Fractional Product Management FAQ
Q: What is Fractional Product Management?
A: Fractional Product Management gives startups access to senior-level product leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. A Fractional Product Manager, Fractional Head of Product, or Fractional CPO embeds part-time with your team, bringing expertise at a fraction of the commitment.
Fractional PMs aren’t just “part-time product managers.” They’re strategic partners with faster delivery expectations than traditional hires.
Q: Why are more companies hiring Fractional Product Managers?
A: We’re seeing the demand for fractional product management growing rapidly, due to:
Cost efficiency: Founders can hire top talent for specific projects or set durations without paying a six-figure salary or benefits.
Faster onboarding: Our practice is set up to ramp up quickly, and deliver results fast. Years of cross-industry expertise means we’ve solved similar problems elsewhere.
VC & accelerator backing: We’re meeting more and more investors who are now recommending startups hire fractional experts early.
Proven model: Fractional CFOs and CMOs started gaining popularity a decade ago, and now companies are looking for the same benefits and ROI in other functions, including product management.
Team cohesion: The embedded fractional model lets us support your current team and contribute to culture building in a way we couldn’t as consultants.
Pattern recognition: Supporting companies across different growth moments and industries means faster diagnosing of problems within your team and organization.
Q: What’s the ROI of a Fractional Head of Product or Fractional CPO?
A: Hiring a Fractional Head of Product gives startups access to executive-level strategy without the overhead. We help organizations with things like:
Aligning founders and teams around a clear product roadmap.
Validating product-market fit faster.
Improving user experience and retention.
Guiding fundraising narratives with compelling product vision.
Bringing fresh insights from working across many clients in a range of industries.
Q: How does a fractional engagement work day-to-day?
A: The great thing about fractional is projects can be arranged in whatever way works best for everyone. For engagements with Intentional Ventures, you can expect:
Flexible time commitment: Most engagements fall between 10–25 hours per week.
Tailored scope: Roles can be advisory, project-based, or ongoing retainers.
Zero fluff: We cut unnecessary meetings, prioritizing execution and deep work.
Slack support: We aim for fast turnaround of all messages & requests, Monday - Thursday, 9-4pm.
Fast onboarding: We’ve done this a lot. We’re ready to ramp up fast and deliver value quickly.
Q: Is a Fractional PM right for my company?
A: Hire a fractional product leader if:
You need senior-level product leadership but not full-time.
You’re scaling quickly, preparing for a fundraise, or refining product-market fit.
You want a flexible expert who can drive results immediately.
Q: Have more questions?
A: Kayla Doan has 14 years of experience leading product teams and has worked as:
Fractional Head of Product (4x)
Fractional Product Leader (2x)
Technical Product Lead (1x)
Advisor to dozens of startups
Contact to discuss your product challenges and whether fractional product management is the right fit for your organization.