Hiring a full-time Chief Marketing Officer isn’t always in the cards, especially for smaller financial firms or growing startups. That’s where a fractional CMO can be a game changer. These experienced marketing leaders work part-time or on a contract basis, giving you top-level strategy without the full-time cost. Let’s break down what they do, why they’re a great fit for financial services, and how to find the right one for your team.
What is a Fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO is a marketing leader who works with your company part-time or on a short-term basis. They bring the same expertise and strategic thinking as a full-time Chief Marketing Officer, but you only pay for what you need.
Think of it like hiring a top-level CMO without committing to a full-time salary, benefits, or long onboarding. They usually work with growing businesses that need expert marketing direction but aren’t quite ready to build a big in-house team.
Here’s what a fractional CMO typically helps with:
- Building a marketing strategy that actually works
- Leading and mentoring your existing marketing team
- Improving brand visibility and positioning
- Creating systems to track marketing ROI
- Aligning marketing with sales and business goals
In short, they act as your head of marketing but on a flexible schedule that fits your budget and needs. This setup is especially popular in industries like financial services, where smart strategy matters and regulations add an extra layer of complexity.
NUOPTIMA: How We Match You with the Right CMO
At NUOPTIMA, we connect businesses with pre-vetted, fractional C-level experts through our service, C-Suite Connect. Founded by Alexej Pikovsky, we’ve built a strong network of CMOs who bring real-world experience and proven results, especially for DTC brands and founder-led teams.
Every CMO we work with goes through a vetting process that we personally oversee. To join our bench, a CMO must have scaled a seven-to-nine-figure business and passed a five-part evaluation designed to test both strategic thinking and execution.
Here’s what that process looks like:
- Background check: We verify a solid track record.
- Modelling exam: We assess how they think through problems and work with data.
- Reference calls: We speak directly with past clients or collaborators.
- Culture fit interview: We check for alignment with your brand’s values and working style.
- Paid trial sprint: We test real-world performance in a short engagement.
Only those who pass all five stages make it into our network.
What makes us different:
- Strategy + Execution: Our CMOs don’t just advise, they build and deliver.
- Finance-first: Every CMO in our network has deep experience in financial services, including wealth management, fintech, insurance, and lending. They understand compliance, trust-building, and how to market within a regulated space.
- Speed: Most matches are made within 7–10 days.
- Founder alignment: Every placement is reviewed by Alexej to ensure the right fit.
With C-Suite Connect, our goal is to give businesses like yours access to marketing leadership that’s not only experienced, but also ready to jump in, work alongside your team, and drive measurable growth.
Top Fractional CMOs for Financial Services
1. Cameron Roberts
Cameron Roberts brings more than three decades of hands-on experience in marketing, business development, and strategic growth. With over $450 million in client revenue attributed to his work, he has a proven track record across a wide range of industries, including financial services, property, legal, education, MedTech, and ecommerce.
As the founder of Bubblegum Marketing and a long-time director at C.A.M. Roberts Enterprises, Cameron has worked with hundreds of mid-market brands and SMEs. His background includes running brick-and-mortar businesses with sizable teams, as well as scaling online ventures. This mix gives him a deep understanding of both traditional business operations and digital-first strategies.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Cameron positions himself as a 100% full-stack marketer, which means he doesn’t just focus on one channel or one piece of the puzzle. His expertise covers:
- Funnel strategy and lead generation
- Paid advertising and programmatic media
- Marketing automation tools (Keap, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign)
- Sales conversion strategy
- Omnichannel marketing across ecommerce and service sectors
In financial services, Cameron has helped firms close multi-million-dollar deals in weeks, not months, with one campaign generating $5 million in loans within 28 days. This ability to design, implement, and optimize funnels in tightly regulated industries sets him apart.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Cameron’s style is practical and execution-focused. He doesn’t deliver strategy and walk away — he gets involved in building systems that scale. His clients, from mortgage brokers to investment educators, have seen fast, measurable results through campaigns tailored to their industry.
He’s also deeply data-driven, combining performance insights with message-market fit to refine every part of the customer journey, a must for financial services, where trust and accuracy are non-negotiable.
