Beginning Fractional

Beginning Fractional is the starter guide for builders, creators, and technologists who want to pursue a fractional lifestyle but don’t know where to start.

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Introduction

Have you always yearned for an independent career that aligns with your passions and values?

Are you uncertain about your place in the ever-changing world of tech?

Do you want to forge a career path that withstands massive layoffs and economic uncertainty?

This guide affirms that you can design a mode of work that empowers you and reflects your entire self.

Part 1: Fractional Work is the Future

There is a lot of negative baggage around the word “freelancer.” Anyone from consultants to gig economy workers co-opts the term.

The earliest recorded use of the term referred to mercenary medieval warriors not sworn to any lord’s services.

Enter, fractional leadership.

Fractional leadership shows us that high skill, high commitment, and high compensation roles can be fulfilled so that one can serve multiple organizations and companies at the same time.

Fractional work is the mode of taking on multiple roles for more than one company, engaging like a founder while protecting your flexibility like a freelancer.

The future of work is fractional. Are you ready for it?

The future of work is fractional clients and consultants

More professionals prioritize flexibility as a requirement for choosing work. Clients will look into fractional consultants for specific requirements at different stages.

Fractional is inevitable

Tapping into a diverse pool of talent without committing to full-time positions allows organizations to scale up or down more efficiently. Flexibility allows clients to scale up or down efficiently. Fractional consultants have the freedom to work on different projects.

Becoming a Fractional CTO

Fractional work is the mode of taking on multiple full roles for more than one tech company, engaging like a founder while protecting your flexibility like a freelancer.

Part 2: Getting started with fractional work

Here are some of our most esteemed community members and how they started in the tech industry, took on fractional work, and found work they love doing.

From corporate worker to design agency owner

Angela took the leap and just went fully independent. This leap of faith led to an unconventional path, opening doors for Angela to build her agency, Toffeenut Design.

Find and create your niche

Lex decided to apply her expertise to help small businesses build and grow their online presence through her company Super Easy Digital.

Full-time fractional straight from university

Matthias tapped into a niche that has a lot of demand and created a steady flow of projects such that he could do professional design work independently full-time.

Part 3: Finding a path with fractional work

Try multiple disciplines before specializing

Being multidisciplinary turned Frances into a holistic designer.

Prepare a safety net to de-risk pivoting

Preparing a set amount of money for your safety net is sound financial advice. It de-risks the pivot to working independently because there’s no pressure to sustain a living at the onset.

Build in public and bring people along on your journey

Sharing your work with the world creates a ripple effect: people learn about your vision and follow your progress, eagerly rooting for your success.

Build trust with clients through honesty and collaboration

Strengthening your core skills helps you meet clients halfway and assist them in understanding and solving their problems.

Part 4: Working fractional is not working alone

We are making the case that being in a community offers significant advantages when you are transitioning to fractional, especially at the onset when you endeavor to build a reputation as a trustworthy and high-value collaborator.

The future of work is community

Being part of a community that supports continuous learning, provides access to economic mobility through financial security, and leverages technology and innovation significantly benefit individuals looking to pivot to fractional tech work.

A final word

If there is one thing you should take away from this guide, it is that you are more than capable of building a robust, creative, and fulfilling professional life through fractional work.
You now have all the tools you need to get started living that life.