Interim CHRO needed for high growth, professional services portco
A PE firm managing director came to us with a critical need for an interim CHRO for their professional services platform. Combining three companies to make the platform, the firm urgently needed a PE-grade interim head of HR to deal with contracts, advise future state systems, reconfigure benefits plans, help them migrate off their PEO and stand up their own HR function, and more. Closing on the platform in the upcoming week, the managing director quickly needed to fill this role with an interim who had industry expertise, previous experience with M&A and PE-backed middle market companies, as well as the ability to execute the needed tasks at a high level.
BluWave uses pre-vetted network to find top CHRO options
Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade interim CHRO needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of interim executives that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with the select pre-vetted CHRO from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.
Firm engages chosen interim CHRO to drive success in portco
Within less than 24 hours of the initial scoping call, the PE firm was introduced to three PE-grade interim CHROs that specialized in M&A and the professional services industry. The client selected their ideal choice. Thanks to BluWave, the PE firm was able to quickly & confidently appoint a top interim CHRO to handle the transitions involved in the platform close as well as lead the HR strategies moving forward.
Strong interim CHRO needed to lead HR in healthcare services portco
A proactive healthcare services company came to us with a critical need for an interim CHRO. With the current head of HR leaving and the recruiting process taking longer than normal, the healthcare services company needed a strong HR leader with role and industry expertise to come in and provide support during the interim, an expected time frame of 3-6 months. Already with ~1000 employees and additional acquisitions on the horizon, they urgently needed a local HR leader that could be boots on the ground in HQ during the pandemic.
BluWave responds to niche need by providing top interim CHRO candidates
Leveraging our experience working with thousands of proactive companies, we have extensive frameworks for assessing interim CHRO needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of experienced HR leaders that uniquely meet the highest standard. We interviewed the company to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected them with the select pre-vetted interim CHRO candidates from our invitation-only Business Builders’ Network that fit their exact needs.
The company selected their ideal choice and filled the role with a top hire
Quickly after the initial scoping call, the healthcare services company was introduced to four top-notch interim CHRO candidates that specialized in healthcare services. The client selected their ideal choice, allowing them to quickly retain this critical role without wasting time or cost. The candidate ended up being such a great fit thanks to their background, that they were flipped to the organization’s permanent position after only three months of serving as an interim resource.
Consumer products portcoin critical need ofdata consolidation and analysis
A portfolio company came to us with a critical need for a business intelligence and analytics provider to consolidate data for their consumer products business. With sales data coming in from their distributors in different manners, they had a critical need to gather and interpret the information they received into usable insights on consumer behavior, sales conversions, and product success. The portfolio company required a business analytics expert to outsource this task to that could quickly consolidate, analyze, and help them visualize their data into information they could action.
BluWave identifies two exact-fit business analytics providers
Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade business intelligence and analytic needs for proactive companies. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of business analytics providers that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the portfolio company to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with two select pre-vetted business intelligence providers from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.
Company confidently engages both PE-Grade providers
Within 24 hours of the initial scoping call, the portfolio company were introduced to two PE-grade business intelligence providers that specialized in consumer goods. The client engaged both providers to help with two different aspects of the data project at hand. The portfolio company was able to confidently engage the pre-vetted providers and quickly move towards their goal of value creation through data consolidation and insights.
PE firm has critical need for pre-close recruiters for a target company
An investment executive at a large cap PE firm came to us with a critical need to source trainers and university recruiters for a target company in the engineering industry. Prior to closing on the target company, the PE firm wanted to explore the available selection of talent they would have if the deal closed, and they chose to expand the UK-based company into the USA market. The investment executive urgently needed a PE-grade pre-close recruiter who could source the trainer and university recruiter candidates – both of which required a unique skill set and background.
BluWave has in-network, PE-grade recruiters with industry experience
Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade pre-close recruiter needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of non-executive recruiters that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria. Then we connected the client with the select pre-vetted recruiters from our invitation-only Business Builder’s Network that fit their exacting needs.
The firm was equipped with the proper talent sources to proceed with their deal
Within less than 24 hours of the initial scoping call, the PE firm was introduced to a PE-grade non-executive recruiter that specialized in sourcing trainers and university recruiters for engineering technology roles. The client selected the presented provider and was able to confidently and quickly move forward in their diligence process, equipped with the necessary insight on the available talent they would need to drive value post-close.
