Growth-Stage Startups: Messaging frameworks, pitch strategy, and marketing infrastructure for scale
Education and Certifications
- BS, Applied Psychology – Christian Brothers University
- Leadership Development Program – Center for Creative Leadership
- Google Analytics Individual Qualification – Google
How She Works with Clients
Shannon is known for her direct, strategic, and empathetic approach. She blends behavioral psychology with clear brand architecture to help leadership teams define what they stand for, why it matters, and how to execute across channels. Her work bridges marketing, communications, and reputation into a single, focused strategy that supports sustainable growth.
She is also the author of The Signal Theory, a newsletter exploring the behavioral forces that shape modern branding and consumer perception. For Charlotte companies operating in complex industries or looking to transform siloed marketing into a unified growth function, Shannon brings rigor, focus, and results.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shannongierhart
How Fractional CMOs Help Charlotte Businesses Grow
Charlotte is growing fast. From startups and tech companies to small businesses and established brands, marketing is more important than ever. But not every business can afford or even needs a full-time CMO. That’s where fractional CMOs come in. Here’s why they’re a great fit for businesses in Charlotte:
1. Cost-Effective Leadership
Hiring a full-time CMO can easily cost six figures. With a fractional CMO, you only pay for the time and expertise you need. It’s a smart option for businesses that want strategic leadership without the full-time salary.
2. Fast Growth Support
Charlotte’s business scene moves quickly. Fractional CMOs can jump in fast, assess your marketing situation, and start making improvements right away. There’s no long onboarding process or training period.
3. Local Market Knowledge
Many fractional CMOs in Charlotte understand the local market, customer behavior, and regional trends. That means they can create strategies that actually work for this area, not just cookie-cutter ideas pulled from somewhere else.
4. Flexibility as You Scale
As your business grows, your needs change. A fractional CMO can adjust their involvement—more hours during a big campaign, fewer when things slow down. That kind of flexibility is tough to find with a full-time exec.
5. Access to Broad Experience
Most fractional CMOs have worked with a range of industries and companies. They bring fresh ideas and proven strategies to the table, which is especially helpful for businesses trying to stand out in a competitive market like Charlotte.
How to Choose the Right Fractional CMO
Picking the right fractional CMO isn’t just about credentials, it’s about finding someone who fits your business, your goals, and your way of working. Here’s what to look for when making your decision:
Look for Industry Experience
You want someone who understands your type of business. A CMO with experience in your industry will get up to speed faster and offer strategies that are actually relevant. Ask about past clients and case studies.
Check Their Track Record
What kind of results have they delivered before? A good fractional CMO should be able to show clear outcomes, like increased revenue, improved lead generation, or stronger brand positioning. Don’t be afraid to ask for specifics.
Make Sure They Fit Your Culture
Even if they’re part-time, your CMO needs to mesh with your team. Look for someone who aligns with your company’s values, communicates clearly, and feels like a natural fit with your people.
Understand Their Process
Ask how they typically work with clients. Do they come in with a clear plan? How often will they meet with your team? What do they expect from you? The more aligned you are upfront, the smoother things will go.
Look for Strategic Thinking and Execution
A great fractional CMO isn’t just a planner, they’re a doer. They should be able to create a strong marketing strategy and also guide your team on how to put it into action. Look for a balance of big-picture thinking and hands-on support.
Ask About Flexibility
Your needs may change over time. A good fractional CMO will be able to scale their hours up or down depending on what’s going on in your business. Be clear about your expectations and make sure they can adjust as needed.
Conclusion
Hiring a fractional CMO is one of the smartest moves a growing business in Charlotte can make. Whether you’re a founder looking to scale, a team needing strategic alignment, or a brand navigating a crowded market, a fractional CMO gives you executive-level leadership without the full-time cost.
Charlotte’s top fractional CMOs bring serious expertise in industries like healthcare, tech, B2B, and beyond. They know how to build marketing systems that drive results, not just reports.
FAQ
A fractional CMO is a part-time or contract-based Chief Marketing Officer who offers strategic leadership and execution without the commitment or cost of a full-time hire. They’re ideal for companies that need senior-level marketing expertise but don’t require it 40 hours a week.
Charlotte is a rapidly growing business hub with a mix of startups and established companies. A fractional CMO can help local businesses compete by offering market-savvy strategies, growth planning, and execution tailored to Charlotte’s evolving landscape.
If your business is growing, launching new products, struggling to align marketing and sales, or needs a clear go-to-market strategy, it’s probably time. A fractional CMO helps build the structure and clarity needed to scale efficiently.
Many specialize in healthcare, SaaS, ecommerce, fintech, and B2B services, but the right CMO will tailor their strategy to your unique business goals, regardless of industry.
