We are preparing for an exit in two years and need to install an Integrator immediately to clean up operations, but we cannot afford a top-tier full-time hire yet. Should we bring on a fractional Integrator, or will that confuse our leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Bringing on a fractional Integrator can be a highly effective bridge when you are preparing for an exit but are not yet ready to fund a full-time executive salary. However, it requires absolute clarity to avoid confusing your leadership team. A fractional Integrator is not a consultant who gives advice; they must have true authority to run the day-to-day operations and hold the team accountable.

Before you make this hire, you must prepare your team for this shift on the Accountability Chart. You, as the Visionary, must completely step out of the Integrator seat and allow this fractional leader to run the Level 10 Meeting and manage your direct reports. If your team senses you are still making the final calls behind the scenes, they will bypass the fractional Integrator, rendering the role useless.

When evaluating candidates, look at their conative profile using the Kolbe A Index. You need someone with a strong Follow Thru to build the systems and structure required for a clean exit, combined with a high Fact Finder score to clean up your data. Ensure your leadership team understands that this fractional resource is here to build the operational playbook and prepare the business for sale.

The goal of the fractional Integrator is to institutionalize your systems so that when you do exit, the buyer sees a turn-key operation that does not rely on any single founder.