Notes from the operator's seat
Startup marketing written by someone who has done the jobs: first hire, growth lead, bootstrapped founder, fractional CMO. Real numbers where I have them, "approximately" where honesty requires it.
Fractional CMO for Startups: A Founder's Guide
When to hire one, what changes from pre-seed to Series B, what the first 90 days look like, and the four cases where it's the wrong answer. Written by the person who does the job.
How Much a Fractional CMO Costs in 2026
My actual engagement structures with real numbers: what each tier buys, comparisons against hires and agencies, and when not to spend.
Fractional CMO vs Full-Time vs Agency
I've been all three. The decision framework by problem type and stage, including where each option predictably fails.
Your First Marketing Hire
Junior generalist, VP, or fractional leader? Where the standard VC advice goes wrong, from someone who was the first hire.
The Startup Marketing Audit I Run in Week One
The actual five-step audit that opens my paid engagements, published in full. Run it yourself in an afternoon.
The Compound Method
The framework behind every engagement: Clarify, Build, Compound. Why most marketing resets fail by month four.
Prefer answers to reading?
The Growth Constraint Diagnostic scores your funnel, positioning, channels, and team, then names your weakest link. Free, no email needed for the result.
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