Start your growth engine with Australia's best fractional leaders.
We help VC-backed startups build market traction with experienced go-to-market leaders who can pave the way, at speed. Bridge your leadership gap with Shepherd — it's free to get started.
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Our leaders have built teams and functions at global tech companies and startups:
Shepherd helps VC-backed startups launch and scale with the right foundations.
We've handpicked our network of fractional leaders who've built and scaled go-to-market capabilities from the ground up. They are former Director-level leaders who provide not just their expertise and experience but can fast track results.
Product Marketing
Sales & RevOps
Marketing & Growth
Customer Experience
What do you need to tackle?
Sales strategy
Product positioning
Product launch
Enterprise sales
Demand generation
Customer retention
Account Based Marketing
Revenue Ops
Product marketing
Sales enablement
How it works
We made hiring hassle-free. Don't waste months on endless interviewing.
Brief us
Send us a brief and the leadership gap you're looking to fill —it's free. We'll then match you with 3 hand-picked profiles and video pitches within a few days.
Vibe check
When you're ready, set up a time to meet with your fractional leader for a vibe check. Then agree on the scope of work, duration and monthly retainer.
Let's go!
Choose a start date and pay just one monthly invoice at the start of each month. No hidden fees or nasty surprises. Scale, pause and cancel anytime.
It takes ambition and courage to build a startup, but it takes experience to scale it.
Angela — Founder & CEO
Why Shepherd?
Turbocharge your expertise
Shepherd's fractional leaders aren't your typical consultants, they're hands-on catalysts for success. Unlike advisors, they own outcomes and dive deep into the nitty-gritty.
Get things done properly
Imagine having access to the playbooks used to drive the go-to-market success of other tech companies. No more second-guessing whether you're doing it right. Leverage their experience to navigate to rapid growth.
Extend your runway
Tap into a diverse skillset tailored to your evolving business needs—all at a fraction of the cost. You get 100% brainpower without breaking your bank.
Assemble your A-team
Expert guidance where and when you need it most, optimising your resources for maximum impact. Assemble your A-team and get from first paying customers to rapid growth.
Scale up or down
You can hire our fractional leaders to help tackle your strategic priorities or get them in for a longer-term engagement. Scale up or down your team as required. One monthly invoice and no surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Still have questions?
Get in touch and we’ll respond ASAP.
Contact us
What’s the benefit of fractional execs over hiring someone full-time?
Simple — flexibility, scalability, and practicality.
At Shepherd, we understand the dynamic landscape of startups. Hiring full-time execs comes with its perks, but it also means a hefty commitment, both financially and operationally. And let’s face it, not all companies need a full-time CXO.
Shepherd offers you the best of both worlds—seasoned leadership without the full-time baggage:
At Shepherd, we understand the dynamic landscape of startups. Hiring full-time execs comes with its perks, but it also means a hefty commitment, both financially and operationally. And let’s face it, not all companies need a full-time CXO.
Shepherd offers you the best of both worlds—seasoned leadership without the full-time baggage:
- Flexibility: Fractional Execs allow you to tap into the expertise you need when you need it. No need to commit to a full-time salary, bonus, equity, or employee perks.
- Scalability: Your startup's journey is unique, and so are its needs. Shepherd is a scalable solution. Whether you're in a specific growth phase or require ongoing support, you have the flexibility to scale up or down, adapting to your business's evolving requirements.
- Practicality: Shepherd is a flexible solution that protects your runway. It's about parachuting someone you can trust when you need it most. Skip months of endless CV scanning, interviewing and lag-time of bringing someone on board in-house, Shepherd is all about time-to-value.
Shepherd offers the strategic advantage of accessing experienced leadership without compromising your startup's agility, adaptability, and bottom line.
Shepherd offers the strategic advantage of accessing experienced leadership without compromising your startup's agility, adaptability, and bottom line.
How do we vet our fractional leaders?
Shepherd is not for everybody.
Our network of fractional leaders have a minimum of 15 years of experience as a leader and operator and have worked in a range of companies large and small. They are thinker-doers, who just get a kick out of building things and solving meaty problems.
Our members go through a rigorous application process to ensure they're the right fit, but also to ensure we have a good representation of experiences and skills to meet the market needs.
They are vetted for their practical industry experience with a proven track record of delivering outcomes and results for their clients, but most importantly — they are awesome humans.
We also have a cap on the number of fractional leaders we onboard to ensure we prioritise quality over quantity of job matching.
Our network of fractional leaders have a minimum of 15 years of experience as a leader and operator and have worked in a range of companies large and small. They are thinker-doers, who just get a kick out of building things and solving meaty problems.
Our members go through a rigorous application process to ensure they're the right fit, but also to ensure we have a good representation of experiences and skills to meet the market needs.
