CMO School

About CMO School

CMO School is the go-to podcast for marketers and Fractional CMOs ready to step into leadership, own their expertise, and build a career or business that actually works for them. Whether you're looking to elevate your skills, transition into a CMO role, or scale your Fractional business, this podcast delivers strategies, expert insights, and the mindset shifts you need to create a career you love. Hosted by Jess Shirra—a 15+ year marketing leader, Fractional CMO, and founder of Fractional CMO School—this show takes you behind the scenes on what actually works in marketing, business, and leadership. Jess has worked with powerhouse brands and creators like Lululemon, Pottery Barn, Strava, Jenna Kutcher, Lori Harder, and more—and now, she’s sharing those lessons with you. Each episode, we dive into proven strategies, practical insights, and candid conversations on topics like: How to step into leadership as a marketer and own your expertise How to confidently price your services and build a business that supports the life you want What it really takes to succeed as a Fractional CMO How to show up as a CMO for your clients, deliver powerful strategy, and lead teams effectively Lessons from experts across marketing, mindset, and entrepreneurship to help you grow Whether you're a corporate marketer exploring the Fractional path, a new Fractional CMO figuring it all out, or a seasoned leader looking to scale and systematize your business, CMO School will give you the tools, insights, and confidence to create a career that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and flexibility—on your terms. New episodes drop weekly! Subscribe now and start building a marketing career that lights you up.

Publisher

Jessica Shirra | Fractional CMO

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

21 Feb 2025

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

68 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Growing Your Business as a Marketer: How to Build a Team Without the Overhead

   At some point in your marketing business, you can't do all of the work yourself anymore. A client needs copy, or design, or paid ads, and now you have to decide who you trust enough to put in front of them. And that's the hard part of building a team, because whoever you bring in, their work goes out under YOUR name. I've gotten this wrong. I've made three big hiring mistakes over the years, and one of them ended with a contractor taking my money and ghosting me. So in this episode, I'm walking you through how I hire now. In this episode, I'm sharing: The one rule I have for anyone who works under my name What I ask for before I'll hire someone I don't know The four things I look for in every single person I hire What the first few months look like once someone is on my team Why the traditional agency model isn't for me Who is on my team right now, and how I handle the financial side Whether you're a marketing contractor bringing on your first subcontractor, a Fractional CMO building a bench of people you can call on, or you're helping a client hire, you’ll love this episode. Ready to take the next step? If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO. 🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/ (http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/) Web/Branding Designer: Ria Johnston → https://studio-kind.com/about (https://studio-kind.com/about) TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 How to Build a Marketing Team Without the Overhead 01:15 Why I Don't Run a Traditional Marketing Agency 02:30 How I Structure My Subcontractor Team 03:35 Why I'm So Selective About Who I Hire 04:45 My 2 Rules for Hiring Subcontractors 06:10 The Hiring Mistake That Cost Me a Vacation 07:10 How I Make Money From Subcontractors 08:30 How I Structure Contractor Payments 09:45 Who's Actually on My Marketing Team? 10:10 Why Hiring My Best Friend Works 12:20 How Fractional CMOs Work Within My Agency 13:15 The Marketing Specialists I Keep on My Team 14:35 How I Find Great Contractors Without Recruiting 16:05 My Process for Hiring New Team Members 16:45 Why I Always Start With a Paid Test Project 17:45 The 4 Things I Look for in Every Hire 18:00 #1: Skills & Quality of Work 18:45 #2: Strategic Thinking & Problem-Solving 20:20 #3: Reliability & Accountability 20:55 #4: Professionalism & Communication 21:35 How I Onboard Contractors for Long-Term Success 23:15 Why Setting Expectations Early Saves Time Later 24:00 What to Do When a Contractor Isn't Working Out 25:05 Who Should You Hire First? 26:00 Start Building Your Team With People You Trust 27:00 My Advice for Growing Your Team Slowly 28:15 Grow Your Fractional CMO Business Without the Overhead

2. 

