Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about working with a fractional chief economist

Have questions about how fractional economic advisory works, what to expect, or whether it's right for you? You're in the right place.

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About Fractional Chief Economist Services

What exactly is a fractional chief economist?

A fractional chief economist provides the strategic economic insight and analysis of a full-time chief economist, but on a part-time, consulting, or project basis. You get access to senior-level expertise without the overhead of a full-time hire.

Think of it like having a chief economist on retainer—available when you need sophisticated analysis, but not sitting in your office full-time.

How is this different from subscribing to research services?

Research services provide generic, one-size-fits-all analysis. As your fractional chief economist, I provide:

Customized insight tailored to your specific questions and needs
Direct interaction - I can participate in your meetings and work with your team
White-label options - RIAs can brand my content as their own
Strategic partnership - ongoing relationship, not just content delivery
Cross-asset perspective - informed by decades managing billions across markets

What makes you different from other economic consultants?

Three things:

1. Real investment experience: I didn't just study markets—I managed over $23 billion across them. That real-world experience informs everything I do.

2. Global perspective: Between my IMF/World Bank work and managing portfolios across six continents, I see connections others miss.

3. Clear communication: I spent years on Bloomberg and CNBC learning to explain complex ideas clearly. I can do sophisticated analysis AND translate it for clients.

How Engagements Work

How do we get started?

Initial Call (15-30 minutes, free) - We discuss your situation and goals
Proposal - I send a proposed scope of work and pricing
Agreement - We formalize scope, deliverables, timeline, and fees
Kickoff - We begin work, usually within 1-2 weeks
Ongoing - We adjust as needed based on your evolving needs

Do you require long-term contracts?

No. I don't believe in locking clients into long-term commitments. Most engagements are month-to-month retainers, project-based agreements, or one-off engagements. I earn ongoing relationships by delivering value, not through contractual obligations.

How quickly can we get started?

Usually within 1-2 weeks after our initial consultation and agreement. For urgent needs (market events, client crises, upcoming presentations), I can often accommodate faster timelines.

Pricing & Investment

What do you charge?

Individual Education & Consulting:

$300 per hour (2-hour minimum for initial session)

Firm Engagements:

Monthly retainers: $2,500 - $10,000+ per month
Project-based work: $3,000 - $15,000+ per project
Speaking engagements: Custom pricing
Advisor training programs: Custom pricing based on team size

All engagements are scoped and priced in advance—no surprises.

Is this worth the investment?

For RIAs ($2,500-10,000/month retainer):

Client retention through better communication
Prospect conversion with thought leadership
Differentiation from competitors
Cost: Much less than hiring a full-time economist ($150K+ salary + benefits)

For Investment Committees ($3,000-7,500/quarter):

Better investment decisions through economic context
Risk identification and scenario planning
Cost: Fraction of potential losses from uninformed decisions

For Individuals ($300/hour):

Clarity on your portfolio and economic environment
Better decision-making during uncertainty
Cost: Less than many financial seminars, with personalized insight

What I Do (and Don't Do)

Can you manage my portfolio or give me specific investment recommendations?

No. This is important to understand.

I work in an educational and strategic-thinking capacity. I provide:

✓ Economic context and analysis
✓ Market interpretation
✓ Risk framing and scenario thinking
✓ Portfolio interpretation (understanding exposures)
✓ Communication frameworks

I do NOT provide:

✗ Specific investment recommendations ("buy this stock")
✗ Portfolio management or asset management
✗ Portfolio construction or allocation decisions
✗ Trading recommendations or market timing calls

Why? Because my value is in helping you THINK better about economics and markets, not telling you what to do. You (or your existing advisor) make the investment decisions.

If you don't give investment advice, what exactly do you do?

Think of me as your economic strategist and educator, not your portfolio manager.

For RIAs & Wealth Managers: I help you communicate economic developments to clients, provide content for education and retention, and help differentiate from competitors.

For Investment Committees: I provide macro context for your decisions, present scenario analysis and risk frameworks, and help you think through economic implications.

For Individual Investors: I help you understand the economic environment, explain portfolio exposures in economic terms, and teach frameworks for thinking about risk.

Compliance & Registration

Do I need to register you as an investment adviser?

Generally, no—if you're using my services for:

Educational purposes
Internal decision-making support
Client-facing content creation
Economic consulting

Why? Because I don't provide specific investment recommendations, manage assets, or direct portfolio construction. My services are educational and consultative.

However: Compliance questions should always be discussed with your legal counsel. Regulations are complex and situation-specific.

Are you a registered investment adviser?

No, by design.

I deliberately do NOT register as an investment adviser because I do NOT provide investment advice. This allows me to work with multiple clients without conflicts, provide education without fiduciary liability, focus on economic insight rather than portfolio decisions, and maintain independence and objectivity.

If you need investment advice, you should work with a registered investment adviser.

For RIAs & Wealth Management Firms

Can I white-label your content?

Yes, for certain services.

White-label options: Market commentary and newsletters, client-facing whitepapers, educational presentations, and research pieces for client distribution.

Requirements: Must be part of an ongoing engagement, content customized to your brand and clients, usage rights discussed in agreement.

What size firm do you typically work with?

Ideal: $100M - $2B in AUM

This is the sweet spot where you need sophisticated economic insight to compete, but can't justify a full-time chief economist, your clients expect institutional-quality analysis, and the investment makes economic sense.

That said: I work with smaller firms on project basis and larger firms for specific needs. Size matters less than fit.