Most executive hires fail in the first 90 days. Not because of the person, but because of the environment.
In a $20M to $100M company, a new CIO often spends their first three months acting like a private investigator, digging through unmapped networks, untangling "handshake" vendor deals, and trying to find the "why" behind three years of reactive spending.
You aren't paying an executive salary for discovery. You're paying for Strategy.
The Symptom:
Your new CIO starts on Day 1, but by Day 60, they still haven't produced a roadmap because they’re too busy putting out the "legacy fires" that accumulated during the vacancy.
The Reality:
If you don't prepare the "house" before the guest arrives, you are burning capital. A leadership gap shouldn't be a period of decay; it should be a period of Professionalization.
The Check:
If a world-class CIO walked in tomorrow, could you hand them a "Single Source of Truth" document covering your risk, your vendors, and your budget?
Or would they have to spend their first 100 hours interviewing your staff just to find the passwords?
If you're expecting your new hire to be the "clean-up crew," you’ve lost the Handover Gate.
The Continuity Goal:
Execute a Clean Handover. During a transition, a Fractional CIO’s job is to "clean the engine" while the car is in the pit. We map the risks, lock down the budget, and stabilize the team.
The goal? Your permanent CIO is Ready-to-Drive on Day 1.
Let’s ensure your next hire is a success, not a rescue mission.
Want the 1-page 7-Gate Continuity Protocol checklist? I'll walk you through it on a 30 minute call.
Schedule a conversation