The first sign is a marketing team working hard without a shared strategic direction. The second is a sales organization that needs stronger marketing alignment.
Other signs include an evolving market position, a growing number of vendors without a single accountable leader, and a founder or CEO carrying too many marketing decisions.
Readiness is not about reaching a particular company size. It is about recognizing that the business needs someone to connect the decisions.
A fractional CMO can bring that leadership while the business decides what its long-term marketing organization should become.