Credentials and Recognition
- Certified Business Advisor
- Diploma in Front Line Management
- Multiple Business of the Year Awards
- 30+ years in sales and marketing
He’s also received consistent five-star client reviews for his strategic thinking, execution, and ability to deliver results on tight timelines.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camjroberts
- Location: Mons, Queensland, Australia
2. Ghayath Sioufi
Ghayath Sioufi is a seasoned marketing and business leader with over two decades of experience across the MENA region. He has held C-level roles in healthcare, telecom, education, technology, and financial services, and currently leads CAP.G Ventures, a multi-service growth firm based in Dubai. His work focuses on aligning marketing strategy with business outcomes, especially in fast-evolving and complex industries where digital transformation is no longer optional.
Over the years, Ghayath has worked with startups, scale-ups, and legacy organisations to help them navigate market shifts, adopt new technologies, and implement marketing systems that deliver measurable results. His expertise spans both executive strategy and hands-on implementation — making him an ideal fit for founder-led businesses and financial firms looking to scale without adding unnecessary overhead.
Expertise That Spans Strategic and Digital Marketing
Ghayath’s approach to marketing is both insight-led and execution-driven. He specialises in:
- Revenue-focused marketing strategy
- Go-to-market and product launch planning
- Omnichannel marketing across digital, offline, and hybrid environments
- Marketing system design and operational scaling
- Generative AI for marketing and business transformation
In the financial services sector, Ghayath helps firms modernise their marketing operations, improve cost-efficiency, and build systems that attract, convert, and retain the right customers, while maintaining full alignment with compliance and trust-building standards.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Ghayath is known for his pragmatic, no-fluff approach. He works closely with founders, CEOs, and executive teams to identify what’s blocking growth and builds the infrastructure needed to solve it. His work often includes restructuring marketing teams, mapping new GTM strategies, integrating AI tools for smarter decision-making, and supporting leadership through periods of change.
For financial services businesses, this means having a partner who not only understands the regulatory landscape but also knows how to build scalable systems that drive commercial results. His focus on alignment between marketing, product, and operations is particularly valuable in high-stakes, performance-sensitive industries.
Credentials and Recognition
- Certification in The Business of AI: Strategies for Leaders from London Business School
- Member of The Marketing Society and CMOx (Fractional CMO network)
- Lean Six Sigma practitioner
- Executive advisor and board member for multiple growth-stage companies
Across all his work, Ghayath is committed to transforming marketing from a cost center into a true growth engine, built on clarity, agility, and results.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gsioufi
- Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
3. Lori Cohen
Lori Cohen is a seasoned marketing leader with more than 20 years of experience in brand development, demand generation, and go-to-market strategy. She started her career as a business journalist, earning prestigious awards like a National Emmy and Peabody, before pivoting into tech and SaaS marketing. Her experience spans early-stage startups to enterprise software firms, with deep work in financial services, healthcare, security, and ecommerce.
As a fractional CMO and founder of BlueSky Branding, Lori has supported companies through critical growth phases: from defining their brand voice to launching scalable customer acquisition programs. She’s worked with teams across the US and internationally, with a hands-on style that combines creative storytelling with rigorous demand strategy.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Lori brings a comprehensive view of the marketing funnel and knows how to turn positioning into pipeline. Her skill set includes:
- Brand strategy, positioning, messaging, and naming
- Full-funnel demand generation, including SEO, SEM, ABM, content, and digital
- Marketing automation and operations
- Go-to-market planning and execution
- Leadership development and team building
She’s also a strong advocate for aligning marketing and sales, ensuring both teams are focused on the same goals and equipped with the tools and insights to drive growth. Lori is data-driven but never forgets the human element, building brand stories that resonate emotionally and strategically.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Lori understands the stakes of marketing in financial services: trust, credibility, and compliance are non-negotiable. She helps firms in this space move away from dry, product-heavy messaging toward stories that connect with what customers truly value.
Whether guiding a fintech startup through its first product launch or helping a financial SaaS company realign its brand, Lori brings clarity, speed, and focus. Her campaigns are designed to create long-term brand equity while delivering short-term performance wins that matter to the bottom line.
