Your CMO Isn’t the First Executive Hire You Need with Kelly O’Neil

You don’t need another full-time exec—you need someone who knows how to build the foundation for scale. In this episode, we expose one of the most expensive mistakes health tech founders and system leaders make: hiring too fast, too early, and in the wrong order.

Kelly O’Neill joins me to walk through how fractional executives—when vetted and placed strategically—can outperform full-time hires by giving you the exact structure you’re missing.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still not gaining traction… this conversation will hit home. Because doing more isn’t the answer—doing the right thing next is.

Before you hire, listen in. We break down how to sequence leadership, how to spot unqualified fractional hires, and how to align your team before you waste $150K+ on the wrong fit.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

🧩Why hiring a full-time exec too early leads to stalled growth

🧩How fractional leaders set up the structure your team actually needs

🧩The red flags when hiring “fractional execs” who can only pitch—but not deliver

🧩How to identify which roles you really need based on your growth stage

🧩Why people and financial strategy must evolve together

👤 Guest: Kelly O’Neill

Fractional Chief Strategy Officer | Founder of Kelly O’Neill Intl.

🌐 kellyoneill.com

LinkedIn: Kelly O’Neill