"Fractional" just means you're buying part of a senior leader's time. The work is the same as a full-time VP of Sales. The schedule and the price are different. Here's what that looks like in practice, from someone who does the job.
What does a fractional VP of Sales do?
The short version: build a sales system that works without the founder in every deal, then run it until it can run without me. Typical responsibilities:
- Sales process design. Stages with exit criteria, from first meeting to signed contract.
- ICP and messaging. Exactly who you sell to, why they buy now, and the words that get meetings.
- Hiring and coaching reps. Hiring profiles, interviews, onboarding, 1:1s, call reviews and fixing underperformance.
- Pipeline and forecasting. Weekly pipeline reviews, deal inspection and a forecast you can show your board.
- Comp plans and quotas. Plans that reward the behavior you need.
- CRM and tooling. Cleaning up HubSpot or Salesforce and the outbound stack.
- Closing help. Getting on late-stage calls, traveling for key meetings and working trade shows with the team.
What it is not: a consultant who hands you a deck and leaves.
What does a typical week look like?
Here's an example week for a 2-day-a-week engagement with a founder and two AEs:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Monday | Pipeline review with the team; update the forecast; agree on the week's priority deals |
| Monday afternoon | 1:1s with each AE; review two recorded calls each |
| Midweek (async) | Slack and email for deal questions; tweak sequences and messaging |
| Thursday | Join late-stage calls; candidate interviews if hiring; founder sync on numbers and blockers |
| Thursday afternoon | Build work: playbook sections, comp plan, CRM fixes, hiring profile |
How much does a fractional VP of Sales cost?
Most land between $5,000 and $15,000 a month, depending on hours and scope. My own packages are $6,000 (up to 2 days a week), $8,000 (up to 3 days a week) and $10,000 (full-time equivalent), with a three-month minimum. Full breakdown, including what other firms publish, is in my fractional VP of Sales cost guide.
Fractional vs full-time vs consultant vs CRO: what's the difference?
| Fractional VP of Sales | Full-time VP of Sales | Sales consultant | Fractional CRO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 1 to 3 days/week | Full-time | Project hours | Varies, often part-time |
| Owns the number? | Yes, alongside the founder | Yes | No | Yes, all revenue |
| Manages reps? | Yes | Yes | No | Usually through leaders |
| Scope | Sales function | Sales function | A defined project | Sales, marketing, CS |
| Typical cost | $5K to $15K/month | $180K to $250K base plus variable, benefits, equity | Project fee | Similar to or above fractional VP |
| Best stage | About $500K to $5M ARR | Proven motion, 8 to 10+ reps | A specific gap to fix | Multiple revenue teams already in place |
More detail: fractional vs full-time and fractional CRO vs fractional VP of Sales.
When should you hire a fractional VP of Sales?
The trigger: every deal still needs the founder, and you can't step away without the pipeline drying up. More specifically, hire one when at least two of these are true:
- You're around $500K to $5M ARR and growth has flattened
- You spend a big chunk of your week selling, and it's crowding out product, fundraising or hiring
- You have 1 to 3 reps and results swing wildly from rep to rep
- Nothing about your sales process is written down
- You want to hire reps but have nobody to onboard and manage them
- You can't justify (or can't find) a $180K to $250K full-time VP yet
When is a fractional VP of Sales the wrong move?
- No product-market fit yet. The founder should keep selling until a pattern shows up.
- You already have a proven motion and a big team. Hire full-time.
- You won't hand over real authority. If reps still route every decision through you, nobody can lead them.
- You need someone in the office five days a week. That's a full-time hire.
What should you expect in the first 90 days?
| Days | Focus | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 30 | Diagnose: review won and lost deals, call recordings, CRM, comp and messaging | Written diagnosis and a 90-day plan; first fixes to stages and qualification |
| 31 to 60 | Build: ICP, stage exit criteria, discovery and demo frameworks, CRM cleanup, outbound | Reps working from a shared process; weekly pipeline review running |
| 61 to 90 | Coach and inspect: 1:1s, deal reviews, forecast accountability, hiring if needed | A predictable weekly rhythm and clear visibility into what's working |
A real month one, from my own work with QuickManage: a sales hire placed, a comp plan, HubSpot live, a sales deck and an outbound program launched. See the case study.
How do you find and hire a good one?
- Stage fit first. Have they built a sales motion at your size, not just managed a large one?
- Proof. Specific companies, specific results, founder references.
- Time math. How many clients, how many hours for you?
- A plan before you sign. They should be able to outline the first 90 days after one good conversation.
I go deeper in how to hire a fractional VP of Sales, and I compare the main providers in best fractional VP of Sales options for B2B SaaS.
Who am I?
I'm Michael Flournoy, founder of GSD Associates in Charlotte, NC. I work with B2B SaaS founders around $500K to $10M+ ARR as a fractional VP of Sales, remotely nationwide and in person when it matters. I started at QuickManage, a fleet management SaaS company, as their fractional VP of Sales and I'm now their Chief Commercial Officer. Before that I helped build the US sales operation at Whip Around through its $100M acquisition. More about me.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fractional VP of Sales?
A fractional VP of Sales is an experienced sales executive who leads a company's sales function part-time, usually 1 to 3 days a week, for a monthly retainer. They build the sales process, hire and coach reps, run pipeline reviews and share ownership of the revenue number.
How much does a fractional VP of Sales cost?
Typically $5,000 to $15,000 a month depending on time and scope. GSD Associates charges $6,000, $8,000 or $10,000 a month with a three-month minimum, compared with $180,000 to $250,000 in base salary for a full-time VP of Sales.
How many hours does a fractional VP of Sales work?
Most engagements run from a few hours a week for advisory work to 2 or 3 days a week for embedded leadership. Some providers, including GSD Associates, also offer a full-time-equivalent option.
Is a fractional VP of Sales the same as a sales consultant?
No. A consultant delivers a project and leaves. A fractional VP of Sales stays embedded, manages reps, runs pipeline reviews and is accountable for results.
When should a startup hire a fractional VP of Sales?
When the founder is still the main closer, growth has stalled somewhere around $500K to $5M ARR, reps are inconsistent or the process isn't written down, and a $180K to $250K full-time VP isn't justified yet.
Can a fractional VP of Sales help close deals?
A good one should. At GSD Associates I join late-stage calls to help close, travel for key meetings and work trade shows alongside your reps.