February 8, 2025
Klaus-Jürgen Wolf

U.S. Tariffs, Potential and Otherwise: An Analysis from a European Interim Executive Operating in Mexico

Klaus-Jürgen Wolf | Interim Executive
U.S. Tariffs, Potential and Otherwise: An Analysis from a European Interim Executive Operating in Mexico

What impact could a potential increased customs tariff of 25% have on Mexico, assuming all exports from Mexico into the U.S. will be affected similarly?

Let’s do some simple math. If the cost of goods sold is about 50% (+/- 10%), multiply that by 1.25 to reflect the increased cost under a 25% tariff. It could make these goods 10-15% more expensive for U.S. consumers.

That has the potential to result in significant inflation. Not good for U.S. economic growth since the price increases will not be considered GDP growth. What happens then? The U.S. administration, facing backlash over double-digit inflation rates, will call for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

How will the markets for stock and crypto react? If we take goods that are pure imports from Mexico (no final manufacturing or assembly in Mexico), the price hike would be closer to 25%. I do not think significant price reductions are possible to reduce this burden unless manufacturers significantly reduce quality – a concern for consumers and a time lag on the entire market.

The consequences of such a burden would be evident immediately. Case in point: Consider recent events, when the US administration announced tariffs on Mexico and Canada and then postponed them the next day.

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January 27, 2025

Give Us Your Shills, Your Deadbeats, Your Huddled Signers Yearning to Cover for Disguised Anonymous LLC Owner: The Quiz for Executives

Give Us Your Shills, Your Deadbeats, Your Huddled Signers Yearning to Cover for Disguised Anonymous LLC Owner: The Quiz for Executives

True call, came in just now:

Caller: “I’m a lawyer in California with a client in XW (redacting state name so goons don’t come after us). We need a manager for an LLC. Do you have a COO who could sign a member LLC agreement?

InterimExecs: “You mean an interim COO? Do you have existing operations?”

Caller: “No, it’s a startup.”

InterimExecs: “Ok, well, what kind of operations are planned, how many employees, what kind of funding?”

Caller: “We need someone to sign because the state requires a member signature and they’d have to sign in all the places. In the construction industry.”

InterimExecs: “But this is an operational role?”

Caller: “No, The CEO does not want to disclose his identity.”

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January 18, 2025
Brett Morris

From Betrayal to Breakthrough: Transforming Victimhood into Empowerment

Brett Morris |
From Betrayal to Breakthrough: Transforming Victimhood into Empowerment

When’s the last time you felt betrayed?

I’m talking about deep, dark, soul-crushing betrayal.

If you remember it vividly, your stomach might be tightening as your heartbeat quickens just thinking about it. Betrayal can be heartbreaking and enraging all at once.

Once upon a time, I had an agreement with a statewide organization. (I won’t name the state, but let’s just say it rhymes with “Flexas.”) The head of the organization called me to apologize. Apparently, their written rules, which I had meticulously followed, didn’t matter anymore.

She admitted that despite attending all the trainings, earning all the certifications, and investing in my business with a website, business cards, and marketing materials, I wouldn’t be awarded any contracts. Ever.

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January 8, 2025

Stop Sending Resumes! It’s a Loser’s Game for Interim and Fractional Execs

Stop Sending Resumes! It’s a Loser’s Game for Interim and Fractional Execs

Resumes are for job seekers. But you’re not a job seeker. You’re an interim executive wired for driving value, creating wealth, and scaling up. Your focus as an interim and fractional executive is on problem-solving. So stop blanketing the world with your resume.

Instead, master your pitch. Craft a compelling pitch that highlights your expertise and the value you can bring to an organization in need.

Identify pain points and opportunities within organizations and present solutions.

Remember: The perfect elevator pitch is not about your past experiences; it’s about the future you can create.

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November 26, 2024

InterimExecs Becomes Exclusive U.S. Partner for the Global WIL Group

InterimExecs Becomes Exclusive U.S. Partner for the Global WIL Group

InterimExecs has joined the WIL Group (Worldwide Interim Leadership) as the exclusive U.S. partner. This collaboration is a strategic move to leverage a global network of expertise. It marks a significant step in expanding InterimExecs’ reach and service offerings, bringing greater international opportunities to U.S.-based clients and executives.

“We were intrigued to learn about a global organization of interim management firms, and now we can expand our service offerings and collaborate on a global scale,” said Robert Jordan, CEO of InterimExecs.

InterimExecs’ WIL Group partnership comes at a time when the U.S. interim management market is poised for significant growth. As interim and fractional leadership solutions become more widely adopted across industries, the ability to offer global resources will be a key differentiator.

