Fractional CMO Show

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton lays out why Q4 is the single most important season to land (and keep) high-paying clients—and how to set yourself up for a record-breaking 2026. He breaks down the mistakes that sink most aspiring fractional CMOs, like offering implementation services or acting like a “pirate” with client budgets, and shares why building a solid foundation of strategy and leadership is the only way to scale past $10K/month. You’ll hear stories of CMOs in the accelerator earning $50K–$80K/month while working fewer than 40 hours a week, plus Casey’s framework for raising your floor, specializing in the right niche, and saying “no” to the wrong clients so you can unlock massive upside. Whether you’re just starting out or ready to punch up to seven figures, this episode is your roadmap to making Q4 the launchpad for your best year ever. Key Topics Covered: -Why Q4 is the true hiring season for serious CEOs -How to build a solid foundation without slipping into implementation work -Why keeping 95% of your revenue changes everything -The “pirate” trap that leaves CMOs broke (and how to avoid it) -How to niche down so clients see you as the only option -What raising your floor really means—and how it instantly filters out bad clients -The difference between hustling for 20 clients vs thriving with 3–5 high-value ones -How to secure upside beyond your monthly retainer 🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/  

Discover the four types of fractional CMOs: Dreamers who lack commitment, Dabblers who limit growth, Builders with income ceilings, and Drivers who break into seven figures. Learn why Q4 is crucial for momentum, how commitment fuels success, and the importance of talking to decision-makers. Dive into strategies for scaling your practice and attracting high-value clients. Casey shares personal stories of resilience and the key mindset shifts needed to turn dreams into reality. This insight-rich session is perfect for those ready to elevate their game!

Discover the art of choosing the right clients with a unique analogy: the 'inside the car' versus 'outside the car' approach. Focus on clear criteria like industry and revenue before diving into personal traits. Learn why seeking the 'perfect client' can backfire and the benefits of testing clients with 30-90 day trial periods. Gain insights into how nonprofits thrive on donations rather than contracts. Set boundaries with clients (and kids!) to build respect and trust while finding reliable, values-driven partners.

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton takes you inside a real “day in the life” of a fractional CMO—pulling back the curtain on what it actually looks like to serve clients at the highest level without burning out. He explains why Mondays are heavy, Fridays are light, and why designing your week this way gives you both structure and freedom. Casey also digs into the mindset shift that separates successful CMOs from those stuck playing small: delegating everything except leadership, building teams around encouragement and outcomes, and practicing the lost art of predicting the future. He shares why solving bigger problems is the only path to higher pay and deeper impact—and why asymmetric upside deals (equity, phantom stock, revenue share) are often worth more than cash retainers alone. You’ll hear why the best Fractional CMOs aren’t micromanagers but vision-setters, why niching down unlocks real earning potential, and why this moment—amidst AI-driven marketing shakeups—is the perfect time to step into this role. Key Topics Covered: • What a “day in the life” really looks like for a fractional CMO • Why Mondays should be heavy and Fridays should be free • How to delegate everything except leadership • Building teams through encouragement and outcome-based management • Creating bonus structures that foster collaboration and ownership  •The three pillars of great fractional leadership: solve bigger problems, delegate, predict the future • Why niching down multiplies your value and credibility • How to structure asymmetric upside deals (beyond retainers) • Why now is the best time to enter the fractional CMO space   🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/  

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton gets deeply personal—sharing how his father’s passing revealed the true freedom that comes with fractional leadership. He unpacks why building teams around trust, grace, and outcomes—not hours logged—creates a business that keeps moving even when life interrupts. Casey also walks through a counterintuitive client story: why niching down matters for outreach, but why you should never turn away an opportunity when it lands in your lap. And he makes the case for charging based on risk—not just revenue—so you stop underselling your expertise and start playing at the level your clients actually need.   You’ll hear why the best fractional CMOs aren’t micromanagers but vision-setters, why specificity beats generalism when you’re building authority, and why premium pricing is the only way to align yourself with businesses that take growth seriously.   Key Topics Covered:   -The freedom fractional work provides during life’s hardest seasons -How absence can force teams to innovate and self-direct -Why outcome-based leadership beats hours-based management -The hidden downside of being a generalist CMO -Why you should niche for outreach but say yes to unexpected opportunities -Pricing based on risk vs. seed funding or revenue numbers -How premium positioning attracts clients who want to win big -The mindset shift that separates high-value CMOs from those stuck playing small 🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton lays down a wake-up call for marketers entering 2026. He explores the biggest trends reshaping the industry—from the over-adoption of AI and reliance on “black box” tools, to the fast-fashion era of SaaS and the rise of fractional leadership. Casey warns against outsourcing your thinking to AI, chasing shortcuts, or splitting your focus between a job hunt and fractional work. Instead, he challenges you to commit, pick a niche, and start talking to strangers—because the money you want is in their pockets. You’ll hear why Q4 is the most important time to build momentum, how to avoid undervaluing your expertise, and why the best fractional CMOs stop chasing “one trick” solutions and instead build real businesses through grit, clarity, and conviction.   Key Topics Covered: - The hidden dangers of over-adopting AI in marketing and strategy - Why “black box” tools can erode your fundamentals - The fast-fashion SaaS trend—and why most of it is “beautiful garbage” - The rise of fractional roles across the C-suite - Why consultants fade but fractional CMOs stick - What you must ignore in 2026: seasonality, job reports, and reputation-killing AI shortcuts -The power of niches and why they make you unforgettable - Why all the money you want is in strangers’ pockets—and how to go get it   🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton delivers a rallying cry for marketers who feel themselves slipping into “good enough” mode. He challenges leaders to stop coasting, stop accepting mediocrity, and start fighting—for their clients, their results, and their own success. Casey shares why conviction and commitment are the real differentiators in marketing leadership, and why the willingness to “stand down if told, but never go down without a fight” can transform your career. You’ll hear real stories of pushing for the right outcomes—even when it’s uncomfortable—and why the best CMOs act like bodyguards for their clients’ goals.   Key Topics Covered: -Why conviction beats “good enough” every time -The mindset shift from passive vendor to active defender -How fighting for the right outcomes builds trust and results -The danger of waiting for business to “just get easier” -Stories of fighting for clients, teams, and the right thing -Why grit, not gimmicks, changes your trajectory -The challenge to claim your identity as a fighter 🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/

