The Shortlist Lie: Why Your Executive Search Was Decided Before You Saw the Candidates

The standard executive search slate contains three to four candidates. AESC member firms and most retained search practices converge on this number for a reason — and it isn’t the one you’ve been told.

Best Practice, Organization, RecruitingHenning SchwinumMay 28, 2026Vendux LLCchoice, recruiting, decision, candidate

What a LinkedIn Profile and a Resume Can’t Tell You

Every salesperson on LinkedIn was President’s Club. Every resume shows quotas exceeded, records broken, number one on the team. But in a thirty-year career, nobody was at the top for thirty years in a row.

Recruiting, Motivation, Leadership, Sales, SkillsHenning SchwinumMay 16, 2026Vendux LLCLinkedIn, hiring, recruiting, question, process, perfectmatch

10 Numbers That Will Reshape How You Think About Fractional Executives in 2026

The fractional model has stopped being a workaround and started being a category. Each data point below is sourced from research published in or based on 2026.

Change, Fractional Sales Leader, Interim and Fractional, RecruitingHenning SchwinumMay 1, 2026Vendux LLCfractional, executive, top10

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.

Best Practice, Fractional Sales Leader, Interim and Fractional, Leadership, Organization, RecruitingHenning SchwinumApril 24, 2026Vendux LLCMasterclass, ceo, mistakes, CEO, fractional, HR, Executive

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 Leader, Interim and Fractional, Organization, Recruiting, TeamHenning SchwinumMarch 28, 2026Vendux LLCfamily, vc, private equity, ownership, fractional, executives

The Biggest Competitor to a Fractional Executive Is Inaction

When people talk about competition in the fractional executive market, the usual suspects come up quickly: full-time hires, consultants, agencies, or internal promotions. Those comparisons make for tidy debates, but they miss the real obstacle.

Fractional Sales Leader, Interim and Fractional, RecruitingHenning SchwinumFebruary 13, 2026Vendux LLCcompetition, inaction, nothing, wait, decision

The Blurry Beginnings: How a First Camera Taught Me to Lead with Curiosity and Iteration

Childhood gifts that survived the many moves become treasured objects. Others become turning points. My first camera—arriving sometime around the end of fourth grade—quietly shaped how I observe the world, how I make decisions, and ultimately how I lead. I don’t remember the exact day I received it, but I know it changed something in me.

Leadership, Motivation, RecruitingHenning SchwinumFebruary 4, 2026Vendux LLCcamera, curiosity, iteration, photos, focus

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.

Best Practice, Fractional Sales Leader, Interim and Fractional, Organization, RecruitingHenning SchwinumDecember 28, 2025Vendux LLC1099, noncompete, non-compete, balance, law, protection, overreach

When the Best Salesperson Becomes the Bottleneck

Because the solution might not be another marketing campaign or quota push. It might be time to introduce experienced leadership—fractionally or otherwise—to build the structure your best people deserve.

Best Practice, Fractional Sales Leader, Interim and Fractional, Leadership, Sales, Recruiting, OrganizationHenning SchwinumDecember 12, 2025Vendux LLCfractional, CRO, vp sales, bottleneck, salesperson, promotion, organization

The Crossroads Story: When Founder-Led Sales Hits Its Limit

That milestone feels like proof that everything works: the product resonates, customers are buying, and growth seems inevitable. Yet for many founders, it’s exactly when sales momentum stalls.

Change, Interim and Fractional, Fractional Sales Leader, Organization, Recruiting, SalesHenning SchwinumNovember 7, 2025Vendux LLCcrossroad, founder-led, growth, scaleup

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