Lara GuevaraSupply Chain expert (Product and Service)

What Fractional Actually Means

19 Jun 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:01

In this YouTube monologue, Lara Guevara explains that fractional supply chain support is not a compromise but the smartest operational decision for companies with $3 million to $15 million in revenue. She details the high cost of hiring a full‑time senior supply‑chain leader—$120K–$180K base salary plus roughly 30% overhead and benefits—versus the lower, usage‑based cost of a fractional partner who provides the same senior expertise only when needed. Guevara notes a ceiling: once a company exceeds about $15 million in complexity, part‑time support no longer suffices and a full‑time embedded leader becomes necessary. At that point, a good fractional partner will advise the transition and help plan the hire. The overall message is that fractional supply‑chain leadership delivers senior‑level decision‑making at a fraction of the cost for mid‑size firms, with a clear trigger point for moving to a full‑time role.

Chapters

Fractional supply chain support sounds like a compromise. It's not. At the right stage, usually $3 million to $15 million, it's actually the smartest ops decision you can make. Here's why. A senior supply chain hire at the level you actually need costs $120K to $180K a year minimum, benefits, equity, onboarding time, add another 30% on top of that, and you need them full-time even on the weeks where the work doesn't demand that. Fractional means you get the same senior expertise plugged into your operations, embedded in your decisions, managing your real problems at a fraction of that cost because you're only paying for what you really need. The catch— there is a ceiling. At some point, usually around 15 and above, the complexity of your operation crosses a threshold where part-time isn't enough, where you need someone embedded every single day. And when that happens, the right fractional partner will tell you and help you plan the hire. That's what we did.