Fractionals Unplugged with Jay Kingley

In this episode of Fractionals Unplugged, Jay Kingley speaks with Shelley Majors, a Fractional CHRO on the critical role of leadership in business, emphasizing the need for effective communication and the importance of treating employees well. She highlights the dangers of surrounding oneself with 'yes people' and the necessity for honest feedback in fostering a healthy workplace culture.Email Shelley or send her a DM on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@mavenadvisers.com if you're a fractional executive or consultant and would like to be a guest on our show.

1/13/26 • 15:51

In this episode of Fractionals Unplugged, Jay Kingley speaks with Jen Hamilton, founder of the Fractional COO Collective. They discuss the role of fractional COOs and integrators, the benefits of joining the community, and the challenges faced in business development. Jen shares her insights on the importance of support and mentorship for fractional COOs, as well as her plans for the future of the collective, including a new podcast to advocate for the profession.Email Jen or send her a DM on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive or consultant and would like to be a guest on our show.

8/11/25 • 21:28

In this episode of Fractionals Unplugged, Jay Kingley speaks with Rebecca Kushner, a Fractional CFO specializing in helping health and wellness practitioners navigate their financial challenges. They discuss the common issues practitioners face, including pricing, client volume, and overhead costs. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of understanding financial metrics to make informed decisions and achieve sustainable growth. The conversation also touches on the impact of industry consolidation and the misconceptions practitioners have about growth. Rebecca shares actionable steps for practitioners to improve their financial clarity and outlines her journey to becoming a financial educator.Email Rebecca or send her a DM on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive or consultant and would like to be a guest on our show.

7/1/25 • 18:43

In this episode of Fractionals Unplugged, Jay Kingley and Oleksii Lunkov discuss the challenges faced by early to mid-stage companies in the e-commerce sector. Oleksii shares insights on the importance of understanding revenue growth, identifying root causes of e-commerce issues, and the necessity of balancing basic e-commerce practices with unique brand elements. He emphasizes the role of a strong team and leadership in overcoming struggles and achieving success in a competitive digital market.Email Oleksii or send him a DM on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive or consultant and would like to be a guest on our show.

6/3/25 • 20:43

In this episode of Fractionals Unplugged, Jay Kingley speaks with Tom Dillon, a Fractional CFO specializing in helping businesses navigate financial challenges. They discuss the concept of 'sweaty startups', the importance of understanding cash flow, and the role of finance in driving business growth. Tom emphasizes the need for transparency and leadership in addressing key business problems and shares insights on building a successful team for the future.Email Tom or send him a DM on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive or consultant and would like to be a guest on our show.

4/29/25 • 21:36

Jay Kingley interviews Ashish Nanavati, a data-driven fractional marketer. They discuss the importance of understanding ideal client profiles (ICPs), the urgent problems startups face, and the challenges in achieving desired outcomes. Ashish emphasizes the need to identify root causes of marketing struggles, break down silos within organizations, and implement growth loop structures. He also shares his personal journey, including a life-threatening surgery that led him to consulting work, and his focus on leveraging AI in marketing for future growth.Email Aashish or send him a DM on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive or consultant and would like to be a guest on our show.

4/8/25 • 17:06

Jess Schultz, a Fractional CRO/CMO, talks about the challenges faced by founders of B2B SaaS companies as they transition from founder-led sales to a more structured go-to-market strategy. Jess and Jay discuss the emotional toll on founders, common mistakes in scaling sales, and the importance of understanding the ideal client profile. Jessica shares her insights on identifying root causes of revenue issues and offers strategies for effective execution while emphasizing the need for alignment within teams. Email Jess to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

1/14/25 • 26:38

Russell Lookadoo, a Fractional Chief HR Officer, talks about the challenges small business owners face in hiring and managing staff. Russell shares insights on the importance of emotional connection in leadership, the pain points of hiring, and the need for clear communication and strategic planning. He emphasizes the significance of understanding one's ideal client profile and the necessity of creating a supportive work environment that fosters growth and innovation.Email Russell to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

11/5/24 • 21:18

Marley Wagner discusses the evolving landscape of customer engagement and marketing strategies in B2B companies. They discuss the importance of retaining existing customers, the challenges of communication between marketing and customer success teams, and the need for a cohesive digital engagement strategy. Marley shares insights on identifying pain points, the significance of product-market fit, and the steps companies can take to improve customer retention and engagement. The conversation highlights the urgency for businesses to adapt to changing customer expectations and the competitive landscape. Email Marley to continue the conversation.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

