Steliana Moraru, a strategist in digital transformation and growth, on fractional leadership, agility, and how clarity and discipline can accelerate the evolution of modern companies.
Steliana Moraru is a C-level executive, strategist in digital transformation and growth, with a career that combines leadership, consulting, and education. She wears multiple professional hats at the intersection of technology, business, and teaching. At the same time, she supports companies as a fractional leader, helping them build solid foundations for scaling and transformation. She believes in inclusive leadership and in the idea that technology, when combined with healthy processes, can accelerate not only businesses but also social impact.
C&B: How was your transition from a classic career to fractional leadership/consulting?
Steliana Moraru: For me, it wasn’t a real transition but rather a natural extension of my professional path. I have a full-time role that brings me many challenges and satisfactions, but at the same time, I felt that I could contribute beyond that framework. Throughout my career, I’ve worked in financial services, technology, and NGOs, and each stage brought me different lessons and a more nuanced understanding of how organizations function. At some point, I realized that I could put this experience to use across multiple projects in parallel, and that the fractional COO role gave me exactly that space for expression.
I like to be involved both in strategy and in execution—to set things in motion and bring clarity to areas where teams are sometimes too caught up in operations to see the bigger picture. Fractional leadership has given me the chance to step into different organizations, contribute precisely where structure and acceleration are needed, and then let the teams carry forward what we built together. In this way, my career has become more modular, flexible, and richer in experiences, without giving up the challenges of my main role.
C&B: What attracted you most to this model, and what challenges did it bring?
Steliana Moraru: What attracted me most was the diversity. I love that within a single year, I can go through completely different contexts: supporting a non-profit organization in defining its strategy, collaborating with an entrepreneurial company just starting out, and at the same time being part of an international board’s discussions. Each project comes with its own teams, dynamics, and challenges, and that keeps me constantly engaged, attentive, and in continuous learning mode.
Of course, diversity also comes with a challenge: managing my energy and prioritizing correctly. Fractional leadership isn’t just about expertise—it’s about discipline, clarity, and the ability to integrate quickly into different organizational cultures. I’ve learned to be very intentional about how I manage my time and to always maintain balance between involvement and specific objectives for each project. I follow a very strict prioritization system and a rigorous, almost military calendar that helps me juggle everything on my plate without losing clarity or quality.
C&B: How do you choose the projects and clients you collaborate with?
Steliana Moraru: For me, choosing projects and clients starts from three main criteria: people, impact, and value alignment. First, I look at the people. If the team is open, collaborative, and there’s synergy between us, then the foundation for results exists. I’ve learned over time that even the best strategic plan remains just on paper if you don’t have an engaged team.
The second criterion is impact. I’m drawn to projects that can bring real transformation—whether it’s a non-profit organization that needs structure to multiply its effect in the community or an entrepreneurial company aiming to move to the next level of organization and professionalism. I like knowing that my work leaves tangible traces and brings value beyond the present moment.
Finally, the third criterion is value alignment. It’s hard for me to work with organizations that operate only short-term, without a healthy culture, or that don’t uphold integrity and inclusion. I choose to say “no” to collaborations that don’t align with my view of how an organization should be built for the long term.
I don’t accept projects just for the sake of revenue because I’ve learned that energy invested in an environment that doesn’t resonate with you quickly drains and doesn’t yield results. I prefer to get involved where I feel I can build something lasting and where, in the end, I can say I’ve contributed to a visible change.
C&B: Tell us about a moment when you had a major impact as a fractional leader.
Steliana Moraru: A recent example is my collaboration with an entrepreneurial company going through a phase of accelerated growth. I stepped in as a fractional COO to help structure internal processes and create a clear direction for development. In a few months, we managed to organize operational workflows, clarify team roles and responsibilities, and establish performance indicators. The result was better activity predictability and increased team confidence in their ability to scale the business. For me, it was very rewarding to see a company founded out of passion and entrepreneurial energy gain structure and tools to take the next step.
C&B: What are the main differences between being a full-time executive and a fractional one?
Steliana Moraru: As a full-time executive, you’re part of a single organization with all the implications that come with it—you’re immersed in the company’s culture, involved in internal politics, building long-term relationships, and taking projects from idea to implementation and stabilization. It’s a marathon-like experience that requires resilience and consistency.