They are vetted for their practical industry experience with a proven track record of delivering outcomes and results for their clients, but most importantly — they are awesome humans.
We also have a cap on the number of fractional leaders we onboard to ensure we prioritise quality over quantity of job matching.
How do they work?
In-person, virtually, or both!
Fractional leaders embed into your business as if they’re employed full-time, except they’re not. We recommend starting the fractional engagement with a few days a week of work to help them onboard.
The more time you invest in their onboarding, the quicker they can deliver the value. This time is critical in ensuring the success of the engagement as it’ll give them time to digest and understand the problem space — your business, your product and your customers.
Generally, it only takes a few weeks for them to get their heads around what needs to be done; the quick wins, and the longer-term projects.
Fractional leaders embed into your business as if they’re employed full-time, except they’re not. We recommend starting the fractional engagement with a few days a week of work to help them onboard.
The more time you invest in their onboarding, the quicker they can deliver the value. This time is critical in ensuring the success of the engagement as it’ll give them time to digest and understand the problem space — your business, your product and your customers.
Generally, it only takes a few weeks for them to get their heads around what needs to be done; the quick wins, and the longer-term projects.
How often do they work?
Our fractional leaders don’t need a whole lot of hand-holding. They’ve done the role enough times both as a leader and operator to know how to onboard quickly and get things done.
They work a minimum of one day a week or equivalent. A typical fractional engagement can range from 3 mnths to 9 months long; depending on the complexity and urgency of the problem.
They generally work regular office hours so they are accessible to you and your team, in person or virtually. When you meet the fractional leader you’ve been matched with, make sure you discuss and agree on the ways of working.
They work a minimum of one day a week or equivalent. A typical fractional engagement can range from 3 mnths to 9 months long; depending on the complexity and urgency of the problem.
They generally work regular office hours so they are accessible to you and your team, in person or virtually. When you meet the fractional leader you’ve been matched with, make sure you discuss and agree on the ways of working.
How much do they charge?
Our fractional leaders set their rates based on their experience and expertise —no hourly fuss. They can range between $1,000 to $2,000 a day as a rough guide.
There's a minimum of 1 day a week, for six weeks to get started with Shepherd. A typical fractional engagement can last anywhere between three to six months.
Just need to pay one invoice at the start of every month.
There's a minimum of 1 day a week, for six weeks to get started with Shepherd. A typical fractional engagement can last anywhere between three to six months.
Just need to pay one invoice at the start of every month.
Do fractional leaders have other jobs?
Yes — most of our fractional leaders work with multiple clients. The breadth and depth of their experience is what makes them a compelling option for a startup wanting to get from A to B quickly.
Many in our network have left the 9-5 grind to intentionally work in the startup ecosystem as an independent consultant, advisor and mentor. This means they understand the importance of prioritisation and speed-to-value, rather than getting sucked into the bureaucracy and company politicking.
Their ultimate goal is to help startups succeed, and to eventually replace themselves with someone who can take the reins, in-house.
Many in our network have left the 9-5 grind to intentionally work in the startup ecosystem as an independent consultant, advisor and mentor. This means they understand the importance of prioritisation and speed-to-value, rather than getting sucked into the bureaucracy and company politicking.
Their ultimate goal is to help startups succeed, and to eventually replace themselves with someone who can take the reins, in-house.
How is Shepherd different to other talent recruitment platforms and agencies?
Shepherd is not your typical talent recruitment platform.
We're all about fractional leaders, not task-oriented projects with set deliverables and scopes. Our network of fractional execs are former Director-level operators, with track records of helping businesses achieve great outcomes.
Picture it like assembling your dream team, led by experienced leaders with a proven track record. No generic freelancers here —just top-tier talent ready to roll up their sleeves, dive deep, and make a real impact.
For fractional execs, we want to make freelancing rewarding and hassle-free by taking away the annoying sales, marketing and administrative work from your day-to-day grind of running your one-person gig. Our ultimate goal is to help more experienced leaders and operators rock their solo careers.
We're all about fractional leaders, not task-oriented projects with set deliverables and scopes. Our network of fractional execs are former Director-level operators, with track records of helping businesses achieve great outcomes.
Picture it like assembling your dream team, led by experienced leaders with a proven track record. No generic freelancers here —just top-tier talent ready to roll up their sleeves, dive deep, and make a real impact.
For fractional execs, we want to make freelancing rewarding and hassle-free by taking away the annoying sales, marketing and administrative work from your day-to-day grind of running your one-person gig. Our ultimate goal is to help more experienced leaders and operators rock their solo careers.
Can I pause and stop at any time?
Yes — just give us 2 weeks' notice.
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