Why Startup Companies in Series A or Series B Should Leverage a Fractional Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) to Scale Revenues
- CRO Jumpstart
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
Chief Revenue Officer | Driving Revenue Growth
July 8, 2025
As your startup accelerates through Series A or Series B funding, the stakes get higher. Investors are expecting significant growth, your product-market fit is refined, and scaling sales becomes mission-critical. At this pivotal stage, many startups realize that operating with a founder-led sales approach is no longer sustainable. Although hiring a full-time Chief Revenue Officer may seem like the logical next step, there’s a growing and more strategic alternative: engaging a fractional CRO.
A fractional CRO is a seasoned sales executive who offers part-time, high-value expertise, specifically focused on helping early-stage companies build and execute scalable revenue strategies.
Here’s why this approach can make all the difference for Series A and Series B startups:
#1. Transitioning from Founder-Led Sales
In the early stages of your company, the founders are typically deeply involved in closing deals. This works well under certain conditions: founders often understand the product better than anyone, can deliver a compelling vision, and have the passion to sell. However, founder-led sales has its limits. It's time-intensive, doesn't scale, and pulls the leadership team away from other essential areas like product development, partnerships, or fundraising.
A fractional CRO can bridge the gap between founder-led selling and a dedicated sales organization. They understand how to translate the founder's deep product knowledge into a playbook that a growing sales team can follow. By guiding the transition, they ensure founders can step back from day-to-day selling without sacrificing near-term revenue growth and customer acquisition.
# 2. Strategic Alignment for Scalable Growth
Series A and Series B companies often face the challenge of defining a repeatable, scalable sales process. Without a clear revenue strategy, startups risk burning through their funding without achieving sustainable growth. A fractional CRO brings proven expertise in developing sales infrastructure, aligning go-to-market strategies, and setting measurable KPIs that position your team for consistent success.
Rather than "one-size-fits-all" solutions, they provide tailored strategies to accelerate revenue in your specific market. This often includes assessing your pricing strategy, refining your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), designing compensation plans to attract top talent, and identifying the sales stages most critical for closing deals.
# 3. Cost-Effective Expertise at a Critical Stage
Hiring a full-time, senior-level CRO can cost upwards of $300,000 annually (plus benefits and bonuses)—an expense that is hard to justify if your company is just starting to build its sales organization. A Vice President of Sales plus the sales team is also a hefty lift financially for earlier stage companies. By engaging a fractional CRO, you benefit from C-suite expertise without the full-time price tag. This flexibility also allows you to allocate saved resources to other essential areas like growing your team, marketing efforts, or product development.
A fractional CRO can come in with immediate impact—setting up systems, processes, and tools—without requiring a long-term financial commitment. Once the stage is set, you can make a more informed decision about when it’s time to hire a full-time CRO.
# 4. Building and Scaling a High-Performing Sales Team
Another key challenge for Series A/B startups is hiring a world-class sales team. But hiring without a clear structure, effective onboarding process, or the right leadership often results in costly mistakes. A fractional CRO not only helps define your hiring needs but also assists in recruiting and mentoring early sales hires. They ensure your salespeople hit the ground running and that your organization is equipped with metrics-driven accountability.
# 5. Accelerated Time to Revenue
Startups can’t afford prolonged trial-and-error when it comes to sales. A fractional CRO brings years of experience, insights, and a proven toolkit to rapidly implement revenue strategies that work. This acceleration helps you hit investor expectations, keep up with market opportunities, and eliminate bottlenecks in your sales pipeline.
In conclusion, a fractional CRO is not just a cost-effective interim solution; they are a strategic growth partner for startups looking to scale revenue quickly and sustainably. For Series A and Series B companies navigating their sales evolution, this approach provides the best of both worlds—expert leadership combined with flexibility and affordability.
Transitioning from founder-led sales to a scalable sales function is one of the hardest, yet most important, milestones your company will face. The right fractional CRO can make that leap faster, smoother, and far more successful, positioning your startup for its next phase of growth.
If you’re at this critical junction, consider whether a fractional CRO could be the solution you need to get from “proving the model” to “scaling the model.”
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