Dive into the realities of ageism in the job market, where experienced professionals often find themselves overlooked. Discover why companies value speed and confidence over experience and how going fractional can be a game changer. Learn to reframe your expertise as a shortcut to results and why talking to strangers can open new doors. Unpack the benefits of tailoring your story to resonate with ROI—making your experience your greatest asset. Embrace new strategies to thrive in an evolving landscape!

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton challenges the hype around “consulting for equity” and delivers a sharper, more lucrative path: earning upside as a fractional CMO—without getting tangled in risky cap tables.   Casey breaks down why equity is often a mirage and why true leverage lies in performance-based revenue sharing. He shares the unique power fractional CMOs have to elicit real change inside organizations—unlike consultants or advisors—and how this access gives them an unmatched opportunity to capture upside. You’ll learn how to structure smarter deals, set non-negotiable cash rates, and build a portfolio of short- and long-term payoffs across multiple clients.   Packed with mindset shifts and tactical advice, this episode is your blueprint to work with hungry, fast-moving entrepreneurs, avoid dead-end retainers, and create life-changing income as a fractional CMO who solves for speed, not cost.   Key Topics Covered:   -Why equity isn’t the ideal vehicle for upside -How fractional CMOs uniquely earn performance-based upside -Importance of charging full cash rate before negotiating upside -Structuring a portfolio of clients with varied risk and reward -When to approach clients: M&A, funding rounds, or founder readiness -What to look for in high-potential, fast-moving entrepreneurs -The power of positioning yourself as the best -Why being a true leader inside the company drives better outcomes 🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/  

In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton delivers a powerful mindset shift: if you want to earn more, you have to play bigger.   This episode tackles the real reason so many talented marketers struggle to land high-paying fractional CMO clients—and it’s not a lack of skill. Casey breaks down how a scarcity mindset, fear of rejection, and clinging to meritocracy are holding you back. He shows you how to shed outdated beliefs, stop targeting underfunded clients, and confidently “punch up” to work with bigger businesses that solve for speed, not cost.   Packed with real-world examples, Casey shares why talking to strangers is the #1 growth skill, how to raise your rates with conviction, and how to position yourself as the kind of marketing leader companies are eager to invest in. This episode is your invitation to stop crawling up the ladder and start climbing the mountain.   Key Topics Covered:   -The mindset trap of "earning your way up" and why it’s costing you money -Why marketers must punch up to win bigger, better clients -The power of solving for speed over cost in today’s market -How to stop undervaluing yourself—and start charging premium rates -Why volume outreach is still king (and how to do it right) -How to build trust fast and become the obvious hire -The critical difference between being a technician vs. a marketing leader -Why smaller companies often can’t afford you (and how to spot the right ones) -Structuring client deals for upside—including getting a cut of the exit The new playbook for fractional CMOs: productized services, confident sales, and category ownership   🌟 Take the First Step Toward Growth with CMOx 🌟    Booking a call with our team is super easy, stress-free, and all about YOU. Whether you're exploring options or ready to scale, this no-pressure consultation is designed to understand your needs and guide you in the right direction.    📅 Schedule your call today:  👉 CMOx.com/call    We’ll make sure this is the most productive (and effortless) decision you’ve made for your business. Let's talk about strategy and success!  🤝 Join the Fractional CMO Community 🤝   Want to continue the conversation and get access to exclusive resources? Join our free Facebook group for fractional CMOs and marketing leaders! Inside, you'll find discussions, insights, and tools to help you grow your business and maximize your impact.   👉 CMOx.com/community   Looking forward to seeing you inside! 🚀 🎙️ Stay Ahead with the Fractional CMO Show 🎙️    Want to unlock the secrets of marketing success? Subscribe to the podcast and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts!    👉 CMOx.com/podcast    Got questions? We’d love to hear them! Submit your questions for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode:    👉 FractionalCMOShow.com    Subscribe today and start leveling up your marketing game!  📚 Master the Game with These Must-Read Books 📚   Want to go deeper and build a high-impact marketing career on your terms? These two books from Casey Stanton are your blueprint.   The Fractional CMO Method Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller. Learn how to attract, convert, and serve high-paying clients while staying focused on strategy and leadership.   👉 CMOx.com/book   Find Your CMO Hiring a CMO? This guide helps CEOs and founders understand what great marketing leadership looks like—and how to find the right fit.   👉 CMOx.com/find-your-cmo   Start reading and take control of your marketing future. Connect with Casey Stanton:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ Website: https://caseystanton.com/