Thank you to everyone who tuned in this morning. We had a fantastic turnout with 270 viewers.
In this session from “The Case for Going Fractional” series, Katie and I were joined by Ryan Gaines (Fractional CFO, N6 Finance). Together, we explored the rapid rise of fractional work, how professionals can transition into fractional roles, and how founders can strategically hire and integrate fractional talent in an AI-driven economy.
Below is a summary of the topics we addressed and a timestamp index.
Key Themes:
1. The Rise of Fractional Work
Fractional roles are growing rapidly (LinkedIn profiles using “fractional” up 5,400% from 2022–2024).
~25% of U.S. businesses use fractional workers, projected to grow to 35%.
72% of CEOs expect to hire fractional talent.
Drivers include AI disruption, layoffs, fundraising constraints, and desire for flexibility.
2. Why Companies Hire Fractional Talent
Access to senior-level expertise without full-time cost.
Faster onboarding and immediate impact.
Strategic leverage without long-term payroll burden.
Ability to scale time commitment up or down.
3. What Fractional Professionals Actually Do
CFO (Ryan): fundraising support, financial modeling, board prep, lease negotiation, runway planning, accounting oversight.
COO (Katie): embedded operational support, scaling systems, founder bottleneck resolution, hiring strategy.
Fractionals function best when treated as integrated team members—not external consultants.
4. AI’s Impact on Fractional Roles
AI tools are automating transactional tasks (finance, legal, marketing).
However, judgment, interpretation, and context still require humans.
The future may combine: fractional experts + AI agents.
AI increases analysis capacity rather than fully replacing senior roles.
5. Challenges of Fractional Work
Managing multiple clients (multiple “bosses”).
Boundary-setting and workload management.
Constant context switching.
Business development and self-positioning.
6. Positioning & Marketing Yourself
Niche down (industry or personality-driven branding).
Referrals remain the strongest growth channel.
LinkedIn and Substack are key platforms.
Authenticity and consistent presence matter more than perfection.
Viral moments are unpredictable.
Building in public and personal storytelling can accelerate growth.
7. Transitioning Into Fractional
Ryan: Started by offering services for free to learn startup ecosystems.
Katie: Leveraged startup pattern recognition and personal brand.
Year 1 can move fast, but stability often takes 3–4 years.
Fractional work is entrepreneurial and requires comfort with uncertainty.
8. Workshop Announcement
Juan and Katie announced a 90-minute workshop (March 19) focused on:
Turning experience into market value
Crafting a value proposition
Shifting from role-based identity to promise-based positioning
You can register by going to learn.buildtothrive.co
A Build to Thrive Lab in collaboration with Katie Barnes Rise and Optimize
Live Time Stamp
Opening & Series Introduction
00:00 – 04:00
Identity Shift & Why Fractional Is Rising
04:00 – 09:00
What Fractional CFOs & COOs Actually Do
10:00 – 16:00
When Founders Should Hire Fractional Talent
13:00 – 17:00
Onboarding & Integrating Fractional Roles
17:00 – 19:00
Challenges of Being Fractional
18:00 – 20:00
Market Growth & Industry Trends
20:00 – 23:00
AI, Agents & The Future of Fractional Work
23:00 – 31:00
Personal Journeys Into Fractional
34:30 – 39:00
Positioning, Niching & Marketing Yourself
39:00 – 48:00
Content Strategy & Viral Growth
48:00 – 52:00
Workshop Announcement & Closing
Other Live Programs from the Series
THE CASE FOR GOING FRACTIONAL SERIES.
The Fractional COO
