If you’re a business owner in Jacksonville trying to grow without blowing your budget, hiring a fractional CMO might be exactly what you need. These part-time marketing leaders can give your business the strategy and direction of a full-time executive without the big salary price tag. In this article, we’ll break down what a fractional CMO is, introduce you to some of Jacksonville’s top experts, and help you figure out which one might be the best fit for your business.
What Is a Fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO is basically a part-time Chief Marketing Officer. Instead of hiring a full-time executive, you bring in a seasoned marketing pro on a flexible, part-time basis. This person takes on the same high-level responsibilities as a full-time CMO but works with your business only as much as you need them.
Think of it like this: you get expert-level marketing leadership without the full-time cost.
Here’s what a fractional CMO typically does:
- Creates a clear marketing strategy that matches your business goals
- Oversees your marketing team or external partners
- Helps with branding, positioning, and messaging
- Plans and manages digital and traditional campaigns
- Tracks results and makes data-driven improvements
- Aligns marketing with sales to drive real growth
They’re especially helpful for small to mid-sized businesses that aren’t ready for a full-time executive but still need strong marketing leadership. Whether you’re launching a new product, rebranding, or just trying to get more out of your marketing budget, a fractional CMO can step in and lead the way.
In short, they help you grow smarter without stretching your resources too thin.
NUOPTIMA’s C-Suite Connect: Strategic Marketing Support for Jacksonville Businesses
At NUOPTIMA, we’re redefining how Jacksonville-based businesses access world-class marketing leadership through our C-Suite Connect platform. Founded by Alexej Pikovsky, C-Suite Connect specializes in connecting founder-led companies with rigorously vetted fractional CMOs who drive results through strategic, data-backed marketing.
Every CMO in our network is handpicked through a thorough, multi-step evaluation process personally overseen by Alexej. We go beyond resumes to ensure each expert can deliver real, measurable impact. Here’s what our selection process includes:
- Proven Track Record: Verified history of marketing success across industries
- Strategic Planning Test: Demonstrates expertise in marketing strategy and execution
- In-Depth References: Real feedback from past clients and partners
- Culture Fit Interview: Ensures alignment with your company’s mission and team dynamic
- Paid Trial Sprint: A short project to confirm results in real time
Only the most skilled and adaptable CMOs join our network, ready to help your business grow smarter and faster.
Why Jacksonville Businesses Choose NUOPTIMA’s C-Suite Connect:
- Strategy and Execution in One: Our CMOs bring the perfect mix of vision and hands-on action
- Local Insight, Broad Experience: While our network is national, we understand what works in Jacksonville’s competitive market
- Fast, Precise Matches: Get paired with a top-tier CMO within 7–10 days
- Founder-Focused Approach: Every placement is reviewed by Alexej to ensure it fits your business goals and team culture
With NUOPTIMA’s C-Suite Connect you get a growth partner who knows how to scale your business using smart strategy, strong leadership, and a deep understanding of your market.
Top Fractional CMOs for Jacksonville Businesses
1. Jason Coots
With over 15 years of marketing leadership, Jason Coots stands out as a strategic and innovative fractional CMO specializing in fintech and consumer finance. Currently leading marketing at Battle Bank and serving as a Fractional CMO at Steal Marketing Consulting Group, Jason brings deep industry experience, proven results, and a bold approach to brand building and digital strategy.
Industry Expertise and Focus Areas
Jason has built his career around helping financial service companies navigate growth and competition. His core strengths include:
- Fintech Innovation: Developed go-to-market strategies for new financial products including precious metals accounts and global currency solutions
- Digital Marketing Strategy: Expert in lead generation, conversion optimization, and multi-channel campaign management
- Sales Enablement: Aligns marketing with sales goals to drive measurable revenue outcomes
- Brand Development: Built the Battle Bank brand from the ground up
Career Highlights
- Led marketing at Battle Bank
- Served as Fractional CMO for top financial firms, delivering digital strategy, lead generation, and sales enablement
- Drove $2B+ in annual retail mortgage originations at EverBank and elevated brand visibility through major sponsorships
- Played a central role in transforming legacy banking brands with fresh digital marketing and customer-focused positioning
Education
- B.A. in Corporate Communication, Avila University. Jason was highly active during his studies, serving as editor of the student newspaper, playing for the baseball team, and helping found a fraternity chapter.
