The Five Fractionals

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Toni Haugh’s Study on the Five Types of Fractionals

Pop quiz.

There are five types of fractional workers. Which one are you?

For Toni Haugh, the rise of fractional work isn’t just anecdotal – it’s backed by her own research. 

After over 20 years in marketing, Toni has seen firsthand how careers evolve.

Now, she’s one of the few leading experts when it comes to studying the transformational shift brought by fractional work. 

Toni conducted primary research by interviewing close to 50 people, with 30 being included in the study analysis.

The goal was to understand what’s driving the movement by exploring why fractional leaders chose their path, how they built sustainable careers, and what it all meant for the future of work. 

She truly has the unique view in this topic that no one else has, so play the full interview here: 

You chose to focus your research on fractional executives. What drew you to that topic? 

Toni: I’m a member of CHIEF, and in the transitions group, I kept hearing people say, “I’m a fractional. I do fractional work.” 

And I thought, “What is this? Who are you people?” 

I first came across it in Fall 2023. I thought, “Maybe a fractional CMO role would work for me,” but I didn’t know what it was all about. So, I started researching it. 

And what I found was that while there were plenty of articles in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and other business publications, there was almost no empirical research. 

Does it work? How does it work? Is it sustainable? 

Academia had not caught up at all – which blew my mind, because in management, HR, and corporate strategy, this is applicable. No studies were at the scale I wanted to explore. 

What are the biggest takeaways from your study? Did any patterns emerge? 

Toni: One of the biggest things I found is that people get into fractional work for different reasons. It’s not just one type of person. I categorized them into five groups: 

• Moonlight Mavericks – These are full-time professionals testing the waters with fractional work on the side. They have a W-2 job but take on consulting gigs in their free time. Some eventually transition into full-time fractional work; others keep it as a side hustle.  

• Fractional Fledglings – These are younger professionals who call themselves “fractional” even though they don’t fit the traditional profile. They don’t have the 15–20 years of experience that true fractional executives typically have. Businesses need to watch for this – just because someone calls themselves a fractional leader doesn’t mean they have the depth of experience.  

• Career Stopovers – These are people in transition. They may have been laid off and are using fractional work as a bridge while they look for a full-time job. Some hope their fractional role will become a full-time job. Others realize they love flexibility and stick with it. 

• Trailblazing Titans – These are the OG fractionals. They’ve been doing this for 10+ years – before “fractional” was even widely used. They’re all-in. They love owning their business, choosing their clients, and setting their schedule. They’ve built sustainable consulting careers. 

• Paycheck Pragmatists – These folks don’t really care about the “fractional” label. They might be independent contractors, consultants, freelancers – it doesn’t matter to them. They’re not out there waving the fractional flag; they’re just focused on doing the work and getting paid. 

You’ve also talked about how long-term fractionals tend to have certain personality traits. Can you say more about that? 

Toni: Yes, this is something I want to research further. In my interviews, I kept hearing the same thing – fractional executives get bored easily. They need variety. They’re the type of people who have to be juggling multiple projects at once. 

One of my informants called it the “power team” effect – where a fractional comes in and supercharges a team, working directly with high-potential junior employees to accelerate their growth. 

The ability to go deep into a problem, focus intensely, and then move on to the next challenge was also a pattern I kept seeing. These are people who want to switch gears. They don’t want to be tied to just one company or industry. They thrive on variety. 

So, I think there’s a strong personality component at play here. It’s not just about career experience – it’s about how you’re wired. And that’s something I’d love to explore in future research. 

What We Can Learn from Toni Haugh: 

1. There’s a real momentum behind the rise of fractionals. Interest from the media and academic institutions indicates that fractional work is a trend that’s not going away anytime soon. 

2. There are five kinds of fractionals. Being a fractional executive isn’t a one-size-fits-all, but it’s a model that can work for different reasons. 

3. Fractionals get bored easily. They don’t want to be tied to one company or industry because they thrive on variety. Instead, they solve high-impact problems across multiple clients – on their own terms. 

Chart Crimes: Pretty… Useless.

🚨Chart crimes! 

This one pains me. 

So much effort to make, yet so unreadable. 

DON’T combine art and science. 

Consultants – if you’re not there to simplify a takeaway, then what are you doing? 

Remember, the path to success is paved with continuous learning and embracing fresh perspectives.

Let's stay connected, share ideas, and elevate your consulting business.

Stay curious, friends.

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