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ROI Calculator
The CMO math, honestly.
Plug in what your next full-time marketing leader would really cost — fully loaded. We'll show you what an embedded WaveCMO team runs against it.
Your full-time CMO assumptions
Which WaveCMO tier?
Full-time CMO — year one
$457,000
- Base salary$220,000
- Benefits + tax$61,600
- Recruiter fee (one-time)$55,000
- Equity (annualized)$50,000
- Ramp productivity drag$70,400
WaveCMO Wave — year one
$198,000
$16,500/mo · embedded from week two · no recruiter, no ramp.
Year-one delta
$259,000
57% less than the full-time path — with senior leadership embedded from day one.
Walk through your numbersAssumptions: benefits include healthcare, 401k match, and payroll tax. Recruiter fee billed once. Equity annualized over a 4-year vest. Ramp drag assumes 50% effective output during ramp months. Adjust to match your reality — the model is yours.