Interim CMO Services: What They Are, What They Do, and Why a Fractional CMO Is Your Best Option

Your CMO just left. Or maybe you never had one. Either way, your marketing team is adrift, campaigns are stalling, and revenue targets are slipping further out of reach with every passing week. If this scenario sounds familiar, you are far from alone. According to Spencer Stuart’s 2025 CMO Tenure Study, the average tenure for a Chief Marketing Officer at Fortune 500 companies is just 4.3 years, and 34% of Fortune 500 companies lack a C-suite marketing leader entirely (https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2025-the-evolution-of-marketing-leadership). That means marketing leadership gaps are not the exception. They are the norm.

This is where interim CMO services enter the picture. But before you rush to hire a traditional interim executive, there is a smarter, more cost-effective, and strategically superior option: a Fractional CMO.

What Are Interim CMO Services?

Interim CMO services provide temporary senior marketing leadership to companies experiencing a leadership gap, strategic transition, or growth phase. A typical interim CMO engagement lasts three to twelve months, costing $5,000 to $15,000 per month for a Fractional CMO compared to $200,000 or more annually for a traditional full-time interim executive with benefits.

This guide will walk you through exactly what interim CMO services involve, what responsibilities an interim CMO handles, and why choosing a Fractional CMO model for your interim needs is the decision that can save your company hundreds of thousands of dollars while actually delivering better strategic outcomes. Whether you are a B2B company navigating a leadership transition or a growing business that simply cannot justify a full-time marketing executive, the information ahead will help you make a confident, informed choice.

Ready to discuss your interim CMO services needs with an experienced Fractional CMO? This guide will give you the clarity you need to move forward.

What Are Interim CMO Services?

At its core, an interim CMO is a seasoned marketing executive who steps into a company on a temporary basis to provide senior-level marketing leadership. The word “interim” comes from the Latin word meaning “in the meantime,” and that captures the essence of the role perfectly. An interim CMO leads your marketing function during a period of transition, filling a critical gap until a permanent solution is in place.

Companies typically seek interim CMO services under several common circumstances. A departing CMO leaves a vacuum that threatens to derail active campaigns and strategic initiatives. A company is growing rapidly and needs executive-level marketing guidance but has not yet found or cannot yet afford a permanent hire. A business is going through a merger, acquisition, or restructuring that demands experienced marketing leadership to navigate the transition. Or a company recognizes that its marketing efforts are underperforming and needs a senior strategist to diagnose problems and set a new course.

Harvard Business Review recently explored the growing trend of fractional and interim leadership, noting that startups, small and mid-size businesses, and even business units of larger organizations are increasingly turning to part-time senior executives for strategic guidance (https://hbr.org/podcast/2024/11/the-growing-hr-trend-of-fractional-leadership). Researchers Tomoko Yokoi and Amy Bonsall found that the fractional executives they studied typically bring 20 to 30 years of experience and position themselves as genuine members of the C-suite, not as outside consultants dropping in with a strategy deck and disappearing.

The key distinction between an interim CMO and a consultant is ownership. A consultant advises. An interim CMO leads. They attend leadership meetings, manage teams, make decisions, and take responsibility for results. This operational accountability is what makes interim CMO services so valuable during periods when marketing leadership is missing.

For B2B companies in particular, the absence of strategic marketing leadership can have cascading consequences. Without someone at the helm aligning marketing with sales, overseeing demand generation, and managing brand positioning, opportunities evaporate and competitors gain ground.

Core Responsibilities of an Interim CMO

Understanding what an interim CMO actually does on a day-to-day basis helps clarify why this role is so critical and why it demands genuine executive-level experience. The responsibilities go far beyond running a few campaigns.

An interim CMO is responsible for developing and executing marketing strategy that aligns directly with the company’s business objectives. This starts with a thorough assessment of the current state of marketing, including an audit of existing campaigns, channels, messaging, technology stack, and team capabilities. From there, the interim CMO builds a strategic roadmap that prioritizes the initiatives most likely to move the needle on revenue and growth.

Team leadership is another core responsibility. In many cases, the interim CMO is managing an existing marketing team that may be demoralized, directionless, or simply waiting for someone to tell them what to focus on. A skilled interim CMO provides that clarity, coaching team members, resolving bottlenecks, and ensuring everyone is working toward the same goals.