10/15/24 • 23:01

Omid Sadati discuss the importance of product market fit for early-stage companies. Key takeaways include:Product market fit is crucial for the success of early-stage companies.Founders need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and continuously learn and grow.Critical and strategic thinking are essential in navigating the complexities of achieving product market fit.Engaging with customers and validating assumptions is key to understanding their needs and preferences.Frameworks and models can be helpful, but they should be used in conjunction with critical thinking and a deep understanding of the business context. Entrepreneurship is about finding meaningful problems and solving them in a meaningful way.Understanding people and their motivations is crucial in building successful products and businesses.Product market fit is about aligning with the customer's vision and serving their needs.Collecting feedback and validating ideas is an important part of the product development process.Resilience and curiosity are key traits for personal and professional growth.Connect with Omid on LinkedIn.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

8/27/24 • 29:38

The lack of awareness of the label 'fractional' is not the main reason why fractional executives struggle to get clients. Fractional executives need to differentiate themselves and communicate their intellectual property to stand out in a market with an vast oversupply of fractionals. Success as a fractional executive depends on redefining the market and focusing on value rather than the label. Labels are useful in marketing but irrelevant in sales; clients hire based on the ability to make a positive impact on their business. The focus should be on communicating one's genius or intellectual property rather than obsessing over the label.00:00 The Myth of Awareness01:25 Defining Fractional Executives03:22 The Price vs. Value Dilemma04:52 The Catastrophe of Supply and Demand07:45 Insight and Wisdom: Meeting Demand10:16 The Importance of Communicating GeniusConnect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@fractionalmaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

8/13/24 • 12:23

When I want to be the best I can be, I look to how those rise to the top in Darwinian industries - sports, entertainment, the the C-suite. I've put together 7 lessons that fractional executives can learn from the NFL: 1. Repetition is key to improvement. Treat every interaction as a learning opportunity and reflect on what you've learned.2. Practice before you play. Implement a rigorous process to find the right people to practice on before going after your ICPs.3. Measure your performance and take responsibility for your results.4. Focus on becoming an expert in your area of specialization.5. Strategic game planning is crucial. Take the time to research and create unique engagement plans for each prospect.6. Build a team of coaches and experts to help you succeed.7. Develop resilience and mental toughness to overcome challenges and reach your full potential.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

6/18/24 • 15:43

Carla Titus, a Fractional Chief Financial Officer of Wealth Worth Within, discusses the challenges faced by business owners in managing their finances and the solutions she provides. She helps business owners evaluate how their billable hours are impacting performance and profitability, and she assists in making data-driven decisions to improve financial outcomes. Carla's ideal clients are sophisticated business owners who struggle with the complexity of financial decision-making. By working with her, clients see increased profits, improved cash flow, and better compensation for themselves. Carla emphasizes the importance of proactive planning and scenario analysis to navigate uncertainty and achieve business goals.In this episode, she makes these points: Fractional CFOs help business owners evaluate the impact of billable hours on performance and profitability; Proactive planning and scenario analysis are essential for navigating financial complexity and uncertainty; Financial management is crucial for business success and requires expertise and strategic decision-making.Email Carla at info@wealthworthwithin.comConnect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

6/11/24 • 22:40

Rich Daniels, a Fractional General Counsel, talks about the importance of legal risk mitigation for small and medium-sized businesses. Rich explains that his role is to help businesses save money, mitigate risk, and focus on their core business. Rich discusses common contract issues and the consequences of not understanding contracts. Kay takeaways from the episode include: Fractional General Counsel provides personalized legal advice tailored to the specific needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Contracts are a critical aspect of business and should be thoroughly understood to avoid legal issues. Business owners often overlook legal risks, but being proactive and addressing legal issues can save money and protect the business.Email Rich at rdaniels@intrepidlegalinc.com.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

6/4/24 • 20:52

How do you know when a prospect will buy or pass. Here's what you need to know:* Qualifying prospects involves determining if they meet the fit and impact criteria.* Understanding what prospects believe about their future is crucial in predicting their buying behavior.* Prospects are more likely to buy if they believe their future will be worse than the present.* Providing hope and offering solutions that align with prospects' goals and timeframe is essential.* Convincing prospects that working with your company offers high ROI and is the best alternative is key.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

