Insights
Insights
Practical pieces on fractional leadership, turnaround, go-to-market, and growth. Clear answers, no filler.
In short
Insights from Action Is Now are short, practical articles answering the real questions owners and boards ask about fractional and interim leadership, turnaround, go-to-market, and growth, written by a former C-level operator.
How much does an interim CEO cost?
An interim CEO usually costs EUR 1,200 to 2,500 per day, or roughly EUR 18,000 to 45,000 per month full-time, for a 6 to 12 month engagement.
Interim CEO vs fractional CEO: which does your company need?
An interim CEO is full-time for a fixed period, filling a gap or running a crisis. A fractional CEO is part-time on an ongoing basis, giving a smaller company a top operator a few days a week.
How to hire an interim CEO
Hiring an interim CEO is fast: define a clear mandate and exit, give the role real authority, agree the fee and start within days. The whole point is speed and accountability.
How to choose an interim CEO
Choose an interim CEO on three things: a track record in your exact situation, availability to start now, and the discipline to hand over and leave. The CV is the least important part.
How much does a fractional COO cost?
A fractional COO usually costs EUR 4,000 to 12,000 per month for two to three days a week, far less than the EUR 150,000-plus all-in cost of a full-time COO.
Fractional COO vs interim COO: which fits your operation?
A fractional COO works part-time on an ongoing basis to build your operations. An interim COO works full-time for a fixed period to fill a gap or run a heavy transition.
Scaling operations: the signs you need operating help
Scaling operations is the work of building systems, processes and a team so revenue can grow without the founder firefighting. The signal you need help is when growth starts creating chaos.
Temporary manager vs interim manager: is there a difference?
Temporary manager and interim manager are two names for the same thing: a senior executive deployed full-time for a fixed period to fill a gap, run a transition or deliver a turnaround.
Turnaround CEO vs restructuring advisor: which does a crisis need?
A turnaround CEO takes operational command and delivers the recovery. A restructuring advisor handles the financial and legal side: debt, creditors, and the balance sheet. They solve different halves
Our work with TenPerZent (AI hiring GTM)
We have partnered with TenPerZent, an AI hiring platform that screens 500 CVs in 60 seconds and predicts who will accept, stay and ramp. Our role is the one we know best: bring an operator's go-to-mar
What is a fractional CEO?
A fractional CEO is a senior chief executive who runs your company part-time, owning strategy, the leadership team, the numbers and the hard calls, accountable for the result rather than a full-time salary.
How much does a fractional CEO cost?
A fractional CEO is priced as a monthly retainer or day rate, well below a full-time CEO package once salary, bonus and equity are counted, with the best engagements tied partly to results.
Fractional CEO vs full-time CEO
A fractional CEO gives senior leadership part-time, fast and flexible; a full-time CEO gives permanent, full-bandwidth command. Stage, budget and urgency decide which one your company needs.
When to hire an interim CEO
Hire an interim CEO when the top seat is empty, the company is in trouble, or a major change needs a credible operator in command now, accountable from day one, not after a months-long search.
From founder to CEO
Scaling from founder to CEO means moving from doing the work to building the team, system and accountability that do it. A fractional or interim CEO can bridge the gap and coach the founder through it.
What does a fractional CEO do?
A fractional CEO owns strategy, leads and holds the team accountable, runs the numbers and makes the hard calls, part-time but with the same accountability as a permanent chief executive.
When should you hire a fractional CMO?
You hire a fractional CMO when marketing already moves revenue but the role does not yet justify a permanent chief: a stalled growth curve, a founder still owning marketing, a funding round that demands a credible leader, a new market to enter, or a team that needs direction more than another hire.
Should you hire a fractional CMO?
You should hire a fractional CMO if marketing is meant to drive growth, you have budget to deploy, and you lack senior leadership owning strategy and results.
What a fractional CMO does in the first 90 days
In the first 90 days a fractional CMO diagnoses the funnel and the spend, picks the few moves that matter, kills what is wasting budget, and commits to a measurable number.
Fractional CMO pricing benchmarks for 2026
In 2026 fractional CMO engagements typically run from around 4,000 to 6,000 EUR per month for early-stage companies, 6,000 to 12,000 for scale-ups, and 12,000 to 20,000-plus for larger or turnaround mandates, usually billed as a monthly retainer for two to three days a week.
Marketing-to-revenue ratio benchmarks
A healthy marketing-to-revenue ratio runs roughly 5 to 15% for established B2B, 10 to 20% for B2C and consumer brands, and higher for early-stage companies still buying their market.
Turnaround timeline: what changes at 30, 60 and 100 days
In a turnaround the first 30 days stabilise cash and stop the bleeding, days 30 to 60 fix the core of the business and reset the team and priorities, and days 60 to 100 prove the new trajectory with hard numbers.
