NAVIGATING THE UNCHARTED WATERS OF FRACTIONAL CONSULTANCY
01.23.24 | THOMAS BECKNER
“WHAT WOULD YOU SAY...YOU DO HERE?”
Entering the consultancy realm was never in my playbook. It evoked scenes from "Office Space," with two smug guys, both named Bob, making ruthless decisions for the sake of the bottom line. That's just not my vibe.
Yet, here I am, a proud member of THE BOARD – a lively group of kind, talented professionals from diverse industries. Together, we form "dream teams" that partner with brands and set them on the path to success. “Fractional hiring”, a term I didn't know a few years ago, seems to be more ubiquitous these days.
After 15 years leading in-house creatives (ABC, Popsugar, Hearst Digital Media, Goop) and as a co-founder of my boutique agency, Little Bear Studios, I've gained some insights. They might sound obvious, but it's worth noting: no one person has all the answers, not every brand can afford an in-house creative team, and creating effective creative across various touchpoints is a real challenge no matter what your budget.
As we all know, the content landscape is ever-changing, and creating authentic, platform-native assets that truly represent a brand is no small feat. It requires defining and embracing your brand’s story, creative strategy, staying on top of trends, taking risks, and, stealing a term, to Think Different. And, of course, you have to be "always on" + "platform first" – no big deal, right? Well, the fatigue is real, both for marketers and for the end consumer. And that's just my humble take on one small piece of the huge puzzle.
Leaving the perceived stability of in-house roles, and venturing into this fractional world has been an incredible, occasionally scary, journey. But joining THE BOARD has been a safety net of supportive peers, and the continuous learning I glean from projects is priceless. Engaging with brands at different stages — whether they're stagnant, ready to pivot, preparing for takeoff, or in need of a S.W.A.T team— is inspiring and eye-opening. Stepping into new, and unfamiliar territories, engaging in deep brand work on messaging, content strategy, and team structure...and then seeing all the other pieces fall into place has been an transformative experience. I've emerged as a more knowledgeable and expansive creative director for my clients and, hopefully, a better partner for my business associate. (Shout out: Kate Galliers!)
What makes THE BOARD stand out is its exceptional members, a think tank of beautiful minds with a vast array of experiences at your disposal. The collective intelligence is remarkable and at a fraction of the overhead of a traditional agency or consultant, it just makes sense to take a closer look at the problems we can solve, the dreams we can help bring to life. Don't be a stranger.
And the best part? In my two years here, I've yet to hear the words TPS report.
#factionalexperts #consultancy #futureofwork
