The Growing Strain in Private Credit and How Private Equity Can Survive and Thrive

A quiet but significant shift is underway in private capital markets. The private credit boom that fueled rapid dealmaking over the past decade is now colliding with higher interest rates, slower exits, and investor liquidity pressure. For private equity firms already holding portfolio companies longer than planned, the implications are real: improving operational performance is no longer optional; it is the primary path to preserving value.

What once felt like a reliable financial engine is becoming more complicated. And the firms that adapt fastest will likely come out ahead.

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Why Interim and Fractional CIOs and CTOs Are Essential in this Age of AI Transformation

AI transformation is not just a technology initiative; it is an organizational shift that requires experienced leadership. Interim and fractional CIOs and CTOs bring the expertise needed to help companies align people, processes, and architecture as agentic AI reshapes how work gets done.

Artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimentation. Boards and leadership teams are no longer asking whether to adopt AI, they are asking how quickly they can execute without destabilizing their organization.

What many companies discover is that the biggest obstacle is not technology. It is leadership.

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From SaaS to Agentic BPO: How AI Is Reshaping Business Models

Agentic AI is pushing companies to rethink traditional SaaS economics. As agents begin executing workflows, organizations are exploring outcome-driven models that resemble AI-powered BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) services rather than seat-based software platforms.

For decades, SaaS growth relied on expanding users and licenses. The more seats a company sold, the higher its perceived value.

Agentic AI introduces a different possibility, one where software doesn’t just support work, but performs it.

That shift has led to a “SaaSpocolypse.” Software as a Service companies have shed market value in the face of the rapid emergence of agentic AI. In response, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Block, laid off 40 percent of his workforce and was rewarded with a 24 percent jump in the company’s stock price.

Is that the only way forward? No, says one of our InterimExecs RED Team CIOs.

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The Workforce Crisis Driving AI Adoption (That No One Wants to Admit)

The most successful organizations adopt AI not to replace workers, but to solve talent shortages and scale expertise through AI agents.

AI is often framed as a productivity story. But, according to one of our RED Team Interim CIOs whose expertise involves transforming organizations using AI and technology, the problem is something very different.

“They don’t have the workforce.”

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The Agentic AI Shift: Why SaaS Companies Must Rethink Growth, Valuation, and Leadership

Agentic AI changes how software works by executing workflows instead of supporting users. This shift challenges seat-based SaaS economics and requires experienced executive leadership to guide transformation.

For years, SaaS valuations were built on a familiar model: growth, recurring revenue, and expanding user seats. Companies scaled by adding customers and increasing adoption inside organizations.

No more.

Agentic AI is changing not just how software is built, but how work itself gets done. And for many SaaS companies, especially those in the broad middle of the market, that shift has immediate implications for valuation, growth narratives, exit strategies, and executive leadership needs.

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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 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.

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Transforming Your Business Through Technology: Advice from Interim CIOs

“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”

— Steve Jobs

Technology is evolving at a breakneck pace, leaving many companies struggling to keep up. When systems are misaligned, talent is underleveraged, and business leaders are frustrated, it’s often a sign that technology is being managed in a silo—or worse, it’s actively hindering growth.

We spoke with two seasoned interim CIOs, David Mitchelhill and Kevin Malover, both members of the InterimExecs RED Team, about how they’ve guided companies through ERP overhauls, tech stack rebuilds, and aligning IT with business goals. Here are the biggest takeaways.

Embracing VUCA in the Workplace: How Your Company Can Thrive in a World of Constant Flux

The landscape of the business world has always been in motion. Today, that reality is amplified. We’re operating in an era defined by unprecedented speed and interconnectedness, where disruptions can emerge from anywhere and reshape entire sectors overnight.

This hyper-dynamic environment makes traditional planning feel increasingly precarious. As Mike Tyson famously said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Today, those punches can land swiftly and unexpectedly, making it difficult to predict what’s next.

The U.S. Army War College has an acronym for that: VUCA. It stands for:

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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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Resolving Conflict on the Management Team: Why it Starts and How to Fix It

Not long ago, InterimExecs was approached by a human resources professional who was concerned about the level of conflict among the members of the management team. The clashes had reached a point where they were, she said, ready to kill one another.

That got us thinking: Is conflict simply the nature of the beast these days?

Turns out the answer is no, according to Alicia Fortinberry and Bob Murray. Their company, Fortinberry Murray, is “committed to arming people and businesses with the knowledge and practical skills to build the organizations, communities, families and relationships that are compatible with our ‘design specs’ and enable people to be healthy and fulfilled.”

InterimExecs CEO Robert Jordan sat down with the duo to talk about conflict on management teams and how to handle it. This is an edited transcript of their conversation.

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