What is a Fractional CxO? Strategic Planning – So Simple Yet Still So Misunderstood An internet search for Strategic Planning or Business Strategy will lead you to a plethora of articles similar to “The 7 steps of strategic planning”, “The 4 components of strategic planning”, etc.  You will find countless articles, steps, diagrams, and frameworks (i.e., McKinsey 7-S, Porter 5 Forces). While this is a topic often written about, it’s also easy to get overwhelmed knowing where to start. This is particularly true with early-stage companies who have limited resources. Quite often, a handful of team members sit around a table for a few hours, discuss current operational challenges, list

You can easily find graphic designers to make the deck more visually appealing. You follow the recipe perfectly, you feel you have a great-looking deck with a smooth, logical story flow.
But then you hear, “NO”.  
And then you hear NO again, and again, and again.

When filling a long-term role, remember that all jobs have a learning curve—no matter how much experience you have, you still have to learn new processes and systems when you take a new role. Also, skills can be learned. Instead of years of experience, you might evaluate a candidate’s willingness to learn, transferable skills, and aptitude for solving problems.

How many times have you heard “Stop caring what other people think about you”? Although this advice can be helpful on a personal level, when it comes to your business, what others think does matter. For business owners, how others perceive your company will impact how successful your company is. The good news is that you can strategically shape your company’s perceived value by putting the right team in place early on.

It takes a lot to grow a company. You need top level leaders most early-stage companies don’t have the budget to hire full-time. This is where fractional CxOs come in.