Credentials and Recognition
- Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, focused on business, economics, and leadership
- BA in Educational Media from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Founder of BlueSky Branding, serving as a fractional CMO for over 20 years
- Former fractional CMO with Chief Outsiders
Lori is known not just for her strategic mind but for her ability to lead with empathy, energy, and focus. For financial services companies that need a CMO who can cut through complexity and build real momentum, Lori is a standout partner.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/loricohenbrandstrategist
- Location: Greater Boston
4. Elizabeth Zeltser Dimond
Elizabeth Zeltser Dimond brings over 20 years of marketing leadership experience, driving profitable growth for startups, private equity-backed companies, and Fortune 500 brands. With deep expertise in both digital and brand marketing, she has helped scale businesses across a range of sectors, including financial services, healthcare, pet insurance, wellness, and ecommerce.
Elizabeth has served as a fractional CMO and advisor for growth-stage companies, and currently leads marketing for Bloom at Sword Health. Her track record includes working at three companies that were acquired and delivering meaningful results through data-driven customer acquisition, lifetime value growth, and full-funnel marketing.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Elizabeth is a full-stack, results-focused marketer. Her specialties include:
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Performance and growth marketing
- CRM and customer retention programs
- Integrated campaigns across digital, offline, and product-led channels
- P&L management and marketing analytics
In financial services and fintech, Elizabeth has led marketing at Givelify, the top-rated mobile giving app, where she delivered a 33 percent lift in new revenue by revamping onboarding and lifecycle programs. Her work combines customer empathy with strong technical understanding, which helps brands balance emotional appeal with measurable impact.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Elizabeth focuses on building scalable, sustainable marketing programs that align with a company’s growth stage and customer behavior. Her experience with both large enterprises and agile startups means she knows how to balance strategic vision with fast execution.
For financial services teams, she brings an understanding of regulatory nuance, trust-building, and the need for precision in communication. Her leadership helps brands clarify their value, reduce churn, and accelerate acquisition through strategies tailored to each audience segment.
Whether it’s launching new customer segments, optimizing retention funnels, or refining brand narratives, Elizabeth’s approach is both creative and disciplined, always grounded in performance.
Credentials and Recognition
- MBA in Marketing and Management from Columbia Business School, Dean’s List
- BA in Economics and American Studies from Brandeis University, Phi Beta Kappa
- Head of Marketing roles at Sword Health, Givelify, Pumpkin, and Hopsy
- Advisor and fractional CMO through her own consultancy, Dimond Marketing
Elizabeth is recognized for building top-performing marketing teams and helping companies navigate complex growth challenges. Her style is collaborative, insight-driven, and focused on what works, making her a strong partner for financial brands ready to scale.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethdimond
- Location: Greater Boston
5. Heather Martin
Heather Martin brings over two decades of marketing leadership, guiding both Fortune 100 enterprises and high-growth startups through brand transformation, market expansion, and customer acquisition. With a focus on regulated and complex industries, she has helped reposition brands in energy, utilities, finance, and tech, driving measurable growth and improving market presence.
Heather currently works as a fractional CMO and advisor through LLR Partners Consulting, partnering with B2B and B2C companies to align their marketing strategy with business goals. Her background includes leadership roles at NRG, where she helped reposition a $30B brand, and at Project Canary, where she led a rebrand into the Climate SaaS space to prepare for expansion and investment.
Expertise That Spans Strategy, Brand, and Performance
Heather blends strategic vision with hands-on execution, offering a full-stack marketing approach that includes:
- Brand transformation and messaging
- Demand generation and lead nurturing
- Digital marketing and content strategy
- Sales and marketing alignment
- Data-driven campaign optimization
In financial services and adjacent industries, Heather has built marketing systems that support customer trust, regulatory clarity, and long-cycle sales processes. Her work is grounded in real business outcomes, not just impressions or clicks.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Heather focuses on building marketing strategies that scale with the business. Her approach is collaborative and grounded in real-world business priorities, making her a strong partner for executive teams navigating growth or change. She’s known for aligning brand positioning with sales outcomes, helping teams deliver consistent messaging across channels, and bringing structure to complex go-to-market plans.
In financial services, where accuracy, trust, and compliance are critical, she helps brands communicate with clarity while keeping performance at the center of execution. Her leadership style brings stability during transitions, and she works closely with internal teams to turn high-level strategy into real traction.
