The Intersection – Episode 7: What Are You Really Hiring: Advice, Execution, or Leadership?

Summary

In this episode of The Intersection, Megan Kacvinsky, Denine Harper, and Steve Coffey break down a common challenge for mid-market building product manufacturers: knowing what kind of outside expertise you actually need. They explore the differences between consultants, fractional executives, and agencies, how to diagnose the real business problem before hiring, and why the right solution may involve more than one resource working together.

Key Insights

• Start with the problem, not the resource. What looks like a marketing, technology, or lead-generation issue may actually point to a deeper organizational challenge.
• Consultants and advisors provide focused expertise, typically around a defined problem, opportunity, or strategic need.
• Fractional executives provide leadership, aligning their discipline with business goals while building structure, processes, and capabilities within the team.
• Agencies provide strategy and execution, but they need informed leadership on the client side to get the best results.
• Fractional leaders need to be embedded in the organization and given the access, transparency, and authority required to lead effectively.
• Consultants, fractionals, agencies, and internal teams don’t have to compete. The right combination can make each resource more effective.

Practical Takeaways for Manufacturers

• Diagnose the real problem first before deciding whom to hire.
• Determine whether your primary need is advice, leadership, execution, or some combination.
• Don’t hire an agency without someone capable of providing informed strategic direction.
• Don’t hire a fractional executive expecting them to function as an extra pair of hands. Their role is leadership, not tactical production.
• If you hire a fractional leader, treat them like part of the team by providing access to systems, meetings, people, and information.
• Make sure you have the budget and internal resources to execute the strategy your fractional leader develops.
• Consider how consultants, fractional leaders, and agencies can complement one another rather than assuming you need to choose only one.

Quotable Moments

• “Do I need advice? Do I need execution? Or do I need leadership?” – Denine Harper
• “They’re not there to create stuff. They’re there to help other people create better stuff.” – Megan Kacvinsky, on fractional CMOs
• “If you’re bringing in a fractional, you really need to embed them in the organization.” – Denine Harper
• “Are we just dealing with surface-level symptoms, or are we dealing with actual constraints?” – Steve Coffey

Next Steps for Manufacturers

Before hiring outside help, get clear on what you’re actually trying to solve and whether you need advice, leadership, execution, or a combination of the three. Then set that resource up for success with clear expectations, the right level of access, and the budget and internal support needed to act on their recommendations. The goal isn’t simply to hire help. It’s to build the right combination of expertise for where your organization is today and where you want it to go.

About the Hosts

Megan Kacvinsky — CEO | Point To Point

Megan Kacvinsky helps Building Product Manufacturers drive specification through targeted AEC marketing. As a partner at Point To Point, she specializes in demand generation, customer engagement, and strategic content marketing that fuels sales success.

With 15+ years of experience, Megan combines digital marketing expertise with sharp business acumen to bridge the gap between marketing strategy and real-world impact. She has transformed marketing programs for Fortune 500 companies, mid-market firms, and startups—adapting strategies to fit each organization's unique needs. Known for her tailored, results-driven approach, Megan crafts high-impact solutions that help brands thrive in the competitive building and manufacturing industries.

Denine Harper — Founder | DHx Consulting

Denine Harper is the founder of DHx Consulting and a Fractional CMO who helps building materials manufacturers turn strategy into measurable growth. She works at the intersection of brand, demand generation, and go-to-market execution—aligning sales, marketing, and operations to drive revenue without friction.

With experience leading large-scale brand and performance initiatives, Denine brings a practical, operator’s perspective to growth. She is known for building systems that improve visibility, strengthen positioning, and help companies scale with confidence.

Steve Coffey — Senior Managing Partner | Coffey & Co

Steve Coffey is the co-founder of C&C and has spent nearly a decade working closely with building materials manufacturers across the residential and commercial construction industry. His experience spans executive strategy, plant operations, and job site realities, giving him a practical understanding of how products actually make it into buildings. Today, he helps companies bridge the gap between innovation and execution by aligning teams, improving visibility, and building systems that enable scalable growth.