Fractional Resources

Here’s the thing about being a fractional: you’re not there for the title. You’re there to solve problems. To bring clarity where there’s chaos.

But your client? They might need that title more than you think.

A while back, I was talking with Marc LeBrun - one of the original Macintosh creators, now working as a Fractional CTO. He said something that stuck:

“Have direct conversations with clients about what title they’d like you to use on LinkedIn and in other public spaces.”

This really highlights something I keep telling fractional leaders: you need to be clear about which part of the job you want to do. You can’t do the whole C-level role part-time - that’s what makes you fractional rather than interim. Pick your slice and own it.

We might default to “Fractional CTO” - that’s what we call ourselves. But your client might need something else entirely. A VP of Technology for a pitch deck. A CTO for credibility. Something that fits their story, not yours.

One of Marc’s clients specifically wanted to keep his VP title visible for their fundraising efforts - it was part of the value he brought to them. The key is having that conversation early and being flexible. It’s not about your preferred title or ego. It’s about aligning your public presence with what helps your client succeed.

Their needs might shift as the engagement evolves, so stay open to that conversation.

So next time you’re onboarding a client, ask:

“What title do you need me to carry for this engagement?”

You might be surprised by the answer - and by how much it matters to them.

I’m David Raistrick. I provide advice and coaching for fractional professionals looking to build sustainable fractional practices.