CMO School
by Jessica Shirra | Fractional CMO
When Is the Right Time to Hire a Fractional CMO? (Earlier Than You…
About this podcast
CMO School is the go-to podcast for marketers and Fractional CMOs ready to step into leadership, own their expertise, and build a career or business that actually works for them. Whether you're looking to elevate your skills, transition into a CMO role, or scale your Fractional business, this podcast delivers strategies, expert insights, and the mindset shifts you need to create a career you love.
Hosted by Jess Shirra—a 15+ year marketing leader, Fractional CMO, and founder of Fractional CMO School—this show takes you behind the scenes on what actually works in marketing, business, and leadership. Jess has worked with powerhouse brands and creators like Lululemon, Pottery Barn, Strava, Jenna Kutcher, Lori Harder, and more—and now, she’s sharing those lessons with you.
Each episode, we dive into proven strategies, practical insights, and candid conversations on topics like:
How to step into leadership as a marketer and own your expertise
How to confidently price your services and build a business that supports the life you want
What it really takes to succeed as a Fractional CMO
How to show up as a CMO for your clients, deliver powerful strategy, and lead teams effectively
Lessons from experts across marketing, mindset, and entrepreneurship to help you grow
Whether you're a corporate marketer exploring the Fractional path, a new Fractional CMO figuring it all out, or a seasoned leader looking to scale and systematize your business, CMO School will give you the tools, insights, and confidence to create a career that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and flexibility—on your terms.
New episodes drop weekly! Subscribe now and start building a marketing career that lights you up.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 71 episodes
- When Is the Right Time to Hire a Fractional CMO? (Earlier Than You Think) · 13 min · Episode 71So, when IS the right time to hire a Fractional CMO? My answer is a lot earlier than most founders think. And yes, I know, of course the Fractional CMO thinks you should hire a…
- Why You're Not Closing Clients as a Fractional CMO (It's Not Your Price) · 19 min · Episode 70If you've ever lost a client you really wanted and thought, "Maybe I'm just bad at sales," this episode is for you. I hear this ALL the time, and listen, I get it. Selling felt…
- Growing Your Business as a Marketer: How to Build a Team Without the Overhead · 29 min · Episode 69At some point in your marketing business, you can't do all of the work yourself anymore. A client needs copy, or design, or paid ads, and now you have to decide who you trust…
- How to Become More Valuable as a Marketer in the Age of AI · 24 min · Episode 68AI is getting better at doing the work marketers have been paid to do for years. And whether you’re a Fractional CMO, a strategist, a consultant, or working on a marketing team…
- How to Find Fractional CMO Clients in 2026 - 12 Proven Ways · 32 min · Episode 67There are WAY more ways to find Fractional CMO clients than you probably realize. I've personally used 12 different strategies to find clients over the years, which is exactly…
- How Many Hours Should a Fractional CMO Work Per Client? · 13 min · Episode 66One of the biggest unlocks in my Fractional CMO business was realizing I could make more money by selling LESS of my time. Because if every new client requires another 10, 15, or…
- When Things Feel Hard: 5 Strategies to Help You Get Out of a Rut · 19 min · Episode 65You know those seasons where business (or life) just feels harder than it should? A few things haven't gone your way. You've lost some momentum. You're questioning decisions you…
- How to Think Like a CMO: 6 Laws for Better Marketing Strategy · 21 min · Episode 64Anyone can put together a deck full of marketing recommendations. Building a strategy that actually feels like it came from a really good CMO requires a completely different…
- Sometimes I Feel Like I'm Bad at Marketing (And I Know It's Not Just Me) · 15 min · Episode 63Ever found yourself questioning whether you're actually good at marketing? Maybe you had a client launch go poorly, or they were unhappy with their marketing results. Either…
- 3 Ways to Grow Your Marketing Business Without Working More Hours · 15 min · Episode 62If you've built a successful marketing business, you've probably realised that making more money often means taking on more clients, more projects or working more hours. And at…
- Thinking About Becoming a Fractional CMO? 5 Fears About the Role (That Aren't Actually True) · 16 min · Episode 61Thinking about becoming a Fractional CMO but worried you'll be on Slack all day, stuck in back-to-back meetings, and responsible for absolutely everything? I hear these concerns…
- Miranda Doubled Her Income Working Less as a Fractional CMO · 25 min · Episode 60What if you could leave your full-time job, work fewer hours, and nearly double your income - all while doing work you actually love? In this episode, I’m joined by Fractional…
- She Left Her "Dream Job" to Bet on Herself - And 6x'd Her Income · 33 min · Episode 59I think a lot of us have been there, - sitting in a job that looks amazing from the outside, the kind where people go "wow, you work THERE?" - and slowly realizing it's just not…
- 6 Red Flags I Screen For Before I Take On Any Client as a Fractional CMO · 9 min · Episode 58I've watched smart, capable marketers and Fractional CMOs burn out, lose money, and start to wonder if the whole Fractional path was a mistake — all because they said yes to the…
- Will the Fractional CMO Model Work in My Niche? · 7 min · Episode 57"Will the Fractional model actually work in MY niche?" — I get this question all the time. And it's the one that keeps people stuck: not starting, saying no to clients who'd be a…
- How I Structure My Contracts as a Fractional CMO (And Why I Make It Easy for Clients to Leave) · 6 min · Episode 56Contracts are probably one of the least exciting things we could possibly talk about, BUT I get so many questions from marketers making the leap into Fractional CMO work and…
- How I'm Using AI as a Fractional CMO to Deliver $15K+ Marketing Strategies · 12 min · Episode 55The advice to "use AI to work faster" is great (I've cut my $15K client strategy build time nearly in HALF) but it’s really easy to get generic output if you’re not careful…
- Why I'm Not Taking On More Clients (Even Though I Could) · 11 min · Episode 54Here's something I've learned building this business: at a certain point, doing more of what's comfortable stops moving you toward what you actually want. And the most powerful…
- The Best Niches for Fractional CMOs in 2026 (And Where to Find Clients) · 13 min · Episode 53Choosing a niche is one of the hardest decisions you'll make as a Fractional CMO. It determines what you charge, how sticky your retainers are, and how long it takes you to hit…
- How to Become a Fractional CMO: 5 Things to Do BEFORE You Quit · 13 min · Episode 52Quitting your corporate job too early is why so many new Fractionals undercharge, take on bad-fit clients just to pay the bills, and burn out 6 months in wondering if they made…







