25 Years Building Marketing Systems That Work for Technology and Manufacturing Companies
I didn't become a fractional CMO because consulting sounded appealing. I became one because after two decades inside these industries, I'd seen the same problem repeat itself — and I'd built the framework to fix it.
About Fractional CMO
My Approach
The Agency
In 2019, I sold 97 Degrees West — the B2B marketing agency I founded and led for 17 years. We served technology and manufacturing companies, from growth-stage startups to global industry leaders. Before that: senior marketing leadership at Lancer Worldwide and Clarus. Earlier still: top ad agencies, Fortune 1000 clients, and the kind of deep-in-the-work experience that doesn't come from advising from the outside.
The Pattern
Over 25 years and more than 30 companies, I kept seeing the same thing. Marketing wasn't failing because of bad people or insufficient budget. It was failing because there was no system connecting it to the business. Tactics without strategy. Strategy without alignment. Alignment without execution. Execution without measurement. Each piece existed in isolation — and the results were predictably unpredictable.
The Framework
That pattern is why I built VAST™. Not as a consulting framework to present in decks — as a diagnostic and execution system to run inside companies. Vision, Alignment, Scale, Traction. Four phases that address the four places where B2B marketing most commonly breaks down in technology and manufacturing.
The Work
Today I work with a focused number of clients at any given time. That's intentional. When I engage with a company, I'm not a vendor on a retainer — I'm embedded marketing leadership. I sit in your executive meetings, I align with your sales team, I hold your marketing function accountable to business outcomes. That's the only way the work actually works.
Hands-On Leadership
I step in as your fractional CMO, leading from within your organization, not outside of it.
Strategic + Tactical Execution
From building demand generation programs to launching products and entering new markets, I bridge high-level strategy with real-world action.
AI Acceleration
I integrate modern tools and AI to streamline marketing operations, improve scalability, and maximize ROI.
Revenue-Focused Marketing
Every strategy is tied directly to growth, brand strength, and market expansion.
Why CEOs in Tech and Manufacturing Choose Vera Fischer
You get pattern recognition, not guesswork. After 25 years inside your industry, I've seen your exact problem before — in 30+ variations. I diagnose faster and build solutions that are already stress-tested.
You get a proprietary system, not a generic engagement. VAST™ is a diagnostic and execution framework built specifically for tech and manufacturing. No other fractional CMO brings this to the table.
You get someone who's built and sold a business. I founded an agency, scaled it, and sold it. That means I understand what it feels like to be responsible for growth — not just to advise on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
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