Over the last 20 years, we've built two $100M+ companies and made hundreds of mistakes along the way. Everything we do runs on our GTM Operating System frameworks. We even wrote a book called MOVE — which became a WSJ best-selling book on go-to-market, quoted by Geoffrey Moore (author of the iconic Crossing the Chasm).
Bryan and Sangram (guess who’s who)
Our mission: help 100,000 businesses run on GTM OS to build profitable companies. We're at about 3,000 now so we have a long way to go.
We also run the GTMarketplace — connecting CEOs with 100+ certified fractional CMOs, CROs, and ops leaders all over the world who know the GTM Operating System.
With that intro, let's get moving!
In today's post, I'm going behind the scenes on why GTMarketplace is where the smartest CEOs are hiring fractional GTM leaders instead of posting job reqs.
"The traditional CMO/CRO role is dying.
But the need for GTM leadership isn't.
The companies winning right now aren't always hiring full-time execs they can't afford. They're hiring fractional leaders who've done it before—and can execute from day one."
So How are CEOs, PE firms and VCs breaking the rules of recruiting full-times and getting top notch Fractionals.
GTMarketplace where there are 100+ Vetted Fractionals. One Matching Engine.
Ex-CMOs. Ex-CROs. RevOps leaders. People who've built from startup to PE exit.
But it’s not just a list. It get’s better.
You type in:
The exact GTM problem you're facing
Your company size
Your industry
And it maps the fractionals who've solved that problem before.
No scrolling through profiles. No guessing. No "let's see if this person is a fit."
You describe the problem. We show you who's solved it.
In my CEO roundtable last week, one founder asked how to find a fractional CMO who actually understood AI-powered GTM.
That conversation led me to think back on why we built this in the first place.
I just showed it LIVE and now you can do it too - just go to GTMarketplace.
But Why Now? Well.. I've Seen This Problem for 10 Years
When I look at what CEOs are struggling with today, I recognize the pattern.
Because I've lived it.
At Terminus, we scaled from $1M to $100M+. We helped build the ABM category. I went from Co-founder CMO to Chief Evangelist.
But here's what I learned: not every company needs a full-time CMO or CRO. Especially not at $5M, $10M, even $20M ARR.
What they need is someone who's done it before. Someone who can come in, diagnose the problem, and execute—not just hand you a deck and disappear.
That's why we created GTMarketplace.
Every fractional in here has:
10+ years of executive experience
Gone through our extensive vetting process
Been trained on GTM OS and AI-powered GTM through GTM Partners
These aren't consultants.
These are operators who work alongside you and your team to get it done.
The Broken Recruiting Playbook Led Us To Build an “Open To All” Hire Now Model
Here's what we built into GTMarketplace:
𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
No one starts with this - "I need a CMO." You start with "My pipeline is broken" or "We can't get enterprise deals over the line" or "Our marketing and sales teams aren't aligned."
The matching engine finds fractionals who've solved that exact problem.
𝟮. 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀.
Every fractional in GTMarketplace has been through our vetting process. They're not people who "used to do GTM." They're people who've built GTM engines from startup to exit.
And they've been trained on GTM OS and AI-powered execution through GTM Partners. They can execute, not just strategize.
𝟯. 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁.
Company size matters. Industry matters. Stage matters.
A fractional who scaled a $50M enterprise SaaS company isn't the same as one who built a PLG motion from scratch.
The matching engine knows the difference.
Why This Matters for Your Budget Now More Than Ever
Five CEOs asked me for fractional GTM help last week alone.
The pattern is always the same:
"I'm not ready for a full-time CMO or CRO. But I need someone who's done this before. Someone who can execute, not just advise. Someone who gets AI and knows how to use it in GTM."
Here's the math most CEOs don't do:
A full-time CMO costs $300K-$500K+ fully loaded. Plus 3-6 months to hire. Plus 6 months to ramp.
A fractional CMO from GTMarketplace? Starts next week. Executes from day one. Costs a fraction of full-time raging from $5K/month to $25K/month depending on the size and scope of work.
PE firms figured this out. VCs figured this out.
Last week, I got several notes from CEOs who reached out to fractionals through the marketplace—and some are already starting engagements.
One founder told me: "I described my pipeline problem, and it matched me with someone who'd fixed the exact same issue at a company my size.
We're starting next week. I love GTMarketplace because it has vetted leaders, trained in GTM Operating System in my industry and ready to execute.”
That's the point.
The New GTM Hiring Framework: The Right Leader at the Right Time
This connects to how we think about GTM leadership in the GTM Operating System.
Most companies hire for the role they think they need. "We need a CMO." "We need a CRO."
But the question isn't "what role?" The question is "what problem?"
And the right leader for that problem might not be a full-time hire. It might be a fractional who's solved it three times before—and can do it again in 90 days.
GTMarketplace is built for that.
FAQ from Hiring CEOs, PE firms and VCs:
Ask yourself:
𝟭. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲?
Not "we need a CMO." What's broken? Pipeline? Positioning? Sales and marketing alignment? Enterprise motion? Be specific.
𝟮. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄?
If you're not at $30M+ ARR, a fractional might get you further, faster, for less.
𝟯. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗳𝗶𝘁?
The best fractional for you isn't the one with the best resume. It's the one who's solved your exact problem at your exact stage.
Our blunt advice to CEOs and GTM teams right now:
Stop hiring for roles.
Start hiring for problems.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗘𝗢, PE firm, VC 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿:
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸:
→ Watch THIS recording that has helped over a 1000 GTM leaders build a fractional business. Use promo code: fractional100 (so you don’t have to pay $499 to watch it)
love,
sangram
p.s. 100,000+ GTM leaders read our content every day. If you want more strategies like this, follow along at runongtmos.com — and let's get moving.