What happens when you stop waiting for a seat at the table and start building your own? 

In this episode, we sit down with Rachel Gogel  - an independent creative executive based in Paris who's spent the last five-plus years working fractionally with companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, HoneyBook, and Intuit. 

Rachel shares the real difference between freelancing and fractional leadership, shares how she's designed her career to make room for teaching, mentoring, writing, and life in a new city, and offers practical wisdom on pricing, positioning, and why more women are choosing this path. Whether you're exploring a fractional career or just rethinking what success looks like, this one's worth your time.

About Rachel Gogel

Rachel Gogel is an independent creative executive and designer specializing in fractional creative leadership for global organizations. Named one of Creative Boom's "20 designers inspiring us in 2025" and a Forbes 30 Under 30 alum, she works at the intersection of brand, culture, and technology.

Topics Covered

• The difference between freelancing and fractional leadership
• What it means to be a "devoted generalist" in creative work
• Pricing strategies: hourly rates, retainers, day rates, and value-based pricing
• How fractional work can match or exceed full-time salaries
• Why diversifying your client pipeline matters
• The gender gap in creative leadership and how fractional work opens doors
• Advice for women re-entering the workforce or exploring independent careers
• Designing your time and redefining success on your own terms

Find Rachel

• Website: rachelgogel.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachelgogel
• Mentoring: rachelgogel.com/mentoring
• Teaching: rachelgogel.com/teaching
• Press & Writing: rachelgogel.com/press
• Book a session on Intro: intro.co/RachelGogel

Further Reading

• Rachel Gogel on the rise of fractional leadership - Creative Review
• The Undervalued Force of Women Founders - Print Magazine
• 20 Designers Inspiring Us in 2025 - Creative Boom

Connect with Fractional FM

• Email: fractional.fm
• Hosts: Joshua Wold & Lance Robbins

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

From Colombia to London to coastal Spain, Ana Bennett has reinvented herself at every stage. As co-founder of Go Bananas and fractional head of marketing for Running Remote, she's built a career around flexibility and adaptability. We discuss building community in unfamiliar places, working alongside your spouse, and why leaving your comfort zone is never as glamorous as it sounds.

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/anamariabennett
https://gobenanas.com
https://runningremote.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Michelle Colson shares how she moved from office work to building Remote Rebellion, a community and job fair platform connecting job seekers with remote-first companies. She talks through the real tradeoffs of remote life, especially international mobility, visas, and routine, and the entrepreneurship lessons that show up fast, including cash flow, discipline, and choosing the kind of “hard” you can live with.

https://remoterebellion.com

https://id.linkedin.com/in/remoterebellion

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode, Lance Robbins chats with Vito Peleg, Co-Founder and CEO of Atarim. Vito shares his journey from touring Europe as a rock musician to building a platform for web design agencies.

Vito discusses what shaped his entrepreneurial spirit, starting with his childhood businesses and "busking" on the streets, where he learned A/B testing in real-time. 

Topics include:

• "Forced fractional": How things outside our control push us into entrepreneurship
• "Busking" for business: Vito optimized his street performances to go from making $20/hr to $160/hr.
• Crisis to opportunity: Vito pivoted a cancelled event into the Web Agency Summit, the largest online event in the digital agency space.
• Breaking feast and famine cycles: Advice for freelancers and agency owners on dedicating specific days to sales.
• Lumpy Mail: Vito shares a direct mail tactic to grab the attention of potential clients. 

Links & Resources:

• Atarim: atarim.io
• Connect with Vito: LinkedIn or Twitter/X
• Vito's Band: The Lords of Uptime

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Paul Millerd was kind enough to come on Fractional and share his journey and thoughts on following the pathless path. This is a concept he shared in his book (with the same name) and ties closely with the fractional life that so many of our guests and listeners have created. 

It was really fun having Paul on to dive into these concepts, share the pros and cons of choosing to be on a path that's not predefined, and what that means for the most important component of our lives: recapturing your time. 

You can learn more about Paul, and grab his books, at https://pmillerd.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This week I’m joined by Beth Wanner, founder of Mother Cover.

Beth shares her story of working in the world of tech as a successful VP of marketing.

When she chose to start a family she faced the impossible tension so many parents face. She planned everything out, to balance career and family needs, and was navigating the quiet (and not so quiet) discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace. But, despite doing everything right, she founder herself without a job. 

Beth channeled her energy into making sure women and all caregivers don't face the same situation. Mother Cover helps to support parents and companies during parental leave with experienced fractionals ready to ensure that the jobs they're covering are ready for the returning parents. It's a bridge to protect careers, help people that want to start a family, and encourage better workplace practices. 

In our discussion Beth shared about her own journey with infertility, career challenges that she's faced, and using forces against her to fuel her vision to help others. 

Mother Cover is growing through word of mouth and authentic connection.

Beth is seeking to build a better kind of workplace, one that protects families while strengthening companies.