As a fractional leader, the role is different. You’re a catalyst bringing in know-how, cross-industry experience, and a fresh perspective on the organization. You’re not there to get caught in routine, but to accelerate, create structure, and open new perspectives. The main difference is the higher short-term intensity—you’re involved in strategic sprints, and then you leave the internal team to carry forward what you’ve built.
Another important element is neutrality. As a fractional leader, you’re not tied to the company’s history, which gives you the freedom to see things objectively and to ask the uncomfortable questions that sometimes go unspoken internally. So, while the full-time role means stability and long-term commitment, the fractional role means speed, objectivity, and the ability to bring clarity quickly.
C&B: How do you explain the value of a fractional role to a skeptical CEO?
Steliana Moraru: I believe a fractional role brings real value, but I also recognize that it’s not for every company. If an organization needs specific expertise, structure, or rapid validation of a strategic direction, then a fractional manager can be the ideal solution—bringing top-level know-how, immediate availability, and the flexibility of a project. Instead of spending months on recruitment and onboarding, you can quickly test what works and make informed decisions.
At the same time, if a company seeks long-term stability or already has a mature and well-established internal team, it might not need a fractional leader—and that’s perfectly fine. I see fractional leadership as a tool that offers flexibility and access to diverse experience when a company is going through change or acceleration.
C&B: What are the most common mistakes companies make when working with fractionals?
Steliana Moraru: The most common mistakes occur when companies lack clarity about what they want from a fractional leader. If the objectives are vague or change direction every week, it’s very difficult to create real impact. Another mistake is treating the role like that of a traditional consultant. The role is much more hands-on—it involves working side by side with the team, participating in decisions, and co-creating management-level solutions.
I’ve also noticed that some organizations expect such a leader to “fix” problems alone, without internal involvement. In reality, success comes from integration: the fractional leader brings experience and structure, but the team must be part of the process and take ownership of implementation.
In short, lack of clear objectives and lack of integration in decision-making lead to limited results. When there’s transparency, involvement, and openness, the fractional role can significantly accelerate an organization’s evolution.
C&B: How do you see this career model evolving in the coming years?
Steliana Moraru: I believe fractional leadership will become increasingly present in the coming years because it meets a very current need: agility. Companies can no longer afford long recruitment processes or heavy roles; they seek applied expertise—available quickly and for just as long as needed. In mature economies, this model has already become a natural option for roles like COO, CFO, or CMO, and the trend is spreading fast.
In Central and Eastern Europe, we’re still at the beginning, but I see clear signs of openness. Many entrepreneurial companies realize that a fractional can help them take the leap toward professionalization or internationalization, and for non-profits or business associations, this model provides access to expertise they otherwise couldn’t afford.
In 3–5 years, I believe it will be common to see fractionals in boards or transformation, digitalization, and international expansion projects. And, very importantly, senior professionals’ confidence in this type of career will also grow.
C&B: What advice would you give to a senior professional considering becoming a fractional?
Steliana Moraru: For me, the first step was clarifying what kind of value I could bring. I asked myself simple but essential questions: what is my expertise, what do I solve better than others, and in what kind of projects do I truly thrive? From there, I shaped what I now call my “fractional leader package.”
I also discovered that at the beginning, there’s a temptation to say “yes” to everything. It’s natural, but I learned that the best results come when I prioritize and choose only the collaborations that fit my style and principles. Fractional leadership isn’t classic freelancing because it’s not just about specific deliverables—it means being part of leadership, even temporarily. And that requires value alignment and deep mutual trust.
Another thing I realized is how important your professional network and reputation are. Most of my projects came through recommendations from people I’ve worked with who saw my results and way of working. There are no shortcuts here—it takes time, consistency, and a willingness to give more at the beginning.
In short, I see this journey as a mix of clarity, courage, and patience. Fractional leadership offers a diversity of experiences but also requires discipline, authenticity, and careful attention to how you build your personal brand.
Steliana Moraru proves that fractional leadership is not just a trend but a real solution for organizations aiming to grow smart, with agility and vision.
