The way we work is shifting. More experienced operators are building portfolios of independent work instead of going back to full-time roles. The question isn't if — it's how you start.
Manual Override is a 6-week accelerator that helps you figure that out. 25 spots. Mentorship, live workshops, build labs, hands-on AI, and a crew of smart people building alongside you.
Apply by March 27.
“Start planting the seeds now and just fill out your network. There are more people looking for work than there are roles. It's still new, evolving, depending where you are and what industry and what function, it is hard. It's very referral and network based right now. It's not easy. It can take three months if you're lucky to find that first role. Many people go six to nine months plus.”
Listen now:
Karina Mikhli is the founder of Fractionals United, a large global community for current and aspiring fractional leaders. She also does fractional COO work herself while working as a workflow consultant and community builder. She does dramatic improv on the side and describes herself as a productivity junkie.
📚 What You'll Learn
What a fractional role actually is (a senior embedded leader working part-time for multiple companies, not just consulting or freelance work)
Why the fractional job market is harder than people think and can take 3-9+ months to land your first role, requiring network building while still employed
How to balance being the founder of a free community with the reality of needing to pay yourself and avoid resentment
✍️ Some Takeaways
A fractional role is a senior embedded leader position, not synonymous with part-time consulting or freelancing. The only difference between a fractional COO and a full-time COO is working part-time and potentially serving multiple companies simultaneously. You're still part of the team with people reporting to you, accountability, and a seat on the org chart. This distinction matters because many people misunderstand what fractional work actually entails, which creates confusion in the market.
Landing your first fractional role is harder than it looks and requires strategic network building while you're still employed. The market has more people looking for work than available roles, and it's very referral and network-based. It can take three months if you're lucky to find your first role, but many people go six to nine months or longer. Start planting seeds confidentially with your network, consider other part-time or consulting work to pay bills, and don't quit your job expecting immediate results.
Going fractional means becoming your own boss with all the administrative responsibilities nobody talks about. No one will give you paid time off or handle your taxes. Depending on your country, you need to understand self-employment rules, potentially incorporate, set up separate bank accounts, hire an accountant, and pay for your own benefits. You'll always have to run your company alongside serving clients, and it won't be the comfortable nine-to-five with built-in benefits. This reality isn't for everyone.
Community monetisation requires balancing giving value with sustainability, especially when resentment starts creeping in. After running Fractionals United for free for over two years without paying herself, Karina started resenting the time and expense, which isn't good for anyone. When her husband got let go, she realised she needed to treat the community like a business to make it sustainable long-term. Making the difficult decision to monetise was about ensuring the community could continue rather than letting resentment destroy something she believed in.
Links
Where to find Karina Mikhli
Where to find Milly
Website: http://www.millytamati.com/
Generalist World Resources
🙏 Special thanks to our podcast producer James McKinven! (get in touch for all your podcast needs, he’s really great!)