Interim CEO vs turnaround advisor: which does a struggling company need?
An interim CEO steps into the top job and is accountable for running the company and executing the recovery.
Fractional CMO vs building an in-house marketing team
A fractional CMO gives you chief-level strategy and accountability immediately, at a fraction of a full-time cost.
What is a fractional CMO, and when do you need one?
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who runs your marketing function part-time, owning strategy, budget, and results at chief marketing officer level.
Fractional vs interim vs consultant: the real difference
A consultant advises and leaves. A fractional executive is a part-time leader who owns a function ongoing. An interim manager is a full-time operator.
How much does a fractional CMO cost in 2026?
A fractional CMO costs far less than a full-time chief marketing officer because you pay only for the days you need, commonly two to three a week. Prices start at EUR 2,000 per day.
Temporary manager: when it is genuinely worth it
A temporary manager is worth it when an Italian SME needs senior capability fast, to cover a vacant seat, lead a critical phase, or steady the business.
How to turn around a failing business in 100 days
To turn around a failing business in 100 days, get control of cash first, then diagnose the two or three structural problems doing most of the damage, and execute relentlessly.
Seven early signs your company needs a turnaround
Early signs a company needs a turnaround: cash is tighter than the P&L suggests, the same plan keeps being re-presented, suppliers are paid later, banks are asking questions, or key talent is leaving.
A go-to-market framework that actually ships
A go-to-market framework that ships is built around five decisions you can execute on Monday: a sharp ICP, positioning, the one or two channels that fit, a compelling offer, and a tight sales process.
How to expand into a new country without burning cash
To expand into a new country without burning cash, prioritise markets by real opportunity, enter lean to test the riskiest assumptions cheaply, and scale only what works.
Building a B2B sales team from zero
Building a B2B sales team from zero starts with a repeatable sales process and a clear ICP before you hire, then a first hire who can sell and document the process for others.
Cutting the marketing-to-revenue ratio: a CMO playbook
Cutting the marketing-to-revenue ratio means tying every major spend to a result you can defend, killing channels that only capture demand you already have, and focusing on measurable impact. We cut marketing-to-revenue from 40% to 30% at LeoVegas.
Fractional CMO vs marketing agency
Which one your situation actually calls for, and how to combine them.
Fractional CMO vs full-time CMO
Same seniority, different cost and commitment. When each one wins.
Interim manager vs consultant
Advice versus accountability, and which gets to results faster.
Fractional COO vs operations manager
Strategy and structure versus daily execution.
How to hire a fractional CMO
When to start, what to look for, and how to structure the engagement.
Fractional CMO responsibilities
A clear breakdown of what a fractional CMO actually owns.
KPIs that matter in a turnaround
The short list that tells you if a turnaround is working.
Signs you need a fractional COO
When growth has outrun your operations.
What does an interim CEO do?
An interim CEO steps into the chief executive seat full-time for a fixed period, usually 6 to 12 months. They take command immediately, own the P&L, lead the le
How long does an interim CEO stay?
An interim CEO typically stays 6 to 12 months. A focused stabilisation or transition can be done in 3 to 6 months; a full turnaround or a complex transaction ca
Do interim executives get equity?
Interim executives are usually paid a day rate or a monthly fee, not equity. Because the engagement is temporary and outcome-focused, equity rarely fits. Some m
What does a fractional COO do?
A fractional COO is a part-time chief operating officer who builds and runs the operating system of a growing company: processes, metrics, team structure, and t
When should a startup hire a fractional CEO?
A startup should hire a fractional CEO when it needs senior executive leadership (strategy, operating discipline, fundraising or commercial direction) but canno
How fast can an interim CEO start?
An interim CEO can usually start within days. That speed is the entire point: when a CEO leaves suddenly, a crisis hits, or a deal needs leadership now, you can
Frequently asked questions
What topics do your insights cover?
Fractional, interim, and temporary management: what each role does, what it costs, how to hire one, and how they compare. We also cover turnarounds, go-to-market, and scaling, drawn from real mandates rather than theory.
Who writes these insights?
Niklas Lindahl, founder of Action Is Now and a C-level operator with mandates across iGaming, SaaS, e-commerce, and manufacturing. The views come from running the P&L, not from observing it.
How often are the insights updated?
Regularly. We refresh cost benchmarks and comparison guides as the market moves, and each article carries a published and updated date so you can see how current it is.
What is the difference between a fractional and an interim executive?
Fractional is part-time and ongoing, a few days a month. Interim is full-time for a fixed period, usually to cover a gap or run a crisis. Our comparison guides break down cost, scope, and fit in detail.
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