Frequently Asked Questions

For fractional sales leaders considering to join the Vendux roster

This FAQ answers the questions experienced sales executives ask us most often in discovery calls—about how Vendux works, what joining the roster involves, how matching and compensation work, and what it takes to build a successful practice in fractional sales leadership. It is drawn directly from more than 2,000 of those conversations.

After your recent Registration as a Sales Leader on our website, we ask you to read through the FAQs as the next step. We want to make sure that we are a fit for each other before finalizing our collaboration.

Reading time: about 20 minutes. Short on time? The Vendux at a Glance table covers the essentials in two.

Jump to: About Vendux · Joining the Roster · Matching and Introductions · Assignments and Clients · Compensation and Contracts · Setting Expectations · Building a Successful Practice · Resources

Vendux at a Glance

Figures are current as of September 2026 unless noted otherwise.

About Vendux

What is Vendux?

Vendux is a matchmaker for fractional sales leadership. We maintain a pre-vetted roster of fractional sales leaders and match them with companies that need sales leadership on a fractional, interim or, occasionally, full-time basis. We are the only matchmaker in the market with a sole focus on the sales function; most others staff the entire C-suite.

We operate industry-agnostic, with clients ranging from pre-revenue startups to companies of roughly $100 million in revenue.

Why was Vendux founded?

Henning Schwinum founded Vendux in 2019 after 25 years as a sales leader. When he set out to become a fractional VP of Sales himself, he found two gaps: he did not know enough founders, owners, CEOs, board members and investors to find roles on his own, and there was no matchmaker focused specifically on sales leadership. So, he built the missing link.

Everyone who works on client assignments and interviews executives at Vendux—Henning, co-founder Tim Kelly and our partners—has led sales teams. We like to say that we make better recruiters precisely because we never worked a day as recruiters.

Which roles do you staff?

Anything that touches sales, revenue, growth, and business development—at C-suite level (CRO, CSO), VP level, Director level and, occasionally, senior or “founding” account executive roles. We deliberately use the term “sales leader” rather than titles, because titles in this space are often misleading.

We do not staff BDR/SDR or other junior sales roles. Other C-suite functions (COO, CMO, CTO, CHRO, Chief of Staff and others) are handled by our sister platform, Shiny.

I also have expertise outside sales (marketing, operations, people). Can you help?

Yes, through our sister platform, Shiny, which matches fractional executives in every other function: COO, CMO, CTO, CHRO, Chief of Staff and more. Shiny works as a self-service platform: creating a profile is free and takes about 10 to 15 minutes at useshiny.com. You can be on both rosters; Vendux handles your sales leadership profile, Shiny everything else.

Is Vendux a community, a franchise, or a training program?

None of the above. We are a matchmaker: our job is to bring the right executive into the right assignment. We do not sell you a brand, a toolbox, marketing support or an annual conference, and we do not charge membership fees. If you are looking for a peer community or training, our Resources page lists excellent providers (full disclosure: Henning co-runs the #befractional training program, which is one of them).

Joining the Roster

What does it cost to join?

Nothing. Joining the roster is free—this is not a pay-to-play arrangement. We only earn money when you earn money, through a percentage of the fees a client pays for an assignment (see “Compensation and Contracts”).

What is the process?

• Discovery. Read through this FAQ document and decide whether joining Vendux is right for you. Our only question at the end is whether you think you are a fit and would like to complete the onboarding.

• Onboarding call (about an hour). A structured conversation with Henning or co-founder Tim Kelly about your career: the sales scenarios you have led, your teams, your successes and failures, your superpowers, ...

• On the Roster. After the onboarding call, your profile is built in our system, and you are part of every match we run through our software.

How should I prepare for the onboarding call?

You do not need to prepare—we talk about your career, which you know better than anyone. We invest this hour rather than simply scraping your LinkedIn profile because the details that make a great match (i.e. deal sizes, sales cycles, decision makers, ownership structures, the problems you have solved) rarely appear on a résumé. Having sold for decades ourselves, we also tend to notice when a role is described with more polish than substance.

What happens after my onboarding call?

We usually build your profile the same day, and it enters our PerfectMatch™ runs overnight. You can strengthen it by sending us:

• A current résumé

• A one-page bio

• One-page case studies in a problem–approach–outcome format

• Any other collateral you use in your practice

Can I see or edit my Vendux profile?

