Decision Guide · B2B Companies · Canada
The honest comparison - cost, accountability, speed, and the specific company stage where each model makes sense. Written by someone who has operated in all three roles.
| Factor | Fractional CMO | Full-Time CMO | Consultant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (Canada) | $6,000–$12,000 | $21,000–$30,000+ total comp | $5,000–$20,000 |
| Equity requirement | None | 0.5–2% typical at growth stage | None |
| Time to start | Days | 6–12 months to recruit | Days |
| Strategy ownership | Full - owns the strategy | Full | Advisory only - recommends |
| Team management | Yes - manages your team | Yes | No |
| Pipeline accountability | Yes - owns pipeline targets | Yes | No |
| Board/leadership meetings | Attends as CMO | Attends | Presents periodically |
| Agency management | Briefs and manages agencies | Yes | Typically not |
| Cross-industry experience | Multiple clients - broad perspective | Single-company focus | Varies |
| Minimum commitment | 2 months | 12–24 months + severance | Project-based |
| First strategic output | 30–45 days | 90–180 days (onboarding) | 2–4 weeks |
| Risk if it doesn't work out | Low - 30 days notice | Severance, legal, disruption | End the project |
| AI-augmented delivery | Standard - Claude, GPT, Copilot, Gemini | Varies by candidate | Varies |
| Best revenue stage | $15M–$60M | $60M–$500M+ | Any - specific deliverables |
The most important distinction between a fractional CMO and a marketing consultant is not the price - it's the accountability structure. A consultant is paid for their time and their deliverables. A fractional CMO is paid to drive outcomes.
When you engage Optivus, Dean Reid owns a pipeline target. He attends your leadership team meeting. He manages your marketing people. He presents marketing performance to your board. If the strategy isn't working, he fixes it - because he's accountable to the result, not the deliverable.
This changes the dynamic entirely. A consultant optimizes for a good-looking presentation. A fractional CMO optimizes for pipeline, because that's what his engagement is measured on.
The question to ask in any CMO engagement - fractional or otherwise: "Will you own a pipeline number?" If the answer is yes, you have a real marketing leader. If the answer is hedged with "I can influence pipeline but can't control sales" - you have an advisor. Both have value, but only one is a CMO.
Yes - and this is a common and sensible path. Many companies begin with a fractional engagement and, as revenue grows and the marketing function expands, eventually transition to a full-time CMO hire. A fractional CMO who has been embedded for 12–18 months can either transition into the full-time role themselves (if it's the right fit) or hire and onboard their full-time replacement with perfect context. This eliminates the 6–12 month productivity gap that comes with hiring a full-time CMO cold.
No - a fractional CMO typically works with 2–4 clients simultaneously, each receiving a defined portion of their time. This is a feature, not a limitation: it means your fractional CMO brings current, cross-industry pattern recognition to your business. What's working in B2B SaaS demand generation today flows into how your professional services GTM is built. That cross-pollination of insight is something a single-company full-time CMO cannot offer.
A 30-minute call will make it clear. No commitment required - just an honest conversation about your situation and what would actually serve it best.