How Jason Works
Jason combines long-term strategic thinking with hands-on execution. He’s a marketing leader who thrives in fast-moving environments and knows how to align marketing with business goals. Whether launching new brands or elevating established ones, Jason focuses on:
- Data-backed decision-making
- Clear communication across teams
- Tailored solutions for financial services and fintech companies
- Driving results that impact both the top and bottom line
With roots in Jacksonville and a track record of high-impact campaigns, Jason is a go-to fractional CMO for financial brands looking to scale smart.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncoots
2. Michael Barile
Michael Barile brings over two decades of experience as a marketing communications strategist and fractional CMO. Based in Jacksonville, he leads elvacomm, a marketing consultancy known for delivering brand clarity, award-winning creative, and high-performance campaigns. With a proven track record working with brands like Coca-Cola, ALLTEL, Lockheed-Martin, and JAXPORT, Michael helps businesses stand out through powerful storytelling and thoughtful execution.
Industry Expertise and Focus Areas
Michael blends classic branding principles with modern digital tactics, making him a valuable partner for companies across logistics, finance, education, and B2B services. His specialties include:
- Brand Strategy: Corporate identity development, naming, and messaging alignment
- Marketing Communications: Multimedia campaigns, content creation, and integrated messaging
- Creative Direction: Leading award-winning teams with a focus on high-impact visuals and storytelling
- Digital Integration: Combining traditional and online channels for timely, targeted marketing
Career Highlights
- Led brand and creative strategy at elvacomm, working with clients across logistics, energy, healthcare, and telecom
- Won multiple regional Emmy Awards for multimedia marketing campaigns
- Served as a marketing executive at leading agencies and firms across Jacksonville
- Rebranded and repositioned companies to improve visibility, customer engagement, and growth
- Launched campaigns for high-profile clients including Coca-Cola Powerade, Verizon, Jacksonville University, and Lockheed-Martin
Education
- B.S. in Telecommunications, Journalism/Marketing, University of Florida. Michael’s early career included media and communications roles at WRUF-FM and the Florida Museum of Natural History, giving him a strong foundation in storytelling and audience engagement.
How Michael Works
Michael takes a strategy-first approach. He begins by deeply understanding a company’s goals, audience, and competitive landscape, then crafts communications that connect at every touchpoint. He’s known for:
- Balancing bold creative with business practicality
- Supporting in-house teams or managing full brand campaigns end-to-end
- Providing hands-on leadership across planning, execution, and performance analysis
- Bringing deep local market knowledge to Jacksonville-based businesses
Whether you need a complete brand overhaul, sharper messaging, or stronger campaigns, Michael Barile brings the vision, experience, and execution needed to elevate your marketing.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/barile11
3. Noel Wurst
Noel Wurst is a seasoned marketing leader and storyteller with more than a decade of experience across tech, nonprofit, and public sector organizations. Based in Jacksonville, he serves as a fractional CMO for DEODATE, where he leads brand, PR, and marketing strategy for clients with complex, mission-driven goals. In parallel, he is the Senior Director of Corporate Communications & Storytelling at SmartBear, a global software company.
Industry Expertise and Focus Areas
Noel’s ability to translate complex messages into clear, emotionally resonant narratives makes him a standout in industries that demand both clarity and connection. His specialties include:
- Brand Strategy: Creating messaging frameworks and story-driven brand platforms
- Marketing Communications: Aligning internal and external messaging with business objectives
- Creative Direction: Crafting high-impact content and integrated campaigns for broad audiences
- Public Relations & Influence: Building thought leadership and managing executive visibility
Career Highlights
- Leads PR and marketing for DEODATE, serving public, private, and nonprofit clients
- Heads global storytelling at SmartBear, aligning brand narratives with strategic goals
- Served in communications leadership roles at Tricentis and Skytap, managing messaging and media strategy
- Published writer and speaker on topics like marketing psychology, software testing, and leadership
- Created content strategies that have gained industry attention and viral engagement, including coverage in DevOps Digest and Retail Today
Education
- B.A. in English, College of Charleston. Noel’s foundation in literature and writing shapes his people-first marketing style. His academic background supports his deep understanding of audience perception, tone, and voice.
