https://samakbari.com/insights/ Practical articles for mid-market CEOs and boards on fractional leadership, go-to-market, operations and AI, from fractional CXO Sam Akbari. en-au Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:10:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-cro-cost-australia/ https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-cro-cost-australia/ What a part-time Chief Revenue Officer or sales director costs in Australia, how it compares with a full-time CRO on salary plus bonus, and what to expect. Fractional leadership Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:10:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-chief-ai-officer-cost-australia/ https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-chief-ai-officer-cost-australia/ What a part-time Chief AI Officer or head of AI costs in Australia, how it compares with a full-time hire, and what you should get for the money. AI & transformation Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/navigating-politics-shutting-down-a-project/ https://samakbari.com/insights/navigating-politics-shutting-down-a-project/ How to handle the hard conversations, egos and biases when a project needs to be shut down, without losing the people or the trust of the board. AI & transformation Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/international-expansion-go-to-market/ https://samakbari.com/insights/international-expansion-go-to-market/ A staged go-to-market playbook for Australian mid-market companies expanding overseas: choosing markets, entry models, pricing and board reporting. Growth & go-to-market Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:20:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-cmo-vs-marketing-agency/ https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-cmo-vs-marketing-agency/ An agency executes, a CMO owns the strategy and the result. How to tell which your business needs, when you need both and how they work together. Growth & go-to-market Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:20:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/ai-use-policy-template-australia/ https://samakbari.com/insights/ai-use-policy-template-australia/ A free AI use policy template for Australian mid-market businesses, with a traffic-light data guide and a 30-day rollout plan. Free Word download. AI & transformation Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:20:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/agentic-ai-workflows-mid-market/ https://samakbari.com/insights/agentic-ai-workflows-mid-market/ What agentic AI workflows can really do for a mid-market business today, where they fall short, how to pick your first one and how to run it safely. AI & transformation Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:20:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/when-to-hire-a-fractional-cro/ https://samakbari.com/insights/when-to-hire-a-fractional-cro/ The signs you need a fractional CRO, how the role differs from a VP of Sales, when neither is right, and what the first months and the cost look like. Fractional leadership Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/when-to-hire-a-fractional-coo/ https://samakbari.com/insights/when-to-hire-a-fractional-coo/ The seven signs you need a fractional COO, when a full-time or interim hire suits better, and what the first months and the cost look like. Fractional leadership Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-vs-interim-executive/ https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-vs-interim-executive/ Fractional, interim or consultant? A plain comparison of time, cost, accountability and when each makes sense for a mid-market business. Fractional leadership Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/does-your-company-need-a-chief-ai-officer/ https://samakbari.com/insights/does-your-company-need-a-chief-ai-officer/ When a mid-market company needs a Chief AI Officer, and how a fractional CAIO compares with a full-time hire or an AI consultant on scope and cost. AI & transformation Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/ai-governance-checklist-australia/ https://samakbari.com/insights/ai-governance-checklist-australia/ A practical AI governance checklist for Australian mid-market boards and leadership teams, built on the National AI Centre's six essential practices. AI & transformation Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/when-to-kill-a-transformation-project/ https://samakbari.com/insights/when-to-kill-a-transformation-project/ Stopping a program is one of the hardest calls a leader makes. Here's how I recognise a project worth stopping, and how to do it well. AI & transformation Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-executive-cost-australia/ https://samakbari.com/insights/fractional-executive-cost-australia/ Typical monthly rates for fractional CROs, CMOs, COOs and Chief AI Officers in Australia, how they compare with a full-time hire, and what drives the price. Fractional leadership Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/first-90-days-fractional-cxo/ https://samakbari.com/insights/first-90-days-fractional-cxo/ A practical look at how a fractional executive goes from diagnosis to delivery, and what a CEO should expect to see along the way. Fractional leadership Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://samakbari.com/insights/ai-in-the-mid-market/ https://samakbari.com/insights/ai-in-the-mid-market/ AI pilots often stall before production. Here's where I see practical, measurable returns for mid-market businesses, and the traps to avoid. AI & transformation Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT