⚡️ When Everyone Zigs, Maybe You Should Gig

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issue #5 | date: 05/28/2025

Editors Note

Heyyyy!

Back when I was early in my career, I was living the dream. Not the flashy TikTok version LOL, just the kind where I worked hard for 6–9 months out of the year, stacked up my money, and then disappeared for a bit. I volunteered. I traveled. I rested. And guess what? I still made great money consulting.

If I were in the job market today, I’d be seriously considering going back to that lifestyle (whatever the new kids are calling it) gig, fractional, or consulting work. The market is competitive, y’all. And I’ve always believed that when everyone zigs, it might be time to zag.

I found consulting after the 2009 recession because I literally couldn’t find a full-time job. But it turned out to be the best investment I ever made in myself. So this week, I’m breaking down exactly how I’d get started if I were job hunting right now, based on your budget, bandwidth, and what kind of flexibility you want in your life.

In this week's edition:

• Top delivery positions across product operations, program management, and implementation. We’re also throwing some consulting roles into the mix!

• One of my favorite new creators highlighting super cool up-and-coming companies!

• Some of my favorite sites to look for fractional or consulting work.

• Budget-friendly guide for you to land your first consulting role.

• And lots more!

Let's dive in!

Stay Blessed,

Phedra Arthur Iruke

Editor in Chief

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Featured Job Listings

🏆 Top Picks of the Week (Hand-Picked, High-Impact Roles)

Role: Chief of Staff to SVP of Strategy & Ops

Company: Mozilla | Leadership | Salary: $184-288k + benefits

Location: Remote
Why it’s great: Lead high-impact initiatives at Mozilla to reimagine how products are built, shipped, and scaled, with a mission-driven team that champions internet health, privacy, and open-source values. If you care about ethical tech and want to shape the future of program operations in a globally respected org, this is your role. Plus, the current interim CEO is the founder of the Willow Pump! Iykyk 👶
Apply here: Job Link
Recruiter Contact: Brandon Samuel | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-samuel06/

Role: Vice President of Operations and Automations

Company: Nava PBC | Leadership | Salary: 200k-220k + benefits

Location: Remote
Why it’s great: This is one of the most values-driven, human-centered teams in civic tech. I had the privilege of leading program delivery at Nava in 2017 and learned more about stewardship, inclusion, and solving hard problems the right way than anywhere else. The work is meaningful, the people are brilliant and kind, and the leadership truly walks the talk. As VP, you’ll guide delivery across federal systems that directly impact millions, while helping shape a company committed to equity, trust, and long-term public good.

Apply here: [Job Link]
Recruiter Contact: Eliana Lazareno | https://www.linkedin.com/in/elianaloya/

Role: Director, Residential Implementation

Company: Service Titans | Founders | Salary: $183.4-245.4k + benefits

Location: Remote
Why it’s great: As Director of Residential Implementation, you’ll scale delivery excellence across enterprise customers while driving operational strategy at one of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in home services.

Apply here: [Job Link]
Recruiter Contact: Vijay Shivlani | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijayshivlani/

Role: Vice President, Project Delivery

Company: Design Conveyor Systems | Leadership 

Location: Franklin, TN or Remote
Why it’s great: As the VP of Project Delivery at DCS, you'll lead the organization's project delivery functions, including project management, site management, quality assurance, and safety management. This role offers the opportunity to shape and execute strategies that drive successful project outcomes across various industries. With over 40 years of experience, DCS is known for its customized material handling solutions and collaborative culture, making this a pivotal position to influence both operational excellence and team development.

Apply here: [Direct Job Link]
Recruiter Contact: Ruth Ann Rooker | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-ann-rooker-/

📌 More Contract Jobs Hiring Now

Note: You need legal incorporation for Corp-to-Corp (C2C) roles (literally Legalzoom can do this, but check out companies like Collective or Besolo).

You can & should locate the supplier websites of all Client companies named below for other delivery roles that may be a fit for your background (Here’s an example of the Target supplier site).