5/28/24 • 12:38

Taylor Crane, founder of Fractionaljobs.io, discusses how Fractional Jobs is an open job board connecting companies with fractional talent. Fractional Jobs does not act as an agency and does not charge a percentage fee. Fractionals can join the network by entering their email address and do not need to create a profile or pay any money. Fractional Jobs sends job opportunities to fractionals based on their function area, and they can choose which ones they're interested in. The platform is designed to be a no-brainer for fractionals looking for work.Email Taylor at tc@fractionaljobs.io.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

5/14/24 • 22:25

Paul Arugs is a fractional chief customer officer, serving B2B and B2C services industries with Au$5m - Au$100m annual revenue with 20 - 200 employees. Paul helps mid sized companies embed data-driven customer strategy across their organizations. This fosters a more evidence based, customer centric culture that focuses on capability rather than campaigns to drive sustainable growth.In this podcast, Paul drops many insights including how monthly and quarterly targets place companies on a short term, sales and lead gen based treadmill, making it difficult for even the leadership team to look more than 6 months ahead; and that lowering customer acquisition costs in and of itself is the wrong way to look at it.Email Paul at paul@paulco.com.au.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

4/30/24 • 30:16

Ben Wolf, founder and CEO of Wolfs Edge Integrators provides fractional Integrators and COOs to growing mid-market companies. Ben's focus is on building a roster of team-first Integrators to serve clients. Ben provides deep insight into the challenge the solo fractional COOs face in building their business and how Wolfs Edge Integrators solves the business development challenge. He also shares his move from an independent contractor model to one of partnership.Email Ben at bwolf@wolfsedgeintegrators.com.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

4/23/24 • 32:02

... so why are you still doing them?95% of fractional executives base their sales process on starting with a discovery call or conversation. How do you know if your prospect has one or more issues that you can help them with if you don’t ask? Whether you must do a discovery conversation depends on your level of genius or as the lawyers like to call it your intellectual property.Fractionals with insight and wisdom don’t do discovery conversations because they don’t need to discover. Prospects engage with these fractionals to discover the truth as to why they are in pain or why an opportunity seems out of reach. In this discovery conversation, the prospect learns from the fractional the path forward allowing them to go from squalor and misery to prosperity and success. If you have insight or wisdom, then stop doing discovery calls and start helping those in your target market discover what’s holding them back. Every time you do a discovery call, you are telling your prospect you’re average. Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

4/16/24 • 08:48

Ross Stockdale works with SMB B2B service companies as a fractional CMO to help them grow profitably in 12 months or less. His approach is to take owners out of the marketing seat and into the investor seat. Ross's formula for success is Leadership + Strategy = Growth. Ross believes that marketing a business is about communicating to clients and prospects where they are, not where you are. Adapting the messaging, target audience, offer, and service to the market works better than wishing the market would bend to your will.Email Ross at j.ross.stockdale@gmail.com.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

4/2/24 • 26:20

Ryan Walter is a Managing Director with ProCFO Partners - a marketplace for senior level fractional CFOs. ProCFO Partners believes the financial function is not just about managing and reducing cost but serving as a catalyst for growth. ProCFO Partners provides expert part-time/fractional CFO’s who ride co-pilot with you looking out the windshield ensuring you achieve your goals and strategies.There is no upfront cost to join ProCFO Partners provided you meet their criteria which Ryan walks through in the video. Payment is made as a percentage of revenue during your affiliation with them.Email Ryan ryan.walter@procfopartners.comConnect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

3/19/24 • 16:03

Email Henning at henning.schwinum@vendux.orgZach Selch of Global Sales Mentor brings over 35 years experience in international sales for manufacturing companies. His speciality is in creating 3rd party distribution networks as an extension of your internal sales team. Zach has onboarded over 1,000 channel partners in 135 different countries. Hear why Zach says it's critical that you support your distributors not manage them. Zach says your distributors aren't your customers they are your sales channel and you must manage them as such.Email Zach at zach@globalsalesmentor.com.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

3/12/24 • 30:13

Henning Schwinum is the founder and CEO of Vendux - a market place that connects fractional sales executives to clients. Vendux reduces the friction for a client bringing on a fractional sales executive using their proprietary PerfectMatch™ system to identify the ideal sales leader matched to their unique business requirements. Vendux has been in business for almost 5 years and has over 700 fractional and interim sales executives in its database.Henning shares his own journey which motivated him to start Vendux to help fractional sales executives overcome their number 1 challenge which is to get clients. Henning emphasizes that Vendux is one channel to market and should never be your only channel to market. There is no cost to become part of the Vendux community.Email Henning at henning.schwinum@vendux.orgConnect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