• Visit Mother Cover's website
• Connect with Beth Wanner on LinkedIn
• Follow Mother Cover on Instagram
• Listen to the full version of Beth's Story

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode of the Fractional Podcast, host Lance Robbins welcomes guest Kate Sargent, founder of KJS Consulting and Coaching and the PlusOne Collective. They discuss the journey of transitioning from in-house roles to consulting, the importance of community and networking, and the concept of fractional work. Kate shares insights on building a business through generosity and the value of parallel pathing in career development.

• KJS Consulting
• The PlusOne Collective
• Connect with Kate Sargent on LinkedIn

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode Lance Robins meets with Darren Murph to discuss talent mobility, fractional leadership, and the shifting contract between employers and employees. 

Darren is an executive, consultant, and a longtime leader in organizational design. He shares his journey from corporate IPOs to independent work, why every company is now distributed, and how money and time are the two true currencies of work. 

They explore the risks of ignoring mental revolts, the opportunities for enterprises to tap into fractional talent, and what it means to design work that respects business goals and human needs. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode Lance interviewed an amazing candidate who has to relocate for no reason other than filling a warm seat in office.

Then we talked about feedback loops, and how Joshua has found new energy with readers emailing responses to his newsletter on https://joshuawold.com/. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Joshua's started reading The Pathless Path, and it's changing how he thinks about work. 

He's also been vibe coding, and has been surprised at some of the results. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-alice-duff/

Many fractional leaders feel the pull to build bigger, scale faster, and take on more — until they burn out. In this episode, we talk with Mary Alice Duff, a seasoned fractional COO who chose a different path: designing her business around the life she wants to live.

She shares her journey from running a Philadelphia clothing company (and drinking the “hustle harder” Kool-Aid) to moving to France, learning the language, and creating a calm, intentional career. Along the way, she offers practical advice for fractional professionals: why you should never onboard two clients at once, how to set and hold boundaries from day one, and the importance of being specific about your services so others can help you.

We also swap stories about cultural differences, negotiating better asks, and why success doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can build a thriving fractional business without the frenzy, this episode is for you.

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

We're joined in this episode by Greg Storey, of Brilliant Crank. We asked him on to talk about his article on "Open to Work" as well as discussing AI as a tool for fractionals. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode Lance and Joshua looked at the state of fractional work in 2025,  discussed Greg Storey's article on the industry shifts in technology, and talked about what coaching for fractionals can look like. 

Links referenced:

• https://brilliantcrank.com/open-to-work-is-the-new-tip-of-the-sword/
• https://lancehrobbins.com
• https://joshuawold.com
• https://www.fractionaljobs.io/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode we chatted with Bryan McDonald (OnPurposeGrowth.com, McDonaldBryan.com) to talk through clarity that leads to momentum in your work. We looked at what it means to get specific—about your ideal customer, your offers, and how you show up in sales without feeling sleezy.

Bryan shares a simple but powerful principle: confidence follows clarity. The more clearly you know who you’re helping, the more grounded and natural your approach becomes. We explored questions that help uncover your ICP, how to create offers without feeling like have no other choice, and why the best sales happen when you’re not trying to sell at all.

If you're trying to build something real, this episode is for you. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today we're joined by Kelly Schuknecht, CEO of Two Mile High Marketing.

In this episode, we sat down with Kelly and touched on what it means to be a thought leader (and how that actually plays out on platforms like LinkedIn), why showing up online matters, and when it might make sense to step into a fractional role. We also unpacked the difference between growing your salary and building real business revenue.

• Kelly Schuknecht on LinkedIn
• Beyond the Bestseller podcast
• Beyond the Bestseller YouTube
• Two Mile High Marketing
• Laurel Farrer on LinkedIn

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode, we’re joined by Lindsay Rios, a Fractional Revenue Leader who helps early-stage startups. Lindsay shares her journey into fractional work, the mindset that’s drives her, and her perspective on the startup world.

We  discuss what it means to be a fractional leader, why some founders hesitate to hire one, and how to navigate those conversations. 

Lindsay also breaks down how she prices her services, including a formula that works well with clients. 

Topics Covered:

• Lindsay’s journey into fractional work
• The “chip on your shoulder” that fuels her
• What’s happening in the startup world right now
• Defining the role of a fractional revenue leader
• Misconceptions founders have about hiring fractional talent—and how to handle them
• How to structure pricing as a fractional
• Why LinkedIn is more than just a platform—it’s a business advantage

Connect with Lindsay:

• 🔗 Lindsay Rios on LinkedIn
• Circuit!

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today, we’re joined by Mike Malloy, Founder of Malloy Industries and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, where he teaches business and entrepreneurship. Mike shares his relentlessly generous approach to business, empowering entrepreneurs to build, market, and scale their ventures.

In this episode, we dive into:

• What it means to be relentlessly generous and why it will change your business
• Mike’s personal journey—through failures and successes
• Advice for early-stage entrepreneurs on marketing yourself and building a sustainable business

Along with his value of relentless generosity, Mike shares tools and templates to help fractionals with strategy, and improving decision-making.

Resources & Links

📌 Connect with Mike:

• LinkedIn
• Malloy Industries
• Email: mike@malloyindustries.com

📌 Tools & Templates:

• Strategic Business Review Agenda
• Jobs To Be Done <> Value Propositions Worksheet
• Becoming So Good They Can’t Ignore You (Free eBook)
• End of Week Report The Malloy Way™
• Meeting Agenda & Legal Contract Templates

Join us for a fantastic conversation on generosity, entrepreneurship, and building a business that lasts. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today, we’re joined by Michael Gold, Fractional Project Manager at Gold Project Management and founder of Fractional Hub, a new community space for fractionals. Michael shares his journey into fractional work, the importance of community, and the challenges of building a fractional career.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why community matters for fractional professionals
• Defining fractional work: "Fractionally freelance" and breaking career barriers
• The Fractional Hub course and how it supports fractionals
• Starting from zero: How to find your first clients on LinkedIn
• The oddities of LinkedIn posts and how to engage
• Opportunities for junior professionals in the fractional world

Resources & Links

📌 Connect with Michael:

• LinkedIn
• Gold Project Management
• Fractional Hub

📌 Additional Links:

• Charlotte Kelly’s LinkedIn

Join us as we discuss the fractional space, how to build a strong professional network, and using LinkedIn to grow your business.

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This part 4 and our final installment of the Fractional People People collaboration. Today, we’re joined by Mindy Honcoop, a Fractional HR Leader and Advisor, to discuss the art of guiding organizations toward success. Mindy shares her expertise on building impactful HR strategies, pricing fractional services, and connecting company culture to revenue growth.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why great leaders act as guides, not heroes
• How to confidently price your fractional services
• Reframing sales as an invitation to solve problems
• The direct link between culture and business success

If you're a fractional leader or considering the shift, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

Connect with Mindy: Agile in HR | LinkedIn

FPP: https://www.fractionalpeoplepeople.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today, as we continue our collaboration with the Fractional People People community, we're joined by Vicki Yang. Vicki is a Fractional People Leader, and she shares her journey of working fractionally while relocating to another country. In this episode, Vicki dives into the dynamics of fractional work, the unique opportunities it presents, and the challenges that come with it.

We explore:

• Fractionals vs. studios vs. large agencies – which model fits best?
• Defining and finding your ideal customer profile
• Leading with purpose vs. chasing revenue
• Business development strategies – leveraging your network to secure fractional work
• The joys and challenges of working fractionally

Tune in for a candid conversation on making fractional leadership work for you.

Connect with Vicki: LinkedIn

Learn more about the FPP community: https://www.fractionalpeoplepeople.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today we're joined by Kim Minnick, Fractional People Leader, FPP Community Lead, Founder at Code Traveler HR, and Podcast host at Journey Lines. 

In this episode, which is part 2 of our collaboration with the Fractional People People Community, we dove into the whims and woes of social media and how to create and post online with effectiveness toward building a brand. 

We also talked about building in public, the reality of failure, and finding connection when you're struggling. 

As a wrapup, we asked Kim to define fractional, where it's headed, how it can be used, and where it fits in the freelancer and W2 world.

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/
• https://www.codetravellerhr.com/
• Journey Lines podcast
• https://www.fractionalpeoplepeople.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

https://fractionalpeoplepeople.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellesskony/ 
https://organizedchaosconsulting.net/

We're kicking off a 4 part collaboration with the Fractional People People community. In this part 1 we interviewed Elles Skony about the FPP community and discussed the power of community in helping grow your business and dealing with loneliness. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Update: I accidentally pulled the audio from a different show. It is now properly updated with the episode from Larry Miller. 

Joshua and Lance had Larry on as a second time guest to talk about his recent fractional journey, and how he's combining that with his entrepreneurial dreams while also managing the logistics of life. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-miller-b086a4bb/  

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Lance and Joshua dive into the learnings they've had from the last year of Fractional as a podcast, things they've enjoyed the most, and where things are headed next. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

We had Michelle back on the show today as a followup to last episode. 

We talked about how she implements stress diets in work and life, ways to deal with trauma in the workplace, and how fractionals can look at ways to move into more executive type roles. 

https://frameworks.marketing/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-keefer/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This week we're joined by a former colleague and friend, Michelle Keefer. She's been helping to build and deliver for marketing departments as a fractional executive.

We dove into the highs and lows of her work, discussed the importance of time blocking and managing multiple clients with task switching.

We also talked about vacations, how to define minimum engagement periods, and the difference between freelance contracts and fractional executives.

We also referenced Founder Mode, by Paul Graham.

You can find her at:

https://frameworks.marketing/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-keefer/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This week Joshua is on vacation while Lance is joined by Shauna Moran, author of Managing Employee Burnout. Shauna is also a leadership and management training consultant and coach. We focused heavily on Shauna's area of expertise, burnout. In this episode you'll hear:

Shauna's personal burnout stories (Yes, plural!)
Why burnout is prevalent among fractionals
How breathwork helps with burnout feelings
Why taking a vacation isn't a solution to burnout
Win Bins!

Learn more about Shauna:
https://www.shaunamoran.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunamoran/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today we're joined by Monika Avalos, a life and business coach at monikaavalos.com. We dove into a bunch of fantastic topics!

Imposter syndrome and confidence
Worth versus improvement
Coaching and critique
Life coach versus therapists
Scarcity versus growth mindset
Money is a circumstance
Being minimalists
Working with people where things are going well
How to deal with colleagues when offensive
How to have the hard conversations
Evaluate everything

Edited by Caleb Johnson @ Embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today we were rejoined by Taylor Crane, who was a guest on episode 50.

We dove in talking about how you can learn about your impact as a fractional by understanding where your time is going.

We also discussed how fractional contrast with full-time employees and how employees rarely have 40 hours to do their work.

Beyond that we dove into a bunch of rapid fire topics:

How to get your first client as a fractional
Taylor's past six months running FractionalJobs.io
Educating founders on hiring
Taking vacations
Who Fractional is not for

https://www.fractionaljobs.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorcrane/

Edited by Caleb Johnson at Embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today we're joined by a special guest, Arlen Byrd. Arlen is a longtime friend and former colleague of both Lance and Joshua. We worked together at XWP and Arlen's emphasis on people first has helped have a tremendous influence on how we think. 

We talked about Arlen's core philosophy of people and their value in an organization. 

We then discussed what Arlen is up to now, helping agency founders improve their teams. We went through Arlen's journey leading to his current work, his work-life harmony with a family, why it's not good to know the journey in advance and why self-awareness is a superpower. 

https://www.agency.partners

https://www.linkedin.com/in/arlenbyrd/

Edited by Caleb at embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This week we were re-joined on the podcast by Julia Chesbrough, a subscription product designer.

We were so excited to have her come back on and dive deeper into several topics that were near and dear to each of us. 

We talked about how to get started if you're completely brand new to building a fractional business, how a few LinkedIn modifications can help, the software Julia uses to run her business, how she plans out the future for her client work, and what a deep work day looks like for her. 

If you're interested in learning more Julia has a monthly chat with folks interested in offering subscription design. The next one is August 12 at 10am Pacific. Message her on LinkedIn for details. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliachesbrough/
https://www.juliachesbrough.com/

Edited by Caleb http://www.embrin.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this fantastic episode we're joined by Caitlin Lyttle to talk about her recent journey into fractional; working with her previous full-time day job and previous connections to kickstart a fractional business. 

We also talked about what you need if you're going to build a fractional business (runway, a sales funnel, and more), how different industries can improve your abilities, and a rapid fire Q&A on how things are going. 

https://www.littleduckmarketing.com

https://www.instagram.com/littleduckmarketing/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-lyttle/


Please let us know if you have any feedback and we'll include it in the next show. 

email@fractional.fm

Thanks to embrin.com for the editing!

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode Lance and Joshua talked about the purpose of this podcast and what we hope it's accomplishing for our listeners. 

We then talked about meaning, and what work looks like for what each of us do for the next decade. 

Finally we looked at why some fractionals succeed and where others struggle. 

As always feel free to send feedback to email@fractional.fm

Thank you!

Edited by Caleb @ embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode Lance and Joshua talk about the importance of having time to think, AI realizations about our jobs, the importance of kindness to yourself as you develop your skills to match your taste. 

https://joshuawold.com/kindness-and-the-taste-gap/

Edited by Caleb @ Embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This week we're joined on the podcast by Julia Chesbrough, a subscription product designer.

This topic was especially interesting to Joshua, a product designer as well, and we were able to dig into Julia's history to learn about the growth of her business, the design industry as a whole, and where she sees her business going in the future.

We also talked about the pros and cons of a subscription based service business, and the mental health journey Julia has taken along the way.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliachesbrough/
https://www.juliachesbrough.com/

Edited by Caleb http://www.embrin.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Heather returns to share how she finds customers, what to do when the market contracts under you and how to pivot, defining your customers, and going where your customers are. 

https://fractionalpeoplepeople.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathercorallo/
https://www.thecanoeproject.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280

Edited by Caleb Johnson at http://embrin.com/

For questions and feedback email@fractional.fm

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

On this episode we discuss burnout and Joshua and Lance’s experience with it in the past. we talked about how to know when you’re feeling it, how to avoid it, and how to make sure you’re doing things that are meaningful and rewarding the energy you put into work. 

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

This week we met with Alan Paulin, CEO of Flint.cc. We dove into a ton of topics.

We discussed Alan's journey to founding his own company, and how remote work has affected him.

We also discussed working with Fractionals from a founder's perspective, how aligned incentives matter for successful projects with fractional teams, and how he plans time for deep work.

Links to learn more about Alan:
https://flint.cc/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanpaulin/ 

Episode edited by Caleb @ embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Lance and Joshua shared some personal updates in a shorter episode for this week, including some recent lessons learned. 

This is a more relaxing episode than normal, but as always we welcome any feedback!

Topics covered:
* Running updates
* Northern lights
* A hiccup with the planned guest episode
* Upcoming guests
* Joshua's bumpy arm
* Lance's broken window

Edited by Caleb @ Embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In this episode we're joined by Julia Arpag, CEO & Cofounder of Aligned Recruitment. We discussed her journey from employment to running her own firm. 

