Hire a fractional CEO — executive leadership, part-time or interim
A fractional or interim CEO is a seasoned chief executive who runs the company part-time or full-time on a fixed term — through a founder transition, turnaround, or search for a permanent CEO.
A fractional CEO costs $12k–$25k/mo ($400–$900/hr), typically works 1–3 days per week, and can be hired in about 48 hours through RecruitFractional — with no placement fee or percentage of compensation. Engagements run fractional, interim, or advisory.
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Featured fractional CEOs
2 featured CEOs on Executive Pro
Rodrigo — Fractional CEO · Fort Lauderdale
Name hidden — members only
Industrial Executive | P&L Leadership | Business Transformation | Growth & Value Creation | M&A Integration | Fractional & Investor-Operator
Seng — Fractional CEO · Remote, Onsite
Name hidden — members only
Ex-founder enterprise B2B SaaS, AI/ML Product Innovator
When to hire a fractional CEO
Most companies hire a fractional CEO when the founder or existing team can no longer own the strategy function at executive depth. Common triggers:
- Founder is stepping back and a permanent CEO search is underway
- The business needs a turnaround, restructuring, or wind-down runway
- Board wants seasoned execution while the current CEO focuses on fundraising or M&A
- Post-acquisition integration needs a caretaker CEO for 6–12 months
- You need a chair-plus-CEO shape while the leadership team develops
What a fractional CEO owns
A fractional CEO operates as your accountable Chief Executive Officer on a part-time basis. Typical scope:
- — Operating cadence, weekly business review, and exec team rhythm
- — Strategic plan, capital plan, and board reporting
- — Turnaround, cost restructuring, or refinancing
- — Executive team hiring, coaching, and leveling
- — Investor and board communication
- — Handoff plan to the permanent CEO
Engagement models
Fractional (ongoing)
1–3 days per week on a recurring basis. Best when you need executive judgment in the business every week, but not a full-time hire yet.
Interim (full-time, fixed term)
Full-time coverage for 3–9 months. Best for a vacancy, a fundraise, an M&A event, or a turnaround.
Project / advisory
Scoped engagement (10–40 hours) tied to a specific deliverable — a plan, a system, a hire, a diligence.
How much does a fractional CEO cost?
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Frequently asked questions
- What does a fractional CEO do?
- A fractional or interim CEO runs the company part-time or full-time on a fixed term — setting strategy, running the operating cadence, managing the exec team, and reporting to the board — until a permanent CEO is hired or the mandate is complete.
- How much does a fractional CEO cost?
- Fractional CEO retainers typically run $12,000–$25,000 per month for part-time work. Full-time interim CEOs are usually scoped on a monthly retainer plus success fees, often $25k–$60k/month depending on stage and complexity.
- Fractional CEO vs interim CEO — what's the difference?
- A fractional CEO works part-time on an ongoing basis. An interim CEO is a full-time chief executive on a fixed term — usually 3–9 months — through a specific transition.
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