For entrepreneurs, there are lots of good reasons to hire on a fractional basis — but it might not be right for everyone. Here’s my take.

Hiring full-time workers is a commitment, especially at the C-suite level. As a solopreneur myself, it took me a long time before I had the resources to bring anyone on to help shoulder the responsibilities of running my business.

But a lot has changed since I launched my company back in 2006. Now, fractional executives—leaders who share their expertise with organizations on a part-time basis—are quickly becoming the norm. In fact, research has found that the number of workers describing themselves as “fractional” has tripled since 2018; among executives, the most common limited roles are CFOs, followed by CMOs.

For entrepreneurs, there are lots of good reasons to hire on a fractional basis. The right fractional executive can bring valuable expertise, fresh perspective and strategic guidance without requiring the long-term investment of a full-time hire. But it might not be right for everyone. Here’s my take.

Several factors have conspired to create the recent boom in fractional work. Post-Covid-19, more people are seeking out flexible roles and the ability to work multiple part-time jobs. At the same time, a tough job market has produced a surplus of highly skilled workers, while many companies don’t have the funds to fill those roles full-time.

Leadership roles are also simply growing more complex. Between the proliferation of hybrid work and AI adoption , it stands to reason that expertise is also becoming more varied.

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