Topics include:

• How the market is thinking about fractional talent in today's economy
• Executive awareness of fractional 
• How fractional need to sell every day to keep their businesses going and where to find leads. 
• Staying healthy to be in it for the long run

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag/
https://www.alignedrecruitment.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805
https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299
https://dianeprince.co

Edited by Caleb Johnson @ http://www.embrin.com/

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Charleh Knighton, a fractional CMO, joins as a guest this week to talk about her journey as a fractional. 

Some fantastic topics discussed:
- Marketing yourself as a fractional 
- Pacing yourself as a fractional to avoid burnout
- Working as a fractional CMO and how to use systems to support her work

Links:

• https://kub-digital.io
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlehdickinson
• Charleh w Friends Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwdTYWgjqjoBmUhQ4Db7xgYlqdXz_d2Tw

Books referenced: 

• https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837
• https://www.amazon.com/infinite-game-simon-sinek/dp/073521350x

--

Edited by Caleb Johnson @ embrin.com

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Today we were joined by Heather Corallo, founder of The Canoe Project, and an executive coach and people leader. 

She joined us to discuss product management, reasons why people fall into fractional work (and why the fail), selling expertise and value based pricing, consultant vs fractional, customer boundaries, and how to structure your engagements as a fractional. 

If you've wondered about the business side of things you'll not want to miss this one!

• https://www.thecanoeproject.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathercorallo/
• https://indecollective.co
• https://www.amazon.com/Unicorn-Project-Developers-Disruption-Thriving-ebook/dp/B07QT9QR41

As always send questions to email@fractional.fm 

Thanks to caleb@embrin.com for editing!

Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Hard to believe we're 50 episodes in already! Thank you for our fantastic listeners and to all of our amazing guests. 

On this week's episode we dove in with Taylor Crane, of fractionaljobs.io, and talked about a number of amazing topics related to being a fractional.

• Being a technical versus non-technical founder
• Fractionals in early stage versus later stage startups
• Taylor's definition of fractional and the current market
• Matching fractionals to companies
• Fractional in the world of mass layoffs
• How fractional levels of the playing field with power dynamics
• Compensation expectations for fractionals

Links for Taylor that we referenced:

• https://www.fractionaljobs.io
• https://www.fractionaljobs.io/blog/what-is-fractional-work
• https://www.fractionaljobs.io/blog/how-much-money-can-i-make-as-a-fractional-employee
• https://www.linkedin.com/posts/taylorcrane_how-much-do-fractional-employees-make-activity-7168359685547286528-mLMc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Episode edited by Caleb Johnson / Embrin.com

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Thanks all for listening in! We've had some fantastic new listeners over the past month.

In this episode we dove into a few things, with just Lance and Joshua at the wheel. 

We talked again about the definition of fractional, and what it means for our careers. We also addressed some listener feedback, discussed some of the challenges with tech layoffs, caught up what Glassdoor may or may not be doing, and touched on the power dynamic between people in companies. 

Thanks so much!

This episode edited by the fantastic audio editor Caleb Johnson: http://www.embrin.com

Support the show

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This week's episode was a fantastic dive into Kim's advice for mid-career fractionals and fractional hopefuls. We talked about the myth of work/life balance, doubling down on your strengths, and Kim's journey into through layoffs, burnout, and starting new things. 

Some helpful links from the show:

https://www.peakhrlearning.com
https://icaretoomuch.substack.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrohrer/
https://www.patchworkportfolio.com
https://twitter.com/kimskitchensink

Our fantastic editor for the show is Caleb Johnson: http://embrin.com

Support the show

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Today we dove into a bunch of topic with Joshua's friend and colleague, Larry Miller. We talked about having a day job versus being an entrepreneur, the differences between leaders and individual contributors, how we've worked through challenging projects together, and much more. Today we dove into a bunch of topic with Joshua's friend and colleague, Larry Miller. 

We talked about having a day job versus being an entrepreneur, the differences between leaders and individual contributors and their day-to-day jobs, how we've worked through challenging projects together, how being a founder helps with a fractional mindset, and much more.  

Larry Miller's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-miller-b086a4bb/  

Paul Graham's maker vs manager schedule: https://www.paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html

Note: For this episode Lance mentioned the wrong episode number, so our fantastic audio editor Caleb Johnson re-recorded the intro. You can book his services for editing at embrin.com.https://www.instagram.com/speechcraft_audiobooks

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In this fantastic episode of Fractional we were joined by Jane Davydiuk to discuss her fractional journey.

Some topics we touched on:

• Interviewing 100 customers to find your service market fit
• Working with 7 clients at once
• Marketing yourself as a fractional 
• Leaving Ukraine and setting up a new business internationally
• Cultural differences between the UK and Ukraine

You can find Jane at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-davydiuk-operations-expert/ 
https://janedavydiuk.substack.com/publish/posts 

Links we referenced
https://www.mindtools.com/a5ce21r/the-seven-dimensions-of-culture
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison-tool 
https://www.aroundworld.com.ua/
http://konstantin.travel

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Today we were joined by Lindsay, a fantastic guest who shared her own journey as an HR Fractional leader. We dove into the tension between HR supporting people in the company and the company itself. We also discussed the fractional community she supports, parenting as a fractional, the value of risk versus reward as a fractional, and what she describes as a "Portfolio of Impact".

