May 8, 2025

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

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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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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August 9, 2024

Recession Proofing Your Business: 7 Steps to Take Right Now

Recession Proofing Your Business: 7 Steps to Take Right Now

Stock market volatility. Rising unemployment rates. Still-high interest rates. Will those tricky statistics lead to an economic downturn? The jury is still out. But it makes sense to do what you can right now to recession-proof your business.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a small business owner, or a business leader overseeing a Fortune 500 mega-corporation, there are steps you can — and should — take right now to increase the chances your company will survive economic uncertainty.

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May 22, 2024

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

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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April 18, 2024

How to Save a Failing Business: 4 Key Steps to a Turnaround

How to Save a Failing Business: 4 Key Steps to a Turnaround

It’s tough to feel optimistic when your business is failing. But, InterimExecs RED Team executive Yoav Cohen knows how to save a failing business. “You almost always have a way out if you act quickly and decisively,” he says.

We asked Cohen to look at the most common reasons businesses fail, break down turnaround strategies for a company in crisis, and share his step-by-step action plan for struggling businesses.

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March 26, 2024

The Six Times PE Funds Use Interim Executives

The Six Times PE Funds Use Interim Executives

Many private equity funds hear the words “interim executive” and think the only application is an Interim CEO or CFO for turnaround or short-term fill-in of a portfolio company. But PE funds seeking a great return look to interims for their unique abilities to build and transform companies.

An Interim CEO brought on to lead a recently acquired private equity portfolio company, for example, may match the hold period of the fund. That could mean several years of working to build, grow, and ultimately exit the company, hitting big returns for everyone involved.

Here are six major use cases for an Interim CEO, Interim CFO, or other interim executive in PE-backed portfolio companies:

1. Interim Executives in Diligence

Most funds hope to spread their wings and work beyond industries where they’ve already had success. In looking at new industries where acquisitions may cost less and produce higher returns, a little more diligence is often needed. The further afield a fund goes, the more they need expert leadership removed from prior operating teams.

We recently matched a $5B+ fund with an Interim CEO expert in e-commerce and consumer goods to help determine if a potential acquisition made sense. While the fund had deep experience in the manufacturing space, understanding the current challenges and opportunities to expand go-to-market strategy was essential. Once the deal closed, the executive transitioned into an ongoing advisor role to ensure the acquisition would be a success.

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February 27, 2024

The 6 Biggest Business Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The 6 Biggest Business Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Interim executives, by definition, come into difficult situations, assess them quickly, and create a plan for success. That means they have a front-row seat to the most common business mistakes companies make in the areas of leadership, operations, human capital, strategy, business finances, and change initiatives.

Focusing on these fundamental business needs is a good starting point for any struggling business.

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May 12, 2023

How Much Does An Interim Executive Cost?

How Much Does An Interim Executive Cost?

Once owners, board members, and investors figure out exactly what an interim is and how an interim can help, the next question is: How much does an interim executive cost?

The short answer is: There is no off-the-shelf rate card for interim execs. Or more precisely, it doesn’t exist for the best interims in the world.

The first thing to understand about interim executive costs is to know that interim and permanent executive compensation is structured differently.

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January 18, 2023

How a Turnaround Now Can Help You Avoid Business Bankruptcy Later

How a Turnaround Now Can Help You Avoid Business Bankruptcy Later

First, the good news: Corporate bankruptcies in 2022 have been running below average. Now, the bad: That is about to change. Big time.

Government stimulus, post-pandemic demand, and historically low interest rates combined to give companies the edge during the first half of 2022. Organizations that survived the pandemic shutdowns thrived as the world recovered.

In fact, Cornerstone Research, which tracks business bankruptcy trends in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings by companies with assets of $100 million or more, says in its midyear 2022 update report that there were only 20 bankruptcies filed by companies with $100 million plus in asset during the first six months of the year. It’s the lowest midyear total since the second half of 2014.

But the US Federal Reserve is waging war on inflation with historically fast increases in interest rates – more than 3 percentage points in just six months. That, coupled with the threat of a global economic recession, is spelling trouble for highly leveraged companies and underperforming firms.

We asked two turnaround specialists to walk us through the highly charged bankruptcy landscape as 2023 looms.

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August 29, 2022
Robert Jordan

Venture Capital 101: How to Survive and Thrive When VC Funds Dry Up

Robert Jordan | CEO, InterimExecs
Venture Capital 101: How to Survive and Thrive When VC Funds Dry Up

Way back in 2009, the Great Recession hit America. And it didn’t pass me by.

In case you don’t remember how bad things were, let me refresh your memory: Bear Stearns failed. Lehman Brothers failed. Merrill Lynch sold for next to nothing. Countrywide Mortgage sold for pennies on the dollar. AIG had to be propped up by the federal government. General Motors went bust, was put on life support thanks to the federal government. People were worried. They wondered whether they would go to the ATM one day and no cash would come out because their bank had failed.

And me? I was at a startup called PV Powered. We were developing the next generation of commercial and utility grade solar inverters. We had about 100 angel investors and we were burning $750,000 a month when the Great Recession hit despite as much bootstrapping as possible. The next thing we knew, 98 percent of the investors had backed out, equity stake be damned, announcing they would no longer support the company. And who could blame them?

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