Why SMEs are turning to on-demand expertise to scale smarter
Andrew Crealy, Managing Partner - FifthEagle
Growth is exciting and scary - more customers, more revenue, more opportunities. But it also stretches a business, cash flow, systems
are tested or break, and the team that got you (sometimes) start hitting hurdles.
That’s where fractional expertise comes in.
Fractional expertise is when you bring in a specialist in finance, marketing, operations, HR, or even a fractional GM to assist.
It doesn’t always mean a C-suite hire. It could be a finance controller a few days a month, a marketing director one day a week, an operations manager for a six-month project, or a GM on retainer to keep things on track as the business grows. The point is: you get the right experience, scaled to what you need now.
Fractional models are common in the US and UK, where businesses have long tapped into on-demand executives. Australia is catching up. More boards and founders are starting to understand that fractional is a strategic lever, with assignments running from six to twelve months to years. And not just for “filling a gap”, often for transformation, growth, or reshaping capability.
What makes fractional valuable is the breadth and depth of expertise it brings. These professionals draw on years of senior experience across multiple businesses, industries, and challenges. They’ve seen what works and what fails and can apply that knowledge directly to your situation.
Fractional expertise tends to be most valuable when:
Fractional expertise gives SMEs the experience they need in the team, without locking into full-time costs.
It adds the breadth and depth to handle growth, and the flexibility to scale support up or down as your business changes.