Budget management falls squarely on the interim CMO’s plate as well. The Gartner 2025 CMO Spend Survey found that marketing budgets have stabilized at 7.7% of overall company revenue, with 59% of CMOs reporting they have insufficient budget to execute their strategy (https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-05-12-gartner-2025-cmo-spend-survey-reveals-marketing-budgets-have-flatlined-at-seven-percent-of-overall-company-revenue). An interim CMO must know how to maximize every dollar, allocating spend strategically across paid media, technology, talent, and agency resources to generate the highest possible return.

Additional interim CMO responsibilities typically include brand positioning and messaging development, overseeing digital marketing and content strategy, managing agency and vendor relationships, establishing marketing KPIs and performance measurement systems, aligning marketing and sales for improved pipeline generation, evaluating and implementing marketing technology, and reporting to the CEO and board on marketing performance and strategic direction.

For B2B and B2B SaaS companies, the interim CMO also needs deep understanding of longer sales cycles, account-based marketing approaches, lead scoring and nurturing systems, and how marketing-qualified leads translate into revenue. This is not a role for a generalist. It demands someone who has operated at the senior executive level and understands how marketing drives business growth in complex B2B environments.

When Your Business Needs Interim CMO Services

Not every company needs an interim CMO, but the signs that you do tend to be fairly unmistakable. Recognizing these signals early can save months of lost productivity and missed revenue targets.

The most obvious trigger is a sudden departure. When your CMO leaves, whether due to retirement, a career move, or a termination, there is an immediate vacuum. Campaigns lose direction. The team starts making decisions without strategic oversight. Board reports go unfinished. The longer this gap persists, the harder it becomes to recover momentum. Spencer Stuart’s 2025 CMO Tenure Study shows that the average CMO tenure of 4.3 years still trails the overall C-suite average of 4.9 years, indicating that marketing leadership transitions are more frequent than in other executive functions (https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2025-the-evolution-of-marketing-leadership).

Growth inflection points are another common trigger. Your company has reached a stage where marketing needs to evolve from tactical execution to strategic leadership, but you have not yet built the internal capabilities to support a full-time CMO hire. Maybe revenue has crossed the $5 million mark and you are targeting $20 million, or you are preparing for a funding round and need a credible marketing strategy to present to investors.

Underperforming marketing is a third signal. If your cost per lead is climbing, conversion rates are declining, or your marketing team cannot articulate how their activities connect to revenue, you need senior leadership to diagnose the problems and implement solutions. An interim CMO brings the experience to identify what is broken and the authority to fix it.

Finally, strategic transitions like mergers, acquisitions, new market entries, or product launches often demand marketing leadership that exceeds what your current team can provide. These are high-stakes moments where the wrong marketing decisions can cost millions.

Want to find out if your company is ready for interim CMO services? A brief consultation can help you assess your situation and explore your options.

Why a Fractional CMO Is the Best Choice for Interim CMO Services

Here is where most companies make a critical error. When they realize they need interim CMO services, they default to the traditional model of hiring a temporary full-time executive. This approach is expensive, slow, and often delivers mediocre results. The smarter alternative is a Fractional CMO.

A Fractional CMO is a senior marketing executive who works with your company on an ongoing, part-time basis. Unlike a traditional interim CMO who typically works full-time for a short, defined period, a Fractional CMO provides the same caliber of strategic leadership on a flexible schedule that can be scaled up or down based on your needs.

The advantages of choosing a Fractional CMO for your interim needs are substantial across every dimension that matters: cost, expertise, flexibility, speed, and outcomes.

The Financial Case: Interim CMO Services Through a Fractional Model

The cost comparison between a traditional full-time CMO and a Fractional CMO is striking, and it is the first thing most business owners want to understand.

According to Glassdoor, the average total compensation for a Chief Marketing Officer in the United States is approximately $305,000 per year, with the typical range spanning from $229,000 to $417,000 annually (https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/chief-marketing-officer-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm). That figure represents base salary alone. When you add benefits such as health insurance, retirement contributions, bonuses, and equity, the true cost of a full-time CMO can easily exceed $400,000 to $500,000 per year.

