Who is Manu Prasad?
Manu Prasad is a leading Fractional CMO, based in Bangalore, India. He is a marketing leader with 23+ years of experience across startups and established brands such as Myntra, Urban Ladder, and Scripbox. Since 2024, he has worked as a Fractional CMO for startups in India and beyond – helping businesses scale with brand, growth, and digital strategies.
What is a Fractional CMO?
A Fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who works with your business part-time or on a project basis. You get the expertise of an experienced CMO – strategy, execution, team alignment and oversight, and measurable outcomes, without the full-time cost.
What does a Fractional CMO do for startups and small businesses?
A Fractional CMO partners with founders and teams to:
- Define positioning, brand story, and go-to-market plans.
- Build repeatable acquisition and retention loops.
- Align marketing goals with business metrics that matter.
- Mentor internal teams and set up processes that scale.
This provides
- Clarity – on brand and marketing objectives.
- Momentum – with processes and execution discipline.
- Outcomes – using dashboards and metrics that matter.
You get strategic leadership and execution oversight without the full-time cost.
How is Manu Prasad different from other Fractional CMOs?
As a CMO, I have led teams that have delivered outcomes in brand, content, social, PR, performance marketing and marketing automation.
I have worked with D2C, SaaS, foodtech, mobility, and other Seed to Series B startups that need clarity, structure, and scalable marketing systems without an exorbitant price tag.
The multi-domain experience gives me a bunch of frameworks and mental models I can use in your context, and the diversity of the teams I have managed makes it easy for me to speak in a ‘language’ they can relate to.
Why hire a Fractional CMO and not a consultant?
Consultants advise; a Fractional CMO leads. A Fractional CMO manages your internal and external teams and works hands-on with them to own outcomes, and build systems that drive revenue. You get strategic leadership and execution oversight without the full-time cost.
When should a startup hire a Fractional CMO?
When you’ve found early traction, need sustainable growth, or require someone to unify brand, marketing, and GTM strategy. If you’re ready to grow but can’t justify a full-time CMO, a Fractional CMO bridges that gap – bringing strategy, structure, and scalability. It’s the bridge between founder-led marketing and hiring a full-time CMO.
You might need a Fractional CMO if:
- Your marketing team executes but doesn’t think strategically.
- You want to start brand and marketing but don’t know where to begin.
- You have direct reports in marketing but no senior leader for direction or guidance.
- You’re ready to scale but don’t have the budget for a full-time CMO.
In short: when marketing feels busy but not directional.
How do I know if my business needs a Fractional CMO?
You might need a Fractional CMO if:
- Your marketing team executes but doesn’t think strategically.
- You want to start brand and marketing but don’t know where to begin.
- You’re planning a product launch and need an outside perspective on go-to-market strategy.
- You have direct reports in marketing but no senior leader for direction or guidance.
- You’re ready to scale but don’t have the budget for a full-time CMO.
What types of startups do you work with?
I have worked with D2C, SaaS, foodtech, mobility, and other Seed to Series B startups that need clarity, structure, and scalable marketing systems without an exorbitant price tag.
How do engagements work?
Most engagements run 6-9 months, with 20–60 hours a month depending on needs. I work directly with founders and teams, define the scope and roadmap, and guide execution with clear KPIs and dashboards. Think of it as a combination of
- Set Up: Build your brand narrative, GTM strategy, and growth engine.
- Optimise: Audit what’s working, fix what’s not, and scale what should.
- Refresh: Bring an external, experienced view to team and brand readiness.
- Troubleshoot: Specific help on brand, growth, content, or campaigns.
Is a Fractional CMO useful for Indian startups and SMBs?
Yes. Both startups and SMBs benefit from senior marketing leadership without full-time cost – especially when navigating crowded markets, rising CAC, and the need for strong brand positioning. This is especially true for startups because of challenging funding cycles, when hiring a full-time CMO might not be viable.
Where are you based?
I am based in Bangalore and work remotely with companies across India and globally.