Credentials and Recognition
- BA in Marketing and Mass Communications, Magna Cum Laude
- 20+ years leading marketing for global brands and fast-growing startups
- VP of Marketing at NRG and CMO at Project Canary
- Led rebrands, product launches, and capital raise prep across multiple sectors
Heather is known for building marketing programs that connect brand to bottom-line impact. Her calm, clear-headed approach makes her a go-to partner for financial services brands looking to scale with confidence.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/heather-w-martin
- Location: Portland, Maine Metropolitan Area
6. Thomas McCarty
Thomas McCarty brings more than 25 years of marketing and sales leadership to growth-focused companies that need clear strategy and disciplined execution. Now a Partner and CMO at Chief Outsiders, he supports B2B and B2C brands across financial services, ed-tech, professional services, and ecommerce in turning customer insights into scalable, predictable revenue. His experience includes leading rebrands, launching new digital programs, and building performance-driven marketing teams.
He has guided organizations through complex transitions, including repositioning Zovio from an education company to a tech-enabled services business. His work consistently balances vision with hands-on leadership, ensuring execution matches strategic intent. By aligning go-to-market initiatives with customer needs and sales processes, Thomas helps marketing teams become true drivers of business performance.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Thomas is a data-driven, full-stack marketer whose strengths include:
- Growth strategy and revenue planning
- Digital and direct marketing, paid media, and SEO
- Lead generation, demand gen, and sales enablement
- Marketing technology, attribution, and predictive analytics
- Branding, messaging, and market positioning
In financial services, Thomas has advised Pathward Financial and other clients on scaling lead pipelines and optimizing marketing ROI. By reallocating paid media budgets and tightening website conversion flows, he consistently uncovers quick wins while laying foundations for sustainable growth.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Thomas applies Chief Outsiders’ Growth Gears framework to unlock actionable insights and help financial services teams focus on what moves the needle. He works closely with leadership to set goals, allocate budgets effectively, and ensure all efforts are grounded in data and aligned with revenue. His approach emphasizes trust-building, strategic segmentation, and clear messaging, helping financial brands deliver campaigns that resonate and convert.
For firms navigating compliance and complexity, Thomas offers clarity and control. He blends performance marketing with regulatory sensitivity, building programs that support long buying cycles and drive measurable results. His strength lies in simplifying the path from strategy to ROI, creating systems that scale.
Credentials and Recognition
- MBA in Marketing from San Francisco State University, Beta Gamma Sigma
- BA in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley
- Partner and CMO at Chief Outsiders, leading Growth Gears engagements
- Former Chief Marketing Officer at Zovio and Bridgepoint Education
Thomas is known for turning complex market data into actionable growth roadmaps and for building high-performing teams that execute with discipline. His practical, results-first style makes him a strong partner for financial brands ready to scale efficiently.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mrtommccarty
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area
7. Roy Naar
Roy Naar is a hands-on growth marketer and strategic advisor with deep experience in B2B marketing, user acquisition, and community-led brand building. With over a decade in leadership roles and a track record that spans from early-stage startups to global tech companies, Roy brings a pragmatic, test-and-learn mindset to every engagement. His background includes managing multimillion-dollar monthly budgets, driving measurable growth, and serving as a fractional CMO for brands across fintech, SaaS, developer tools, and ecommerce.
Roy has held marketing leadership roles at companies like Celery (AI-powered financial oversight), Port (developer platforms), Waltz (US property finance), and Ship4wd (freight logistics). Before consulting independently, he worked at LinkedIn and built marketing communities that now shape the direction of growth marketing in Israel. He’s also the founder and host of Creatives & Conversions TLV, one of the largest marketing events in the region.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Roy positions himself as a strategic operator who can execute across the entire growth funnel. His core strengths include:
- B2B go-to-market strategy
- Performance marketing and media buying
- Conversion rate and website optimization
- Community building and brand advocacy
- Content strategy and creative campaigns
- Influencer and affiliate programs
In financial services, Roy brings a unique edge through his work with Celery and Waltz. At Celery, he helped the company position its AI-powered oversight platform to CFOs and finance teams looking to reduce fraud and improve compliance. At Waltz, he led marketing for a product that simplifies complex cross-border property financing, helping the team build trust with first-time buyers through digital onboarding and full-funnel education.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Roy’s style is creative, agile, and customer-first. He starts by mapping the buyer journey and identifying critical moments of friction or opportunity. His approach combines deep user empathy with performance discipline, building campaigns that resonate while staying focused on what converts.