How Noel Works
Noel approaches marketing as storytelling with a purpose. He helps brands shape clear, compelling narratives that align with their mission and resonate with real people. He’s known for:
- Developing empathetic messaging that moves beyond traditional personas
- Integrating brand storytelling across marketing, PR, and executive communication
- Building long-term strategies that serve both awareness and trust
- Bringing creative leadership rooted in authenticity, purpose, and audience connection
From mission-driven startups to mature enterprise brands, Noel Wurst helps teams find their voice, share it clearly, and build lasting relationships with the audiences that matter most.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/noelwurst
4. Kenny Harper
Kenny Harper is a dynamic marketing advisor and fractional CMO who helps business advisors and entrepreneurs simplify, scale, and systematize growth. Based in Jacksonville, Kenny draws from over 14 years of experience as a strategist, author, podcast host, and trainer. He currently works with clients through Growth Amplifiers, where he implements performance frameworks that create predictable, sustainable revenue.
Industry Expertise and Focus Areas
Kenny brings a unique mix of creative insight and performance-driven strategy. He works closely with business advisors, professional service firms, and growth-minded entrepreneurs to optimize marketing and sales systems. His specialties include:
- Revenue Strategy: Identifying scalable models and implementing high-impact lead generation tactics
- Marketing Automation: Building campaigns that nurture, convert, and retain ideal clients
- Brand Positioning: Helping businesses differentiate through clear messaging and bold positioning
- Team Enablement: Providing tools and coaching to drive team alignment and client results
Career Highlights
- Founder and principal strategist at Growth Amplifiers, a business coaching and marketing advisory firm
- Certified DigitalMarketer Trainer and Partner, teaching scalable marketing systems to global audiences
- Creator of the Growth Triad method, used to simplify and amplify marketing outcomes for B2B clients
- Host of the Growth Amplifiers podcast and co-author of Amplify Your Business
- Trained hundreds of entrepreneurs and agency owners across the U.S. through workshops, keynotes, and coaching
Education
- B.F.A. in Multimedia/Graphic Design, University of North Florida. Kenny’s creative roots in branding and design continue to inform his client-centric approach to visual storytelling and message clarity.
How Kenny Works
Kenny believes growth should be strategic, repeatable, and aligned with your business values. He partners with founders and teams to remove guesswork and build systems that consistently deliver results. He’s known for:
- Turning vision into step-by-step execution plans
- Teaching frameworks that reduce stress while increasing clarity and profit
- Bringing practical, tested solutions to sales, marketing, and service delivery
- Supporting advisors, coaches, and consultants with a focus on long-term growth
Kenny Harper is an ideal partner for advisors and service firms ready to break through bottlenecks and grow with intention.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kennyharper
5. Pete Joca
Pete Joca is a seasoned strategic advisor and fractional COO/CMO with a track record of helping startups and established businesses navigate growth, market expansion, and operational alignment. Based in Jacksonville, Pete brings over two decades of experience across CPG, marketing services, and technology, blending executive leadership with hands-on execution for brands entering or scaling in competitive markets.