Slack: https://fractionalpeoplepeople.com/
Website: https://www.blueprinthr.co/
Email: lindsay@blueprinthr.co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayharrisondagiantis/

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In this amazing episode we dove into a conversation with Lindsay Ruiz about her journey into fractional work, the teams she's helped, what she's learned along the way, what lights her up each day, and the difference between disagreement, and dissent or abuse. 

We'd love to have you listen along and welcome questions or feedback!

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Today was a deep dive into remote work culture and some of the areas we hope to improve. Topics:

• Joshua is slowing down his email intake
• Let's try a 4-day workweek
• Are we lucky or awesome?
• Bad attitudes versus being willing to challenge

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On this call we had a check-in on a few fun topics:

1. An anxiety check-in on what drives us to feel anxiety with work
2. Managers have schedules that often conflict with creators, how can we juggle that?
3. Building flexibility into your sales proposals, and whether that's a good thing
4. Decision making
5. And finally, giving a sh*t as a service

Relevant links:
https://allenpike.com/2022/giving-a-shit

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Today we were joined by Eric G. Friedman to talk about what it takes to start a career as a fractional, the ins and outs of it, and how his business is helping bring businesses and talent together. 

If you're curious about a Fractional career, or want some thoughts on how to improve what you're doing, give it a listen and let us know your thoughts. 

https://www.gofractional.com
https://www.ericgfriedman.com

Support the show

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Notes:
Health and fitness check-in
What’s in a name? Josh or Joshua
Don’t jinx yourself
Neuralink’s new brain implant 
The stupidity manifesto
A new fractional job board
When it’s too much, finding peace in the chaos
Working on Apple Vision Pro

Links:
https://www.fractionaljobs.io
https://insimpleterms.blog/the-stupidity-manifesto

Thanks to Caleb Johnson for editing: http://embrin.com

Support the show

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Shownotes and items we discussed:

• Navigate the Nonsense. https://www.shootonline.com/video/top-spot-week-wk-portland-director-craig-gillespie-navigate-nonsense%C2%A0-hp
• What in-office feels like during company meetings vs remote
• What leadership intends when they say something to the company vs how company receives
• https://adamgrant.substack.com/p/stop-serving-the-compliment-sandwich
• Dealing with risk - https://everythingchanges.us/blog/look-to-the-ground/
• The right amount of transparency?
• Tracking our remaining energy vs time during the day 

Edited by Caleb Johnson

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In this episode we talked about hitting your limit each day and respecting it, touched on the attempt at back to office trends and trusting employees, then briefly discussed Ethan Marcotte's book on tech unions. Finally Lance talked about doing more with less as an HR function.

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We're back! Joshua and Lance dove into their plans for the year. We went over a few fun topics, not to spoil it too much, but they include:

1. Joshua's going to focus more on play this year than anything else. 
2. We chatted about helping others get started as fractionals 
3. Joshua shared an update on how fractional has been in his own life
4. And we started working with an editor for the show! Welcome to Caleb Johnson: http://www.embrin.com.

Support the show

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Joshua was on vacation during the recording of this episode, but his brother Jonathan joined as a guest and chatted with Lance for a fantastic episode. 

We had some technical issues with Lance's mic being a bit muffled, but please listen in as it's a fantastic episode! 

Topics included:

• How hard do you unplug for the holiday?
• Goals versus resolutions, and plans for 2024
• Jonathan's experience with fractional since his last episode 8 months ago
• Tension in making and setting goals.
• Ghosting as part of the recruiting experience. 
• Book: https://thegogiver.com

Support the show

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Topics we covered in today's podcast:

• Lance's AI adventure 
• Company's forcing RTO
• Dreaming of life in our 40s
• Lance's new project

Links mentioned:

• Bill Waterson's life
• Lance's post on remote work culture
• Reach out to Lance for coaching

Support the show

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In this episode we chatted about what it takes to stay healthy in our jobs. 

Joshua shared about his recent work experience in contrast to previous work he's done. 

Then we dove into what it means to communicate at work, and what good communication looks like. 

Support the show

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Today we dove into a number of topics. Joshua shared about some stressors he's been dealing with at work and how it's affected his hearing, and Lance touched on his personal fitness journey. From there we picked up on a recurring topic of the importance of openness in the work environment, and ended with a followup on inductive reasoning versus deductive reasoning. 

Links we touched on:

• https://ultrapromax.fm/episodes/are-you-getting-it-inductive-vs-deductive-reasoning
• https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Communication-Work-Second-Influence/dp/1260474127

Edited and produced by Joshua Wold. 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Lance and I recorded earlier this week and dove into some Thanksgiving traditions. We also talked about Humble, Hungry, and People smart teams, and how none of that matters if employees don't feel safe. We chatted about inductive versus inductive reasoning and not letting people live rent free in our heads. 

https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Team-Player-Recognize-Cultivate-ebook/dp/B01B6AEJJ0

https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Communication-Work-Second-Influence/dp/1260474127

Support the show

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We're back! It's been two weeks and we've got a lot to talk about.