For financial services brands, this means communicating clearly in a regulated space, earning trust early, and continually optimizing every touchpoint. Roy is also known for embedding himself within teams, often acting as an internal marketing lead while training and upskilling in-house talent.
Credentials and Recognition
- BSc in Industrial Engineering and Management from Tel Aviv University
- Former marketing leader at LinkedIn
- Fractional CMO and advisor to Celery, Port, Waltz, and Ship4wd
- Founder and host of Creatives & Conversions TLV, a 1,000+ person marketing conference
Roy is widely recognized for his leadership in the Israeli marketing ecosystem and for his ability to drive both creative energy and commercial impact. His style is collaborative, data-informed, and grounded in execution, making him a valuable partner for financial brands navigating growth in fast-changing markets.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/roynaar
- Location: Tel Aviv District, Israel
8. Joan Blackwood
Joan Blackwood is a seasoned marketing executive with a strong track record of leading brands through transformation and growth. Currently a Fractional Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Chief Outsiders, Joan brings decades of experience to companies across financial services, technology, healthcare, wellness, education, and ecommerce. She has held CMO roles at organizations such as West Coast University, University of Phoenix, Zumba Fitness, and National Vision, consistently driving improvements in acquisition, brand equity, and customer retention.
Joan has led initiatives ranging from brand overhauls and digital redesigns to full-funnel marketing strategies across online and offline channels. Her ability to guide multi-regional brand development and deploy performance marketing tactics makes her a versatile and impactful leader. Whether helping reposition a brand or optimizing acquisition funnels, she brings a mix of strategic vision, operational depth, and creativity to every engagement.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Joan is a data-driven, full-stack marketer whose strengths include:
- Brand strategy, positioning, and multi-market development
- Performance marketing, omnichannel campaigns, and e-commerce
- CRM, retention, and customer lifecycle optimization
- Digital experience, website conversion, and funnel management
- Analytics, marketing technology, and ROI measurement
In financial services and fintech, Joan has led initiatives that tighten acquisition funnels, reduce costs, and lift customer quality by combining trust-centered messaging with rigorous data analysis.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Joan partners closely with executive teams to build scalable marketing systems that support business objectives. For financial services and fintech companies, she focuses on developing trust-centered messaging, effective digital engagement strategies, and programs that reduce acquisition costs while improving customer quality and retention.
Her ability to integrate analytics into every layer of strategy ensures that every campaign is measured, refined, and aligned with revenue goals. Joan’s approach blends structure and flexibility, offering financial brands a clear path to sustainable growth.
Credentials and Recognition
- BA in Journalism from Indiana University Bloomington
- Fractional Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Chief Outsiders
- Former CMO at West Coast University, University of Phoenix, National Vision, and Zumba Fitness
- Led brand relaunches that cut marketing costs by up to 60 percent while boosting traffic and consideration
- Recognized for driving aggressive year-over-year growth through data-driven acquisition and retention programs
Joan is known for turning complex marketing challenges into actionable growth plans and for building teams that execute with precision. Her collaborative, results-first style makes her a valuable partner for financial brands ready to scale with confidence.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joan-blackwood-4724802
- Location: United States
9. Simona Ondrejkova
Simona Ondrejkova brings a rare combination of deep financial expertise and marketing strategy to her work as a fractional CMO for wealth managers, RIAs, and financial advisors. With over eight years of experience as a Certified Financial Planner and a decade in marketing leadership, Simona understands both sides of the client experience: from financial advice delivery to the growth engines that power modern advisory firms.