Your profile is an internal working document, not a public page. We build it from the onboarding conversation, your LinkedIn profile and any documents you send us, which are indexed by our matching software. You cannot edit it directly, by design: if executives wrote their own profiles, they would all read alike, because after a 25-year career everyone has done most everything. Our profile records what we heard and where we believe your strengths lie.

To keep it current, email us an updated résumé, bio or case studies whenever something changes. Specific, detailed documents help: the more concrete your experience, the better the software can match it. We share your background with a client only when we introduce you, and only after you have confirmed your interest.

Who is a good fit for the roster?

The range is broad. Two profiles that rarely fit are (1) a 27-year-old who was just promoted to sales manager (not yet enough experience) and (2) someone who spent 30 years in the same corporate career (not enough exposure to change and different environments). Most experienced sales leaders fall somewhere in between, and there is room for many different profiles because client needs differ greatly.

Do I need to be a full-time fractional executive?

We strongly prefer executives who are committed to the fractional model. If fractional work is a bridge until your next full-time (W-2) role, we would rather not waste your time or ours: when an executive walks off an assignment for a full-time offer, the client suffers and so does our reputation.

If you plan to take on fractional work alongside a full-time job, be candid with us. Roles to moonlight as a fractional executive are rare. Also, we will want to understand your availability during regular business hours—not just early mornings, evenings and weekends—and whether you are comfortable identifying publicly as a fractional executive with our client.

Do I need an LLC?

We prefer it, and roughly 95% of the executives we place operate through one, in part for liability protection. It is not a requirement: we also contract with individuals. Either way, you (or your LLC) contract with Vendux as a 1099 contractor.

Matching and Introductions

How does your matching process (PerfectMatch™) work?

It starts with the client, not with an available executive. We operate client-centric and always aim to do right by the client. For each opportunity we scope, in detail, where the company stands with their sales motion, where it wants to be in the next three to nine months, what is blocking that growth, what it sells to whom, the decision makers, the length of the sales cycle, the deal size and structure, and the seniority and hours the role requires.

We then run that scope against the full roster using matching software we built ourselves. It scores every executive for every opportunity. We review the top candidates, reach out to the best few to confirm interest and availability, and introduce between one and three executives to the client. We never go beyond three: if it takes more than that, we have not done our job.

What do you match on?

Past experience is the key criterion, because clients do not pay a fractional executive for a learning curve—they expect immediate impact. Our mantra: the executive we introduce should be able to look the founder in the eye and say, “I have done before what you are setting out to accomplish.”

That experience is not always industry experience. Depending on the assignment, the decisive factor may be the type of product (manufactured, distributed, software, service), the sales motion (transactional versus enterprise), the decision maker being targeted, the deal structure, the ownership structure (family-owned, VC- or PE-backed, public) or the specific problem to be solved. One of the attractions of fractional work is that it opens doors to industries where a traditional recruiter would never have considered you.

Labels such as “A player” or “five-time President’s Club” carry little weight in our matching. Nobody describes themselves as mediocre on their resume or LinkedIn.

Do I browse open opportunities and apply?

No. We do not post assignments publicly and we do not operate an open job board. When your profile rises to the top of a match, we contact you directly: “We have something—are you available and are you interested?” If you are, we share the scope and, with your consent, make the introduction.

Will I know what I’ll earn before I’m introduced to a client?

Yes, in almost every case. We discuss budget with the client while scoping the assignment, and we check it against the rate you gave us during onboarding. When we contact you about a match, we can usually tell you the retainer or rate you’d receive, so you can decide whether it’s worth your time before any interview takes place. We don’t bring you opportunities that significantly undercut your stated rate.

What do I receive when you contact me about an opportunity?

When your profile rises to the top of a match, we reach out for a short call to confirm that you are indeed a fit, interested, and available. We walk you through where the client is in sales, what they want to accomplish, the expected hours and what the role pays. If you want to proceed, we send you:

• The assignment scope: a step-by-step description of what the client expects the executive to accomplish.

• Our two-page interview guide. Interviewing for a fractional role is different: you are brought in as the expert on one specific problem, not to present everything else you can do.

We then introduce you to the decision maker by email and assist in scheduling the first interview.

When will I learn the client’s name?

First we describe the role: the company’s stage, what it sells, the problem to be solved, hours and compensation. If you are interested and we decide to introduce you, we share the client’s name, the decision maker and the full assignment scope so you can prepare. We do it in this order because sometimes executives decide the role is not for them before a name ever matters, and our clients expect discretion.

