Lob faced the challenge of replacing a VP of Engineering after a resignation and needed to make strategic executive hires. The company required access to top talent that traditional channels might not offer, alongside a low-risk method to assess candidate fit. Initial skepticism existed from the CEO regarding the viability of a fractional hiring approach for executive roles. They sought to ensure business continuity and drive future growth. Lob implemented an innovative fractional-to-full-time hiring approach for executive positions. They partnered with Go Fractional, leveraging its network for rapid and targeted matching of executive profiles. The process facilitated flexible engagements and "trial periods," allowing fractional executives to immediately integrate and prove their fit in real-world scenarios. This strategy provided critical product leadership and guided the company through a period of transformation. The fractional-to-full-time model delivered immediate results, with a VP of Engineering converting to a full-time role within 30 days. A fractional CFO was also hired full-time within 45 days, effectively guiding the business through transformation. This approach provided Lob a low-risk period to assess candidate fit and mutual alignment, boosting leadership's confidence in the strategy. Lob achieved a high level of continuity at the executive level, enabling the completion of projects and initiatives that would have otherwise been impossible.

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Mockingbird faced significant challenges with its outdated e-commerce infrastructure, which was built on a Shopify API version over three years old and lacked documentation. This unsupported platform prevented them from leveraging the latest Shopify features and led to non-scalable order processing. The old system frequently caused server timeouts, necessitating manual intervention for order fulfillment. Additionally, their existing fulfillment process lacked real-time updates and transparency, providing inadequate information to both the platform and customers. To address these issues, Mockingbird engaged a Fractional Senior Product Engineer to overhaul their e-commerce stack. The solution involved rebuilding the infrastructure from scratch using a modern Typescript tech stack, including Fastify and Prisma. They also created a staging environment for testing new changes and codified the infrastructure with Terraform, deploying it to AWS. A critical part of the solution was migrating to a real-time system utilizing webhooks, integrating directly with Shopify and their 3PL partners for instant fulfillment updates. Additionally, a robust QA process with added tests was implemented to ensure the tech stack's stability. The modernization efforts enabled Mockingbird to unlock many of the latest Shopify features, significantly simplifying their operations. The integration of webhooks with 3PL partners provided real-time updates on fulfillment, enhancing visibility for the company and providing customers with necessary order information. This streamlined process resulted in substantial cost savings, estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars. The new, stable, and scalable tech stack was well-equipped to support Mockingbird's growing number of orders and products.

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Just Salad aimed to launch a new mobile experience on Android and iOS, requiring extensive backend architecture and DevOps modernization for their APIs. They faced challenges with a legacy API platform and the need to transform a new cross-platform design into functional applications. Traditional agencies offered costly scope-based work with unknown development teams. The company also found it difficult to hire specific, high-quality engineering talent for their project's fluctuating needs. Go Fractional provided a senior product engineer to act as a fractional CTO, orchestrating the complex project. This included plugging in full-stack engineers with domain experience to rapidly create a technical roadmap and execute development. The fractional CTO conducted a detailed audit of Just Salad's tech stack, providing prioritized recommendations, and managed the technical relationships with various stakeholders, including the design agency. This approach allowed for the integration of internal talent, outsourced development, and multiple systems under unified project management. Within six months, Just Salad successfully launched its new mobile application, revamped its API platform, and achieved full integration across critical systems such as Otter, Segment, and GrubHub. The project also delivered automated end-to-end testing and a single, centralized codebase for both mobile and desktop platforms. Furthermore, Go Fractional provided a comprehensive code audit and established a clear path forward with best practices for the internal development team.

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Spara, a new company co-founded by Zander Pease, faced the challenge of needing senior-level expertise for critical roles like design and engineering from day one. Zander was handling every role but required seasoned experts who could integrate quickly without extensive management overhead. As a brand-new entity, Spara was not yet ready or able to attract and retain high-caliber full-time senior leaders across the board during its initial phase. Go Fractional partnered with Spara to fill these senior-level expertise gaps by providing fractional talent. They quickly identified and deployed a fractional Product Designer who took charge of the entire design function, from user interviews to product management. Additionally, Go Fractional supplied fractional engineers to bolster early development efforts, ensuring seamless integration into Spara's existing tech stack and workflow without requiring significant management from the co-founders. As a result, Spara gained the immediate advantage of offloading a major part of the co-founder's workload to an expert, allowing him to concentrate on other priorities. This strategic move enabled the company to secure high-caliber talent that it likely could not have attracted or retained full-time, especially during its crucial first year of operation. The fractional product designer's expertise profoundly influenced every product decision, and the ongoing relationship continues to provide vital strategic guidance as Spara grows its full-time team.

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FCP Euro, a rapidly growing $300 million online retailer, identified a critical gap in its senior leadership for a Chief Technology Officer. Hiring for such a crucial role was known to be time-consuming, expensive, and carried substantial risk, with potential mistakes being costly for the entire organization. The company sought a flexible solution that could quickly provide a technology expert while minimizing permanent fixed costs. FCP Euro engaged a Fractional Technology Leader, Steve Cooke, through a low-risk talent solution provided by Go Fractional. Steve immediately assessed the technology organization and commenced building a transformation plan. The process emphasized quality, speed, and deep operational understanding, offering FCP Euro vetted and curated candidates. Additionally, Go Fractional sourced candidates for a Director of Customer Service role, exploring both fractional and permanent options. Within six months, Steve successfully delivered a comprehensive technology transformation plan, which became the foundational blueprint for future hiring initiatives. This plan enabled FCP Euro to identify and source a full-time CTO, a Head of IT Infrastructure, a Head of Security, and other key technology roles. Steve was subsequently converted from a fractional leader to a long-term advisor, ensuring ongoing expertise. The engagement resulted in a "can't lose" scenario, delivering faster speed to market and conserving significant time and resources.

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The Uniswap Foundation needed to establish its brand identity and develop a comprehensive marketing strategy from the ground up. This included leading customer research, planning a marketing budget, and executing effective campaigns, all while identifying and hiring a suitable Marketing Director. They engaged Matt Spangler, a fractional marketing expert, who worked only 1 to 2 days a week over a five-month period. This expert led customer research, crafted the foundation’s first-ever brand and marketing strategy, and designed the initial 2024 marketing budget. Within five months, the fractional expert launched an email marketing campaign that produced outstanding results, achieving open and click rates more than 15% over the industry standard. Additionally, a successful Marketing Director hiring search was conducted, leveraging the expert's professional network.

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#paid sought to enhance its data strategy and execution by bringing in seasoned leadership. The company faced the common challenge of securing top-tier data science expertise, which typically comes with high costs for full-time executive roles, potentially limiting budget flexibility. To address this, #paid made a strategic decision to hire a fractional Head of Data Science. This approach allowed them to access a highly experienced data leader without the full financial commitment of a permanent executive position. They successfully secured a data leader with over 12 years of experience from top startups at just 50% of the cost of a full-time data scientist. This expert leadership significantly enhanced #paid's data strategy and execution, instilling confidence and driving measurable business results.

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