Through her agency, Mindful Copy, Simona leads marketing programs that help financial professionals attract, convert, and retain clients through thoughtful content, optimized digital funnels, and compliant messaging. Her perspective as a former Merrill Lynch advisor gives her unique insight into the challenges and opportunities financial brands face, and her approach reflects a balance of technical accuracy, empathy, and commercial focus.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Simona is a full-stack marketer with a focus on high-trust, service-driven industries. Her capabilities include:
- Strategic planning and marketing audits
- Lead generation and sales funnel optimization
- Conversion-focused website copy
- SEO, paid ads, and social media
- Email marketing and nurture sequences
As a CFP®, she can write confidently about complex topics like investment management, estate planning, insurance, and retirement strategies, areas where most marketers fall short. She’s helped clients rank at the top of search engines, generate qualified inbound leads, and elevate their authority through content that resonates.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Simona works closely with advisors and marketing teams to develop strategies that feel authentic, useful, and compliant. She understands the importance of trust and credibility in financial services, and she’s skilled at translating sophisticated financial thinking into clear, engaging narratives. Her campaigns are mindful by design, focused not just on acquisition, but on delivering a valuable experience at every stage of the client journey.
For firms that are too busy to manage marketing internally, Simona often acts as an embedded fractional CMO, bringing structure, strategy, and execution to drive steady, measurable growth.
Credentials and Recognition
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
- MBA in Finance from Florida State University, GPA 4.0
- Founder and CEO of Mindful Copy Agency
- Former Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch for over 8 years
Simona is known for her calm, strategic presence and her ability to build marketing systems that reflect the professionalism and care of the advisors she works with. Whether you need full-funnel support or highly technical content, she brings both the financial fluency and creative rigor to help your firm grow.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/simona-ondrejkova-cfp®-9755201b8
- Location: Panama City Beach, Florida, United States
10. Lindsey Eckerd
Lindsey Eckerd brings over 15 years of marketing leadership to growth-stage companies in B2B tech and financial services. Known for her ability to scale brand presence and launch high-impact GTM strategies, Lindsey blends deep communications experience with a strong track record in demand generation and product positioning. She has held senior roles at firms like PSG, Volition Capital, and Bison (now Cobalt), where she built and led marketing teams, executed brand transformations, and delivered measurable business results.
As a fractional CMO and the founder of Brightside Marketing & Communications, Lindsey partners with executive teams to drive growth through strategic brand building and customer insight. Her client work includes advising SaaS startups and private equity-backed firms, as well as financial services organizations looking to modernize their marketing and connect more meaningfully with clients.
Expertise That Spans the Full Marketing Stack
Lindsey’s marketing playbook is grounded in clarity, consistency, and cross-functional alignment. Her specialties include:
- Brand positioning and messaging
- GTM strategy for financial products and SaaS platforms
- Strategic communications and media relations
- Website launches, content strategy, and digital campaigns
- Sales enablement and revenue-focused marketing
In financial services, she has helped firms refresh their brands, sharpen their messaging, and build scalable marketing systems. Her work with growth equity firms and fintech companies reflects a nuanced understanding of investor expectations, complex buyer journeys, and the importance of trust in regulated markets.
Approach to Working with Financial Brands
Lindsey brings a strong focus on collaboration and customer insight to every engagement. She starts by understanding the business inside and out, and builds strategies that resonate across teams and customer touchpoints. Her background in both tech and finance allows her to bridge the gap between technical product details and compelling storytelling.
For financial services companies, Lindsey’s approach emphasizes transparency, relevance, and emotional clarity. Whether launching a new product or repositioning a brand, she makes sure that marketing efforts support business goals and connect with real-world client needs.
Credentials and Recognition
- BA in Political Science and Spanish, magna cum laude, from New York University
- Senior leadership roles at PSG, Volition Capital, and Cobalt (FactSet)
- Founder of Brightside Marketing & Communications
- Fractional CMO and strategic advisor for B2B tech and fintech startups
Lindsey is known for being both a strategic thinker and a trusted execution partner. Her ability to quickly align teams and translate business goals into clear, creative marketing has made her a valuable asset for firms looking to scale, modernize, or reposition in a crowded market.
Contacts
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lindseyeckerd
- Location: Greater Boston
How Fractional CMOs Help Financial Brands Grow Smarter
Financial services companies face a unique challenge: how to grow in a highly competitive space while staying compliant and building long-term trust. It’s not just about flashy ads or chasing clicks. It’s about delivering the right message, at the right time, in a way that feels both credible and relevant. That’s where a fractional CMO comes in.
Unlike a full-time hire, a fractional CMO gives financial brands access to top-tier marketing leadership without the overhead. You get someone with deep experience, strategic vision, and hands-on know-how, but on a flexible basis that fits your stage of growth. Here’s why this model works so well in financial services.