What happens after the introduction?

The client interviews the candidates and makes the final decision. We provide our executives with an interview guide and the assignment scope, because interviewing for a fractional role differs from interviewing for a full-time position. When several candidates are equally qualified, the decision usually comes down to culture fit and personality.

Before anything goes into a contract, we expect you to review the scope and goals and tell us, based on your experience, what should be adjusted. The final expectations should be something all three parties—client, executive and Vendux—can stand behind.

Can I turn down an opportunity?

Yes, at any time. Our relationship is non-committed and non-exclusive in both directions: you are under no obligation to accept anything we bring you, and we are under no obligation to deliver a certain number of assignments or hours.

How quickly does an opportunity move once you contact me?

Quickly. There is no pipeline in fractional work: when a CEO decides they need a fractional sales leader, they want someone now. On average about 20 days pass between a client approaching us and the executive’s start date. Our part—scoping, matching and introductions—typically takes two to three days; the rest is the client’s interviews and decision. When we contact you, a prompt reply makes a real difference.

Assignments and Clients

What kinds of companies hire fractional sales leaders through Vendux?

Small and mid-sized businesses from pre-revenue to about $100 million in revenue, with the majority between $1 million and $20 million. Our primary contact is always the CEO, founder or owner. Engagements typically begin with a problem the client is experiencing, for example:

• Transitioning out of founder-led or owner-led sales.

• A sales team that has plateaued or is not meeting targets.

• Moving into a different sales motion, a new market or a new product for the first time.

• Building the missing infrastructure: process, playbook, tech stack, consistent messaging and hiring.

Which industries?

We are industry-agnostic and, over seven years, have placed executives in virtually every vertical. Today the mix is roughly 50/50 between tech and SaaS on one side and professional services, manufacturing, distribution, industrial and further traditional sectors on the other. When we started in 2019 it was almost entirely tech. We expect traditional industries to keep gaining share as their adoption of the fractional model grows.

How many hours per week, and how long do assignments last?

According to our 2025 market report—an analysis of more than 1,000 fractional sales leadership assignments—the average assignment was about 14.5 hours per week and lasted about 9.4 months. Averages hide the wide spread: assignments range from two- to three-month projects (write a playbook, hire a team, …) to engagements that have run for four years or more in niches where the client will never need a full-time leader.

Most fractional roles fall between 20% and 50% of an executive’s time. Below 20% rarely allows real impact; above 50%, the role could arguably be full-time or interim.

Are assignments remote?

About 95% are primarily remote. Some clients prefer an executive in their region who can occasionally be in the office, which we factor into the match. Travel for a quarterly business review or a key customer visit is, in sales, simply part of the job.

Who pays for travel and expenses?

The client does. Every contract states that the client covers any approved travel, and you never bear that cost yourself. Agree trips with the client in advance, then submit your expenses to Vendux and we invoice the client. In some engagements you may invoice the client directly, and we’re fine with that. In either case your retainer covers your time, not your travel.

Do fractional assignments convert into full-time roles?

Occasionally, but it is not the norm—roughly 10–20% of our assignments convert. Both parties have to want it. Often, the fractional leader builds the function, and once the company outgrows a fractional arrangement, the executive helps the client hire a full-time successor and works themselves out of the job.

What happens if a client wants to hire me full-time?

We do not stand in the way. Our client contract contains a conversion clause: if the client hires you full-time, the client pays Vendux a fee based on a percentage of your first-year salary, similar to a recruiting fee. There is no cost to you.

Do you work outside the US and Canada?

Our initial core market was the US and Canada. We recently added a partner based in Spain to develop the European market, and it is fair to state that the business is still in its early stages.

How do assignments usually go?

Well—most assignments meet their original goals. Check our statistics. When assignments go sideways, the executive’s qualifications are rarely the cause. More common causes are a client running out of runway, a CEO who hires a fractional leader but does not commit to the change required, or – most commonly - a breakdown of communication. That is why we test expectations and runway during scoping, and why we recommend a steady cadence of communication with the client throughout.

Compensation and Contracts

How are fractional sales leaders compensated?

More than 80% of the assignments we place are based on a monthly retainer tied to an agreed time commitment (for example, “approximately 8–10 hours per week” or “approximately 6 days per month”). Because sales is involved, some assignments add a commission, bonus or other variable component on top of the retainer. Purely hourly engagements are rare. We generally decline success-fee-only roles; in sales, we believe in shared risk and shared reward.