If you’re working directly with a client, there is no middleman, and the negotiated rate can be doubled or tripled in some cases. Once, I was about $85/hr for an investment firm and discovered that the company holding the contract was closer to $200/hr. I was hurt that I didn’t negotiate more aggressively.

I prefer C2C or 1099 for the tax benefits, but you can also find W-2 contracts if you’re more comfortable with that pay structure. W-2s are more likely to convert to full-time positions, but your base pay will likely be significantly lower than your hourly rate to accommodate benefits and other overhead costs to the company.

Visionary Voices 

📝 Weekly Spotlight: Not Your 9-to-5: Taylor Crane’s Blueprint for Modern Work

Taylor Crane started FractionalJobs.io after experiencing firsthand how tough it can be to find good fractional work. The platform helps startups connect with experienced professionals who want to work part-time in roles like product management, marketing, and operations.

Taylor's been working with early-stage startups for over ten years as a product manager. He also founded Clubs Poker, an online poker platform that got acquired by KHK Games in 2023. After that, he tried working as a fractional Head of Product and quickly realized how broken the whole process was for finding these kinds of flexible roles.

That's what led him to build FractionalJobs.io - he wanted to make it way easier for both companies and fractional workers to find each other. The platform doesn't just do matchmaking though; Taylor also creates helpful resources like playbooks and toolkits to help people actually build successful fractional careers.

He's pretty passionate about fractional work in general and thinks it's a win-win for everyone involved. Companies get access to senior talent without the full-time commitment, and professionals get more autonomy and flexibility. Taylor often talks about stuff like how to structure these engagements, figure out pricing, and build your personal brand as a fractional worker.

You'll find him on podcasts and doing interviews about the changing world of work and why fractional roles are becoming such a big deal. He's definitely one of the people helping shape what flexible work looks like going forward.

📚 Crash Course: How to Be Your Own Boss in Delivery Work

Let’s say full-time jobs feel like dating apps. Lots of swiping, nothing sticks. You might be wondering: could I consult instead?

Yes. But here’s how I’d actually go about it:

💸 If You’re on a Budget (Freelancer Mode, Under $500)

• Start with websites that regularly post gig/fractional work:

  • Catalant, Upwork, Toptal, Indeed, Dice. I also listed other sites in the weekly recommendations above.

• Follow recruiters who specialize in contract or fractional work on LinkedIn.

• Join Slack communities:

  • https://creativetribes.co/

  • https://www.freelancefounders.com/apply

  • https://contra.com/p/33RslsWg-contra-slack-community

  • https://www.opal.community/

• Resume Tips:

  • Cut the fluff. Make your value quantifiable. Think: “Launched X, improved Y, saved Z.”

  • List projects over timeframes. Lean into outcomes.

  • Try to keep your resume 2 pages in length.

💵 If You Have ~$1,000 to Invest

• Set up shop:

  • 1-page website (Carrd or Framer)

  • Company email (Google Workspace)

  • Portfolio of 2–3 solid case studies (include the biz model, product, what you did to move the needle)

• Target smart:

  • Use tools like Audience Lab, Bebop, or Apollo.io to buy a list of hiring managers who’ve searched for fractional help.

    • terms like “staff augmentation”, “contract program manager”, “scaling program delivery team”, “Interim COO”, etc, could be used by a potential hiring manager or decision maker.

  • Cross-reference with LinkedIn to find common connections and ask for warm intros.

  • Start outreach: 25 cold emails or calls/day — volume matters

💼 If You’ve Got ~$10,000 to Work With

• Upgrade your setup:

  • Website + blog + branded assets

  • CRM (use MailerLite or Streak CRM)

  • Drip email campaigns with clear CTA (book a discovery call)

• Make your portfolio sing:

  • Turn your past wins into polished case studies with outcomes, testimonials, and visuals

• Go get work:

  • Bid on public/private contracts via Bidify

  • Add every contact to your CRM and set a drip campaign

  • Make 25 calls/day or outsource to someone via Closify

📌 TL;DR

The job market’s tough. Consulting isn’t a fallback, it’s a strategy. You can build a life that pays well and gives you room to breathe. Whether you’ve got $50 or $15K, you can start now.

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