PE firm needs GTM strategist to grow financial services portfolio company
A managing director came to us with a critical need for a growth strategy consultant for their financial services company. After several years of holding the company and experiencing annual organic growth, the PE firm was looking to accelerate growth within the portfolio company by reevaluating their GTM strategy. With a desire to grow the top line, the managing director had a crucial need for a GTM strategist who could help drive revenue through the improvement of the sales process and close rate while leading the analysis of overall go-to-market and growth options.
BluWave identifies PE-grade GTM growth strategists within pre-vetted network
Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade GTM & growth strategy needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of growth strategy consultants that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with the select pre-vetted independent consultants from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.
Firm is provided with an ideal growth strategy consultant for their portfolio company
Within less than 24 hours of the initial scoping call, the PE firm and portfolio company were introduced to a select few PE-grade GTM strategy consultants that specialized in evaluating growth in the financial services sector. The client selected their ideal choice, and the PE firm was able to confidently drive an excellent outcome without wasting or cost. With the strategy consultant’s guidance, the portfolio company was able to implement an organic strategy to increase revenue and grow the company.
Interim CFOs are a powerful resource that can be used in a wide array of ways.
In this video, BluWave’s Founder & CEO, Sean Mooney, and Managing Director, Houston Slatton, discuss some of the most common uses of interim CFOs and the benefits to both the PE firm and the portfolio company.
Sean Mooney, Founder & CEO: Hi, my name is Sean Mooney. I’m the founder and CEO of BluWave. I’m joined here today by my colleague, Houston Slatton. Today we’re going to discuss one of the most popular use cases in the BluWave toolbox, interim CFOs.
So Houston, how does your team know who’s really good and what’s needed for a private equity grade interim CFO to exceed the standards of a private equity firm?
Houston Slatton, Managing Director: Sure, yeah, it’s a great question, Sean.
First, we’ve got dedicated research teams that are constantly mapping these markets to know who’s really good, know where they’re really good, and know what their specialties are.
Secondly, we use frameworks that you developed over your time in private equity, Sean, to be able to assess them and rate them against particular skills and capabilities, but through thousands of iterations, we’ve been able to take those and take them to the next level and beyond (check out our post that covers the five things to consider when hiring an interim CFO here).
SM: I think you guys have done a great job at that. Candidly, I was pretty good at it. I could do it but I was the king of brute force and it was a craft project every single time, and so what I think you guys have done a great job is through seeing it and doing it over and over and over again, developing these tightly owned processes for assessing who’s really, really excellent at things. I think you’ve done a great job. What do you think about next in terms of other things that you do?
HS: One, we vet them specifically for every opportunity. We want them to give us the “heck, yes,” or “no,” which means really we want them to be self-aware and only tell us it’s a good fit if it really is if it’s a 10 out of 10 project. They’re proud to be in our network, so we get that honesty, but then we also hold them accountable as well, by working with our clients to collect that feedback along the way at the end of projects, to hold them accountable and make sure they’re great.
SM: I think that’s a really powerful part of what we do, is this whole circle of trust. People who are invited into this network are proud to be in it, and they do everything they can to be excellent over and over and over again because it supports their success, and our clients’ success, in this symbiotic fashion. That’s great.
Through what you’ve seen in our client base, Houston, what are some of the ways that people are using interim CFOs?
HS: Sure. I guess one of the top ones is just the unanticipated departure. When a CFO may leave for any number of reasons, it’s great to bring somebody in that can keep their hands on the wheel, keep things moving quickly and continue to make sure the company’s producing at an excellent level.
We also see a lot of groups that need somebody to come in once a deal closes to do what we call professionalize the finance function, get the right monthly reporting packages in place, make sure that the PE firm is getting the information it needs, do any conversions, transformations, things like that to make sure that the finance function of the portfolio company is really up to private equity grade.
SM: Yep, and I think that’s a great emerging use of this resource in that they not only can get things done faster with more speed and certainty, but they get to show, particularly newer CEOs and CFOs, what really good looks like at the private equity standard when a new deal kicks off? What about on the other side of the equation?
HS: As PE firms start to think about selling a company, CFOs have a lot on their plates already, and so we’ve had clients who will bring in an interim CEO or an FP&A resource that can help respond to diligence requests, assess data, pull reports, and allow the full-time employees of the company to keep things moving while keeping the sale process moving without delay.