In this episode Lance and Joshua talked about the balance between humility and competence at work, nobody knows what they're doing, how to find fractional lead sources, what being yourself at work looks like, how we try to avoid gossip, and what return to office is all about (hint: it's not good in a lot of cases).

Some links we referenced:

• https://werd.io/2023/return-to-office-is-all-about-power 
• Think Again by Adam Grant
• Go Fractional
• Fractionals United
• The Dip

Support the show

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Today was another fantastic episode for the books. 

For Episode 30 Lance Robbins and Joshua Wold talked about how much energy we have in a day for work, how that fits in with the concept of emotional matching, a massive mistake Joshua made early in his career, and what to do when you have a hidden stakeholder at work. 

Links we referenced:
http://heykona.com
https://stratechery.com
https://joshuawold.com/hidden-stakeholders/

Support the show

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Today we talked about motivation, what makes each of us tick. We then delved into security vs risk in the workforce and finished off with what reversion to the mean looks like for Lance’s personal life. 

Kinstretch with Beard free class

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Today we talked about what effective feedback looks like for managers, if it's possible for an individual contributor to speak up and push back, and how we deal with anxiety in our work. 

Two links we referenced:

• Joshua's article
• Lance's article

Support the show

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In this episode we talked about an idea from a friend about finding ways to enjoy each day a little more, what service vs strategy looks like, and shared some of our fears; both lighthearted and personal. 

We also referenced two books: 

• Turn the Ship Around!
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Support the show

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Greg Storey, of Airbag Industries joined Joshua Wold and Lance Robbins on the podcast today as we talked about several thought provoking articles he's been writing about toxic work cultures and never having a job if you have the choice. 

Links to Greg's work:

• Airbag Industries
• Let's Jump Ship
• Same Team Partners
• Mastodon

Resources we mentioned:

• Practical Typography
• Stop Stealing Sheep
• Learn UI Design
• Digital Design Essentials
• Designing with Web Standards
• Radical Candor

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Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

Lance hit a milestone in his career this week and we were able to celebrate together. We also chatted about hiring for skills and connection, as well discussed as a fantastic article by Greg Storey.

https://airbagindustries.com/blog/if-you-have-a-choice-never-have-a-job

Support the show

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In this episode we shared about the things we've been focusing on this week, namely Lance's 17 meetings and then talked about a handful of thoughts we have on remote work culture.

Support the show

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Support the show

https://lancehrobbins.com/ and https://joshuawold.com/

In today's episode Lance and Joshua caught up after a few weeks off and talked about imposter syndrome, whether you can change careers later in life, Microsoft Teams vs Slack, and how Apple and Amazon differ in meeting culture. 

We referenced two amazing books in our talk:

https://www.amazon.com/Think-Again-Power-Knowing-What/dp/1984878107

https://www.amazon.com/Good-They-Cant-Ignore-You/dp/1455509124

Support the show

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Hazel S. Evans joins the show today to share her experience as a fractional executive, the steps she took to grow her business, and some tips for growing and keeping clients.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazelsevans/
Website: https://www.highlandvalleydigital.com/

Support the show

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Today we had a fantastic guest on the podcast to talk about his recent introduction back into the world of fractional and what that can look like for a developer. 

We also referenced Lance's venn diagram on where fractional fits versus consultants and freelancers: https://lancehrobbins.com/the-future-of-the-executive-is-now-and-its-fractional/

If you enjoyed listening to Luke, you can learn more about him at:
https://carb.is
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carbis/

Support the show

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Lance and Joshua caught up on fires in Idaho, company policies for unlimited time off, how your wealth feels from city to city, an update on Lance's business, and a quick chat about how many rounds of interviews you should have. 

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Joshua and Lance talked about the freedom of working remotely and how, in the wrong circumstances, that freedom can lead to being always on and present and feeling burnt out. 

We then talked about Slack etiquette, whether Vision Pro will be a mass market device, how waiting is hard, and how we like to plan out vacations (or the lack thereof)

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We had a fantastic time chatting again today. 

Joshua shared a major update in his work life, a good vacation, and dealing with two laptops. 

Lance shared thoughts on a bathroom remodel, Amazon forcing employees back to office and how calendar culture be be improved in a team. 

Amazon article: https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-manager-guidelines-voluntary-resignation-program-rto-remote-work-2023-7

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This week Lance and Joshua went off the rails a bit, shared their frustrations and joys with work, why this podcast exists, and why vacations can lead to weight loss. We both loved a chance to catch up and use the time to encourage each other. 

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Today Jason Lexell joined Joshua Wold to talk about his experience with fractional work. He shared tips on creating proposals and the best way to followup with clients. 

• dhmedia.com | jason@dhmedia.com
• Juliet's School of Possibilities

Support the show

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Today was a big personal day on multiple fronts. Lance shared a big update with something he's been working on for months and Joshua shared about some changes with his work that are coming soon.