A traditional interim CMO hired on a full-time temporary basis commands similar compensation, often with a premium for the short-term nature of the engagement. Executive search firms typically charge 25% to 35% of first-year compensation just to find the right candidate, adding another $75,000 to $150,000 to the total cost.

Fractional CMO services, by contrast, typically range from $5,000 to $15,000 per month, depending on the scope of engagement and the company’s needs (https://www.gofractional.com/blog/fractional-cmo-salary). That translates to an annual investment of $60,000 to $180,000, representing savings of 50% to 70% compared to a full-time hire. There are no benefits to fund, no equity to negotiate, no executive search fees to pay, and no long-term employment commitments to worry about.

Interim CMO Cost Comparison

• Full-time CMO: $305,000+ base salary plus $80,000 to $150,000 in benefits, bonuses, and equity = $385,000 to $455,000+ total annual cost
• Traditional interim CMO (full-time, temporary): Similar compensation plus $75,000 to $150,000 in executive search fees
• Fractional CMO: $5,000 to $15,000/month = $60,000 to $180,000 annually with no additional overhead
• Potential savings: 50% to 70%

For small and mid-size B2B companies, the math is clear. A Fractional CMO delivers the same caliber of strategic marketing leadership at a fraction of the cost, freeing capital for actual marketing execution, technology investments, and team development.

Strategic Advantages Beyond Cost Savings

While the financial benefits are compelling, cost savings alone do not tell the full story. A Fractional CMO brings several strategic advantages that traditional interim CMO arrangements often cannot match.

Breadth of experience across multiple companies and industries is a significant differentiator. A Fractional CMO who works with several organizations simultaneously gains exposure to diverse challenges, strategies, and market conditions. This cross-pollination of ideas means they bring fresh perspectives and proven playbooks that a single-company executive simply does not have. Research featured on HBR’s IdeaCast confirmed that fractional executives tend to be individuals with 20 to 30 years of deep experience who bring pattern recognition and strategic acumen developed across many different business contexts (https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/08/how-to-make-fractional-leadership-work).

Speed to impact is another advantage. A Fractional CMO who specializes in B2B marketing strategy has done this before, likely many times. They do not need months to ramp up. They can assess your current marketing situation within days, begin implementing improvements within weeks, and deliver measurable progress within the first 90 days. Traditional interim hires, even experienced ones, often spend their first month or two simply getting oriented.

Flexibility and scalability set the Fractional CMO model apart as well. Your needs during a leadership transition are not static. In the first month, you might need 20 hours per week of the CMO’s time to assess the situation, stabilize the team, and set a new course. By month three, that might drop to 10 hours per week as systems are in place and the team is executing. A Fractional CMO engagement can flex with these changing needs. A traditional interim hire cannot.

Objectivity is an underappreciated advantage. Because a Fractional CMO is not angling for a permanent position within your company, they have no political incentive to sugarcoat problems or avoid difficult conversations. They can deliver honest assessments of what is working, what is not, and what needs to change, something that internal candidates or full-time aspirants may hesitate to do.

The Geisheker Group Approach to Interim CMO Services

Peter Geisheker and The Geisheker Group have built a reputation for delivering exactly this kind of strategic Fractional CMO leadership to B2B and B2B SaaS companies that need interim marketing executive guidance.

Rather than simply filling a seat, The Geisheker Group’s approach to interim CMO services focuses on creating immediate strategic clarity and long-term marketing infrastructure. The engagement typically begins with a comprehensive marketing audit that examines everything from brand positioning and messaging to lead generation systems, content strategy, marketing technology, and team capabilities. This diagnostic phase ensures that every recommendation is grounded in data and aligned with the company’s business objectives.

From there, Peter Geisheker develops a prioritized marketing roadmap, what The Geisheker Group calls the 90-Day Marketing Acceleration Plan. This plan identifies the highest-impact initiatives that can be implemented quickly to generate measurable results, while also laying the groundwork for sustained long-term growth. The focus is always on connecting marketing activities directly to revenue outcomes, not vanity metrics.

The Geisheker Group’s Fractional CMO model is particularly well-suited for companies going through transitions because it combines the strategic depth of a full-time CMO with the flexibility and cost efficiency that growing businesses need. Whether you need someone to stabilize marketing during a leadership change, build a marketing function from scratch, or overhaul an underperforming marketing operation, a Fractional CMO from The Geisheker Group can step in and deliver results without the overhead of a traditional executive hire.