SM: Yep. I think that is one of the other really surging use cases for interim CFOs or FP&A professionals. The modern-day M&A process is fast and furious, and the second you have to hit pause you can see valuations decline. Our best clients right now are using that so they can run at a really fast pace and not lose momentum during a sales process, so I think that’s another great thing to think about for this type of really excellent professional.
HS: Sure.
SM: I think those are some great insights around a tool that’s been around for a long time in private equity, but is being used in different ways. One of the things that I’ve learned probably most since moving from private equity to BluWave is that experience and velocity and laps around the track really, really matter. When I was in private equity, I would do things episodically and it was hard to become an expert at them.
At BluWave we’re doing things thousands and thousands of time for the very best private equity firms. We have the highest standards in the world and that helps us become increasingly better and better and better every day, and it’s gotten to the point where we’re trusted by more than 500 of the world’s top private equity firms to help connect them with the very best third parties, who we’re very proud to work with as well.
If you’d like to learn more about BluWave and how we can help you, please feel free to reach out to Houston or any member of the team or me, and we’d be happy to do anything we can to help give you just a little more excellence, a little more alpha with ease, in a way that’s supportive of your success. Thank you very much.
Many businesses find themselves in a situation where they need to hire an interim CFO. This can be for a number of reasons, but it is most often due to a sudden change or growth in the company. If you are considering hiring an interim CFO, there are a few things you should know. In this blog post, we will discuss when and why you might need an interim chief financial officer, and we will also provide some tips on how to go about finding the right one for your business.
As your business grows, you will likely find yourself in need of more financial assistance. If your current chief financial officer is not able to keep up with the demands of the job, you may want to consider hiring an interim CFO. An interim CFO can help take some of the pressure off of your current team, and he or she can also provide valuable insights during a time of transition.
There are a few things to keep in mind when hiring an interim CFO. First, you will want to make sure that the individual has experience working with businesses that are similar to yours in size and scope. Additionally, you will want to find someone who is comfortable working on a short-term basis and who is open to being flexible with his or her schedule.
If you are considering hiring an interim CFO, we are here to help. We have a deep pool of interim CFO resources in our invitation-only network. We pride ourselves on our ability to match you with the exact-fit interim chief financial officer you need when you need them. You can learn more about our interim CFOs – including case studies, how-tos, videos, guides, and thought leadership here.
Key things to consider when hiring an interim CFO
Flexibility: When hiring an interim CFO, it is important to remember that this is a short-term solution. As such, you will want to make sure that the individual you hire is someone who is comfortable working on a short-term basis and who is open to being flexible with his or her schedule.
Speed: The head of finance is a mission-critical role for the business and it is a seat you do not want to leave open for any longer than you need. It is imperative that you find someone who can step into the role that aligns with your needs.
Budget: There is a wide range of rates for interim finance executives. Find a resource that fits within your budget.
Similar experience: You will want to find someone who has experience working with businesses that are similar to yours in size and scope.
Cultural fit: Company culture is core to your business. Ensure this is accounted for in your interviewing process.
What about a fractional CFO?
If you are not sure where to start your search for an interim chief financial officer, you may want to consider using a fractional CFO service. Fractional CFO services can provide you with access to experienced professionals on a part-time basis. This can be a great option if you are not ready to commit to hiring a full-time CFO.
We connect you with the third-party resources you need
No matter what route you decide to take, it is important to remember that the goal is to find someone who can help your business during this time of transition. An experienced interim CFO can be a valuable asset to any business.
I get asked a lot of questions about how to build a business, and how to do it with as few headaches as possible. Not that I’ve totally figured it out, but I’ve certainly made my fair share of missteps and gratefully have learned something along the way. From investing, to hiring, to reducing headcount, to managing the ups and downs of an economic recovery period—one thing remains unchanged: leadership matters. And if you’re talking about key leadership positions, the one that companies most often get wrong is the CFO.
Why? Well, the answers are as varied as the reasons they fail, but it generally has to do with asking the right questions from the beginning. In other words, the interview process is often to blame.