Deep Expertise Without Full-Time Commitment
Fractional CMOs typically have decades of experience across sectors like fintech, wealth management, insurance, and lending. They know how to navigate complex regulations, speak the language of financial consumers, and create strategies that actually convert. And because they’ve worked with many companies, they bring a broad perspective you might not get from a full-time exec focused on just one business.
Focus on Strategy and Execution
In financial services, marketing isn’t just creative. It’s operational. A good fractional CMO doesn’t stop at brand messaging or customer personas. They help build systems, funnels, and processes that tie directly to revenue. Whether it’s streamlining lead generation, improving retention, or optimizing customer onboarding, they work across the full marketing stack to drive results.
Trusted Guidance in a Complex Landscape
From compliance requirements to shifting market sentiment, financial brands need to move carefully and confidently. Fractional CMOs offer that mix of clarity and control. They’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how to scale responsibly. For teams that need experienced leadership but aren’t ready to hire a full-time CMO, it’s a strong middle ground.
In short, financial services companies benefit from fractional CMOs because they combine credibility, agility, and proven marketing leadership, all without the long ramp-up or high cost of a full-time executive.
How to Choose the Right CMO for Financial Services
Hiring a CMO in the financial space isn’t just about finding someone who knows marketing. It’s about finding someone who understands the industry, the regulations, and how people make financial decisions. Whether you’re looking for a full-time exec or a fractional partner, the right fit goes far beyond a strong resume.
1. How is a fractional CMO different from a consultant?
Marketing financial services isn’t the same as selling software or shoes. It’s about building trust, navigating compliance, and making complex topics feel simple. A CMO with direct experience in fintech, wealth management, insurance, or banking will already understand the language, challenges, and opportunities that come with the territory.
2. Check Their Track Record
You want someone who’s done this before. Have they built high-performing marketing systems? Helped financial brands grow? Improved acquisition and retention? Look for case studies, metrics, or client testimonials that show real outcomes, not just buzzwords.
3. Make Sure They Can Handle Both Strategy and Execution
Some marketers are great at vision and planning. Others are great at doing. You need both. The ideal CMO should be able to create a strategic roadmap and then help your team execute it, or roll up their sleeves and do it themselves if needed. Especially in early-stage or fast-growing companies, versatility is key.
4. Test for Cultural and Communication Fit
In financial services, clear communication matters, to clients, to partners, and inside your team. Your CMO should align with your company’s tone and values. Ask how they work with compliance, how they approach cross-functional collaboration, and how they tailor messaging for different audiences. A good marketing leader in this space knows how to balance creativity with precision.
5. Know What You Actually Need
Sometimes companies hire for a title when what they really need is a builder. If you’re still refining your messaging, brand, or funnel, a hands-on fractional CMO might be the better fit than a traditional exec hire. The right CMO will match your current stage and help move you toward the next one.
Choosing the right CMO in financial services is about more than qualifications. It’s about trust, fit, and the ability to drive results in a complex, high-stakes industry.
Conclusion
If you’re in financial services and looking to scale, clarify your brand, or improve lead generation, a fractional CMO could be the smartest move you make. With deep experience, cross-functional skills, and the ability to plug into your business fast, they offer executive-level marketing leadership without the full-time commitment.
Whether you’re a startup trying to gain traction, a growing firm that needs structure, or an established brand facing new market pressures, the right fractional CMO brings strategy, execution, and results, all tailored to the demands of financial services.
FAQ
Consultants typically offer advice and then step away. A fractional CMO becomes part of your team, helping with both strategy and execution. They’re more hands-on and often stay involved longer to drive results.
If your marketing feels disorganized, you’re not getting enough qualified leads, or your internal team lacks senior leadership, it’s probably time to consider one. They’re especially useful during periods of growth, transition, or market expansion.
Many get up to speed in just a few weeks. Since they’re experienced at stepping into new businesses, they’re able to assess, plan, and act quickly, especially in industries like financial services where speed and precision both matter.
Industry knowledge, regulatory awareness, a track record of measurable success, and the ability to balance creativity with compliance. The best ones know how to build trust and drive growth in a highly regulated, competitive market.