Industry Expertise and Focus Areas
Pete partners with companies at critical inflection points, offering clarity, structure, and market insight. His specialties include:
- Go-to-Market Strategy: Building launch frameworks and execution plans to enter new categories and channels
- Brand Messaging & Positioning: Defining compelling value propositions and marketing narratives
- Financial Modeling: Creating forecasts and proformas to support investment and product development
- Operational Strategy: Aligning teams, tools, and tactics to support sustainable growth
Career Highlights
- Fractional COO/CMO at Wild Coffee Marketing, guiding strategy and market research for national clients
- Co-founded GTM Distribution Services, leading business development and retail strategy in the C-store channel
- Launched functional beverage brands through Natural Beverage Group, from product development to brand identity
- Strategic consultant to companies across apparel, home décor, and ecommerce through Over The Horizon
- VP of Commercial Growth at 22nd Century Group, where he built go-to-market models for new product technologies
Education
- MBA, International Business – Pepperdine Graziadio Business School
- Graduate Study Abroad – Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (Chile)
Pete’s educational background reflects his global mindset and his ability to adapt growth strategies across international markets and business models.
How Pete Works
Pete Joca brings a hybrid mindset to fractional leadership, combining strategic foresight with real-world execution. He’s known for:
- Helping early-stage companies define business models and scale responsibly
- Collaborating closely with founders to align vision, messaging, and delivery
- Building cross-functional roadmaps that connect product, marketing, and sales
- Supporting market entry and growth for consumer brands in emerging segments
Whether he’s refining your GTM approach or leading your team through a new phase of expansion, Pete provides structure, insight, and executional strength.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/pete-joca-b5008621
6. Jonathan Greene
Jonathan Greene is a high-impact fractional CMO and growth strategist with a strong foundation in digital marketing, operational leadership, and performance optimization. With a background spanning B2B, B2C, and education sectors, Jonathan helps companies build systems that scale, teams that deliver, and campaigns that convert. He currently serves as CMO at AdsDominance, where he supports agency owners and brand leaders with demand generation and marketing innovation.
Industry Expertise and Focus Areas
Jonathan brings a technical and strategic lens to modern marketing, leveraging extensive hands-on experience managing millions in paid media spend. His core strengths include:
- Demand Generation: Performance marketing, funnel optimization, and data-driven lead generation
- Media Strategy & Training: Built frameworks for elite media buyers covering avatar research, empathy mapping, and analytics
- Agency Growth Enablement: Creator of Tiger MOS, a marketing operating system for scaling agencies
- Conversion Copywriting: Developed his own “Conversion Heuristic” methodology for high-performing creative
- B2B SaaS & Digital Products: Specializes in client acquisition strategies, outbound enablement, and value proposition development
Career Highlights
- Fractional CMO at AdsDominance, where he supports multi-client agencies and high-growth digital teams
- Led marketing strategy at Scribe and Hemon Media Group, managing millions in monthly ad spend
- Trained media buyers and led curriculum development at HemonX, a leading performance marketing academy
- Authored Copy Savant and other publications on conversion marketing and digital strategy
- Creator of the Tiger MOS platform to help agencies scale operationally with improved margins
Education
- MBA, Finance – University of North Florida, College of Business Administration
- A.A.S., Criminal Justice – Community College of the Air Force
- Certified Email Marketing Specialist and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, combining marketing expertise with process efficiency
How Jonathan Works
Jonathan thrives in complex environments where rapid iteration, strong systems, and outcome-driven execution are essential. His approach emphasizes:
- Coaching teams to outperform benchmarks through clarity, motivation, and structure
- Building frameworks for scalable operations in media buying, creative, and lead nurturing
- Partnering with founders to align GTM strategies with revenue objectives
- Balancing tactical speed with strategic focus, from paid media to conversion copy
Whether you’re scaling a marketing agency, launching a new brand, or rebuilding a digital funnel, Jonathan Greene brings the performance mindset and leadership rigor to help you break through.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/greenejc
Why More Jacksonville Businesses Are Choosing Fractional CMOs
1. Save Money Without Sacrificing Strategy
Hiring a full-time executive can be expensive. With a fractional CMO, you get high-level strategy and leadership without the full-time salary, benefits, or overhead. It’s a smart way to stretch your marketing budget.
2. Work With Someone Who Can Hit the Ground Running
Fractional CMOs are used to jumping into new businesses and getting up to speed fast. They’ll assess what’s working, what’s not, and help you create a solid plan forward, without wasting time.