Schedule a free consultation with Peter Geisheker to discuss how Fractional CMO services can address your interim marketing leadership needs.

How to Evaluate Interim CMO Services Providers

Choosing the right interim CMO services provider is a decision that deserves careful consideration. Not all providers are created equal, and the difference between a great interim CMO engagement and a mediocre one often comes down to a handful of critical factors.

First, look for deep B2B experience. Marketing leadership for B2B companies is fundamentally different from B2C. The sales cycles are longer, the buying committees are more complex, the content needs are more sophisticated, and the relationship between marketing and sales is more critical. An interim CMO who built their career in consumer marketing may struggle to deliver results in a B2B environment.

Second, evaluate strategic thinking versus tactical execution. Many interim CMO candidates are strong executors who can run campaigns competently, but lack the strategic vision to set the right course in the first place. The best interim CMOs are strategic thinkers who can assess your competitive landscape, identify your unique positioning, and develop a marketing strategy that aligns with your growth objectives.

Third, ask about measurement and accountability. How does the interim CMO define success? What KPIs will they track? How will they report progress? An experienced Fractional CMO will have a clear framework for establishing metrics, measuring performance, and demonstrating ROI.

Fourth, consider cultural fit and communication style. An interim CMO needs to integrate quickly with your leadership team and earn the trust of your marketing staff. Look for someone who communicates clearly, listens well, and can adapt their approach to your company’s culture without compromising on strategic rigor.

Finally, consider the long-term value. The best interim CMO engagements do not just maintain the status quo until a permanent hire arrives. They leave the company in a significantly stronger position, with better systems, clearer strategy, a more capable team, and a roadmap that any incoming permanent CMO can build upon.

When NOT to Hire a Fractional CMO as Your Interim Solution

Transparency and honesty are important in any advisory relationship, and there are situations where a Fractional CMO may not be the right fit for your interim needs.

If your company requires a full-time, in-office presence five days a week due to the nature of your business or organizational culture, a traditional interim CMO may be a better choice. Fractional CMOs typically work remotely and on a part-time schedule, which works exceptionally well for most companies but may not suit every situation.

If your marketing challenges are purely tactical, meaning you simply need someone to manage day-to-day campaign execution without strategic oversight, you may be better served by a senior marketing manager or marketing director rather than a C-level executive.

If your company is in a highly regulated industry with complex compliance requirements that demand constant, daily oversight of marketing materials, the part-time nature of a Fractional CMO engagement could create challenges. In these cases, supplementing a Fractional CMO with a strong compliance-focused marketing manager can be an effective hybrid approach.

For most B2B companies between $2 million and $100 million in revenue, however, a Fractional CMO represents the optimal balance of strategic expertise, cost efficiency, and flexibility for interim marketing leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions About Interim CMO Services

What is the difference between an interim CMO and a Fractional CMO?

An interim CMO is a traditional temporary executive who typically works full-time for a short period, usually three to twelve months, to fill a specific leadership gap. A Fractional CMO works on an ongoing, part-time basis, often dedicating 10 to 20 hours per week to your company. Both provide senior marketing leadership, but the Fractional CMO model offers greater flexibility and significantly lower cost, making it the preferred choice for small and mid-size B2B companies. According to GoFractional, the typical Fractional CMO retainer ranges from $4,000 to $20,000 per month (https://www.gofractional.com/blog/fractional-cmo-salary).

How much do interim CMO services cost?

Costs vary widely depending on the model you choose. A full-time CMO commands total compensation ranging from $229,000 to $417,000 annually according to Glassdoor data, plus benefits and search fees (https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/chief-marketing-officer-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm). A Fractional CMO typically costs $5,000 to $15,000 per month, representing savings of 50% to 70% compared to a full-time executive hire.

How quickly can an interim CMO start making an impact?

An experienced Fractional CMO can begin contributing within the first week of engagement. The initial two to four weeks typically focus on assessing the current state of marketing, understanding business objectives, and meeting key stakeholders. By weeks three and four, a strategic roadmap should be taking shape. Measurable results, such as improved lead generation, better campaign performance, or stronger sales-marketing alignment, typically emerge within the first 60 to 90 days.

