Hiring fractional vs full-time: a decision framework
Fractional is the right call more often than founders realise. Here's when it works and when it doesn't.
Fractional is the right call more often than founders realise. Here's when it works and when it doesn't.
Fractional works when the work is bounded
A fractional CFO who comes in two days a week to run finance and prepare for a round is a clear win. A fractional Head of Engineering owning the team day to day is rarely one.
The conversion option
Some of the best full-time hires we have placed started fractional. Both sides got to try the relationship before committing. Build that option into the engagement letter.
Where to draw the line
Roles that own people management, on-call, or 24/7 customer trust should be full-time. Roles that are project-shaped or governance-shaped can be fractional.
More from the Spinwell blog
How funded startups should structure their first 10 hires
Your first ten hires set the culture, the velocity, and the ceiling. Here's the order that actually compounds.
The flat fee model: why we stopped charging a percentage
Percentage fees punish founders for hiring well. The flat fee aligns the recruiter with the outcome, not the salary.
Equity for early hires: a non-lawyer's guide for founders
How much equity to give your first ten hires, how vesting actually works, and the conversations founders mishandle.
