Fitzgerald Growth Consulting provides fractional CMO services built for lower middle market businesses and private equity firms — the strategic marketing leadership you need, structured around what your business actually requires.
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing executive who works with your business on a part-time or project basis — providing the strategic leadership, accountability, and execution oversight of a full-time Chief Marketing Officer, without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
In the lower middle market, most businesses don't need — and can't justify — a $250,000+ full-time CMO. But they do need someone who can set marketing strategy, lead the team, manage vendors and agencies, and be accountable for results. That's exactly what a fractional CMO provides.
At FGC, we go further. We show up like an operator — attending your meetings, working directly with your people, and staying accountable to outcomes, not just recommendations.
Our fractional CMO engagements are built for two types of organizations — each with distinct needs, but a shared problem.
You've acquired a business with strong operations but an underdeveloped marketing function. You need strategic marketing leadership to drive revenue growth, professionalize the brand, and build enterprise value ahead of exit.
You've built something real. The operations are solid, the customers are loyal — but your marketing hasn't kept pace with the business. You're leaving revenue on the table and you know it.
For most lower middle market businesses, a fractional CMO is not a compromise — it's the smarter choice.
| Fractional CMO (FGC) | Full-Time CMO Hire | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | Fraction of full-time — no benefits, equity, or severance | $200,000–$350,000+ in salary, benefits, and equity |
| Experience Level | Senior operator with cross-industry pattern recognition | Varies — often single-industry background |
| Flexibility | Scales up or down based on business needs | Fixed cost regardless of workload |
| Commitment | Structured for the engagement you need | Long-term hire — difficult and costly to unwind |
| Network & Vendors | Established relationships with agencies, tools, and talent | Brings only their own rolodex |
Every engagement is built around what the client actually needs. We don't sell packages — we design engagements around your business, your team, and your goals.
We start by getting inside the business — your platforms, your analytics, your team, your vendors. No guessing. We build the strategy on what's actually there.
We define where you're going, who you're talking to, and how you show up. Positioning, messaging, brand, and an annual plan built to execute — not sit on a shelf.
We build the assets, launch the channels, and activate performance marketing — website, digital presence, paid media, and the infrastructure that connects marketing to revenue.
We stay embedded — attending meetings, managing vendors, leading the team, and remaining accountable for outcomes long after the foundation is set.
Every dollar tracked, every channel measured. We implement the attribution infrastructure, reporting cadence, and optimization process that keeps performance improving.
When the time is right, we help you build the internal team or transition to the next phase — leaving the business stronger than we found it.
Flexible by design. Engagements are structured around your business — not a rigid timeline. We move at the pace your team can support, and we'll tell you honestly if we think you can go faster.
Start the ConversationWhat embedded marketing leadership actually looks like — from pre-close diligence to demand generation and exit positioning.
A midwest-based private equity firm acquired two restoration companies — one in Atlanta, one in Memphis — with plans to scale through additional M&A and de novo locations. The legacy brands had strong local equity and leadership resistance to losing their names. Banker feedback, however, suggested that tighter brand integration could drive a 1–2x multiple expansion at exit.
Unify the platform in a way that preserved local brand equity, avoided alienating existing teams, created a scalable architecture for future acquisitions, and positioned the company for meaningful multiple expansion — without dismantling what made each brand strong.
Whether you're a PE firm evaluating a portfolio company or a business owner ready to close the gap — the conversation starts here. Tell us about your situation and we'll tell you honestly if we're the right fit.
Thank you — Brad will be in touch shortly.
fitzgeraldbrad@gmail.com · fitzgeraldgrowth.co