Fractional CMO services. Marketing leadership without the full-time hire.
Hi, I'm Heather. 18+ years growing brands and P&Ls in consumer goods categories. I work as your CMO, Head of Marketing, or VP of Marketing on a fractional basis, two clients max at a time, so the work stays hands-on and you get the leader your business needs and pays for.
- 18+
- years in consumer goods
- $2M to $100M
- brand revenue range
- Max 2
- fractional clients at a time
The Scope
What a Fractional CMO Actually Owns
A fractional CMO is an experienced marketing leader who takes ownership of your strategy, your plan, and your team on a part-time basis. Same scope as a chief marketing officer, priced to the hours you need. I build the plan, run it, and stay accountable to the number.
Services I typically provide as a fractional CMO
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Integrated campaign planning
- Go-to-market strategy and new channel launch
- Retail media and shopper marketing
- Paid social and search planning and oversight
- Email, loyalty, and lifecycle
- Conversion rate optimization
- Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Shopify growth
- Attribution, unit economics, and forecasting
- Agency and vendor management
- Marketing team build and management
- AI adoption for marketing teams
Fit
When a Fractional CMO Makes Sense
- Marketing is fragmented and needs structure
- Traditional or legacy tactics no longer perform the way you need
- The channels exist but aren't working as one system
- An integrated commercial or go-to-market approach is overdue
- Growth has plateaued and the roadmap is overdue
- A founder is acting as CMO but unable to dedicate enough time to the function
- New funding and growth expectations have arrived but the team needs leadership support to meet them
Fractional CMO for Startups
A startup rarely needs a full-time CMO before it needs a marketing system. If you are between $2M and $20M and the channels are not yet working as one engine, a fractional CMO gives you the leadership without the full-time line.
I stay hands-on. I build the roadmap, set the measurement, and work beside your team and your agencies while it runs.
When you are ready for a full-time leader, I help you hire one. I am open to that role being me, if the fit is right.
One Person, Not an Agency
You will not get a junior team after the pitch. I am the one who scopes the work, builds the plan, and shows up to the calls. Two clients at a time keeps that true.
Background
Where the Years Come From
Over 18 years across CPG, food and beverage, apparel, retail, and lifestyle at brands from challenger to category leader. I have owned P&L's, managed 8-figure budgets, and built acquisition systems that compound. I have reported to founder-CEOs and understand the private equity and individual angel investor landscape.
BBA in Marketing and International Business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and certified in AI for Marketing.
Head of Ecommerce & Digital
Navitas Organics
Owned the DTC and Amazon P&L for an organic superfood pioneer. Scale supported the brand's exit to Laird Superfoods. Reported to Founder/CEO.
Head/VP of Marketing & Ecommerce
Burt's Bees Baby
Owned a $25M DTC P&L inside a $100M baby apparel brand. Team of 7. Reported to Founder/CEO.
Senior Marketing Manager
Banana Republic, Gap Inc.
Ran marketing for NA online expansion. Then founding marketing lead for BR Factory ecommerce launch.
Senior Director of Acquisition
Direct Wines
Owned acquisition with a team of 6+ and an 8-figure budget. Stood up Bon Appétit Wine for Condé Nast.
Earlier: LeapFrog and Intrax Cultural Exchange.
Track Record
Where the Numbers Come From
25% compounding ecommerce growth
Launched DTC and scaled Amazon, Target, Instacart, and other retail for Navitas Organics, a pioneer superfood CPG. A digital shelf refresh including video lifted PDP conversion 25%.
Double-digit growth. Beat plan.
Led marketing and DTC for Burt's Bees Baby's apparel business, with revenue, retention, and media KPIs all up on a flat budget.
8 figures in year one
Marketing lead for the Banana Republic Factory ecommerce launch, reaching 8-figure sales in the first year. Established DTC and omnichannel strategy.
20% lower blended CAC
Rebalanced the customer acquisition mix for Direct Wines, the U.S.'s largest white label DTC wine club operator.
Client Work
Sample Engagements
Evriholder
Social commerce development for a $350M home goods manufacturer.
Le Woof
Amazon go-to-market for a luxury petcare CPG startup.
ExtraordiNari Connections
Fractional CMO for a nonprofit supporting girls and women in India.
Questions
What People Ask First
What are fractional CMO services?
A fractional CMO is an experienced marketing leader who owns your strategy, plan, and team on a part-time basis. Same scope as a chief marketing officer, priced to the hours you need. I build the plan, run it, and stay accountable to the number.
When should a startup hire a fractional CMO?
When the founder is still the marketing department, when a raise or expansion needs a plan the team can execute, or when channels are running but nobody owns the system between them. That is usually between $2M and $20M in revenue.
How do I find a good fractional CMO for my startup?
Ask what they personally executed, not what a team delivered. Look for someone who has owned a P&L and launched channels themselves, and who will tell you plainly when a plan will not work.
How do you compare fractional CMO services?
Compare three things: who actually does the work, how many of the channels in your mix they have owned end to end, and whether the numbers they quote are theirs. Titles travel, execution does not.
What does a fractional CMO cost?
There is no fixed pricing on this site. Scope and hours drive the number, so send a note about where marketing stands today and I will tell you what I think it takes.
Engagements
How the Work Is Shaped
Fractional CMO/Head of Marketing
Marketing leadership without the full-time hire. Strategy, planning, and team direction. Typically 15-30 hours a week.
Marketing Evolution Sprint
Support or ownership for a focused project that moves your marketing forward.
Strategic Advisory
A sounding board and high-level wayfinder from someone who has done the work. Typically 4-5 hours a month.
Interim Marketing Leader
Steady hands while you search for a permanent hire. I step in and keep the engine running.
I'm glad to recommend Heather Aho, who led customer acquisition at Direct Wines. Heather took on broad responsibility across our portfolio of DTC wine brands, and brought both strategic vision and a strong command of the channels that drive growth.
Anthony, VP of Marketing at Direct Wines Inc
Let's spark your next phase of growth today.
Every engagement is scoped individually, so the first step is a short note about your brand and what you need. I reply to every one.
Get in touchOr email heather@heatheraho.com