A fractional CMO sets marketing strategy and priorities part time. A creative delivery lead makes sure that strategy turns into finished brand, website and marketing work. Many growing businesses need the second before the first.
Founders often hire for strategy when the real gap is execution.
What a fractional CMO does
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who works with a business for a few days a month. They define positioning, audiences, channels, budgets and goals, and often manage agencies and in house marketers.
They suit businesses without a clear marketing direction, or those preparing for investment, a new market or a major repositioning.
What a delivery lead does
A creative delivery lead owns the practical side: turning plans into briefs, coordinating agencies, designers and developers, managing timelines and approvals, and keeping work to standard.
They suit businesses that already know what they want but struggle to get it finished: a rebrand stuck in feedback, a website running late or campaigns that never quite launch.
How to choose
Ask whether your problem is knowing what to do or getting it done. If the plan exists but nothing ships, you need delivery leadership. If there is no plan, start with strategy.
When you need both
Some businesses need both, and the roles work well together. The strategist decides direction; the delivery lead protects it through execution.
I work as a delivery lead and consultant for founders and marketing leaders on brand, website and marketing projects, alongside strategists or fractional CMOs where they are already in place. Book a call to talk through your project.