Fractional CMO
Fractional CMO Services for Startups & SMB
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who runs your marketing part-time — the strategy, execution, and team leadership of a chief marketing officer, without the full-time salary or equity. Matt Bernier brings 25 years leading marketing at Old Navy, Visa, and Media.Monks to founder-led startups, SMB, and mid-market — and he's AI-native, so one operator covers a team's worth of ground.
What does a fractional CMO actually do?
A fractional CMO owns the marketing function without being a full-time hire. In practice that means setting the strategy, running the execution, and leading whatever team or vendors are in place — measured against a clear business outcome, not hours.
Typical scope:
- → Positioning, brand architecture, and messaging that a whole team can execute against
- → Go-to-market strategy for launches, rebrands, and market entry
- → Full-funnel campaigns: digital, social, content, paid, and earned
- → Team and vendor leadership — hiring, coordinating, and getting the work shipped
- → Board and investor marketing communications when you need them
When should you hire a fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO fits when you need senior marketing judgment but can't yet justify a full-time chief marketing officer — most commonly:
- →You're founder-led and marketing has outgrown what the founder can run alone
- → You have budget for marketing but not for a $250K+ CMO plus a team
- →You're preparing a launch, raise, or new-market push and need it led properly
- → You have marketers executing but no senior leader setting direction
Why an AI-native fractional CMO covers more ground
The reason one fractional operator can do a team's worth of work now is AI. Matt is genuinely AI-native — he solo-built a live production app (BetLoopr, 60,000+ lines of code) and ranks in the top 10% of builders globally on Lovable. Applied to your marketing, that means content at scale, faster research and experimentation, and custom tooling built into your operation — not just a person with a calendar, but a person with leverage.
The operator behind it
25 years where brand, growth, and technology meet: launching OldNavy.com, negotiating and activating Visa's global sponsorships, commercializing digital loyalty products, and leading Fortune 50 marketing and a 100-person global team from the agency side at Media.Monks. Craft Batch brings that senior thinking to founder-led startups and small businesses where one operator can move the whole business.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a fractional CMO?
- A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who runs a company's marketing on a part-time or contract basis — providing the strategy, execution oversight, and team leadership of a chief marketing officer without the full-time salary, benefits, or equity. It's a common model for startups and SMBs that need senior marketing leadership but aren't ready for a full-time CMO.
- How much does a fractional CMO cost?
- Fractional CMO engagements are typically scoped to an outcome or a monthly retainer rather than an hourly rate, and cost far less than a full-time CMO (which runs $250K+ in salary plus benefits and equity). Craft Batch offers three models — a fixed-scope Sprint, a month-to-month Retainer, and a 3-month-minimum Embedded engagement — each priced to a clear deliverable. Book a call for specifics to your situation.
- When should a startup hire a fractional CMO instead of a full-time one?
- When you need senior marketing leadership but can't yet justify a full-time CMO's cost — for example when marketing has outgrown the founder, when you're preparing a launch or raise, or when you have marketers executing but no senior leader setting direction. A fractional CMO gives you the seniority without the fixed overhead.
- What's the difference between a fractional CMO and a marketing agency?
- An agency is an outside vendor that executes campaigns, usually with a junior team and its own priorities. A fractional CMO is an embedded senior leader who owns your marketing strategy and leads whatever team and vendors you have. Many companies use a fractional CMO to set direction and manage the agencies.
- What industries and company stages does Matt work with?
- Founder-led startups, SMB, and mid-market companies across B2B and D2C — spanning tech, AI, consumer products, financial services, sports and entertainment, and more, drawn from 25 years across Old Navy, Visa, and Media.Monks.
Let's talk.
A 15-minute call to see if Craft Batch Marketingis the right fit for what you're building.
matt@craftbatchmarketing.com