By: Joshua Finley

Archita Fritz is not your typical marketing executive. With over 20 years of diverse experience spanning engineering, quality assurance, and marketing, she has carved her own path in the corporate world. Archita’s journey from being the first woman and person of color in her engineering team to becoming a pioneering fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is a testament to her resilience, self-advocacy, and innovative mindset.

A Unique Background

Archita’s career began in Michigan at 19, where she was the first woman and person of color on her team. Her journey from electrical engineer to quality engineer allowed her to solve problems and learn the various facets of her work. “I realized I needed to thrive and not merely survive, so I took the keys to my career into my own hands,” she shares. Her self-advocacy led to numerous opportunities, including an expat project in Quebec, where she turned around a manufacturing plant in six months.

Her untraditional path to marketing started when a VP of marketing saw her potential and offered her a job. “I wanted to be part of solving the problems, not fixing them after the fact,” Archita explains. She has extensive experience in upstream marketing, launching numerous products that have achieved significant global revenue. Her career is fueled by a passion for growth and a commitment to creating opportunities for others who come from similar backgrounds.

The Value of a Fractional CMO

The world of business is constantly changing, and companies face numerous challenges that require immediate and specialized expertise. This is where a fractional CMO like Archita Fritz comes in. Here are three compelling reasons to consider hiring a fractional CMO:

 Immediate Expertise

One of the primary benefits of hiring a fractional CMO is immediate access to expertise. “If there’s an issue that needs to be resolved, the worst thing a company can do is put it off! We’re ready to solve the problem today,” Archita emphasizes. When companies delay addressing critical issues while searching for a full-time executive, problems can escalate. A fractional CMO can step in and provide solutions without the lengthy recruitment process. This immediacy means that businesses can quickly benefit from high-level strategic thinking and seasoned marketing expertise. 

Strategic Guidance and Empowerment

Archita’s approach goes beyond traditional consulting. “My model is not a consulting model. I provide diverse industry insights, build a plan, execute alongside the team, help hire a full time lead and ramp them up to succeed.” she says. She aims to empower companies by training their teams and preparing them for long-term success. By the end of her engagement, she ensures that companies are equipped to continue thriving with a permanent CMO or Product Marketing leader.  Her goal is to leave behind a robust, agile marketing department capable of adapting to future challenges and opportunities without relying on external consultants.

Efficient Execution

Fractional CMOs offer a unique advantage in terms of efficiency. Archita highlights that within a fraction of the time, she can help companies plan, strategize, and execute their marketing initiatives. This rapid and focused approach allows businesses to leapfrog challenges and achieve their goals more quickly. With years of experience across various industries, Archita has honed her ability to quickly understand a company’s unique challenges and opportunities. She can rapidly assess the current marketing landscape, identify gaps and strengths, and develop a comprehensive plan that aligns with the company’s goals.

Advocacy and Impact

Archita is hired in to help build out the product commercialisation and process strategy but a big part of her work involves working with building a people strategy focused on leading with a customer centered design approach. Her dedication to creating inclusive and safe work environments is evident in her advocacy on building safer workplaces. As the CMO of the award-winning nonprofit Speak Out Revolution based out of the UK, she is dedicated to building a safe space for people to speak up. “When we build safer workplaces, ‘just speak up’ unlocks innovation and growth,” she states. Her experiences have fuelled her commitment to fostering positive workplace cultures in the companies she works with.

The Road Ahead

Looking ahead, Archita aims to continue driving impact through board positions and long-term advisement roles. While Archita steps in as a Fractional CMO, her zone of genius is as that of a product marketing leader.

Fractional product marketing leaders typically work with companies that:

• Are scaling rapidly and need interim leadership
• Have complex products requiring specialized marketing expertise
• Are launching new products or entering new markets
• Need to improve or built their product marketing expertise
• Cannot justify or afford a full-time senior product marketing executive 

For companies navigating finding a new CMO, hiring a fractional CMO like Archita Fritz could be the key to unlocking new opportunities and achieving long-term success.

To learn more about Archita Fritz, visit her website. 

Published by: Holy Minoza