Blog series: Building Double U – Blog 2 of 4
Choosing to build again was not the safe choice.
In fact, the unexpected challenges have made it one of the hardest things I’ve done.
But building again was the honest option.
It came from three realizations I could not ignore.
1. SERVICE - I Want to Have a Real Impact
The work I do best is helping leaders get unblocked and uplifted.
Not theoretical strategy. Not abstract consulting. Real Leadership. Real capacity. Real clarity.
I wanted my effort to matter where it counts.
Fractional Leadership is impact and outcome-driven.
- A Fractional COO takes real operational weight off the CEO.
- A Fractional CMO strengthens the brand and drives awareness and growth.
- A Fractional CRO or Sales Leader helps businesses convert the value they already bring into revenue.
- A Fractional CHRO builds the people foundation that supports the entire team.
At its best, Fractional Leadership gives business leaders room to breathe again — and the capacity to lead at the level they are capable of.
Fractional leadership gives growing businesses access to experienced executive leaders on a flexible basis, helping founders scale operations, marketing, sales, and people strategy without the overhead of full-time executive hiring. At Double U, our Fractional COO, CMO, CRO, CSO, CGO, and CHRO leaders help businesses unblock growth, restore leadership capacity, and create sustainable momentum.
2. AMBITION - I Wasn’t Done. Not Even Close.
This was never about replicating the past or proving anything.
For most of my career, my work lived in financial strategy. Stepping away from that world – and from the identity tied to being a CPA – has been the second hardest decision of my professional life.
But experience has a way of clarifying things.
And with clarity comes the desire to build with intention instead of inertia.
I did not want the safer path. I did not want the familiar one either. I wanted the right one.
A new challenge.
New areas where I know I can create meaningful impact.
When CEOs become the bottleneck, it usually happens in four core areas: Operations, People, Sales, and Marketing.
Sometimes the issue is capacity. Sometimes it is control. Sometimes it is because the CEO genuinely loves the work and is great at it.
But eventually, holding onto everything becomes expensive.
The first return on investment when leaders let go is not always revenue. Often, it is time. Space. Energy. Clarity. And what that regained capacity allows them to build next.
FOLLOW US
3. MODERN LEADERSHIP - The Model Has Changed
Leadership today is being reshaped by three forces:
I wanted to be at the center of that shift and help shape what modern leadership looks like moving forward.
I knew it was possible to build something human-first, AI-forward, and connection-rich without compromising any of those pieces.
So that is exactly what I set out to build.
Double U Academy will eventually bring that model to Fractional Leaders globally.
THE FEARS
Starting something new is intimidating.
Stepping outside financial strategy after twenty years is both energizing and humbling.
Immersing myself in AI.
Earning certifications.
Rebuilding expertise in a new lane.
That requires courage, discipline, and a willingness to look like a beginner again. Those are not weaknesses.
They are usually signs that you are building something worth doing.
Or at least that is what I remind myself when the barriers show up and when others try to convince me to stay where it would be easier.
THE CONFIDENCE
I was a first mover in Fractional Leadership long before the category had a name.
I understand it because I have lived it.
I have seen what happens when leaders get it right and what happens when they do not.
And I know small and medium businesses need this support more than ever. They are the backbone of our communities and our economy. They deserve leadership that lifts instead of drains.
I also know this: Connection is the competitive advantage most people underestimate.
I have watched intentional connection transform teams, rebuild trust, and unlock performance for years.
That is why Double U was built around it.
Our North Star is Intentional Connection because it is the missing piece in most leadership models today.
THE TURNING POINT
Leaving the business I built was hard.
Figuring out what I wanted next was almost harder.
I explored buying businesses, building products, productizing services, and multiple other directions. All of them were viable.
But none of them matched what I knew in my gut:
The most common business problem today is not systems or strategy.
It is leaders getting stuck.
Stuck in decisions.
Stuck in firefighting.
Stuck carrying too much for too long.
Stuck without the right support or clarity.
That is the problem I know best.
My career wasn’t built around solving this problem – it was built around financial strategy.
Most CEOs eventually outsource, hire for, or avoid finance altogether.
But I have been the business leader who struggled to let go.
And I have experienced the freedom that comes when you finally do.
CEO bottlenecks are the problem we are built to solve - through Fractional Leadership when needed, through clarity and coaching when that is the answer, and through targeted support when speed matters most.
I did not start again to play it safe.
I started again because leaders deserve a wingman.
THE WORK THAT MATTERS
Helping business leaders fall back in love with their business again – that is worth getting out of bed for.
Unblocking leadership. Restoring confidence. Refocusing energy where it creates impact.
Because when a leader moves, the whole business moves.
That is why Double U exists.
And that is why I chose to build again.
This is the second blog in our Launch Series.
Read Them All:
If you are a business leader feeling stuck, overloaded, or pulled too deeply into the day-to-day, Double U was built for that exact moment.
Explore our Fractional Leadership model or connect with us to learn more.
About the Author
Jamie L. Smith is the Founder of Double U, a fractional leadership company built to help founders and growing businesses unblock growth, regain leadership capacity, and scale sustainably. After years of working alongside business owners, executive teams, and scaling organizations, Jamie built Double U around one core belief: leaders should not do this alone.
FAQs
What is fractional leadership
Fractional leadership gives businesses access to experienced executive leaders on a flexible basis without hiring full-time executives. Fractional leaders help companies scale operations, marketing, sales, and people strategy while increasing leadership capacity.
How does fractional leadership help founders and CEOs?
Fractional leadership helps founders regain time, focus, and decision-making capacity by providing experienced executive support across operations, marketing, sales, and people leadership.
What does a fractional COO, CMO, CGO or CHRO actually do?
A fractional leader brings senior-level leadership into the business to solve specific challenges and drive results. Whether it’s strengthening operations, building a people strategy, or accelerating growth, they step in to create clarity, align teams, and ensure execution so the business can move forward with confidence.
When should I hire a fractional leader?
Companies typically turn to fractional leadership when growth outpaces their current team, priorities become unclear, or execution starts to slip. It’s the right move when you need experienced leadership to bring structure, alignment, and momentum – without committing to a full-time executive too early.