How do I hire a fractional head of revenue in Indianapolis in 2027?

You hire a fractional head of revenue in Indianapolis in 2027 by first confirming you need part-time, senior leadership (not a full-time hire or a junior sales manager) and then sourcing through fractional CRO networks, local founder communities, and referrals. Expect to pay a retainer for 10–20 days of work, with equity ranging from 0.5% to 2.0% depending on your stage and the scope of responsibility. title: How to hire a fractional head of revenue in Indianapolis in 2027

• Step 1: Define scope | Write a one-page brief listing your ARR range, growth stage, team size (if any), and the specific outcomes you need (e.g., build a sales process, hire first reps, improve forecasting).
• Step 2: Source candidates | Post in Pavilion Indy chapter, RevOps Co-op Slack, and ask 3–5 trusted founder peers for referrals. Also check CRO Syndicate’s fractional directory.
• Step 3: Interview for fit | Conduct two rounds: first a 30-min call to discuss your business context, then a 60-min deep dive where they walk through a relevant past engagement (ask for specific wins and failures).
• Step 4: Check references | Speak with two former clients — ask about responsiveness, honesty in pipeline reporting, and whether they over-promised on ramp time.
• Step 5: Agree on terms | Set a 90-day trial with a month-to-month retainer, define days per month, and include a 30-day notice clause. Equity is common but not universal.
• Step 6: Onboard fast | Give them access to Salesforce/HubSpot, Gong, and your Slack within 48 hours. Schedule a weekly 1:1 with you for the first month.

a: Fractional CRO (10–20 days/month) b: Full-Time CRO (40+ hours/week)

• Cost per month | a retainer + equity (0.5–2.0%) | a retainer + equity (1.0–3.0%)
• Commitment | 90-day trial, month-to-month | 12-month minimum with severance
• Speed to impact | Days to weeks (they bring playbooks) | 3–6 months to ramp fully
• Local availability | Thin in Indy; most work remote/hybrid | Easier to find locally but expensive
• Best for | Sub-5M ARR, early stage, or turnaround | 5M+ ARR, scaling team of 5+ reps

• "What tools did you use at your last three engagements?" They should name Salesforce or HubSpot, plus at least one of Gong, Clari, or Outreach. If they cannot name specific tools, they likely delegated too much.
• "How did you handle a founder who kept overruling your pricing decisions?" This tests whether they can navigate the founder-CRO tension that kills most fractional engagements. Do not hire anyone who promises a specific revenue increase. No honest fractional CRO can guarantee a number in the first 90 days. They can promise process, discipline, and a clear pipeline — not results. ## The local market reality Indianapolis in 2027 has a growing but not deep pool of fractional revenue leaders. The strongest candidates often work with companies in Chicago, Columbus, or remotely on the coasts. You will likely interview candidates who live in Indy but serve clients nationwide — that is normal and often a sign of experience. Industries you will encounter: logistics and supply chain tech, health-tech (EHR, telemedicine), B2B SaaS for manufacturing, and ag-tech. A fractional CRO who has worked in two of these verticals will ramp faster than a generalist. Do not assume a local candidate is better — the best fractional leaders often have a broader geographic portfolio. ## Structuring the engagement A standard fractional CRO engagement in Indy looks like this: - Retainer: a retainer for 12–15 days of work (most common for 1M–3M ARR companies).
• Equity: 0.5%–1.5% with a 2-year cliff and 3-year vest. Only offer equity if you expect the engagement to last 12+ months.
• Expenses: Separate. They will bill travel if they come to your office (rarely needed).
• Term: 90-day trial, then month-to-month with 30-day notice. Never pay a full year upfront. Fractional relationships that fail do so in the first 60 days — usually because the founder wanted a player-coach but the CRO was only a strategist, or vice versa. ```mermaid

flowchart TD A[Founder realizes they need revenue leadership] --> B{ARR above 5M?} B -->|Yes| C[Consider full-time CRO] B -->|No| D{Need process or execution?} D -->|Process only| E[Fractional CRO, 10 days/month] D -->|Execution + team mgmt| F[Fractional CRO, 15-20 days/month] E --> G[Define 90-day outcomes] F --> G G --> H[Source via Pavilion / CRO Syndicate / referrals] H --> I[Interview & reference check] I --> J[90-day trial retainer] J --> K{Outcomes met?} K -->|Yes| L[Convert to month-to-month] K -->|No| M[Terminate with 30-day notice] flowchart LR A[Founder] --> B[Fractional CRO] B --> C[Sales team] B --> D[Pipeline & CRM] B --> E[Board/investors] A --> D A --> C C --> D D --> B B --> A style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style B fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

• RevOps Co-op
• Harvard Business Review (hbr.org)
• First Round Review (firstround.com)
• SaaStr (saastr.com)
• LinkedIn --- Next step: If you want to evaluate a fractional head of revenue for your Indianapolis company, start by writing your one-page scope brief, then reach out to CRO Syndicate to discuss your specific stage and budget. They can connect you with pre-vetted fractional CROs who have worked with companies at your ARR range.