Strategic Marketing Leadership for Companies Ready to Scale
I'm Shashank, a fractional CMO who helps growth-stage companies turn marketing from a cost center into a predictable revenue engine.
22 years building marketing infrastructure for companies scaling from $2M to $50M+.
Trusted by leading brands in: Finance | Technology | Luxury | E-commerce
Why Fractional CMO?
After two decades as a full-time marketing executive, I noticed a pattern:
Growth-stage companies ($2M-$50M) face a gap:
- • Too sophisticated for agencies (need strategy, not just execution)
- • Too early for $250K+ full-time CMO (can't justify the economics yet)
- • Burned by consultants (PowerPoints don't drive revenue)
They need executive-level marketing leadership.
But the traditional options don't fit.
I started getting fractional CMO inquiries starting 2016.
And then it struck to me what if I could create more impact by working with multiple companies at their exact inflection point.
The companies that need strategic marketing leadership most are the ones who can't afford to get it wrong with a bad full-time hire or waste 6 months on a failed search.
Fractional CMO leadership solves that.
What I Believe About Marketing Leadership
Strategy Before Tactics, Always
I believe that most marketing challenges are not about execution.
They're strategic leadership problems.
You don't need more campaigns.
You need someone who owns the connection between marketing spend and revenue outcomes.
Marketing Should Be Measurable
If you can't connect marketing to pipeline and revenue, you're just spending and hoping.
Attribution isn't optional.
ROI visibility isn't a "nice to have."
It's fundamental for strategic leadership.
Build Systems, Not Campaigns
Campaigns end. Systems scale.
I focus on building marketing infrastructure that works long after I'm gone.
This means documented playbooks, clear processes, repeatable frameworks.
Leadership Trumps Hours Worked
Revenue doesn't move because someone worked 40 hours.
It moves because the right strategic decisions were made at the right moments.
As a fractional CMO, I leverage my 22 years of experience into the moments that matter.
The goal is to eliminate the overhead while delivering immediate strategic impact.
Honest About Fit Matters More Than Closing Deals
I turn away more companies than I work with.
If I don't see a clear path to meaningful ROI, I'll tell you honestly.
I'd rather point you toward the right solution than take on an engagement I can't deliver on.
The Path to Here
Early Career
(2003-2012)Cut my teeth in digital marketing when attribution was still being figured out.
I learned that strategic clarity beats tactical volume every time.
Growth Stage
(2012-2018)Led marketing for companies scaling through critical inflection points.
Saw the same patterns repeat: companies hit $2M-$5M, founder can't wear the CMO hat anymore, but hiring full-time feels risky.
Executive Leadership
(2018-2022)Full-time CMO roles across B2B SaaS, FinTech, Ecommerce/Luxury sectors.
Built teams. Drove revenue.
Learned what actually moves the needle vs. what just looks busy.
Fractional Focus
(2022-Present)Currently maintain a maximum of 4 clients, ensuring deep involvement without spreading too thin.
I've always gravitated toward companies at inflection points, where the right strategic leadership unlocks exponential growth.
And the wrong move costs 12-18 months of momentum.
The Companies I'm Built to Help
You're likely a great fit if:
You're likely a great fit if:
Company Stage:
- Revenue: $2M-$50M (past founder-led, ready to systematize)
- Marketing spend: $30K-$150K monthly without clear ROI
- Proven product-market fit, ready to scale
- Growth pressure from leadership, board, or market
Founder/CEO Mindset:
- You recognize the gap is leadership, not more execution
- You're coachable and open to challenging your assumptions
- You value strategic expertise over "doing what I say"
- You're ready to give your CMO real authority to make decisions
- You understand premium leadership commands premium investment
Organizational Readiness:
- You have a team (or agency) that can execute with direction
- Previous marketing hires or agencies didn't deliver (you've been burned)
- Leadership is asking ROI questions you can't confidently answer
- Marketing feels reactive rather than strategic
This probably won't work if:
- You want someone to "just run the ads" (that's an agency)
- You need 40 hours/week onsite (fractional = strategic oversight)
- You're looking for the cheapest option (leadership isn't cheap)
- You're not willing to be challenged on your marketing assumptions
- You've had 3+ marketing leaders fail in 2 years (might be deeper organizational issue)
What I Care About Outside My Work
The Signal Podcast
I host monthly conversations with CMOs, founders, and revenue leaders about what actually works in growth-stage marketing.
This is not the BS and recycled content you see everywhere else.
Continuous Learning
Marketing changes fast.
I stay current through industry research, testing new channels with my own consulting brand, and learning from the 4 companies I work with simultaneously (cross-pollination of insights).
Giving Back
I mentor early-career marketers transitioning from tactical to strategic roles.
The gap between "doing marketing" and "leading marketing" is massive.
I help people bridge it.
What Working Together Looks Like
I'm Not For Everyone. And That's Intentional
I maintain a maximum of 4 fractional CMO clients because this model requires deep involvement.
I'm not spreading myself across 10+ engagements and giving everyone surface-level attention.
When I take on a client:
- I become your CMO (not "a consultant who helps with marketing")
- I attend your executive meetings, lead your team, own your outcomes
- I'm accessible between sessions for urgent strategic decisions
- I prepare for board meetings like they're mine
- I hire, fire, and develop your team like I built it myself
This level of ownership can't scale to 10 clients.
So I choose carefully.
Currently accepting 1 fractional CMO engagement.
If we're a fit, you'll have strategic marketing leadership starting next month. If we're not, I'll tell you honestly and point you toward better alternatives.
Let's Determine If We're a Match
The process is straightforward:
Complete Application
Brief application (2 minutes)
I Review for Fit
I review to determine potential fit
Strategy Session
If aligned, we schedule a 30-minute strategy session
90-Day Pilot
If there's mutual fit, we discuss a 90-day pilot
I only move forward with companies where the investment will pay for itself in 60-90 days through reduced waste and increased pipeline efficiency.
No pressure. No hard sell.
Just an honest conversation about whether fractional CMO leadership is your best next move.
"He was upfront that he's selective about who he works with. He showed me exactly why our sales cycle was so long and what we'd fix first. Said we'd see movement in 90 days. He was right. By month four we'd already closed deals that would've dragged on for six more months."
— Growth-Stage CEO