I’ve been consulting technology and engineering companies since 2007, and this week I discovered that I’ve been solving scope creep the wrong way, Reader 🤔

A founder hires me to build an outbound system. Two months, clear deliverables. But three weeks in, they realize they also need messaging fixed, the website rebuilt, and partnership strategy sorted out.

All valid. All important. None in scope.

For years, I handled this sort of thing case by case, renegotiating as we went. It worked, but it was awkward. And it created a bigger problem because inevitably I was becoming a dependency instead of building independent capabilities.

Here’s what I’m changing in my approach… Looking back, I can clearly see that the engagements that worked best all had one thing in common. A forcing function.

A forcing function is a structural constraint that changes behavior without requiring willpower or good intentions.

In fractional CMO work, there’s no forcing function for handoff. The engagement can drift indefinitely. Scope expands. The founder keeps relying on you for decisions their team should be making. Everyone’s comfortable, but it takes way too long to build foundational systems that can work without you.

When you structure an engagement with a fixed end date and clear deliverables, everything changes.

The founding team expressly agrees that:

• Documentation take priority because it’s required for handoff
• Team training is central, and not a “get to it when you can” sort of thing
• Systems thinking replaces tactical execution from day one
• Everyone knows you’re building toward independence, not dependency

This is why I’m restructuring my practice to offer interim engagements alongside my more open-ended fractional work. I just love the clarity in the interim model (3 - 6 months. Clear deliverables. Built-in exit plan).

The model forces what fractional CMO work struggles to impart: Actual, independent capability building.

I’ll still take on a handful of open-ended fractional engagements each year, but only when it’s clear that the company needs ongoing strategic leadership rather than system-building and handoff. Most early-stage companies need the latter.

And, let’s be real, if you’re under $10M ARR, you shouldn’t need a fractional CMO running small teams indefinitely. You need someone to build the machine, train your team, and get out of the way so you can hire a strong marketing manager for $80k to $120k who runs the systems.

This week on the Convergence blog, I break down:

• The four specific playbooks I use in interim engagements
• What happens in the first 90 days, and
• The new $1k entry point I’m launching for bootstrapped founders who need guidance but can’t afford full interim yet.

If you’re the founder who’s running marketing and it’s taking time away from product or fundraising, or you’re scaling from Series A to B and need to professionalize your function before your next raise, read the full breakdown here.​

Lillian

P.S. If you’re bootstrapped under $25k MRR and can’t justify $10k to $30k per month for full interim, I’m taking early interest for a new back-pocket coaching program. Daily voice messaging access Monday through Friday. You build the systems, I guide you through execution. Starting at $1k/month. Reply to this email if you want in on the early round.

All the best,

Lillian Pierson

Growth Partner & Fractional CMO

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