January 16, 2026
Robert Jordan

Why Interim Leadership Isn’t Executive Search and Why the Fundamental Differences Matter

Robert Jordan | CEO, InterimExecs
Why Interim Leadership Isn’t Executive Search and Why the Fundamental Differences Matter

I just got off the phone with one of our RED Team interim executives, a seasoned operator currently parachuted into a portfolio company owned by a rookie private equity fund. He was brought in to mentor the heir apparent to take over the CEO seat.

Instead, he’s now cleaning up messes no one knew existed.

Very quickly after arriving, our interim executive realized the heir apparent wasn’t just struggling; he was fundamentally incompetent. Then the signs got darker: showing up smelling of alcohol. And then, the final line crossed; groping a young female colleague at a trade show.

Our interim executive had to interview the young woman, then fire the heir apparent.

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January 12, 2026

Family Office Costs Rising? Why an Interim Executive Can Be the Answer in Uncertain Times

Family Office Costs Rising? Why an Interim Executive Can Be the Answer in Uncertain Times

Family offices exist to protect, grow, and steward wealth across generations. At their best, they provide clarity, alignment, and disciplined decision-making for complex financial and personal priorities. Yet in today’s environment of economic uncertainty, regulatory pressure, and volatile markets, many high-net-worth families are asking a difficult question:

Is our family office costing more to run than it should?

Concerns about family office management costs are no longer hypothetical; they are becoming a central issue for families seeking operational efficiency, accountability, and flexibility without compromising discretion or quality.

Increasingly, the solution is not a permanent hire, but interim executive leadership for family offices. It’s not just about the permanent nature of, well, hiring permanently, with all of its burdens – it’s that interim is a powerful way to outsource while still keeping control.

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January 12, 2026

8 Questions to Ask to Decide Whether Your Family Office Would Benefit from Interim, Long Term Fractional, or Outsourced Leadership

8 Questions to Ask to Decide Whether Your Family Office Would Benefit from Interim, Long Term Fractional, or Outsourced Leadership

When families begin to question whether their office is operating as effectively as it should, the challenge is rarely a lack of commitment — it’s a lack of perspective. The eight questions below are designed to prompt an objective review of leadership effectiveness, cost alignment, and governance clarity, and to help determine whether temporary leadership support could be valuable without forcing permanent decisions.

1. Are rising family office costs clearly tied to measurable value?

 If operating expenses have increased but performance, transparency, or peace of mind have not improved proportionally, it may be time for an objective operational review by an interim executive. The right ongoing answer might be a fractional executive so you can get all of the firepower of an experienced leader at far lower cost.

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January 7, 2026

Using AI Without Exposing Your Crown Jewels: A Practical Guide for C-Suite Leaders

Using AI Without Exposing Your Crown Jewels: A Practical Guide for C-Suite Leaders

Artificial intelligence has moved from “interesting experiment” to “board-level priority” with remarkable speed. Most CEOs and executive teams now believe AI can materially improve efficiency, decision-making, and growth. At the same time, many share a quieter concern:

How do we use AI safely so we don’t put our most sensitive data, IP, and competitive advantage at risk?

The good news is that companies can unlock real value from AI without putting proprietary information at risk — and they can do so without rushing into a costly, permanent hire before they’re ready.

Here’s how.

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January 7, 2026

The AI Questions CEOs Should Ask to Avoid the Wrong Executive Hire

The AI Questions CEOs Should Ask to Avoid the Wrong Executive Hire

Most CEOs know something’s not working — but they can’t always articulate what they need, or who they need in the seat.

Enter Artificial Intelligence.

Lately, we’ve noticed more CEOs coming to us with excellent summaries of their business situation — often generated with AI. Honestly? We love it. A clear brief = faster, better match to the right interim leader.

The worst place to be as a CEO is knowing something is off… but not being able to name it.

AI helps you find the language.

A proven interim executive helps you fix the problem.

This guide (written with the assistance of AI!) gives you the exact ChatGPT prompts you need to help clarify:

  • your situation
  • your problems
  • the outcomes you want
  • whether you need an interim, fractional, or full-time leader

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January 6, 2026

Private Equity Operating Partner vs Interim Executive: Which Do You Need?

Private Equity Operating Partner vs Interim Executive: Which Do You Need?

Private equity firms are under pressure from high interest rates, longer hold periods, and more complex portfolio operations. In response, fund managers are rethinking how they create value.

A recent PwC study found that more than 80% of private equity funds now rely on operating partners to drive transformation inside portfolio companies. Yet many small and mid-market funds lack the operating partner bench they need to succeed in challenging times.

That’s where interim and fractional executives come in.

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December 29, 2025

Should Every Employee Have Ownership in Your Company?

Should Every Employee Have Ownership in Your Company?

From Silicon Valley startups to legacy manufacturers, business leaders are asking a fundamental question: Should employees have ownership in the companies they help build?

Employee ownership has long been associated with stronger cultures, better financial performance, and more secure retirements for workers. Yet despite these advantages, new ESOP creation has remained steady at roughly 250 plans per year—suggesting that many leaders are still uncertain about how employee ownership works or whether it’s right for their organization.

According to Mary Josephs, founder and CEO of Verit Advisors and a nationally recognized expert in ESOPs, the opportunity is far larger than many realize. Having advised on more than 300 middle-market ownership transitions, Josephs believes employee ownership represents one of the most underutilized tools in American business today.

“The broad range of employee ownership opportunities has the power to transform our economy as they continue to become more widely adopted,” says Josephs.

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December 29, 2025

Virtual CFO vs. Interim CFO: Why Leadership, Not the Label, Determines Outcomes

Virtual CFO vs. Interim CFO: Why Leadership, Not the Label, Determines Outcomes

On paper, a virtual CFO looks like the fastest solution to a financial leadership gap. In practice, many executives discover too late that what they hired is a service, not a leader. When your company faces investor scrutiny, cash pressure, or a pivotal transition, the real decision executives face isn’t virtual versus in-house, it’s transactional support versus decisive leadership.

InterimExecs CEO Robert Jordan discussed the differences — and asked for insights on when an embedded CFO is the right move — in conversations with two successful interim Chief Financial Officers, Vic Datta and Mike Winer. Here’s what their years of experience have taught them.

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October 17, 2025

Interim Executives vs. Consultants: The Complete Comparison Guide

Interim Executives vs. Consultants: The Complete Comparison Guide

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, organizations face critical decisions about external expertise. If you’re frantically Googling “interim executive vs consultant,” “difference between consultant and interim manager,” or even “consultant alternative,” you’re not alone. Leaders of organizations in need of expertise grapple with whether they simply require the strategic advice a consultant brings or if they need more and should hire an interim executive to drive real change.

This complete comparison guide serves as your big-picture resource, exploring definitions, key differences, when to use each, and practical tips to choose the right fit for your needs.

At InterimExecs, we specialize in placing top-tier interim executives who go beyond advice to deliver results. Whether you’re navigating a crisis, growth phase, or transition, understanding the “management consultant versus interim” distinction can save time, money, and frustration.

Let’s break it down.

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