Fractional CMO for
Founder-Led Teams
Senior marketing leadership and the team that runs it, without a full-time hire.
Book a Free Strategy CallProper Help,
Without the Hire
If the founders are doing all the marketing, the usual options are a full-time hire, a freelancer or an agency. SET Marketing offers a fourth: a fractional CMO who sets the plan, plus the team that runs it, from CA$12,000 a month. Earlier-stage teams can start with a fixed-fee Growth Audit at CA$4,500 and get the plan first.
You Need This When
Founders spend evenings on ads, posts and agencies instead of selling and building.
Money goes out every month and nobody can say what it returned.
A web developer, an ads freelancer and a social person, with no one running the plan.
Referrals got you here. They will not get you to the next stage.
Strategy and Execution
Strategy and budget
A plan tied to a revenue target, with budget split by where each dollar returns most.
Channels run by the team
Search, Meta and YouTube ads, website, SEO and CRM, executed by SET specialists.
Direction for people and vendors
One owner for the plan, directing your staff and any outside vendors.
Reporting owners can read
Leads, cost per lead and revenue, reported to founders or a board.
Hire, Freelance
or Fractional
Salary range: Toronto marketing manager, 10th to 90th percentile (PayScale, Aug 2026). Freelance rate: senior marketing consultant, Canada (SoloHourly, Aug 2026).
Compare all three options in depth: Agency, Freelancer or In-House?
Common Questions
What is a fractional CMO?
A senior marketing leader who works part time for your company, owning the plan and the budget without a full-time salary. At SET, the role comes with the team that carries out the plan.
How much does a fractional CMO cost at SET?
From CA$12,000 a month plus ad spend, with a 90-day first term and then month to month with 30 days notice.
We are a small startup. Is this too much?
It may be. If your total marketing budget is around $5,000 a month, start with the CA$4,500 Growth Audit and read our $5,000 a month plan.
How is this different from hiring a marketing manager?
A manager is one person, usually strong in one or two channels. A fractional CMO engagement at SET includes strategy plus specialists for each channel, and you can scale it up or down.
Take Marketing
Off Your Plate
Tell us about your business. We will show you what we would do first.
Book a Free Strategy Call