01Problem fit
What business constraint would you investigate first, and what evidence would change your mind?
A diagnostic approach tied to your market, stage, sales motion, and resources.
Buyer's guide
The best fractional leader is the one who fits the assignment.
Start with the problem your business needs solved. Then compare the people, authority, evidence, and operating model behind each proposal. This scorecard is JLGG's recommended selection method, not an independent ranking or a validated prediction of results.
By James T. Acuff, Founder and Chief Growth Officer, The JL Garrett Group
Decide which role you are hiring.
Use a fractional marketing leader or CMO for a marketing mandate. Use a fractional CGO when the agreed assignment crosses marketing, sales, revenue operations, and growth priorities. Consider an agency for specialist execution under established leadership, or a full-time executive when the business requires continuous availability.
Selection scorecard
Ask for evidence on eight dimensions.
Score each dimension 0 for unsupported, 1 for a credible explanation, or 2 for relevant evidence and a clear commitment. Use the 16-point total to organize a discussion, not as a substitute for judgment. An unresolved authority or integrity concern outweighs a high total.
02Named executive
Who will lead the engagement, and what work will be delegated?
A named leader, relevant experience, availability, and transparent delivery responsibilities.
03Decision authority
Which decisions will you own, and which require our approval?
Written authority over the agreed priorities, people, budget, and partners.
04Evidence of outcomes
What changed in a comparable engagement, over what period, and how was it measured?
Context, baseline, actions, timeframe, metric definitions, and references where permitted.
05Execution leadership
How will our team and outside partners know what to do each week?
A realistic operating cadence with owners, briefs, dependencies, and review standards.
06Revenue measurement
How will you connect activity to qualified opportunities and closed revenue?
Shared definitions, access to data, attribution limitations, and a small decision-oriented scorecard.
07Commercial clarity
What is included, what is excluded, and what resources must we supply?
A written scope, fee, availability, outside costs, termination terms, and capacity assumptions.
08Capability transfer
What will the business be able to run without you?
Documented processes, developed people, access ownership, and a transition plan.
Make the reference check specific.
Ask a permitted reference what the executive personally owned, what the team had to supply, and what remained in place afterward. Separate pipeline from closed revenue, projected savings from realized savings, and prior-employer accomplishments from results for the current advisory firm.
Apply the same standard to JLGG.
JLGG provides hands-on fractional marketing and growth leadership led by James T. Acuff. The firm is a potential fit when the business needs senior direction, leadership through execution, and revenue-linked accountability. A different provider may be better when the assignment requires a specialist channel team, a large executive bench, or a full-time seat.
Start with a conversation about the mandate. Request relevant evidence, clarify the work JLGG will own, and agree on success measures before committing.