Marketing leadership for startups and emerging companies

Senior marketing leadership before you can hire a full-time CMO.

A startup needs marketing leadership long before it can afford a full-time CMO. Without it, the money goes to tactics: a logo, some ads, a website that sounds like every other startup, and no position underneath.

As a Fractional CMO I sit with the founders, set the position and the priorities, and build the brand and the growth system in the right order. When it needs execution, my SliiceXR team does the work.

The order matters more for a startup than for anyone. Position first, so the company knows what it is and who it is for. Brand and website second, so the market can see it. Demand third, so the money spent on attention has somewhere to land. Startups that do it backwards spend their runway on activity and cannot say what it bought.

Investors, early customers and hires all research a startup before they engage, and more of that research runs through AI assistants every month. A startup that states plainly what it does and for whom gets named. One that sounds like every other startup does not. I also shape the investor story, and my SliiceXR team produces the deck and the materials to the brand.

Brand identity, web design and development, content, SEO and AI search visibility, demand generation, campaigns, marketing technology and creative production all sit inside SliiceXR. One strategic relationship with me, and the resources to execute.

What Our Customers Say

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★★★★★
Catherine has been a core part of LifeActive Bio for the past five years. From the beginning, I was impressed by her trustworthiness, creativity, discipline, and exceptional marketing expertise. She has brought strategic thinking and original ideas to our PR, marketing, campaign strategy, channel development, and client initiatives, with a unique ability to see challenges from multiple dimensions. Catherine is one of the most professional marketing visionaries I’ve encountered, and her creativity is beyond compare. Her passion for art is reflected in the originality she brings to everything she does. Catherine is an incredibly valued member of our team.
Dex Morris, Founder and CEO at LifeActive Bio· Client testimonial
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★★★★★
Catherine built my website, then rebuilt it as my consulting thesis sharpened. Each time, she turned a moving target into a brand that showcases my work. She has a gift for taking an idea I only half articulate and giving it a clear, modern, confident form. What I did not expect was how much I would enjoy the process: she is generous with her talent, quick to champion my success as if it were her own, and somewhere along the way she went from collaborator to friend. Working with Catherine is one of the easiest and happiest yeses in my business.
Sarah Marshall, Founder and CEO at Operations Architect· Client testimonial
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★★★★★
Catherine and the Team at SliiceXR are excellent to work with. They took the time to understand our needs, and execute our vision. Their constant support and patience in designing and adjusting a website that works for both our customers and employees has helped transform our business.
Andy Zafiropoulos, LibertyCFS· Client testimonial
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★★★★★
Catherine was instrumental in establishing our website. Of greater import, she greatly aided us in gaining market awareness and capitalizing on the market recognition we already had. Besides the website, Catherine hosted a weekly podcast wherein we shared our views and insights regarding significant developments in our industry and their short- and long-term implications for our business and our clients.
Joshua Barone, Principal Wealth Manager at Savvy· LinkedIn recommendation
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★★★★★
I consider myself very fortunate to work with Catherine Oaks over the past few months. Catherine is unique in her ability to develop effective marketing strategies and a roadmap to get you there. Catherine is extremely professional and yet very personable and easy to work with. She personally goes the extra mile to work through issues that may crop up and she does not quit until a solution is found and implemented.
Scott M. Cutler, Operations and Supply Chain Leader· LinkedIn recommendation
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★★★★★
I needed a website that captured me: a wicked combination of high energy, fun, and function. Catherine nailed it! LizGoodgold.com is crystal clear in its messaging and target thanks to Sliice Marketing; she bit into this project whole-heartedly and delivered. When you're ready for your website makeover, call Catherine!
Liz Goodgold, Brand and Growth Strategist· LinkedIn recommendation
Book a conversation with Catherine

Recent Articles

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The Only 4 Reasons a Construction Company Should Make a Corporate Video
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Frequently asked questions

When should a startup bring in a Fractional CMO?

Before the first real marketing spend, or the moment the founders realize the money is going to tactics without a strategy. Earlier is cheaper.

What comes first, the brand or the demand generation?

The position, then the brand and the website, then demand. Demand spent before the market can see what you are is runway spent on nothing.

How does a startup get named by AI assistants?

By stating plainly what it does and for whom, on pages an assistant can read. Startups that sound like every other startup do not get cited.

Do you help with the investor deck?

Yes. I shape the story, one idea investors can repeat, the market, the proof and the ask, and my SliiceXR team designs it to the brand.