Why We Chose to Help Our Competitors—and Why It’s Driving Growth

When we started Vendux, our mission was clear: help small and mid-sized businesses access the sales leadership they need—fractionally.

In the early days, that meant outreach, networking, and endless calls to build our roster of fractional sales leaders. Each new executive was a personal connection. But over time, something remarkable happened: the pipeline began to fill naturally.

Today, finding exceptional fractional executives isn’t the challenge. The real challenge is education.

By most estimates, only 15% of SMBs in the U.S. have ever engaged a fractional executive. That means 85% of companies—millions of them—could benefit from flexible, high-impact leadership yet have never considered it. They simply don’t realize this model exists.

That’s not a sales problem. It’s an awareness problem.

And no single company can solve it alone.

That realization led us to an unconventional decision: to collaborate with nine other organizations—some of them direct competitors—to form the Fractional Leadership Alliance (FLA).

At first glance, it might seem counterintuitive. Why help your competitors? Why share the spotlight?

Because the market for fractional leadership isn’t a zero-sum game. When more CEOs understand what fractional executives can do—whether it’s a fractional CRO, fractional CFO, or fractional CMO—the entire ecosystem grows. More education means more trust, more adoption, and more opportunities for everyone.

The FLA’s mission is to expand awareness of the fractional model, advocate for professional excellence, and give business leaders a credible place to learn, connect, and act. Together, we’re working to “grow the pie,” not just fight for a bigger slice.

Collaboration, not competition, has become our growth strategy. It’s how industries mature and markets evolve.

Recently, a FLA cofounder sent me the following note:

“None of this happens without your willingness to share what you’re doing and open up your network to introduce us. I love playing this positive-sum game with you! We’re all in this together.”

(Mike Malloy, Founder & CEO of Malloy Industries)

Thank you!

For Vendux, joining forces with others who share our vision has been one of the smartest decisions we’ve made. It strengthens not just our position—but the credibility of the entire fractional leadership movement. Sometimes the boldest growth move isn’t protecting what’s yours. It’s sharing what you’ve built to create something bigger.

Contact us to find out more about the FLA.