The Rise of the Fractional GTM Leader: How to Scale Without the Burn Rate

In the 'growth at all costs' era, hiring a $300k VP of Sales was a status symbol. In 2025, it's often a liability. Fractional leadership is the new standard for lean scaling.

The Strategic Case for Fractional

Most early-stage companies don't need a full-time executive to sit in meetings all day. They need someone to build the outbound engine, define the sales stages, and hire the first two reps. Once that's done, the 'executive' work drops by 80%.

Cost vs. Impact

A fractional VP of Sales typically costs $5k-$10k per month for 1-2 days of focus per week. Compare that to a $250k base + $250k OTE + equity for a full-time hire. You get the same strategy, the same network, and the same playbooks for a fraction of the risk.

When to Go Fractional

• Seed Stage: You need to move from founder-led sales to a repeatable process.
• Series A: You're scaling the team but aren't ready for the 'big' VP hire yet.
• Pivoting: You need specialized expertise to enter a new market or launch a new product.

Vetting Fractional Talent

Don't hire 'career consultants.' Hire people who were VPs at successful startups 12 months ago. You want the most recent, relevant playbooks, not theory from a decade ago.