This is an interview with Christelle Blanchet-Aissaoui (www.proxi.co.nz) about her Fractional Journey and the road to developing a co-op of Fractional CMOs in New Zealand.This was an interview done with The Fractional Exec Community and is part of a series of interviews with our members.

Check it out here - https://youtu.be/7Uvz4QNBCJY

Highlights from the amazingly generous Christelle as follows:

Christelle's Fractional Executive Journey: Building Marketing Success for Tech Companies

1. From Burnout to Fractional CMO: Christelle shares through her journey of leaving a demanding role at Movio and taking a break, which eventually led them to identify the need for building marketing capability from the ground up in New Zealand's tech industry. This inspired them to pioneer the role of a fractional CMO, which was a novel concept at the time.

2. Founding Proxi to Empower Tech Companies: along with friends who shared a passion for the New Zealand tech sector, Christelle established Proxi with the mission to build marketing capabilities for New Zealand tech and SaaS companies growing globally. Today, Proxi is a team of six fractional CMOs and a creative specialist.

3. The Proxi Approach: Proxi CMOs work from the inside, not as an external agency or consultant. Their goal is to leave the business as soon as possible after creating value and building capabilities. They start with an accelerator workshop to understand the business and develop a strategic marketing plan, and they bring in additional team members with relevant expertise as needed.

4. Proxi Smart: Proxi Smart is a tailored program for startups, offering smaller workshops and a 12-week coaching plan. One of their success stories is the New Zealand company run.io, which has experienced significant growth since partnering with Proxi.

5. Importance of Networking and Referrals: Building a strong network is key to finding new clients, with referrals and trusted relationships playing a crucial role. Engaging with VCs and being part of a collective can open up opportunities and help maintain a healthy client roster.

6. Emphasis on Continuous Learning: Continuous learning and staying current with industry trends is vital for fractional executives. Offering a mix of online teaching, workshops, and coaching can make a significant impact on clients and keep services relevant.

7. Building a Strong Brand: The concept of fractional executives is still relatively new, so building a strong personal or business brand is essential. Initiatives like publishing annual surveys and reports can help in gaining exposure and establishing credibility.