The term "Fractional Integrator" is fairly new on the scene. Many women who inquire about our services wonder what a Fractional Integrator is and whether it's something that could benefit their business.

The term Integrator might be used interchangeably with COO, Chief of Staff, or President. And "fractional" just means that you are hiring someone at this level to work for you for a "fraction" of the time as a full-time employee.

Transitioning to hiring C-level professionals in your business is a big leap. And using Fractional team members is a great way to ease into that relationship financially and physically.

Here are some key things to look for in your business that let you know a Fractional Integrator is worth considering.

ONE: Your team has grown

One of the primary benefits of hiring a Fractional Integrator is having someone to pull together your team from different departments and roles to connect the dots of the strategic plan and keep everyone moving forward in the same direction.

 

Once your team has hit a certain size, managing that activity can require more time and energy. Does your team ask you a lot of questions? Are you wondering why things aren’t getting done? Are you curious if they’re doing the right things? 

 

For high achieving teams of 5 or more, having a Fractional Integrator to centralize communications, hold people accountable, and resolve issues takes the pressure of managing people off your plate. 

 

The key is that you have people in place doing the work necessary to carry out your strategic plan.

TWO: You are operating at 7+ figures annually

While your annual revenue is not the primary driver of whether you are ready for a Fractional Integrator, we have found that businesses of this size are typically better prepared to realize the full potential of hiring for this role.

 

Bringing a Fractional Integrator on board starts at $5,000 per month. For most businesses at this level, that investment is reasonable and the company has the resources to execute on goals and projects your Fractional Integrator might recommend that are intended to increase revenue, decrease operating costs, and realize more profit.

THREE: You are still the Go To

 

As a client, you will receive your first assignment as soon as we begin our work together. That assignment is to put “Clarity Days” as a regular recurring activity on your calendar. 

 

As the Visionary, it’s your responsibility to be thinking about the future and forward momentum of the company. If you don’t have the mental space to think clearly and creatively about what that might look like, your company might grow stagnant. 

 

To help you create that mental space to hold Clarity Days, your Fractional Integrator works to get you out of being the Go To person for your team to get decisions and answers to questions.

 

FOUR: You are ready to grow or make change

 

When you hire a Fractional Integrator, one of the first things you might notice is progress. What that progress looks like is dependent on your company’s individual vision and goals. 

 

So when you know it’s time to make change – whether it’s revenue growth, moving into new markets, team building, launching new things, philanthropy work, or stepping back for whatever reason – you will immediately see forward momentum. Your Fractional Integrator is not only skilled at executing plans, but also monitors key metrics and indicators in your business to show you and your team the results of all your hard work.

FIVE: You can trust + give up the reins

It’s easy to confuse a Fractional Integrator with an Executive Assistant or sometimes a Director of Operations. 

 

The difference between your Fractional Integrator and one of these two other roles is that your Fractional Integrator is not here to take orders. That means you need to be prepared to give up some control so that your Fractional Integrator can do their job. And that job is to turn your future vision into reality. 

 

Your Fractional Integrator will use tools like the Business Blueprint, Strategic Growth Planning, and Same Page meetings to make sure you both stay in alignment and you both feel comfortable things are moving in the right direction.

SIX: You are a true Visionary

Have you listened to this episode of Female Founders Breaking Boundaries yet? EPISODE 1: Are you a visionary or a CEO?

 

Fractional Integrators have a special skill set for assisting visionary, big picture thinkers who are quick with ideas yet need support in following through. A true Visionary is a great fit for a true Integrator in that each brings a special set of skills to the table that complements the other. Many of our Visionary clients are considered Quick Starts on the Kolbe-A assessment.

 

While CEO style leaders do need support, it’s not good practice to have two chefs cooking in the same kitchen. Your best match will look different.