3. Get an Outside Perspective
Sometimes you’re too close to your own business to see what’s missing. A fractional CMO brings in fresh eyes and proven experience from working with other companies. They’ll spot opportunities and challenges you might not have considered.
4. Scale Your Marketing Up or Down
Need more support during a product launch or a rebrand? Or maybe you just want monthly strategic guidance? A fractional CMO gives you the flexibility to get exactly what you need, when you need it.
5. Build a Stronger, More Focused Team
A good fractional CMO can help organize your current marketing efforts, guide your team, and even help you hire the right people for long-term growth. They’re not just thinkers, they’re doers.
6. Tap Into Local Expertise in Jacksonville
If your fractional CMO knows the Jacksonville area, that’s a bonus. They’ll understand the local market, customer behavior, and how to stand out in a competitive space.
How to Choose the Best Fractional CMO for Your Business
Picking the right fractional CMO is a big decision. This person will be steering your marketing strategy, so you want someone who truly gets your business, goals, and values. Here’s how to make sure you find the right fit.
Know Your Goals First
Before you even start searching, take a step back and figure out what you actually need. Are you trying to boost brand awareness? Launch a new product? Fix underperforming marketing efforts? Knowing your goals will help you find a CMO with the right skills and focus.
Look for Industry Experience
Not every marketing expert is a fit for every business. If you’re in real estate, healthcare, tech, or local services, find someone who’s worked in that space before. Industry experience means they’ll already understand your market, customers, and common challenges.
Ask About Their Strategy Style
Some CMOs are all about the big picture, while others love digging into the day-to-day details. Some are data-driven, others lean on creativity. Think about what style fits your team best, and don’t be afraid to ask them how they like to work during the first call.
Check Their Communication Skills
A great CMO knows how to explain things clearly, listen to your concerns, and keep everyone on the same page. You don’t want someone who talks in marketing buzzwords you don’t understand. You want someone who can translate strategy into real, actionable plans.
Review Past Work and Results
Ask for case studies, client references, or examples of previous campaigns. What kinds of results did they help achieve? How did they improve strategy or grow the business? This is where you separate flashy talkers from proven performers.
Make Sure They’re a Culture Fit
This one’s easy to overlook. A CMO might look great on paper but feel out of sync with your team. Choose someone who fits your company vibe, whether that’s laid-back and creative or fast-paced and highly structured.
Test the Waters First
Most fractional CMOs offer project-based work or short-term contracts. Start with something small. See how they perform, how your team responds, and how well they deliver results. You can always expand the relationship later.
Conclusion
Fractional CMOs are proving to be an invaluable resource for Jacksonville businesses looking to scale without the overhead of a full-time executive. These experienced marketing leaders bring fresh strategy, proven systems, and executional strength to companies that need results now. Whether you’re rethinking your brand, launching a new product, or simply trying to generate more qualified leads, working with a seasoned fractional CMO can be the catalyst for real, measurable growth.
Jacksonville’s best fractional CMO experts understand the local market, bring national experience, and know how to deliver without unnecessary fluff. For companies in sectors like logistics, tech, education, healthcare, or professional services, the right marketing leadership can make all the difference.
FAQ
A fractional CMO is a part-time or contract-based Chief Marketing Officer who provides executive-level marketing leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. They typically work with several companies at once and focus on strategic planning, campaign execution, and team leadership.
Hiring a fractional CMO is ideal for businesses that need high-level marketing expertise but aren’t ready for the expense or commitment of a full-time executive. It’s a flexible, cost-effective option that brings immediate value.
Small to mid-sized businesses, startups, and growing firms benefit the most, especially those in competitive industries like SaaS, logistics, healthcare, and professional services. Companies undergoing growth, repositioning, or product launches often rely on fractional CMOs to guide strategy.
Look for someone with relevant industry experience, a strong track record of results, and the ability to collaborate with your internal team. Chemistry matters too, your fractional CMO should align with your company’s values and pace.
Most fractional CMOs do both. They offer strategic direction and often lead in-house or outsourced marketing teams to execute campaigns, optimize performance, and drive measurable outcomes.
