The short answer: $6K–$15K/month. The real question is whether it's worth it compared to a $200K+ full-time hire — and the math almost always says yes.
Get a Custom Quote →Most companies don't realize how much a bad VP of Sales hire actually costs — salary, equity, recruiting fees, ramp time, and severance add up fast.
| Cost Factor | Full-Time VP of Sales | Fractional VP of Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $180,000–$250,000/yr | $0 |
| Monthly Retainer | N/A | $6,000–$15,000/mo |
| Equity (typical) | 0.5%–1.5% | None required |
| Benefits + Taxes | +30% (~$60K+/yr) | $0 |
| Recruiting Fee | $30,000–$50,000 | $0 |
| Ramp Time | 6–12 months to full productivity | Results in 30 days |
| Severance Risk | 3–6 months salary if bad hire | Cancel anytime |
| Total Year 1 Cost | $300,000–$400,000+ | $72,000–$180,000 |
*Bad hire scenario (fired at 6 months): add $120K+ in salary paid + recruiting fees + lost pipeline = easily $200K–$300K mistake.
10 hrs/mo = lighter advisory role (~$3K–$6K). 20–40 hrs = embedded, operational leadership ($8K–$15K). Most SaaS companies in growth mode need 20+ hours.
Pure strategy costs less than full execution. If you want someone building outreach sequences, managing reps, running QBRs, and owning quota — expect higher rates.
A VP who's only worked at one company costs less. Someone who's built and scaled multiple sales orgs — and has a $100M exit on their resume — commands higher rates. You get what you pay for.
"We were 4 people in a WeWork. Then $100M."
Michael Flournoy was one of 4 people who opened the US office of Whip Around — a fleet management SaaS — and helped grow it from zero to a $100M acquisition. He now brings that same playbook to SaaS companies stuck at $1–2M ARR as a fractional VP of Sales.
GSD Associates typically works on 3-month initial engagements so we can show real results. After that, month-to-month. No 12-month lock-ins.
Sales process audit, ICP definition, outreach sequences, CRM setup/cleanup, rep hiring criteria, pipeline review cadence, forecast modeling, and weekly leadership calls. Most engagements also include direct rep coaching.
GSD Associates uses a retainer model, not commission-based. This keeps incentives aligned with building lasting systems, not just chasing one-time deals.
A coach gives advice. A fractional VP executes. We build the pipeline, hire the reps, write the playbooks, and own the number — not just show up for weekly calls.
30-minute call. We'll scope the right engagement for your stage and budget.