// Calculators
Run the numbers before you hire.
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CALC_01 · Forecast_vs_hire
Fractional CMO or full-time hire?
Six-month cash for a fractional CMO versus a loaded full-time hire, using my published retainer bands ($4k–$18k / month).
Example values. Replace with yours. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Six-month outlay. Full-time recruiting is front-loaded; salary starts after the search.
| Fractional | Full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first week of work | 1–2 weeks | |
| What you commit to | Salary, benefits and a long search | |
| Equity | Rare, sometimes advisory | Typically 0.5–1.5% |
| Notice / unwind | 30–60 days | Severance + 3–6 month search to replace |
| Best at | Strategy, system design, operator coaching | Building a resident org day to day |
A full-time CMO usually makes sense once marketing is a multi-squad function and the six-month fractional bill approaches the cost of a hire. Until then you are paying for a seat the org cannot yet fill. Model excludes equity. Example assumptions; edit them under Model assumptions.
// Worked_example
The default case, in plain numbers.
A Series A company at $3.5M ARR, with a marketing team of 4, an aggressive growth goal and the Fractional CMO scope.
Over six months, a fractional CMO at $10,000 a month costs $60,000. A full-time CMO costs about $132,000 in the same window: a $228,000 base salary that starts after a 13-week search, 30% benefits and payroll tax, a 20% retained search fee and $12,000 for onboarding.
The fractional CMO gives about 24 productive weeks in that window. The full-time hire gives about 6, after the search and a 7-week ramp.
These are example assumptions, not quotes. Change them under Model assumptions in the calculator.
// FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
How much does a full-time CMO cost compared with a fractional one?
In the default example, a fractional CMO at $10,000 a month costs $60,000 over six months. A full-time CMO costs about $132,000 in the same window: a $228,000 base that starts after a 13-week search, 30% benefits and payroll tax, a 20% retained search fee and $12,000 for onboarding. These are example assumptions, not quotes, and you can change them in the calculator.
How fast does a fractional CMO start producing compared with a new hire?
A fractional CMO starts in 1 to 2 weeks. In the worked example that gives about 24 productive weeks over six months, against about 6 for a full-time hire after the search and a 7-week ramp.
Do fractional CMOs take equity?
Rarely, and sometimes as advisory equity. A full-time CMO typically gets 0.5 to 1.5%. The calculator model excludes equity.
When does it make sense to switch to a full-time CMO?
A full-time CMO usually makes sense once marketing is a multi-squad function and the six-month fractional bill approaches the cost of a hire. Until then you are paying for a seat the org can’t fill yet.
// Next_step