To The Last Page: How Childhood Reading Built My Discipline, Curiosity, and Leadership Focus

Reading was not assigned—it was inevitable. Books were not just a pastime; they were my primary form of entertainment, my travel to a different place and time.

When a CEO Confirms It: Hiding a Fractional Executive Is the Mistake

In last week’s CEO Masterclass, I laid out the common reasons why fractional executive engagements go sideways. Then one of the CEOs in the room did something that made the lesson land harder than any slide could: he squarely confirmed it.

Three Siblings, Shifting Alliances: How Time Turned Rivalry into Enduring Partnership

Today, I am deeply fond of them. We live on different continents, see each other only once or twice a year, and yet every meeting seems to strengthen our bond. It feels stable, intentional, and enduring.

Organization, Motivation, COVIDHenning SchwinumApril 22, 2026Vendux LLCsiblings, sister, alliances, partnership

AI and the Fractional Executive: A New Operating Model

Fractional executives have always sold one thing above all: pattern recognition compressed into fewer hours. Artificial intelligence is now rewriting what those hours look like — for GTM leaders (fCMOs, fCROs), fCFOs, fCOOs, and fCTOs alike.

Fire in the Cold: What a Winter Hike Taught Me About Motivation and Leadership

This one begins on a cold January Sunday, somewhere far enough from home to feel like an expedition, with frozen ground under our feet and one simple promise that kept us moving: there would be a fire, and we would grill sausages.

Motivation, Leadership, Organization, TeamHenning SchwinumApril 1, 2026Vendux LLChike, winter, fire, sausage

Who Actually Hires Fractional Executives? A Look at Ownership Patterns

Most fractional engagements cluster around a surprisingly consistent set of ownership structures. In our experience placing fractional sales leaders and other CXOs, three types of organizations account for the vast majority of demand.

Fractional Sales Leadership Isn’t a Cost Play

It’s an Organizational Design Strategy. Sales tools are evolving faster than ever. AI SDRs. Revenue intelligence. Deal analytics. Forecasting copilots.

Twenty-three Minutes at a Time: How Vinyl Records Taught Me Focus, Patience, and Depth in Business

Long before playlists, streaming, or skipping tracks, I learned how to listen—really listen—one album side at a time. And that habit shaped far more than my musical taste.

Best Practice, Leadership, Organization, SkillsHenning SchwinumJanuary 22, 2026Vendux LLCfocue, patience, vinyl

The Lego Rules: How Childhood Building Blocks Shaped My Approach to Business Design

Lego wasn’t just a childhood obsession. It was leadership training in disguise. Those multi-hour sessions of building, breaking, rebuilding, and explaining taught me to love the iterative process, respect the power of structure, and—yes—recognize when my own rules limit creativity.

Organization, Leadership, Skills, TeamHenning SchwinumJanuary 13, 2026Vendux LLClego, childhood, building, creativity

Non-Compete Clauses and Fractional Executives - Where Protection Ends and Overreach Begins

Non-competes in 1099 contracts are not inherently unreasonable—but they are frequently misapplied. Companies that balance protection with practicality, and executives who engage thoughtfully rather than reflexively resisting, are far more likely to build durable, trust-based partnerships.

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