May 26, 2026

The Private Credit Crisis Is Becoming a Leadership Crisis for PE Firms

The Private Credit Crisis Is Becoming a Leadership Crisis for PE Firms

Private equity firms are facing mounting pressure as rising borrowing costs, stalled exits and tighter lending conditions reshape the private credit landscape. What began as a financing challenge is rapidly becoming an operational leadership crisis, driving demand for interim executives, fractional CFOs and turnaround leaders capable of stabilizing portfolio companies under stress.

3 Key Takeaways

  • The private credit crisis is no longer just a capital markets issue. Private equity firms are increasingly confronting operational instability across portfolio companies as refinancing becomes more difficult and liquidity pressure intensifies.
  • Interim and fractional executives are becoming strategic assets. PE firms are relying on experienced interim CEOs, CROs and fractional CFOs to improve cash flow, stabilize operations and restore lender confidence during periods of uncertainty.
  • Operational execution now matters as much as financial engineering. The firms best positioned to navigate the current market are those combining disciplined financial management with experienced leadership capable of driving rapid operational change.

Read More

April 30, 2026

Nonprofits Need Interim Leadership to Navigate What’s Next in an Unpredictable World

Nonprofits Need Interim Leadership to Navigate What’s Next in an Unpredictable World

As nonprofit organizations face rising demand and unpredictable funding, mergers are becoming more common, but they’re not the only path forward. The real differentiator is leadership. Bringing in experienced interim executives equips organizations to stabilize, evaluate options, and execute successfully, whether the nonprofits ultimately merge or remain independent.

Key Takeaways

  • Nonprofit mergers are accelerating, but success depends on strong, experienced leadership in the moment.
  • Interim executives bring critical financial and operational discipline, helping organizations stabilize, assess options, and execute effectively.
  • The right interim leader positions nonprofits to succeed as a stronger standalone organization or as a high-performing merger partner.

A Sector Under Pressure

Nonprofits today are navigating a perfect storm: escalating need for services alongside shrinking, less predictable funding streams. The result is a sector increasingly in flux, with boards and executive teams under pressure to make high-stakes decisions quickly.

Read More

April 29, 2026

When Should You Hire a CFO?

When Should You Hire a CFO?

Knowing when to hire a CFO can be the difference between scaling confidently and flying blind. As companies grow, financial decisions become more complex—from forecasting and fundraising to managing cash flow and expansion. This guide explains the key signals it’s time to bring in CFO-level leadership and which model fits your stage.

Key Takeaways:

  • Complexity is the trigger: When financial decisions, forecasting, or cash flow questions outgrow basic accounting, it’s time for CFO-level strategy.
  • Growth events often require a CFO: Fundraising, M&A, expansion, or operational inefficiencies are common points where companies, especially startups, bring in a CFO.
  • You don’t always need full-time: Interim or fractional CFOs provide senior financial leadership without the cost or commitment of a permanent hire.

Whether you’re running a startup, scaling fast, or facing financial complexity, the question eventually comes up: Is it time to hire a CFO? This guide breaks down when to bring in a full-time, fractional, or interim CFO — and how to know which one is right for your company’s stage.

Read More

April 29, 2026

CFO Resignations Hit Record Highs. Who Will Fill the Role When Your CFO Leaves?

CFO Resignations Hit Record Highs. Who Will Fill the Role When Your CFO Leaves?

When a CFO leaves a company — whether by resignation, retirement, or termination — the clock starts immediately. CFO turnover hit a seven-year high in 2025, making succession planning more critical than ever. As a consequence, demand for highly skilled interim CFOs remains high.

A whopping 262 CFOs left their jobs globally in 2025, continuing a multi-year trend of high turnover. In the S&P 500 alone, CFO turnover surged to a record 106 appointments in 2025, up sharply from 89 the year prior.

According to the management consulting firm Russel Reynolds Associates, which keeps track of CFO comings and goings, “Global CFO appointments reached a seven-year high in 2025, with 316 incoming CFOs (+10% YoY) and 12% above the seven-year average of 281 appointments. This continued upward trajectory is a clear signal that elevated CFO churn is now a persistent feature of today’s governance landscape.”

That means even big public companies are at risk of CFO turnover, whether by resignation, retirement, or termination, and every company needs a strong succession plan to ensure continuity in financial leadership.

Read More

April 13, 2026

Considering an Ownership Transition? Why You Need Interim Leadership When Considering ESOPs, PE, or Sale

Considering an Ownership Transition? Why You Need Interim Leadership When Considering ESOPs, PE, or Sale

Ownership transitions can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to derail your business. This post breaks down how smart planning, employee ownership, and the right interim leadership can keep operations steady, protect your company’s value, and set the stage for a successful handoff.

Selling your business, or even partially transitioning ownership, is uncharted territory. As a founder or owner, you’re looking at a range of possibilities:

  • ESOPs to share ownership with your employees
  • Private equity to bring in capital and growth expertise
  • Employee ownership trusts to preserve culture
  • Strategic buyers
  • Family transitions
  • Going public

“The right strategy exists for you; the challenge is matching it to your aspirations,” says Mary Josephs, a nationally recognized expert in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP).

Read More

February 16, 2026

The Not-So-Secret Weapon Middle-Market CEOs Use to Accelerate Growth

The Not-So-Secret Weapon Middle-Market CEOs Use to Accelerate Growth

Every CEO eventually faces the same leadership dilemma: the opportunity ahead is bigger than the team you have today.

Markets open and close faster than ever.

Revenue targets climb.

Competitive threats appear without warning.

Boards and investors demand performance.

In these moments, the difference between hitting growth milestones and watching them slip away comes down to having the right leadership in place. Successful CEOs know how to ensure they always have the leadership capacity they need when they need it: they bring in top-tier interim executives.

Interim leadership is much more than a stopgap: it’s a strategic force multiplier. Interim executives with a strong track record of accelerating growth know how to orchestrate change fast, decisively, and with minimal disruption.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

October 15, 2025

Expanding and Scaling Your Company: The Growth Interim’s 4-Part Success Strategy

Expanding and Scaling Your Company: The Growth Interim’s 4-Part Success Strategy

When a company reaches the point where momentum alone can’t sustain growth, it often faces the hard truth: the systems, people, and leadership that got it here may not get it there. That’s where a growth interim steps in — to stabilize, realign, and set the stage for sustainable expansion.

Whether you’re running a manufacturing business or scaling an SaaS company, the principles of disciplined growth remain the same. You must assess what’s working, fix what’s broken, and put the right leadership in place to grow without losing quality or direction.

Below, veteran growth interim Charlie Shalvoy shares the four success stages that help organizations scale strategically — and what to do when the CEO can’t scale the company alone.

Read More