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After three fantastic guest episodes Lance and Joshua are back to catch up on a bunch of topics.

Topics

• Threads.net, an Instagram app, and building an audience. Follow Joshua and Lance
• Helping our kids figure out money and building an audience
• Lance's upcoming webinar!
• Check-in on what we're building
• Reference reference checks for jobs
• Excavating vs building
• Freelancing isn't free

Shownotes

• Book: The Psychology of Money
• 6 Critical Skills for Remote Work Managers
• Book: The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Support the show

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Lance and Joshua invited Jay Rogers, the co-founder of 521dimensions.com, to share about his approach to fractional work, async remote work, and how the power of saying no has transformed his business. 

Shownotes

• Rise of the Fractional Executive
• Rick Run Good
• Shape Up
• 521 Dimensions
• Jay Rogers
• Jay's Twitter thread rant about the Mac
• Books
  • Deep work
  • The hard thing about hard things
  • Range
  • Effortless and Essentialism
  • Traction

Support the show

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Lee Sweat, a fractional CFO, joins us today to share his journey from hockey, to the NHL, to his role in helping consumer startup companies grow in today's environment. Joshua and Lee worked together at a previous company, and Lee's energy, nomadic lifestyle with his wife and baby, and drive to get stuff done, are inspiring. 

Shownotes

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-sweatt/
• https://www.equityapi.com/

Support the show

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Garrick van Buren joined as a guest with Joshua Wold and Lance Robbins as co-hosts. 

We asked Garrick about how decisions should get made in the workplace, how we can handle async vs synchronous communication, and how a simple backyard game changed how he thought about work. 

Shownotes and links we referenced:

• https://garrickvanburen.com/making-time/
• Rebuilding Blocks: How the Game of Kubb Put My Life Back Together
• https://www.nohello.com/
• Alan Weiss
• Eric Maisel
• But what if we're wrong?
• Chrissie Wellington Ironman
• https://racethewolf.com

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Lance and I talked about Apple's Vision Pro and how it may affect human connection in the remote environment. We also hit on remote work as a potential golden handcuff, our experience at a conference recently, why curiosity has paid off for each of us, and the problem with 360 reviews in the workplace. 

• Apple's Vision Pro
• Remote workers feel trapped
• Value based pricing for designers
• Elevate your tech savviness
• 360 reviews
• Books referenced: Crucial conversions, So Good They Can't Ignore You, Radical Candor

Support the show

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Jonathan Wold appeared as the first guest on on our show, and we had a lovely time chatting about his background and experience in this world. 

Shownotes

• Shareware Heroes
• Otter.ai
• The Business of Expertise by David Baker
• Mark O’Brian, Newfangled
• You can't handle my undivided attention
• Polytopia
• JonathanWold.com 

Support the show

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This is our 10th episode, and it's been a lot of fun so far! Our topics this week:

• Upcoming trip to Cloudfest USA
• Running in Austin.
• Stability vs possibility with fractional work
• The state of freelancing in 2023
• Selling when you don't need the sales
• Remote isn't the problem, Elon Musk's moral failure
• Feedback from a listener on forging friendships in business

Shownotes

• OnboardWP for latest Gravity Forms teardown
• Meditation 101
• Freelancing isn't free
• Minnesota and Uber
• Remote isn't the problem
• Elon Musk and remote work

Support the show

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Our main topic, craving connection in a remote environment, took up most of the episode and we shared our experiences building relationships in an async world. Depending on your podcast player you can jump around between the chapters. Enjoy!

Shownotes:

• Does Lance have office plants?
• We've got email! You can send questions or comments to email@fractional.fm
• Do something helpful and see what happens
• Craving connection
• Deep work time
• Google's taking our staplers

Support the show

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Topics

• #ask-lance: What do you do?
• Running woes
• Google's leaked memo on open source taking over AI
• Is a fractional a Chief XYZ?
• What's the point of this podcast?
• Checkin on our two businesses
• Ergonomic setups
• After show: Should we keep doing this?

Links we referenced

• Google has no moat
• Steve Wozniak interview
• Lance's diagram on what a fractional is

Support the show

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Shownotes:

• Almond cow
• FTC pushes to ban Meta from profiting off children’s data
• Secret Tradecraft of Elite Advisors

Support the show

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Lance is out this week and due to some scheduling changes we weren't able to record like normal. Joshua has a quick update.

Support the show

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Shownotes:

• State of remote work 2022
• Commercial real estate and return to work
• Joshua's new project: https://onboardwp.io/

Support the show

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• Lance shares a change in how he is approaching his work
• Joshua dives into advice for young people getting into tech
• Joshua shares about his business as a fractional
• After show: Discussing our go-to meals

Support the show

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Shownotes:

• Lance shares how work has shifted for him over the last 15 years
• Joshua doesn't talk about his business
• Lance shares about the Remote Organizational Transformation work he's been doing
• Joshua talks about time management
• Lance shares about his upcoming vacation
• We answer some audience questions
• Lance's article on fractional work

Support the show

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Lance and Joshua chat about what they hope to do ten years from now, where AI fits into their jobs, and Joshua's current obsession. 

Support the show

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