In 2025, our average rate across all placements was about $225 per hour, or roughly $11,000 per month in retainer. The spread is wide—from under $100 to more than $400 per hour—depending on factors like the industry, region, company stage and complexity of the assignment.

Do assignments include equity or commission?

Some do. Equity is part of a smaller share of assignments—around one in ten. Commission or bonus components on top of a retainer are more common, and occasionally a role starts with a non-recoverable draw that shifts toward variable pay over time. We generally decline commission-only roles: a fractional leader’s early work—process, playbook, tech stack, hiring—stays with the company whether or not deals close during the engagement.

How does Vendux get paid?

When a match is made, we put two contracts in place: you become a 1099 contractor to Vendux, and Vendux is the service provider to the client. We invoice and collect; when the client pays, we retain our agreed percentage—typically around 20%—and the rest goes to you.

Because we are paid along the way, our interests are aligned with yours: we want every assignment to succeed and to last.

When and how do I get paid?

Most assignments are monthly retainers invoiced in advance at the beginning of each month. The client pays Vendux, we retain our agreed percentage, and we transfer your share as soon as the client’s payment arrives—typically within three to four days of the start of the month. Approved travel expenses are reimbursed separately; see “Who pays for travel and expenses?”

Does your fee come out of my rate?

No. During onboarding we ask what rate you are looking for, and we try to never undercut it significantly. When we scope an assignment, we make sure the client is prepared to invest what it takes to attract the right talent, and our percentage is built in between. When we contact you about an opportunity, we can typically tell you what it pays, and you decide whether it works for you.

If your rate does not fit your target market, we will tell you. Asking $400 per hour from pre-revenue, seed-funded startups is a mismatch; helping companies close million-dollar enterprise deals at $80 per hour is equally one—you should at least tripple it.

Should I price low to get my first assignment?

We advise against it. Fractional assignments are one-off engagements tied to a specific window in a company’s growth; there is rarely a chance to raise the price later, and a client who is anchored to a number tends to stay there. Price yourself for the value you bring and the audience you target. Whether it is your first assignment or your fiftieth makes no difference to what the work is worth.

What are the contract terms?

Our contracts are typically open-ended and month-to-month. We do not believe in minimum terms: every six-month contract has an exit clause anyway, and if an engagement does not work, neither party should be held to it. When it does work, the client has every incentive to keep the executive for as long as possible.

Our terms include a standard non-circumvention clause: during the contract and for 24 months after it ends, you and the client do not contract directly with each other for that client’s work.

Is there a non-compete?

No. You’re free to work with other clients during an assignment, and most of our executives serve two or three at once. The only restriction is the non-circumvention clause: you and the client agree not to contract directly while the engagement runs or for 24 months afterward. If another engagement could create a conflict of interest, tell us early so we can address it with you and the client.

What role does Vendux play during an assignment?

Primarily administrative: invoicing, collection and contract management. We stay involved when the scope, hours or focus change, because those changes affect the rate structure. We do not interfere with delivery—our job is to bring in someone who knows how to solve the client’s problem, not to tell them how to do it. Likewise, we do not supply a methodology or toolkit; we expect our executives to bring their own frameworks and to use modern, AI-native or -enabled tools to adapt them to each client.

Do you pay a referral fee if I pass you an opportunity?

Yes. If you come across a fractional sales leadership opportunity that is not a fit for you—wrong industry, wrong timing or your calendar is full—pass it to us. If we staff it from our roster, we pay you a finder’s fee. Never stop business development, even when you are fully booked: there is always someone who can take an opportunity you cannot.

Setting Expectations

How often will I be offered assignments? How long until my first match?

There is no typical frequency or waiting period, and we will not pretend otherwise. Because we are client-centric, we only reach out when your profile is a genuine fit for a client’s needs. Some executives are placed within weeks, some have been placed multiple times (occasionally in parallel), and some have never been contacted because no client need has matched their profile yet. Time on the roster is not a factor in matching—someone who joined yesterday is treated exactly like someone who joined in 2019.

How large is the roster?

As of September 2026, the roster comprises about 1,600 pre-vetted fractional sales leaders, and we currently add new executives almost every day. We want to set realistic expectations: we should be one of your channels to market, and never your only one.

How many assignments does Vendux run?

