So the question I get the most today, as we're building The Bee Suite,℠ is, who is this for? Who wants to be a part of this? Do I fit in? The Bee Suite℠ serves three distinct audiences: builders and buyers. Here's who belongs in The Hive:
For Builders
The Corporate Survivor
"I'm still in, but I see the writing on the wall."
You're 45-55 and you've survived three rounds of layoffs. You know your corporate expiration date is coming—you've watched colleagues disappear overnight, replaced by cheaper talent or AI. You're not panicking, but you're not naive either. You want to build your exit plan before you're handed a severance package and a LinkedIn post about "pursuing new opportunities."
The Transition Navigator
"I just got laid off, and I need to find my next thing"
You're 40-55, you just got the call, and you're staring at a severance package that's supposed to last you until "retirement" (which is 10-15 years away, by the way). You've been applying to jobs or starting to apply and getting nowhere—you're either "overqualified" or ghosted after the first interview. The corporate ladder is broken, and you need a new plan.
The Curious
"I'm exploring options, but I'm not sure fractional is for me."
You're 38-55, you've heard about fractional work, and you're intrigued. Maybe you're tired of corporate politics, maybe you want more flexibility, or maybe you're just curious what else is out there. You're not ready to commit, but you want to learn more and see if this model could work for you.
The Established Builder
"I'm already fractional, have a business, and I want to scale."
You're 45-60, you've been doing fractional work. It's working, but you know you're leaving money on the table. You want to scale to more clients, increase your rates, and build systems so you're not constantly scrambling. You also want community—fractional work can be lonely, and you miss having peers who understand what you're building
For Buyers
The Mid-Market Company
"We need a CFO, but we can't afford $400K."
You're a $20M-$500M company, growing fast, and you need executive-level expertise. But you can't justify a $400K CFO salary (plus $100K in benefits, equity, and overhead) when you only need 15-20 hours/week of strategic finance work. You've tried agencies ($250/hour = $50K/month), and it's bleeding you dry. You need a better model.
The PE/VC Portfolio Company
"We need to scale 10 portfolio companies simultaneously."
You're a PE firm or VC with 10-20 portfolio companies that need operational expertise—CFOs to clean up financials pre-exit, CMOs to build growth engines, COOs to scale operations. You can't afford to hire full-time executives for every portfolio company, and you need talent that can deploy quickly, deliver results, and move on.
The Public/Private Board
"We need vetted board members who actually understand our business."
You're a public company, a high-growth private company, or a PE-backed business building your board. You need directors with deep operational expertise—not just "professional board members" who collect fees and show up quarterly. You want operators who've built what you're building and can provide real strategic guidance.
The Corporate Partner
"We want to sponsor the movement and have access to experienced talent we let go too soon."
You're a company that had to let go of some of your best talent, and you need a new model for leveraging skills without breaking the bank for the next growth spurt.. You also want to align your brand with The Bee Suite℠ and get access to a diverse workforce that knows how to get results.
We're not for everyone.
And that's by design. The Bee Suite™ is built for experienced leaders who've proven they can deliver outcomes at scale. If you don't fit these criteria, this community isn't for you—and that's okay.
You're looking for a job. The Bee Suite™ is not a job board. The corporate ladder is broken, and we're building something different—a market where you own your career, not the other way around.
You're early in your career (under 35 with less than 10 years of experience). Fractional work requires proven expertise and the ability to deliver outcomes without hand-holding. If you're still building your foundational skills, you're not ready for fractional work. Get 10-15 years of experience first, then come back. (We have one exception: Rising Leaders who are proactively planning are welcome to join The Hive and learn.)
You want a passive income stream. Fractional work is not passive. You're running a business with 2-4 clients, delivering real outcomes, and managing relationships. If you're looking for a "laptop lifestyle" where you work 4 hours/week from a beach, keep scrolling. This is real work for real money—just on your terms.
You're not willing to invest in yourself. The community and bootcamp, and certification program come with a cost to join. We're not a free resource library—we're a community and operating system for builders who are committed to making this work.
You're looking for a quick fix or a get-rich-quick scheme. Building a fractional practice takes 6-18 months to replace your corporate salary. It requires business development, relationship building, and consistent delivery. If you're looking for a shortcut or a magic bullet, you won't find it here. We're building sustainable, long-term practices—not overnight success stories.
You're not coachable or willing to learn. The fractional model is different from corporate work. You'll need to unlearn corporate habits (title-chasing, politics, "being busy") and learn new skills (outcome delivery, pricing, business development, self-management). If you think you already know everything or you're not willing to be challenged, this community isn't for you.
You're a "professional victim" who blames everyone else. Yes, the corporate system is broken. Yes, ageism is real. Yes, you got screwed. We get it—we've all been there. But The Bee Suite™ is for builders who take ownership and create solutions, not victims who complain and wait for someone to save them. If you're still bitter about your layoff and not ready to move forward, work through that first, then come back.
You're looking for a community that coddles you. We're edgy, direct, and results-focused. We'll challenge you, push you, and hold you accountable. If you need constant validation, gentle feedback, and a "safe space" where no one ever disagrees with you, this isn't it. We're building a movement of tough, resilient operators—not a support group.
You're a company looking for cheap labor. If you're trying to hire fractional executives because you want to pay less than market rate or avoid benefits, we're not interested. Our fractional executives earn $10K-$20K/month for 15-20 hours/week because they deliver $100K+ in value. If you're looking for a bargain, hire a freelancer on Upwork. If you want elite talent at a fair price, we're here.
You're a recruiter or agency looking to poach our members. The Bee Suite™ is a community, not a lead generation tool for recruiters. If you're here to spam our members with job postings or recruit them for full-time roles, you'll be removed. (Exception: Corporate partners who pay for marketplace access and respect our community guidelines are welcome.)
