Behind the Scenes of a Fractional Executive’s Journey
Based in New York, Heidi Brown runs Brilliance by Brown, Inc. and works as a Fractional CMO. She primarily serves B2B startups, midsize B2B companies, midsize professional services firms, and PE firms and their portfolio companies.
Here’s how Heidi explains what she does and the value she brings to clients:
“My focus is diagnosing why growth has stalled and fixing the GTM problems blocking revenue acceleration, where marketing, sales, and customer success intersect.”
The Leap Into Fractional Leadership: Heidi's Career Pivot
For Heidi, the move into Fractional work came at a turning point in her career.
“I reached an inflection point in my career after achieving several milestones. I have always harbored an entrepreneurial mindset. I helped position the acquisition of the last company I worked for, and this was the impetus to move forward as a solo professional.”
Superpower in Action: Heidi's Strength as a Fractional Executive
Every Fractional brings a unique gift to the table. For Heidi, it’s this:
“I have the ability to uncover the real issue a company is experiencing instead of the perceived problem. From this stance I can build the right infrastructure to both triage and execute solutions.”
Breaking the Myths: What Fractional Leadership Really Looks Like
The concept of Fractional leadership often gets misunderstood. Here’s the misconception Heidi sees most:
“It’s important to define what a Fractional professional provides vs. a Consultant. Due to the flood of professionals moving to Fractional workers, the term “Fractional” has become a bit commoditized. It’s important to voice how you can resolve a company’s pain - both from a hands-on strategic and tactical posture - and what you will do to create a foundation of success once the engagement has completed.”
Wins That Define Their Fractional Journey
Heidi shared a recent project she’s especially proud of:
“I was engaged by a Family Office to better position the firm for growth. I partnered with the executive team to revise all market-facing assets, zoned in on remediating their differentiators, and established a marketing infrastructure that they could build upon post the engagement. Within the first 6 months the firm grew their client roster by 20%.”
Lessons from the First Few Months in Fractional Work
Looking back at starting out as a Fractional, here’s what Heidi wishes someone had told her:
“I wish someone had told me how to better balance business development with client service.”
Heidi’s Advice for New Fractionals
“Be honest about the requirements it takes to strive and thrive. It can be a repetitive, stop/start, and lonely journey. Treat each client as if you were their employee. Transparency, over communication, and consistent clarity or clarification of what you are delivering helps to minimize miscommunication and missteps.”
Beyond the Resume: The Real Heidi
Something that would never show up in her LinkedIn bio, but totally defines how she works and leads:
“A Type personality who hears and listens, and does not lead with her ego.”
And a fun fact, completely unrelated to work:
“I am a classically trained ballet dancer.”
One Quote That Sums It All Up
“I am always excited to take on the next challenge, and deliver the required results.”