What industries benefit most from interim CMO services?

While interim CMO services are valuable across virtually every industry, B2B companies, particularly those in technology, SaaS, professional services, manufacturing, and healthcare, tend to see the greatest benefit. These industries have complex buying processes, longer sales cycles, and sophisticated marketing requirements that demand genuine C-level expertise to navigate effectively.

How do I know if my company needs an interim CMO or a full-time CMO?

Consider a Fractional CMO for your interim needs if your company has annual revenue between $2 million and $100 million, if you need strategic marketing leadership but cannot justify the $300,000+ cost of a full-time hire, or if you need flexibility to scale marketing leadership up or down as your business evolves. A full-time CMO becomes more appropriate when your marketing function has reached a scale and complexity that requires dedicated, daily executive attention.

Will an interim CMO work with my existing marketing team?

Yes. One of the primary responsibilities of an interim CMO is to lead, mentor, and develop your existing marketing team. A skilled Fractional CMO will assess your team’s capabilities, identify skill gaps, provide coaching, and create systems that enable your team to perform at a higher level. The goal is to leave your team stronger than they found it. Learn more about working with a Fractional CMO.

Can a Fractional CMO help during a merger or acquisition?

Absolutely. Mergers and acquisitions create significant marketing challenges, from brand integration and messaging alignment to customer communication and market repositioning. An experienced Fractional CMO who has navigated these transitions before can provide invaluable guidance without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive hire during what is often an uncertain and evolving period.

How is a Fractional CMO different from a marketing consultant?

The critical difference is accountability and ownership. A marketing consultant typically provides recommendations and advice, then leaves execution to your team. A Fractional CMO takes an active leadership role, attending executive meetings, managing teams and vendors, making strategic decisions, and taking responsibility for marketing outcomes. As Peter Geisheker of The Geisheker Group explains, a Fractional CMO is not a hired advisor standing on the sidelines. They are an embedded member of your leadership team who owns marketing results.

What should I look for when hiring an interim CMO?

Prioritize candidates with a proven track record in your industry or a closely related B2B space, demonstrated strategic thinking ability, strong references from previous engagements, clear frameworks for measuring success, and the interpersonal skills to integrate quickly with your leadership team. The Frak Conference’s State of Fractional Industry Report identified that there were approximately 120,000 fractional leaders operating in 2024, up from 60,000 in 2022, so the talent pool is robust, but quality varies significantly (https://columncontent.com/fractional-work-statistics/).

How long does a typical interim CMO engagement last?

Traditional interim CMO engagements typically last three to twelve months. Fractional CMO engagements often start with a similar timeframe but can extend into longer partnerships because the part-time, flexible nature of the arrangement remains cost-effective even as it continues. Many companies that initially bring on a Fractional CMO for interim purposes discover that the model works so well they continue the engagement indefinitely.

Can a Fractional CMO help my company prepare for a permanent CMO hire?

This is one of the most valuable aspects of choosing a Fractional CMO for interim services. A great Fractional CMO will not only maintain marketing momentum during the leadership gap but will also help define the ideal permanent CMO profile, establish the marketing infrastructure and strategy that a new hire can build upon, and even assist in evaluating candidates. This makes the transition to a permanent CMO dramatically smoother and more successful.

Making the Right Interim CMO Decision for Your Business

The need for interim CMO services is real, and the consequences of leaving a marketing leadership gap unfilled are significant. Revenue stalls, teams lose direction, competitors advance, and the cost of recovery grows with every passing month.

The question is not whether you need marketing leadership. The question is which model delivers the best combination of strategic expertise, cost efficiency, and business outcomes for your specific situation.

For the vast majority of small and mid-size B2B companies, a Fractional CMO represents the optimal solution for interim marketing leadership. You get genuine C-suite expertise from executives with decades of experience. You save 50% to 70% compared to a full-time hire. You gain flexibility to scale your investment as your needs evolve. And you benefit from the fresh perspectives and cross-company insights that only someone working across multiple organizations can provide.

