I work fractionally with growing Australian brands - one person running your strategy and the hands-on work that delivers it.
You get me in the room with you, not an agency layer between you and the work.
Senior strategy, with the right specialists when you need them.
Most of my clients are founder-led Australian brands ready to take marketing seriously without burning the budget on overhead. Different industries, same brief: grow smart, build real relationships, keep it human.
You work with me directly across strategy and the marketing that drives growth. When a project needs specialist hands - development, design, photography - I bring in trusted partners from the Collective and keep the work moving to one plan.
Finding, shaping and managing the partnerships that move a brand forward.
Setting direction, sharpening the brand, and keeping every channel pulling the same way.
I stay hands-on in the channels where senior judgement changes the result, so strategy and execution never drift apart.
When the work needs specialist hands, I bring in trusted partners and keep it to the plan.
"Hayley is one of those people who just makes marketing feel easier."
"Hayley takes the time to gain a thorough understanding of our business, our objectives and our customers before applying her marketing expertise and experience."
"Her communication was always excellent, and she was a great extension of our team."
These are the questions I get asked most before we start working together. Here's how I answer them.
Book a 20-minute call →I work with small to mid-size Australian brands, mostly founder-led, across a wide mix of industries. I'm based in Melbourne and work across Australia.
A lot of founders I work with have the ideas. Where they get stuck is how to execute them, and that's the part I help with.
A fractional CMO is your senior marketing lead, without the full-time hire. I set the direction and decide what the work actually needs, then stay hands-on in the channels where my judgement changes the result.
What I don't do is ad-hoc execution without strategy, or strategy without anyone to execute it. Partnerships are a big part of how I grow a brand, but they're rarely the whole story.
An agency executes campaigns. A fractional CMO leads strategy from inside the business. I do both - I lead the thinking and run a lot of the marketing myself, and you get me, not an account manager.
If you already have an in-house team or agencies you trust, keep them. I'll work with them, or side by side with you as the founder.
More on this: consultant vs agency vs in-house
A fractional CMO gives you senior experience without the salary overhead, the long onboarding or the risk of a full-time hire.
And because I'm external, I'm not in the weeds with you or caught up in the day-to-day chaos of a growing business. That leaves me free to focus on the solution and the practical side of making it happen.
More on this: fractional vs full-time hire
My clients get the benefit of what I learn in other industries. Working across several brands rather than inside just one, I'm exposed to things that are easy to miss in the silo of a single brand.
Fractional CMO rates in Australia vary with engagement length, scope and how hands-on you need the role to be. With me, longer retainers bring the effective rate down, while shorter projects and ad-hoc support sit at the higher end.
Some clients need oversight a few days a month, others need me managing their campaigns, and I size the engagement to your goals, not the other way round. Once we've had a chat about what you're trying to achieve, I'll put a proposal together for you.
More on this: how much a marketing consultant costs in Australia
It depends on the goal. Long-term brand building can't be done overnight, so I also set short-term metrics and quick wins, which means campaigns can boost awareness early while the bigger picture comes together.
I'm clear about what to expect from the start, and honest about results along the way.
Start with three questions. Does the partner share your values and brand voice? Will they help you reach or engage your audience? And is there value flowing both ways?
I'm always happy to help you weigh it up.
If you're just starting out, you probably don't need a fractional CMO yet. That's a great time to have a chat and get a one-off, project-based strategy plan in place that you can run with. From there, check in every so often to keep it on track.
A fractional CMO makes sense once your marketing is in motion - a small team, an agency or you doing it yourself - but there's no senior marketing lead setting the overall direction.
Twenty minutes. No commitment. We'll talk through your goals, your gaps, and whether I'm the right fit. If I am, I'll put a tailored proposal together for you.
