Diary of a Fractional

Almost every fractional spends their energy justifying their retainer. Justin Wilhelms spent his time building businesses good enough to not need him anymore, and that mindset is exactly what made him one worth hiring.After 12 years as Vice President and partner at Wet Solutions, Justin grew and sold a multi-million-dollar business at 40, debt-free, on his own terms. Rather than retiring or buying another company, he launched JW Innovative Coaching as a fractional CEO, bringing that same operator instinct to owner-led businesses stuck between one and ten million in revenue.His approach blends working genius frameworks, deep human psychology, and a faith-led philosophy that has quietly shaped every business decision he has ever made. Justin is also the host of Built on Purpose, a podcast giving faith-driven business owners a safe space to talk openly about how God has moved inside their enterprise.Chapters:00:00 Justin’s background and the exit that led to fractional work04:20 Why the fractional market exploded and where the real demand lives05:15 How to differentiate yourself and stop being a podium coach06:29 Do everything to get yourself fired — the fractional CEO mindset07:26 Building genuine connection with CEOs and founders11:19 Built on Purpose — running a faith-led podcast alongside a fractional practiceConnect with Justin:🎙️ Podcast: Built on Purpose: https://www.youtube.com/@BUILT_ON_PURPOSE🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinawilhelms/🔗 Follow Diary of a Fractional: https://linkedful.io/diary-of-a-fractionalIf you enjoyed this episode with Justin, like, subscribe, and share it with your fractional colleagues.

Andy Brown shares how he turned an unexpected layoff from a COO role into a growing coaching and fractional operations business. Drawing on his leadership experience at Walmart, Waffle House, Parsons Roofing, and in ministry, he explains how he built a client base through referrals, listening before selling, and delivering results.In this conversation, Andy discusses his faith-led approach to business, lessons from serving more than 75 clients, why mapping the client journey matters, and what he learned about pricing and boundaries. He also shares the ideas behind his evolving marketing strategy and offers encouragement and prayer for business owners.Chapters00:00: From leadership roles to launching Lulo Coaching02:26: The challenge of building a fractional pipeline03:18: 75 clients in 14 months: Andy’s growth approach05:29: Referrals and the next phase of marketing07:57: Prayer, business setbacks, and the Nehemiah example13:44: Why mapping the client journey matters20:54: Overcommitting, boundaries, and lessons learned26:24: Raising prices and serving clients wellConnect with Andy Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andybrown220/Found this episode insightful? Like and subscribe for more episodes like this one!

Josh Porter: Building a Fractional CMO Practice in the AI EraAfter 20 years in corporate go-to-market roles, including at Google Cloud, Josh Porter was laid off and spent a year searching for his next role. Instead, he built a fractional CMO practice focused on growth-stage AI companies.In this conversation, Josh shares how he found his niche, built visibility through content, and developed a more systematic approach to referrals. He also explains why using AI to make marketing more efficient shouldn’t come at the cost of human judgment, empathy, and real customer relationships.Chapters0:00 From Corporate Career to Fractional CMO0:42 The Layoff That Sparked a Career Pivot3:12 Standing Out in a Crowded Fractional Market4:38 Finding a Niche in Growth-Stage AI7:24 Building Visibility Through Content10:41 Referrals, Communities, and Partnerships14:31 Structuring Services and Client Engagements18:25 The Surprising Differences Between Google and a Scale-Up21:41 Keeping Marketing Human in the Age of AI25:55 Building a Long-Term Fractional Practice26:51 Systemizing Referrals28:59 Staying Patient While Finding Your First ClientConnect with Josh PorterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejoshporter/Book: https://www.thunderwolf.co/thelasthumanmarketerPodcast: Marketing Pack LeadersNewsletter: Market HowFractional Resources and FrameworksExplore Fractional Workspace: https://fractionalworkspace.comJoin The Fractional Playbook newsletter: https://the-fractional-playbook.beehiiv.comFollow Diary of a Fractional: https://linkedful.io/diary-of-a-fractional

Susan Tyson is a fractional marketing advisor, author, and founder of SG Tyson Marketing Essentials. With extensive corporate and agency experience, she has built a long-running advisory practice focused on helping businesses clarify their marketing strategy, positioning, and revenue opportunities.After being downsized in 2014, Susan transformed a career transition into an independent advisory practice. In this conversation, she shares how she built a sustainable fractional business by staying specific about who she helps, diversifying her pipeline, and focusing on strategy before execution.Chapters0:00 Announcements - Fractional Workspace & Fractional Newsletter0:56 From Corporate to Consultancy3:09 Building a Sustainable Client Pipeline7:13 The Importance of Strategic Positioning11:48 Aligning Marketing and Sales16:05 Managing Multiple Clients Effectively18:55 Long-Term Success as an Advisor20:40 Navigating AI in Marketing24:15 Addressing Ageism in the Fractional World27:22 The Value of CollaborationConnect with Susan TysonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susantyson/Get Susan’s book, Marketing Without the Nonsense: https://publuu.com/flip-book/117441/1799044Fractional Resources and FrameworksExplore Fractional Workspace: https://fractionalworkspace.comJoin The Fractional Playbook newsletter: https://the-fractional-playbook.beehiiv.comFollow Diary of a Fractional: https://linkedful.io/diary-of-a-fractional

Mark Powers spent 26 years leading marketing inside major companies including General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Adobe.After leaving the corporate world, he founded Michigan CMO to help growing businesses between $5 million and $50 million in revenue. Mark explains why marketing often becomes noise when departments operate in silos, and how his embedded fractional CMO model connects marketing, sales, finance, and operations to revenue.He also shares his trust-first approach to client acquisition, his Marketing Engine Room framework, and the lessons he learned from taking on the wrong clients early in his fractional career.Chapters00:00 Why Mark Left Corporate Marketing01:17 How Marketing Silos Create Noise05:06 Building Trust Before Selling09:19 The Fit Model: 20,000 Companies to 2514:41 What Makes an Embedded Fractional CMO Different25:41 Lessons From Mark’s Early Fractional MistakesConnect with Mark:Mark’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markapowers/Mark’s website: https://enginer ompartners.comMark’s email: [email protected] our fractional resources and frameworks:Check out: https://fractionalworkspace.comJoin our newsletter: the-fractional-playbook.beehiiv.comFollow our podcast: https://linkedful.io/diary-of-a-fractional