Comments on: Building on Michael Greeley’s Idea for Senior Successful Serial Entrepreneurs Joining Startups

By: A Quick Primer on Being an Interim CEO (Including Cleaning the Company Kitchen!) « Change Agent

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:28:12 +0000

[...] the “founding” CEO to a “permanent” CEO? Each company is different, but here are some simple guidelines that can help you decide if it makes sense to have an interim CEO step at your [...]

By: New Report: “8 Cases When VC’s & Boards Should Hire An Interim CEO” « Change Agent

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:34:38 +0000

[...] and 6 in Europe) and the cases I’ve most often come across are cultural change, new business, young team, crisis management, and turn [...]

By: Four Cases When Hiring an Interim CEO Makes Sense « Change Agent

Four Cases When Hiring an Interim CEO Makes Sense « Change Agent — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:57:57 +0000

[...] Change Agent « Building on Michael Greeley’s Idea for Senior Successful Serial Entrepreneurs Joining Sta… [...]

By: Change Agent Des

Change Agent Des — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:38:33 +0000

Jason, I’ve heard from one technical founder who answered your question such:

“I think another explanation is that so many “permenent” CEOs are looking for the big exit and being interim feels like it’s undervaluing their contributions (which are probably over-estimated by the CEO). Perhaps that’s the first sign of a bad fit — if the CEO isn’t willing to nurture the company and *win* the job then it won’t work out long term.

“I think what would really help entrepreneurs and startups is the venture industry embracing the idea of having different “lineups” of skills based on where the company is in its life as well as what kind of job they have in front of them. [Aside from Des: This is yet another reason to have interim CEOs; The only way to have different folks at different stages of the company is to be able to swap people in and out. Hence, interim.]

“For instance, my company should’ve had a “CTO+COO” combo from Day 1. We would’ve transitioned into a bizdev/sales-driven organization (crossed the chasm) years earlier.”

I concur.

By: Desmond PIeri

Desmond PIeri — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:44:58 +0000

Jason, I think a third reason; Having an interim is not considered because there is a shortage of people to fill the roles because so few people HONESTLY want to do interim roles. I fell into my first interim assignment at Eink ( http://bit.ly/GAl1t ) and I’ve been doing them — and enjoying them — ever since. They are extremely rewarding. Also, some founders express concern when someone wants to join their company on an interim basis, thinking the interim person is not committed. That’s not proved to be a problem either.

By: Jason Evanish

Jason Evanish — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:33:57 +0000

Interesting post. What do you think are the main reasons that doesn’t happen more often? Is it reluctance by the mentor to take that commanding a role or the less experienced afraid of giving up control?