“The U.S. is a strategic priority for the WIL Group and its future growth. The concept of interim management is growing and expanding exponentially in the U.S. and becoming a key business solution alongside management consultancy. For five years, we have looked for the right partner in the U.S. and we finally found it in InterimExecs, Olivia Wagner, Bob Jordan and team,” said Jason Atkinson, Director and Co-Founder Member, WIL Group. “We spent time together in London with Bob during the summer (2024) in order to build trust and ensure alignment with values and value proposition. We wholeheartedly welcome them to the WIL Group.”

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November 25, 2024

What Are Core Values and How Do Yours Inform Your Worklife?

What Are Core Values and How Do Yours Inform Your Worklife?

Core values are the fundamental beliefs, principles, and ethical standards that guide a person’s actions and decisions. They define what is important and provide a sense of purpose and direction. Understanding our own core values and how they impact our decisions and how we interact with others is critically important to understanding how we approach our daily lives and why we make the choices we make.

In the workplace, that means understanding how we react to others, how we manage employees, and why workers who feel the organization’s policies and expectations run counter to their core values suffer “moral injury.”

InterimExecs CEO Robert Jordan invited his business coach, Brett Morris, to sit down for a chat to learn what a core value is, why they are non-negotiable, why our core values are unique to us, what happens when our core beliefs are in conflict with those of other people, and what happens when we believe someone has violated our core values.

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November 19, 2024

How to Perfect Your Personal Elevator Pitch in 3 Easy Steps

How to Perfect Your Personal Elevator Pitch in 3 Easy Steps

Melissa Harris is a newspaperwoman-turned-marketing-exec who has perfected her elevator pitch and wants to help you perfect yours as well.

InterimExecs Chief Executive Officer Robert Jordan knows that the thousands of interim and fractional executives he has spoken with over the years need this. In fact, Jordan needed it himself. So he invited Harris, CEO of M. Harris & Co. to a Zoom chat during which she offered a Master Class on how executives can be far more effective in talking about themselves.

Here’s her 3-step approach to introducing yourself in a short, powerful, memorable way.

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November 12, 2024

Anatomy of a Business Turnaround: A Master Class with Paul Fioravanti

Anatomy of a Business Turnaround: A Master Class with Paul Fioravanti

Paul Fioravanti is a veteran interim executive. He is a turnaround expert who has been in some 90 engagements across 40 industries — as a CEO, COO, CTO (Chief Transformation Officer, CRO (Chief Restructuring Officer), General Manager or President.

So he knows a thing or two about how to get things done.

In our most recent Master Class video, InterimExecs CEO Robert Jordan talks with Fioravanti about his turnaround process and, in particular, his experience turning around Avara Pharmaceuticals.

Avara is a private equity-backed Big Pharma rollup that posted a loss of $45,000 and faced an imminent cash crisis and looming insolvency before Fioravanti came in as interim Chief Executive Officer. Thirteen months later, the company was $32 million positive and had achieved financial stability.

Here’s how he did it.

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October 22, 2024

Why You Need a Chief Technology Officer Even If You Are Not Running a Tech Company

Why You Need a Chief Technology Officer Even If You Are Not Running a Tech Company

Chief Technology Officers are most closely aligned with tech startups and software developers. But those are far from the only use cases for adding a chief technical officer to the C-suite.

The reality is that every company today is a technology company. At the very least, the company likely has a website, digital customer contact information, and some type of software solution to manage finances, inventory or other data. Plus, as any conscientious business owner will tell you, there are those niggling worries that can keep them up at night — things like wondering whether the company is vulnerable to a cybersecurity attack that will release their customers’ private data to the universe.

Does that mean you need to hire a full-time Chief Technology Officer or Chief Information Officer? Not necessarily. But you definitely need someone who has the strategic insights and decision-making power to manage the rapidly evolving technology landscape. If you don’t yet need or can’t justify hiring a full-time CTO, a part-time or fractional CTO or CIO can oversee your tech needs at a far lower cost.

But, first, let’s look at the role of a CTO in technology management.

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September 27, 2024

My CFO Just Quit. What Should I Do Now?

My CFO Just Quit. What Should I Do Now?

So your Chief Financial Officer just announced plans to leave. If you’re lucky, it’s a planned retirement several months in the future, giving you the time and space you need to conduct a thorough search for exactly the right new CFO. The stock market will have time to digest the news, the finance department staff and leadership team will get comfortable with the idea of a pending transition, and the bankers will remain calm.

But, what if the CFO leaves unexpectedly? It happens. Perhaps the departing CFO is leaving for health reasons. Or has taken a new position. Or is simply burned out after guiding the company through a pandemic, inflation, global uncertainty, and political upheaval.

Whatever the reason, you’re in a bind. You need to act fast to keep everyone calm — investors, stockholders, bankers, employees, the financial watchdogs who oversee public companies.

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