Still Building…
Most professionals leaving corporate assume consulting is the natural next step. This week's article makes the case for a different model, one where you own a function, not just a project, and get paid every month for it.
The fractional executive space also has companies you can plug into directly. If business development is not your strength, that changes the equation significantly.
Honestly, I am at a crossroads with the tools I have been developing for Retirepreneur. Figuring out real demand has been harder than building them, and I am sitting with that more than I expected this week.
Keep Building!
Curt
📰 Featured Section
Most professionals leaving corporate think consulting is the only way to monetize their C-suite experience. There is a second model that may pay better, run longer, and fit more naturally into how you actually worked.
Fractional vs. Consulting: The Distinction That Changes Everything
Consulting is project-based. You scope a deliverable, price it, deliver it, and move on. Fractional executive work is different in a fundamental way. You are a part-time member of the leadership team. You attend the meetings, own the function, and are accountable for outcomes. The work is ongoing, not episodic.
→ Consulting: defined scope, fixed timeline, project handoff - Consulting client asks "what do you recommend?"
→ Fractional: ongoing role, weekly presence, retained accountability - Fractional client asks "what are we doing?"
"You are not the outside expert who writes the report. You are the CFO who runs the numbers every month."
What Fractional Executives Actually Earn
Fractional CFO pricing varies widely, but many U.S. engagements fall in the $200–$350 per hour range or a $3,000–$12,000 monthly retainer, depending on company size, complexity, and the level of responsibility.
The same math applies to fractional CEOs, CMOs, and CTOs.
The market for this work is not Fortune 100.
It is the $5 million regional manufacturer that needs a real CFO but cannot justify a $200,000 salary.
It is the founder-led services company at $8 million in revenue that has outgrown its bookkeeper but is not ready for a full-time finance executive.
Geography and industry affect rates, but the monthly retainer model is consistent across both.
The Function You Own Determines What You Earn
Positioning is where most former executives underestimate the work required. "I have 30 years of finance experience" is a background. These are positions:
→ CFO: "I build the financial reporting infrastructure that growth-stage companies need before they raise debt or equity"
→ COO: "I install the operational systems that let a founder step out of the business without it stalling"
→ CMO: "I build customer acquisition engines for founder-led businesses that have grown on referrals and need a repeatable process"
One earns a conversation. The others earn a retainer.
The Part Nobody Talks About
The biggest obstacle is rarely capability. It is building a pipeline. Many highly qualified executives discover that running a fractional practice requires marketing, networking, and business development skills they never needed inside a corporation.
This is the real transition challenge, and it catches smart people off guard.
Fractional placement firms partially solve this problem. Networks like CFO Alliance, CFO2, and Cerius Executives match experienced executives with companies actively seeking part-time C-suite leadership. The tradeoff is real: placement fees reduce your effective rate and you have less control over client selection.
But for a former executive who would rather lead than sell, it is a legitimate first step toward a revenue-generating engagement.
The Third Option Most Transitional Professional Miss
Many professionals assume the only choices are returning to full-time corporate work or picking up occasional consulting projects.
Fractional executive work is “the third option”: meaningful work, C-suite influence, and recurring monthly income without returning to a 60-hour schedule or scoping your value into a single deliverable.
You spent decades building the judgment companies are paying to access. The question is whether you have packaged it in a way someone can say yes to.
🔆 That’s a Wrap
Your career experience may be more valuable than you realize.
Before assuming retirement means stepping away completely, take time to explore the many ways experienced professionals are turning decades of knowledge into meaningful work, flexible income, and new opportunities.
Curt Roese, CPA
Founder, Retirepreneur | Former CFO
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