When marketing isn’t connecting to growth
Fractional CCO/CMO for manufacturing and technology companies
Most growing companies reach a point where the product is good, the market is real, and the team is working hard — but marketing isn't converting that effort into results. More leads is the usual ask. More often, once you get into it, there's more underneath.
That's the gap I work in.
Why Manufacturing and Technology Companies Hit Growth Walls
Most of the manufacturing and technology companies I work with have run into the same set of problems:
You know your product is strong, but people struggle to explain the value consistently
Marketing feels like it's running separately from the rest of the business
Sales conversations are harder than they should be
You're seeing activity — campaigns, trade shows, posts — but not results
Your teams are working hard not with the same priorities.
The pattern is consistent.
Marketing is almost always part of the picture — but rarely the whole problem. Underneath is usually a broader question about how the commercial picture fits together: how you're taking products to market, how you're priced, what customers experience dealing with you, how the sales team is positioned.
Why fCCO, not fCMO?
Kia ora — I'm Michelle Haynes.
I work as a fractional CCO — Chief Commercial Officer, not Chief Marketing Officer. The distinction matters.
CMO in most businesses means communications: campaigns, social media, events.
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) means the whole picture — pricing, how you develop and take products to market, distribution and channel management, what customers experience dealing with you end to end, how your sales team is set up.
That's the work that's actually connected to growth.
Calling myself a CCO means we're less likely to spend time fixing the symptom while the cause sits somewhere nobody's looking.
My background is 25+ years in senior commercial roles across manufacturing, AgTech, food processing, construction technology, and medical devices — in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and North America.
I have particular depth in international market entry and export strategy, working with NZ companies entering Australian, European, and North American markets, and with global businesses managing their commercial operations from New Zealand.
Real Results for Manufacturing & Technical Companies
98% revenue growth through repositioning and commercial alignment (Global construction manufacturer)
Market position moved from #3 to #1 in 12 months (NZ medical devices company)
Marketing costs reduced by 40% alongside a 25% increase in leads (Global FoodTech manufacturer)
Commercial teams built and operational across 5 global regions (Global AgTech company)
Successful rebrand of 5 amalgamated companies and a nationwide distributor network (NZ construction manufacturer)
I work with manufacturing and industrial technology manufacturing, AgTech, FoodTech, and construction technology — typically $20M–$150M revenue, based in New Zealand with export ambitions or global operations.
How I Help
Most engagements start by understanding what's actually going on — not the symptoms, but the underlying problem.
From there, the work depends on what your situation needs.
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Figure out what's really going on:
A structured review of how marketing, sales, product development, and customer experience are operating — and where they're not connected. What's working, what's not, and where to start. -
Turn confusion into a clear plan:
Strategic direction based on evidence, not assumptions. Useful when you're launching a product, entering a new market, or when growth has stalled and you need to understand why. -
Work alongside your team to get it done:
Embedded commercial leadership on a monthly retainer. I work inside your business — in the meetings, involved in the decisions, accountable for outcomes. This is the work I do most often, and where companies see the most sustained impact. -
Fix specific problems, fast:
Intensive engagements focused on a defined problem — a product launch, export market entry, a marketing function that needs rebuilding. Fixed scope, clear timeline.
See real results in practice:
Building internal marketing capability for a mid-market industrial technology manufacturer – from disconnected activity to a commercially-oriented function, with measurable results.
What is Fractional Leadership?
Senior Expertise,
Flexible Investment
Fractional leadership means you get senior executive expertise without the full-time hire. Instead of employing a permanent CCO or CMO, you work with an experienced commercial leader on a monthly retainer basis.
This isn't consulting or project work. Fractional leaders integrate with your team, attend leadership meetings, and take accountability for results. You get the strategic thinking and hands-on leadership of a senior executive at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
For growth-focused companies, this means accessing expertise that might otherwise be out of reach - senior-level commercial leadership without the $300K+ commitment.
Most fractional engagements run 6-12 months, giving enough time to build real momentum and leave your team with stronger capabilities.
Get in touch.
Most people start with a conversation - 45 minutes to figure out what's really going on and whether we're a good fit to work together.
Find a time that works for you. I’m looking forward to talking with you.