FAQs
The questions that usually come up when someone's deciding if this is right for their business.
Still have questions?
Let’s talk.
“Every relationship starts with an open conversation, not a pitch.
If you’re still deciding whether this is right for you, book in a call with us – that’s the best way to find out.”
Terri Field, Founder
See our FAQs below:
How is this different from hiring an agency or a consultant?
They all have their place. A permanent hire, a consultant, an agency – each can be exactly right for the right business at the right moment. Fractional tends to be the better fit when what you need is genuine ownership, without the cost and lead time of a full-time hire, and depth beyond what a consultant’s document or an agency’s brief can give you. A permanent hire brings full commitment, but takes months to find and longer to be fully effective. A consultant brings sharp insight, but hands it over rather than delivering it. An agency executes what you brief them well, but from outside the business, on the brief rather than the intent behind it. Think Fractional sits differently: a senior leader who works inside your business, owns the outcome, and is in the room when decisions get made – for the days you actually need them, not a fixed headcount.
How do I get involved as a fractional leader?
We’re always building our network of experienced senior leaders. If you’re interested in fractional work with Think Fractional, get in touch and we’ll talk through your background, the kind of businesses you’d work well with, and what working with us would look like.
How long do engagements typically run?
Most start with a defined period – enough time to make a real difference. We’re not here to create dependency. The goal is always to leave the business stronger than we found it.
How much does it cost?
It depends on what you need, how senior the support is, and how involved you need us to be.
Some clients bring us in for a defined project. Others need fractional leadership over a longer period. We scope the work around the problem, the outcome and the level of support required, so you’re paying for what the business actually needs rather than defaulting to a full-time hire.
We’ll always be clear about costs upfront, and if we don’t think fractional support is the right fit, we’ll tell you.
What if I'm not sure what kind of support I need?
That’s often where our diagnostic work comes in. It’s a paid, focused piece of work designed to get under the skin of what’s happening, identify where the real gaps are, and give you a clear view of what needs to change.
Sometimes that leads to a wider piece of work with Think Fractional. Sometimes the diagnostic itself gives you what you need to move forward internally.
And if you already know exactly where you need support, we can skip the diagnostic and go straight to scoping the work.
How many days a week will my consultant work with us?
How quickly can someone start?
A traditional hiring process can cost you months before any leadership actually arrives. There’s no recruitment process to wait on here. If it’s not yet clear exactly what’s needed, we start with a diagnostic – a short, focused look at what’s going on – and if you already know what you need, we can go straight to scoping the work. Either way, you’re looking at weeks, not months.
What disciplines do you cover?
Marketing, People, Transformation, Commercial, and Technology & AI – and because Think Fractional spans all five, you get coherent senior leadership across functions rather than a patchwork of disconnected freelancers.
What size or stage of business do you work with?
Our sweet spot is businesses with 50 to 250 employees in a genuine growth phase – scaling fast, navigating a structural change, or preparing for investment. Founder-led businesses that have outgrown what one person can hold, and PE-backed businesses that need capability without headcount. That said, our experience spans a much broader range of business sizes – what matters most is a real need for senior leadership, not where you sit on a headcount chart.
Will I always work with the same person, or could that change?
For a given engagement, yes – continuity is part of the model. The same fractional leader stays with you as the relationship develops, adjusting their time with you as priorities shift, rather than being swapped out partway through. As your needs grow or change, you might also bring in other fractional leaders from across our network for different areas of expertise – each engagement is built around what the business actually needs, not a single fixed relationship.
How long do engagements typically run?
Most start with a defined period – enough time to make a real difference. We’re not here to create dependency. The goal is always to leave the business stronger than we found it.
