A better freelancing gig for experienced leaders.

We help VC-backed startups build market traction with experienced go-to-market leaders who can pave the way, at speed. Bring your expertise to the table and help them build the right growth engine from the get-go, on fractional basis.
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Our leaders have built teams and functions at global tech companies and startups:
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Shepherd helps VC-backed startups launch and scale with the right foundations.

Freelancing as an Exec can be the most rewarding gig, but it's also bloody hard work.

Shepherd is a fractional leaders agency working with experienced go-to-market leaders and operators with proven track records of delivering phenomenal results. We plug them into the startup ecosystem that needs to bridge the leadership gap without committing to a full-time headcount.

Got what it takes? Apply to join.

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Do you have this expertise?

Sales strategy
Product positioning
Product launch
Enterprise sales
Demand generation
Customer retention
Account Based Marketing
Revenue Ops
Product marketing
Sales enablement

How it works

We made freelancing hassle-free so you can focus on what you do best, and not on boring admin.

Showcase

Upon successful application, you'll be invited to complete your Shepherd exec profile to showcase your experience and expertise on the platform. Don't worry —your profile is hidden, so it's not searchable.

Pitch

When there's a match, we'll send yu a detailed brief via a 2-minute video. Simply respond with a short video response on who you are, how you work, and what experience and expertise you bring to the table.

Let's go!

Once shortlisted, you'll do a quick vibe check with the startup to agree on the scope of work, duration and your rate. Then, just start the work and we'll do the rest to make sure you have the contract in place, and are paid on time, every month

It takes ambition and courage to build a startup, but it takes experience to scale it.

Angela — Founder & CEO

Why Shepherd?

Quality fractional work

Unlike freelancing on your own, we do the hustling to find and bring interesting projects to you. So you can focus on doing what you do best and grow your business. We send you a detailed brief on video and all you need to do is reply with a short video pitch. It's 2024 — you shouldn't have to waste time on writing lengthly proposals and pitch decks.

Do truly flexible work

All projects are scoped for fractional or project-based engagement. You need to be able to commit to a minimum of 12-20 hours a week, for a minimum of 3 months to qualify for the fractional work. Read more under FAQs.

You set the rate, and get paid on time —always

You set your own rate and we help you run the back office. No more cold calling, sales pitches, proposals, contracts, invoicing and chasing up for payment lost in Net30 payment terms. Let's be honest, these necessary evils ae not fun so we'll look after it.

A committee of freelancing Execs of your calibre

Great people know great people —it's true. Our community stems from this principle and is growing rapidly. Let's freelance independently, together. Connect with former Director-level leaders and exchange ideas to grow as fractional leaders.

Low fees

Shepherd will take a low service fee of 15% per payment cycle. We use this to invest in developing beneficial tools for our community as well as brining more projects to the platform.
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Frequently Asked Questions.

Still have questions?
Get in touch and we’ll respond ASAP.
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What’s the benefit of fractional leaders over hiring someone full-time?
Simple — flexibility, scalability, and practicality.

At Shepherd, we understand the dynamic landscape of startups. Hiring full-time execs comes with its perks, but it also means a hefty commitment, both financially and operationally. And let’s face it, not all companies need a full-time CXO.

Shepherd offers you the best of both worlds—seasoned leadership without the full-time baggage:

  • ‍Flexibility: Fractional Execs allow you to tap into the expertise you need when you need it. No need to commit to a full-time salary, bonus, equity, or employee perks.
  • ‍Scalability: Your startup's journey is unique, and so are its needs. Shepherd is a scalable solution. Whether you're in a specific growth phase or require ongoing support, you have the flexibility to scale up or down, adapting to your business's evolving needs.
  • Practicality: Shepherd is a flexible solution that protects your runway. It's about parachuting someone you can trust when you need it most. Skip months of endless CV scanning, interviewing and lag-time of bringing someone on board in-house, Shepherd is all about time-to-value.‍
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‍Shepherd offers the strategic advantage of accessing experienced leadership without compromising your startup's agility, adaptability, and bottom line.
How do we vet our fractional leaders?
Shepherd is not for everybody.

Our network of fractional leaders have a minimum of 15 years of experience as a leader and operator and have worked in a range of companies large and small. They are thinker-doers, who just get a kick out of building things and solving meaty problems.

Our members go through a rigorous application process to ensure they're the right fit, but also to ensure we have a good representation of experiences and skills to meet the market needs.

They are vetted for their practical industry experience with a proven track record of delivering outcomes and results for their clients, but most importantly — they are awesome humans.

We also have a cap on the number of fractional leaders we onboard to ensure we prioritise quality over quantity of job matching.
How do they work?
In-person, virtually, or both!

Fractional leaders embed into your business as if they’re employed full-time, except they’re not. We recommend starting the fractional engagement with a solid onboarding plan to help them up to speed quickly.

The more time you invest in their onboarding, the quicker they can deliver  value. This time is critical in ensuring the success of the engagement as it’ll give them time to digest and understand the problem space — your business, your product and your customers.

Generally, it only takes a couple of weeks for them to gain clarity on what needs to be done, both the quick wins and the longer-term projects.
How often do they work?
Our fractional leaders don’t need a whole lot of hand-holding. They’ve done the role enough times both as a leader and operator to know how to onboard quickly and get things done.

They work a minimum of one day a week or equivalent. A typical fractional engagement can range from 3 months to 9 months, and sometimes indefinitely, depending on the complexity and urgency of the problem.

They generally work regular office hours so they are accessible to you and your team, in person or virtually. When you meet the fractional leader you’ve been matched with, make sure you discuss and agree on the ways of working.
How much do you charge?
We charge a flat introduction fee of 10% for the duration of the engagement. You pay only if we find you a match. No upfront fee.
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Our fractional leaders set their rates based on their experience and expertise —no hourly fuss. They can range between $1,000 to $2,000 a day as a rough guide.

There's a minimum of 1 day a week, for two weeks to get started with Shepherd. A typical fractional engagement can last anywhere between three to six months, or sometimes indefinitely.

You just need to pay one invoice every month and we'll take care of the admin overhead.
Do fractional leaders have other jobs?
Yes — most of our fractional leaders work with multiple clients. The breadth and depth of their experience is what makes them a compelling option for a startup wanting to get from A to B quickly.

Many in our network have left the 9-5 grind to intentionally work in the startup ecosystem as an independent consultant, freelance exec, and advisor. Some are also exited founders.

This means they understand the importance of prioritisation and speed-to-value, rather than getting sucked into the bureaucracy and company politicking.

Their ultimate goal is to help startups succeed, and to eventually replace themselves with someone who can take the reins, in-house.
How is Shepherd different to other talent recruitment platforms and agencies?
We're about helping you find the best fractional leader in days, not months.

Shepherd delivers a video-first matchmaking experience, enabling you to find the right match asynchronously.

We vet and meet all of the fractional leaders to ensure we can match you with the best of the best. They are all former Director+ level leaders with track records of helping startups achieve great outcomes from scratch.

No generic freelancers here —just experienced operators with passion for startups, ready to roll up their sleeves, dive deep, and make a real impact.

Shepherd is not suited for task-oriented projects with set deliverables and milestones (you've got Upwork or Expert360 for that).
Can I pause and stop at any time?
Yes — just give us 2 weeks' notice.  
What's the catch?
Nope — it's free to get started.

Let's smash goals together.

Got what it takes?

Join us today as one of Australia's best fractional go-to-market leaders.
Apply to join