At any given time in 2026 we ran around 30 active assignments, and we worked on roughly 20 to 25 new opportunities every month. We do not measure ourselves by placements per calendar year; what matters is how many executives are working with clients right now, and we aim for that number to grow every quarter.

Is the relationship exclusive?

No. It is non-exclusive and non-committed. You are free—and encouraged—to work with other matchmakers and platforms and to pursue your own opportunities. Studies, including our own, consistently show that 60-80% of fractional assignments come through an executive’s own network and referrals.

Will you stay in touch with me after onboarding?

You will receive our weekly newsletter, but we do not schedule regular one-on-one check-ins. Our commitment is that your profile is part of every match we run. If something relevant changes—new experience, a change in availability or rates—let us know so your profile stays accurate.

How do you find clients?

Fractional roles are rarely posted publicly, so we invest in reaching the people who make these decisions: founders, owners, CEOs, board members and investors. Our channels include LinkedIn, referral partnerships with other fractional firms, recruiters, VC and private equity firms, startup networks and incubators, events, thought leadership (including Henning’s book, Right-Sized, Right-Skilled), and search and answer-engine optimization. Today, many CEOs find us by asking ChatGPT or their AI assistant of choice whom they should talk to.

What is the state of the fractional sales leadership market?

Growing, but competitive. By our estimates there are at least 80,000 true fractional executives in the US across all functions, roughly 9,500 of whom are fractional sales leaders. Only an estimated 10-15% of small and mid-sized businesses have used a fractional executive, so the long-term growth potential is substantial.

In the near term, however, supply is growing faster than demand. Our own roster intake has roughly doubled in 2026. We have not seen rate erosion, but executives have to work harder to fill their calendars.

Building a Successful Fractional Practice

Many of our calls with executives turn to broader questions about succeeding as a fractional executive. Here is the advice we give most often.

What separates successful fractional sales leaders from the rest?

• They treat it as a business. You are now the product. That means defining your positioning, messaging, marketing, sales and pricing—skills that even a stellar corporate career does not automatically provide.

• They niche. “Fractional CRO” puts you among thousands. “I help fintech founders grow from $1M to $5M within 12 months” gets the attention of every fintech founder at $1M. The narrower your positioning, the better. Riches are in niches.

• They describe problems, not titles or company names. CEOs hire to solve a problem. If your LinkedIn headline names their problem, you have their attention. Keep one-page case studies handy—problem, solution, outcome—for your most common scenarios.

• They work four or five channels. Your network and referrals, communities, matchmakers like Vendux, partnerships with other fractionals, and your own outreach. No single channel fills a calendar.

• They build the right network. The colleagues from your corporate career are rarely the people who will hire you as a fractional. Grow your network among founders, CEOs, investors and fractional peers (another fractional executive who understands your superpower can be an excellent referral source).

• They plan for the ramp-up. It typically takes one to two years to build a sustainable fractional practice. If fractional income must cover next month’s mortgage from day one, the model will feel stressful.

• They keep upskilling. In a corporate role, your employer decides what you learn; as a fractional, you do. Today, fluency in AI-enabled sales systems is assumed of any sales leader who walks in the door.

• They don’t know what they don’t know. If this is the first time you are building a business around yourself, consider joining a community and investing into training.

How many clients can I realistically serve in parallel?

With an average of about 14.5 hours per assignment, two to three clients will fill roughly 30–40 hours per week—leaving the time you need for ongoing business development. To make parallel assignments workable, build clear time boundaries into every retainer contract.

Resources

Where can I learn more?

•      Vendux 2025 Report — our latest annual analysis of more than 1,000 fractional sales leadership assignments: rates, hours, duration, scope and how roles are found, including the spread behind each average.

•      Going Fractional resource list —other matchmakers and platforms, peer communities, training providers, software offerings, and much more.

•      Fractional Leadership Alliance (FLA) — the global industry association for fractional leaders.

•      Right-Sized, Right-Skilled — Henning Schwinum’s book on fractional sales leadership.

Next Steps

Thank you for taking the time to read through these FAQs.

“I am ready. How do I join?”

Has this FAQ document answered all your questions?

Do you feel the answers we provided under Who is a good fit for the roster and What separates successful fractional sales leaders from the rest describe you?

Does your ICP align with our description of Assignments and Clients?

Then you are ready to join. Schedule the onboarding call.

“I am not quite ready and have further questions.”

In this case schedule a discovery call with us.