3/5/24 • 26:41

...so why are you marketing yourself as average?The tragedy is when a fractional executive who is in the top 20% of their peers in terms of the impact they can make on their clients goes to market as if they are average or worse. In this podcast, I take you through how to identify and communicate your genius that clients so desperately need and are happy to pay for. The challenge you and everybody else has is that you spend all your time and have clarity about the genius that makes you great at what you do. This is in the trees and weeds of your service delivery. But the genius that your clients care about in your marketing and sales efforts is the intellectual property at the forest level embodying your insight and wisdom. But as you know, you can't see both your trees and weeds and your forest and you've got to be in your trees and weeds. I'll give you that path forward on how you can resolve this seemingly intractable conundrum so you can build a business that gives you the income to fund your lifestyle, make a material impact on your clients, get paid, and do it all on your terms not someone else's.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

2/13/24 • 17:25

Karina Mikhli is the founder, muse, and CEO of the largest Fractional Executive community - Fractionals United. She's grown the community from 0 to 6,500 in a bit more than a year. Fractionals United provides its members with a range of reasons to join from a supportive community, education, partnerships with other fractionals, and a range of benefits you might find in corporate but not as a solo business person. Karina shares what she believes are the big challenges for fractional executives and her advice on how to overcome them. Did you know that membership is free? Learn why this is a community that should be on your list to join and participate. The best way to connect with Karina is on LinkedIn. You can also visit the Fractionals United website.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

1/30/24 • 23:11

John Arms is an inspirational voice in the Fractional Executive community who extolls the benefits of executives throwing off the yoke of the corporate world and making a professional impact on their terms. John leads Voyageur University where he and his partner provide copious education and teaching on how to join and thrive in the fractional ecosystem. John drops his wisdom throughout the show. His mantra is "learn, learn, learn, learn. Fractional will be normal in 5 years. Your ability to thrive here depends on how aggressively you embrace learning about it. From us. From others. From people talking about leadership, innovation, and growth in relevant, interesting and meaningful ways." Email John at john.arms@voyageuru.com and visit the Voyageur University website.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

1/23/24 • 23:12

The First Step To Building A Great Business Is To Know Your Gap.Every service provider is pitching and hard selling every Fractional Executive on how they can help you build a great business, get all the clients you want, and make a ton of money. Before you pay attention, you first need to reflect on the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Einstein famously observed that "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."If your gap is small then you want the same result every day, so embrace the status quo and you have no need to make big changes in your business. You can safely tune out all the pitches and hard sells you're getting 20 times a day. But if you do have a gap that is uncomfortably large, then you need to heed Einstein's advice and make some changes in how you are doing your business.Connect with JayEmail me at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com to set up a conversation to discuss your gap and if it is large enough what you can do to close it. Also email me if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.

1/16/24 • 09:54

Jamie Munoz is the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Integrators®. Catalyst Integrators helps badass full time Integrators easily make their career transition to fractional and support them with community, coaching and clients. Jamie explains how the EOS ecosystem works and how her company supports fractional integrators in getting clients, forming community, training and education, and perhaps most importantly having fun doing what they love. Email Jamie or visit her website.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

1/2/24 • 41:14

Nancy Fox runs the Fractionals Connections Community. The FCC is a professional and business development community - learning, collaboration, networking and business growth. Their mission is to help fractional execs build a thriving fractional executive business, with a continuous pipeline. Nancy shares her wisdom on why free is never free and what fractionals should focus on in order to build a successful business. Email Nancy or visit their website.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

12/12/23 • 36:24

Will Simpson is a renaissance man. He's a Fractional COO, book author, and former professional poker player. Will compares himself to a wet blanket and stresses how the role of a COO is make the visionary's dream become a reality. He emphasizes the importance of people over product and how reaching across the aisle to those in different roles is a key success factor. Will shares how his experience as a poker player provided him with experience necessary to become a top COO.Email Will or schedule a conversation at his website.Connect with JayEmail Jay at jay.kingley@referabilitymaven.com if you're a fractional executive, fractional community leader, or fractional community marketplace proprietor and would like to be a guest on our show.Subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

12/5/23 • 26:12