I wrote an article for CFO Magazine about “hiring the right interim CFO” and how to ensure you set your company up for success when it comes to hiring one of the most important positions. Whether you are looking for an interim CFO (who can move into a full-time position) or looking for a full-time financial executive, here are some things you should know before you greenlight your new hire:
8 Things To Know Before Hiring An Interim CFO
If you are a PE-owned company and need to bring in a short-term finance chief, find someone who has worked for a PE-backed company before.
The interim executive needs to have a track record of wins. That generally means a significant tenure at multiple companies.
Find someone with industry experience, because it’s much easier to stand at the finance helm of a manufacturing, healthcare, IT, or services company if you’ve done it before.
Similarly, the interim CFO should have experience working for a company of similar size and scale.
It’s not enough to understand the numbers (sales, revenue, overhead) — you need someone who understands what the numbers mean.
For the best results, find a pro who has a high IQ and a high EQ (emotional intelligence), because the interim CFO needs to quickly gain favor from others in the organization to gather information and build a story around the numbers.
Be sure to have conversations with key stakeholders in a candidate’s prior roles. Choose the references; do not use the references the candidate gives.
While enthusiasm is a wonderful aspect of a new leader, a short-term executive should have a stabilizing effect, not a disruptive one.
For more details and to read the full article in CFO Magazine, click here.
As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from our 500+ PE firm clients. In our most recent installment, Private Equity Consultant, Ryan Perkins, shares why the inflation-driven recession has caused firms to prioritize bringing in organizational design & effectiveness resources, and what types of those resources are being utilized the most.
Learn more by watching the video below.
Interested in connecting with interim CHROs, HR-focused consulting firms, or org design consultants? Contact us now to get quickly connected to the exact-fit, PE-grade resources you need.
Video transcript:
The inflation-driven economic downturn has created a complex environment, causing private equity firms to take unique action, balancing right-sizing before the storm with retaining and recruiting key personnel. With human capital being a strong input for ensuring success through this downturn, PE firms are bringing in specialized third-party resources to resolve organizational design and effectiveness needs. Here are a few specific resources that we’ve seen our clients engaging on.
Number one, Interim CHROs. Bringing in experienced interim CHROs with deep industry knowledge is a great way to ensure the human capital needs of your portcos are in steady, expert hands. An effective interim CHRO can steer the HR ship during a recession, ensuring your portco will have the right people in place to get through the downturn and position your portco for growth moving forward.
Number two, HR-focused consulting firms. Specialty firms are a great tool that private equity firms utilize to gain expertise on corporate structure and talent output, without adding personnel directly into a portco. Consulting firms that have experience working with private equity-backed companies can be extremely advantageous when making decisions around comp and benefits, staffing needs, restructuring projects, and expansion requirements during an economic slump.
And number three, organizational effectiveness consultants. Process optimization is essential to keeping up with the pace needed to thrive in times of uncertainty. Organizational effectiveness consultants ensure that processes within your portcos will help them run towards the storm by evaluating them as they currently exist, and suggest any required changes according to their industry expertise.
For private equity firms, uncertain economic times should be treated as times of opportunity. Ensuring the organizational design and effectiveness of your portfolio companies can be the difference between generating momentum versus treading water in a recession. At BluWave, we have the private equity-grade resources to position your portcos for growth, no matter the economic landscape. For information on how to get connected with best-in-class, organizational design and effectiveness groups, or any other third parties you may need, contact us today at info@BluWave.net.
CFO urgently needed support with post-merger integration
The CFO of a PE-backed healthcare services company came to us with a critical need for post-merger integration support. They were in the process of integrating an add-on acquisition and urgently needed an expert to come in and manage the integration to ensure it went smoothly. They needed an expert that had integration experience within the healthcare services field, specifically the benefits market.
BluWave provided pre-vetted post-merger integration group
We first interviewed the company to understand the nuances of their needs and the unique challenges they needed this integration expert to solve. We then quickly matched these criteria to the pre-vetted groups from our invitation-only marketplace, rooted in our experience working with thousands of proactive companies. Because of our proprietary approach, we were able to connect the client with a select prevetted post-merger integration group that fit their exact needs.
Company moves forward with presented provider for excellent outcome
Within 48 hours of the initial scoping call, the company was introduced to the exact-fit match and were so pleased that they decided to quickly engage them. The proactive company was then able to confidently drive an excellent outcome without wasting time and was able to promptly execute a smooth integration thanks to the expert help.