   13 Oct 2026

   How to Become More Valuable as a Marketer in the Age of AI

   AI is getting better at doing the work marketers have been paid to do for years. And whether you’re a Fractional CMO, a strategist, a consultant, or working on a marketing team, I think there’s a question worth asking now: What is going to make you MORE valuable as AI gets better? Because I don’t think the marketers who thrive over the next five or ten years will necessarily be the ones who can produce the most, work the fastest, or even use the most AI tools. There’s a much bigger shift happening in what great marketing is worth, and where companies are going to need humans most. In this episode, I’m sharing: The shift I think is going to have one of the biggest impacts on marketing careers over the next few years Why some incredibly talented marketers may still find their value getting squeezed Where I believe the biggest opportunity is for marketers who want to become more valuable, not less What I would be paying very close attention to if I were building my marketing career today One question you can use to look at your own work and see whether you’re moving in the right direction I don’t know exactly what AI will be capable of five years from now. None of us do. But I do think we can already see where things are heading. And if you work in marketing, I think understanding this shift now could completely change what you choose to get really, really good at next. Ready to take the next step? If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO. 🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/ (http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/) TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Will AI Make Your Marketing Skills Less Valuable? 00:40 The Marketing Work AI Is Making Less Valuable 02:30 Why Execution Alone Is No Longer Enough 04:05 Where the Real Value in Marketing Is Moving 05:30 The 3 Skills That Make Marketers More Valuable 05:55 #1: Know What Marketing Is Actually Worth Doing 07:20 #2: Develop Better Taste & Strategic Judgment 09:35 #3: Make Confident Marketing Decisions 11:50 How to Make Your Marketing Expertise More Valuable 12:50 Stop Selling Deliverables & Start Showing Your Strategy 14:20 Show Clients the Thinking Behind Your Work 15:35 The “So What?” That Makes Your Reporting Valuable 16:40 Stop Being an Order Taker & Start Leading 17:50 Use Your Expertise to Improve AI-Generated Work 18:55 The Career Exercise Every Marketer Should Do 20:15 Find the Work That Energizes You 21:15 Should You Move Into Marketing Leadership? 22:10 How to Stay Valuable If You Love Execution 22:55 The Opportunity AI Creates for Marketers 23:25 Build Your Strategic Marketing Skills With Fractional CMO School

3. 

   6 Oct 2026

   How to Find Fractional CMO Clients in 2026 - 12 Proven Ways

   There are WAY more ways to find Fractional CMO clients than you probably realize. I've personally used 12 different strategies to find clients over the years, which is exactly why I don't believe there is one "right" way to build your pipeline. And in this episode, I'm breaking all 12 of them down. I'm sharing: How I think about finding clients before I ever start looking for them The two client acquisition strategies I personally wouldn't prioritize, and where I'd put that energy instead 12 different ways I've actually found Fractional CMO clients throughout my career A 13th, AI-focused bonus strategy I'm experimenting with right now The exact steps I'd take to turn all of these options into an actionable client acquisition plan The best part is that you don't need a massive audience, a complicated funnel, or one perfect lead generation strategy to build a strong pipeline. You need to know where the opportunities are, choose where you're going to focus, and consistently put yourself in the right places. By the end of this episode, you'll have plenty of ways to do exactly that, plus a clear plan for what to do next. FREE cold outreach email templates: Fractional CMO Sales Email Templates — The CMO Office (https://www.thecmooffice.com/email-templates) Ready to take the next step? If you’re ready to step into the Fractional CMO role but want support as you do it, Fractional CMO School is a 6-month coaching program + community to help you confidently land high-ticket clients and build a 6-figure (and beyond) business as a Fractional CMO. 🎓 Learn More → http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/ (http://www.fractional-cmo-school.com/) TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 12 Ways to Find Fractional CMO Clients in 2026 01:05 Don’t Lower Your Standards Just Because You Need Clients 02:15 2 Client-Getting Strategies I Would Skip 02:25 Why I Wouldn’t Start With Paid Ads 03:15 Why Cold DMs Don’t Work for High-Ticket Services 04:05 #1: Cold Outreach to Dream Clients 06:15 How to Make Cold Outreach Actually Work 07:45 #2: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile 09:20 #3: Post Strategic Content on LinkedIn 11:15 #4: Tap Into Your Existing Network 13:10 #5: Build Relationships With Other Fractional CMOs 14:30 #6: Connect With Advisors Around Your Ideal Client 16:05 #7: Build Referral Partnerships With Agencies 18:35 #8: Get in Front of Communities Your Clients Already Trust 20:30 #9: Be a Guest on the Right Podcasts 22:10 #10: Connect With Recruiters & Fractional Staffing Firms 23:50 #11: Use Job Sites & Fractional Marketplaces 25:25 Don’t Disqualify Yourself Before You Apply 26:15 #12: Use Upwork Strategically 27:25 BONUS: Get Found Through AI Search 28:35 Your 3-Step Plan to Start Getting Clients 28:50 Step 1: Pick Your 3 Best Lead Generation Tactics 29:20 Step 2: Set Measurable Weekly Goals 29:50 Step 3: Give Your Strategy Enough Time to Work 30:25 Stop Researching & Start Taking Action

Who has been a guest on CMO School

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Heather Chauvin
• Callan Faulkner
• Jess Belsky
• Jim Carter III
• Mindi Huebner

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

227

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

29

Social presence

0

YouTube

66

Engagement

51

Contact CMO School

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  Powerhouse Women

• 

  Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield

• 

  Plenty with Kate Northrup

• 

  inhabit with Alessia Citro & Friends

• 

  Cemoh Marketing Podcast

• 

  The Mel Robbins Podcast

Questions about CMO School