--- title: The myth of the 'full-time CMO' description: The myth of the full-time CMO - how fractional leadership is the real power move for scale-ups. Pros of fractional marketing. image: https://rowntreesquared.com/hubfs/2H3P46N.jpg --- [Go Back Up](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/the-myth-of-the-full-time-cmo#top) [Skip to Content](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/the-myth-of-the-full-time-cmo#body) [![Rowntree2\_Final](https://rowntreesquared.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Rowntree2_Final.png?width=300&height=81&name=Rowntree2_Final.png "Rowntree2_Final")](https://rowntreesquared.com/) Toggle Menu - [What we do](https://rowntreesquared.com/services) - [How we do it](https://rowntreesquared.com/elastic-marketing) - [Who we are](https://rowntreesquared.com/who-we-are) - [Work we love](https://rowntreesquared.com/work-we-love) - [Blog](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog) - [Talk to us](https://rowntreesquared.com/talk-to-us) [back to blog](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog) # The myth of the 'full-time CMO' [Story telling](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/topic/story-telling) • 11 September 2025, 09:48:46 BST • Written by: Matt Rowntree ![](https://rowntreesquared.com/hubfs/2H3P46N.jpg) Share article [mailto:?subject=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%27full-time%20CMO%27&body=https%3A%2F%2Frowntreesquared.com%2Frowntree-blog%2Fthe-myth-of-the-full-time-cmo](mailto:?subject=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%27full-time%20CMO%27&body=https%3A%2F%2Frowntreesquared.com%2Frowntree-blog%2Fthe-myth-of-the-full-time-cmo) **Why fractional leadership is the real power move for scale-ups** In the high-stakes world of fintech scale-ups, every pound counts. Yet, many founders cling to the outdated notion that a full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is the golden ticket to growth. The reality? Full-time CMOs often bloat budgets without delivering the agility needed in volatile markets. Fractional leadership is emerging as the smarter, leaner alternative, here’s why... A full-time CMO comes with a hefty price tag – think salary starting at £150,000 annually in the UK, plus equity and bonuses ([3Search, 2025](https://www.3searchgroup.com/resources/blog/marketing-salaries-in-2025/)). You can add at least another 50% for NI, pension, holiday pay and other benefits! That can quickly rack up to more than a quarter of a million pounds. And what happens when the CMO asks for additional team members or agency support?! For a scale-up getting by on Series A funding, that’s a massive drain, especially when markets are shaky and investor scrutiny is intense. Worse, many full-time execs get bogged down in internal politics or long-winded strategies that don’t move the needle fast enough. Founders in the tech space, juggling product launches and regulatory hurdles, can’t afford to wait six months for a branding overhaul that might not land. Enter fractional CMOs: seasoned pros who parachute in, align marketing with immediate goals, and execute with precision. They bring C-suite expertise without the C-suite cost, often charging 50-70% less for focused, high-impact work ([Forbes, 2024](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2024/06/10/is-a-fractional-cmo-right-for-your-company/)). Need a killer go-to-market strategy for a new payment platform? They’ve done it. Want to pivot comms during a funding drought? They’re already battle-tested. Their agility lets scale-ups pivot faster than competitors weighed down by bloated teams. The kicker? Fractional leaders aren’t just cost-effective – they’re often more effective overall. Unencumbered by office politics, they focus on results: sharper campaigns, tighter messaging, and measurable ROI. For tech & fintech founders, this means marketing that resonates with enterprise clients or regulators without burning through runway. They’re also able to combine years of experience and a fast-learned understanding of the business with an unbiased eye on the market. They haven’t drunk the Kool-Aid, so can challenge predictable or over-used ideas, balance provocation with engagement and see-through a weak GTM and fix it. The full-time CMO myth assumes one person can do it all. In today’s fast-moving fintech landscape, that’s a gamble. Fractional leadership flips the script, offering expertise, flexibility, and affordability. For scale-ups, it’s not just a choice – it’s a power move. *Ready to rethink your marketing leadership? Connect with Rowntree2 for fractional solutions that drive growth without breaking the bank.* ### Want to accelerate your business without full time marcomms hires? [TALK TO US](https://rowntreesquared.com/talk-to-us) ![](https://rowntreesquared.com/hubfs/Matt%20avatar.jpg) [mailto:matt@rowntreesquared.com](mailto:matt@rowntreesquared.com) ###### Matt Rowntree You May Like These ## Related Articles ![](https://rowntreesquared.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2H3P46N.jpg?width=700&name=2H3P46N.jpg) ### [Big Agency, Small Team: Knowing What You Really Need](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/big-agency-small-team-knowing-what-you-really-need) ![](https://rowntreesquared.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BHT7P7.jpg?width=700&name=BHT7P7.jpg) ### [The meme-ification of fintech](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/the-meme-ification-of-fintech) ![](https://rowntreesquared.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Hitchiker%20light.jpg?width=700&name=Hitchiker%20light.jpg) ### [Not too early for comms](https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/not-too-early-for-comms) ![Rowntree2\_FinalWO\_NoStrap](https://rowntreesquared.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Rowntree2_FinalWO_NoStrap.png?width=350&height=91&name=Rowntree2_FinalWO_NoStrap.png "Rowntree2_FinalWO_NoStrap") If you'd like to hear more, please book a free, 30-minute introductory call on [hello@rowntreesquared.com](mailto:hello@rowntreesquared.com). ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Matt Rowntree", "url" : "https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/author/matt-rowntree" }, "dateModified" : "2026-03-23T11:39:37.808Z", "datePublished" : "2025-09-11T08:48:46.000Z", "headline" : "The myth of the 'full-time CMO'", "image" : [ "https://rowntreesquared.com/hubfs/2H3P46N.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://rowntreesquared.com/rowntree-blog/the-myth-of-the-full-time-cmo", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://rowntreesquared.com/hubfs/Rowntree2_Final-2.png" } } } ```