2024 in the Rearview: My Journey into Fractional Leadership and Key Learnings

As 2024 winds down, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this transformational year. Why share my story? Because I believe my experience could help other corporate professionals take a fresh look at their career paths and explore opportunities they might not have considered before.

Career Move: Going Fractional

After 25+ years in a corporate career, I made a big decision: I went Fractional. What does that mean? Instead of pursuing another full-time executive role, I chose to focus on consulting and part-time SaaS CRO engagements.

What’s the catch? Honestly, there isn’t one.

Going Fractional has given me:

1. Freedom: The ability to choose projects and teams I genuinely enjoy working with?—?something critical at this stage of my career.
2. Impact: I can dedicate time to thorough customer discovery before engagements, ensuring I deeply understand clients’ challenges and objectives.
3. Clarity: I set clear project goals and timelines?—?something far more elusive in a full-time role.
4. Balance: I scale my workload up or down, leaving room to prioritize family and health.
5. Continuous Learning: Weekly time to explore new tools and technology. As a self-proclaimed “Sales Engineer,” I rely heavily on systems to drive Sales and Marketing efficiency. With AI revolutionizing IT Sales, I’m constantly inspired by emerging tools and use cases.
6. Growth: Daily time dedicated to business development?—?experimenting with tools, content, channels, and staying connected with my network.

Overcoming the Initial Uncertainty

Starting this journey alone was uncomfortable at first. To ease the transition, I joined Chief Outsiders, a team of Fractional Executives. Their exceptional peer support and learning environment helped me build momentum.

Like any “educational” experience, you get out what you put in. Within 3 months, I had:

• Defined my service offerings
• Rekindled and expanded my network
• Landed my first client

Now, I feel confident to continue this journey independently, fully capable of driving new opportunities and delivering results for my clients.

Looking Ahead to?2025

I’m optimistic about the year ahead:

• Exciting new project opportunities
• Continued growth in IT SaaS businesses
• Practical, transformative AI applications emerging across the industry

A Message to Corporate IT Professionals

If you’re feeling stuck or considering a change, I encourage you to explore the Fractional path. It’s an opportunity to redefine your career, embrace freedom, and focus on what truly matters.

Stepping into the unknown isn’t easy?—?but trust me, commitment is freedom.

Off we go!

Wishing You a Joyful Holiday?Season

Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, and stay tuned for more SaaS Sales insights in 2025!

Cheers, Yury