The fractional executive model is not a passing trend. According to a Chief Outsiders analysis citing Gartner research, by 2027 over 30% of midsize enterprises are forecast to have at least one fractional executive on retainer (https://www.chiefoutsiders.com/blog/the-midmarket-ceos-guide-to-hiring-a-fractional-executive-in-2025). LinkedIn data shows job postings mentioning fractional titles have grown over 400% since 2022. The companies that are already leveraging this model are building a competitive advantage in leadership agility that their slower-moving peers will struggle to match.

If your company is facing a marketing leadership gap, a growth inflection point, or simply the realization that your marketing needs senior strategic guidance, schedule a free consultation with Peter Geisheker to explore how Fractional CMO services can deliver the interim marketing leadership your business needs, at a fraction of the cost.

About Peter Geisheker

Peter Geisheker is a Fractional CMO and founder of The Geisheker Group, Inc., specializing in B2B and B2B SaaS marketing strategy. With decades of experience helping small and mid-size companies achieve measurable growth, Peter provides senior-level marketing expertise without the full-time executive cost. His data-driven approach and deep understanding of B2B buying cycles have helped companies across technology, SaaS, professional services, and manufacturing transform their marketing from a cost center into a revenue-generating engine.

Ready to explore how a Fractional CMO can accelerate your growth? Schedule a free consultation with Peter Geisheker.

References and Sources

This article cites research and data from the following authoritative sources:

1. Spencer Stuart – CMO Tenure Study 2025: The Evolution of Marketing Leadership. Analysis of 329 named Fortune 500 CMOs as of June 30, 2024, showing average tenure of 4.3 years, up from 4.2 years in 2023, trailing the C-suite average of 4.9 years. https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2025-the-evolution-of-marketing-leadership
2. Gartner – 2025 CMO Spend Survey. Marketing budgets flat at 7.7% of revenue, 59% of CMOs report insufficient budget. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-05-12-gartner-2025-cmo-spend-survey-reveals-marketing-budgets-have-flatlined-at-seven-percent-of-overall-company-revenue
3. Glassdoor – Chief Marketing Officer Salary Data 2026. Average total compensation of $305,587, typical range $229,190 to $417,234. https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/chief-marketing-officer-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm
4. GoFractional – Fractional CMO Salary: Average Retainers and Hourly Rates. Typical retainer range of $4,000 to $20,000 per month. https://www.gofractional.com/blog/fractional-cmo-salary
5. Harvard Business Review – The Growing Trend of Part-Time Executives (IdeaCast). Research by Tomoko Yokoi and Amy Bonsall on fractional leadership in startups and SMBs. https://hbr.org/podcast/2024/11/the-growing-hr-trend-of-fractional-leadership
6. Harvard Business Review – How to Make Fractional Leadership Work. Discussion of fractional executives with 20-30 years of experience working across multiple organizations. https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/08/how-to-make-fractional-leadership-work
7. Chief Outsiders – The Midmarket CEO’s Guide to Hiring a Fractional Executive. Citing Gartner’s Future of Work Forecast that by 2027 over 30% of midsize enterprises will have at least one fractional executive on retainer, and LinkedIn data showing 400%+ growth in fractional job postings since 2022. https://www.chiefoutsiders.com/blog/the-midmarket-ceos-guide-to-hiring-a-fractional-executive-in-2025
8. Frak Conference – State of Fractional Industry Report 2024 (cited via Column Content). 120,000 fractional leaders in 2024, up from 60,000 in 2022. https://columncontent.com/fractional-work-statistics/
9. Salary.com – Chief Marketing Officer Salary Data 2025. Average CMO salary of $373,205. https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/chief-marketing-officer-salary
10. WARC / Spencer Stuart – CMO Tenure Study 2025. Average tenure 4.3 years in 2024, up from 4.2 in 2023, still below C-suite average of 4.9 years. 65% of exiting CMOs moved to lateral or step-up positions. https://www.warc.com/content/feed/cmo-tenure-ticks-up-across-fortune-500/10396
11. PayScale – Chief Marketing Officer Salary 2026. Average salary of $189,987, highest reported pay of $296,000. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Chief_Marketing_Officer_(CMO)/Salary
12. Aiken House – 2025’s Best Fractional Executives. LinkedIn profiles mentioning fractional leadership rose from 2,000 in 2022 to 110,000 in 2024. https://www.aikenhouse.com/post/2025s-best-fractional-executives-where-to-hire-a-fractional-executive