How Hiring Fractional Talent Revolutionized StartUps w/ Mack McKelvey | StartUp Marketing Uncut
Thu Nov 13 2025
The traditional marketing team model is breaking. In this episode of Startup Marketer Uncut, host The Kay Prince talks with Mack McKelvey, CEO of SalientMG and former SVP at Millennial Media, about how the CMO role is evolving, and why fractional CMOs, outsourced teams, and agile marketing models are taking over the startup world.
Mack breaks down what early-stage founders get wrong about marketing, when it makes sense to hire full-time versus fractional, and how to treat marketing as an investment, not a cost. If you’ve ever questioned whether your startup is built for growth or just survival, this conversation will change how you think about building your team.
Check out http://morepositive.ai/ to find positive news stories that brighten your day.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Why traditional marketing teams don’t fit startups
5:12 - The rise of the fractional CMO
12:45 - When to hire in-house vs. outsource
20:20 - How to make founders see marketing as an investment
28:55 - The “era of the individual” and investing in yourself
StartUp Marketer (SUM) is the first marketing ecosystem designed specifically for startup marketers. It fuses accelerator muscle and community wisdom to elevate your startup marketing skills and help you accelerate your startup’s trajectory. By blending development tools—including on-demand courses, downloadable resources, and a comprehensive content library—with vibrant "spaces" for real-time interaction, SUM ensures marketers remain at the industry’s cutting edge.Learn More Here: https://thestartupmarketer.com/
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The traditional marketing team model is breaking. In this episode of Startup Marketer Uncut, host The Kay Prince talks with Mack McKelvey, CEO of SalientMG and former SVP at Millennial Media, about how the CMO role is evolving, and why fractional CMOs, outsourced teams, and agile marketing models are taking over the startup world. Mack breaks down what early-stage founders get wrong about marketing, when it makes sense to hire full-time versus fractional, and how to treat marketing as an investment, not a cost. If you’ve ever questioned whether your startup is built for growth or just survival, this conversation will change how you think about building your team. Check out http://morepositive.ai/ to find positive news stories that brighten your day. Timestamps: 0:00 - Why traditional marketing teams don’t fit startups 5:12 - The rise of the fractional CMO 12:45 - When to hire in-house vs. outsource 20:20 - How to make founders see marketing as an investment 28:55 - The “era of the individual” and investing in yourself StartUp Marketer (SUM) is the first marketing ecosystem designed specifically for startup marketers. It fuses accelerator muscle and community wisdom to elevate your startup marketing skills and help you accelerate your startup’s trajectory. By blending development tools—including on-demand courses, downloadable resources, and a comprehensive content library—with vibrant "spaces" for real-time interaction, SUM ensures marketers remain at the industry’s cutting edge.Learn More Here: https://thestartupmarketer.com/