299. The Hiring Shift No One’s Talking About with an Executive Headhunter, Miklos Blasko

Full-time execs are out, and fractional leaders are in? In today’s episode, we break down the growing trend of founders building companies like modular tech stacks, swapping in CMOs, Product leads, and other execs *only* when they’re needed.But here’s the catch: done right, fractional hires can supercharge growth. Done wrong, they can kill momentum before you even hit scale. I’m joined by executive headhunter Miklos Blasko to unpack when fractional actually works, when it backfires, and the hiring mistakes even experienced founders make.00:00 The Rise of Fractional Work in Gaming and Apps04:31 Understanding Fractional Work vs. Freelancing08:56 The Popularity of Fractional Roles13:51 Company Perspectives on Fractional Hiring19:28 Talent Perspectives on Fractional Work26:22 When Fractional Work Doesn't Work38:19 Key Considerations for Hiring Fractional Talent41:41 Wartime Leadership vs. Peacetime Leadership45:17 Ruthless Execution and Stakeholder Management47:58 Incentive Structures for Fractional Roles51:54 Charging Models and Engagement Structures57:44 Common Mistakes in Fractional Roles65:51 Advice for Founders and Fractional Executives