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

Deconstructor of Fun

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 Apps

04:31 Understanding Fractional Work vs. Freelancing

08:56 The Popularity of Fractional Roles

13:51 Company Perspectives on Fractional Hiring

19:28 Talent Perspectives on Fractional Work

26:22 When Fractional Work Doesn't Work

38:19 Key Considerations for Hiring Fractional Talent

41:41 Wartime Leadership vs. Peacetime Leadership

45:17 Ruthless Execution and Stakeholder Management

47:58 Incentive Structures for Fractional Roles

51:54 Charging Models and Engagement Structures

57:44 Common Mistakes in Fractional Roles

65:51 Advice for Founders and Fractional Executives