Mid‑market companies don’t always need a full‑time CIO, but they DO need senior technology leadership that is unbiased, business‑first, and aligned to the nuances of the client’s sector. That’s why our model runs at two speeds – CIO IQ® and CIO Advantage® – under one approach: sector‑matched, vendor‑neutral experts who measure success in revenue, market-share, efficiency, risk reduction, and enterprise value.
Both programs tap the same curated network of C‑level leaders. The difference is tempo and scope: CIO IQ® gives you clarity and a board‑ready plan; CIO Advantage® embeds leadership to lead that plan and deliver results. You can start at either speed, and many clients switch between them as needs evolve.
What never changes (the “One Approach”)
- Vendor‑neutral decisions. We don’t sell software or take reseller fees; your interests come first.
- Sector‑matched talent. Your consultant has deep experience with the realities of your industry.
- Business‑first outcomes. We translate tech into P&L, cash flow, risk, and valuation language.
- Proven cadence. Governance, KPIs, and value tracking are baked into both programs.
- Right‑sized engagement. We tailor engagements and help clients switch between programs as needed.
Speed 1: CIO IQ® · Independent Advisory
Purpose. Achieve clarity fast and align leadership on where to invest, in what order, and why. CIO IQ® is ideal when you need a crisp diagnosis and a board‑ready roadmap before you commit capital.
What we deliver:
- 90‑day roadmap prioritized by ROI, risk, and dependencies
- Investment cases with costs, benefits, and timing you can defend to the board
- Architecture principles to guide buy/build/modernize decisions
- Security posture & risk register with remediation plan
- Policy modernization and governance cadence
- Vendor strategy (RFPs, selection criteria, contract negotiation support)
Cadence. Weekly working sessions with research and analysis between meetings; executives stay engaged without losing focus on the business.
Best when. You’ve outgrown your tools, a transformation is on the table, regulators or customers are raising the bar, or leadership wants a unified plan before spending.
Speed 2: CIO Advantage® · Embedded Leadership & Execution
Purpose. Lead and govern execution without adding permanent headcount. CIO Advantage® embeds a seasoned CIO/CTO/CISO (and, as needed, a PMO and other staffing) to run the roadmap and ensure value is realized, not just planned.
What we deliver:
- Transformation leadership for ERP, data/AI, cloud, and cybersecurity programs
- Program governance & PMO, milestones, stage gates, and change management
- Vendor leadership, from RFP through contract to delivery oversight
- Operating model design (org chart, roles, runbooks, skills uplift)
- Value tracking tied to P&L (revenue, margin, cost avoidance), risk reduction, and time‑to‑value
- Executive communication with board‑ready reporting on progress and impact
Cadence. Fractional/interim leadership embedded with your team; coordinated squads drive workstreams while your managers keep the business running.
Best when. You have a roadmap and funding, M&A or growth requires speed, or key initiatives (security, data platform, POS/e‑commerce, plant systems) need experienced leadership to land on time and on budget.
Common mid‑market needs we solve
CIO IQ® often solves:
- “What should we do first?” · portfolio assessment and prioritized roadmap
- “How much will this cost, and return?” · board‑ready investment cases
- “Which vendor fits us?” · vendor‑neutral selection and negotiation strategy
- “Are we secure and compliant?” · risk register, remediation plan, and governance
- “How do we use AI pragmatically?” · use‑case pipeline tied to business outcomes
- “How do we scale data?” · architecture patterns for analytics and decisioning
- “How do we manage change?” · communications, training, and adoption plan
CIO Advantage® often solves:
- “Who is actually leading this?” · embedded leadership and PMO
- “How do we hit dates without blowing scope?” · stage‑gated execution and vendor oversight
- “How do we migrate with minimal disruption?” · cutover, rollback, and stabilization playbooks
- “How do we measure value as we go?” · live value ledger with KPI targets and baselines
- “How do we keep risk under control?” · security by design, audits, and controls in flight
- “How do we upskill the team?” · org design, hiring support, and capability uplift
- “How do we sustain momentum?” · operating rhythms and quarterly business reviews
How clients move between speeds over time
1) Clarity → Execution (IQ → Advantage).
e.g. A manufacturer uses CIO IQ® to align the CFO and COO on a phased ERP modernization with OT security upgrades. With the roadmap approved, they shift to CIO Advantage® to run vendor selection, negotiate contracts, govern delivery, and lead cutover. Result: faster time‑to‑value and fewer surprises.
2) Execution → Governance (Advantage → IQ).
e.g. A retailer completes a POS/e‑commerce replatform under CIO Advantage®. With the transformation stabilized, they scale back to CIO IQ® for quarterly governance, vendor performance reviews, and a refreshed AI roadmap for personalization. Result: lower ongoing cost with continued senior oversight.
3) Advisory → Interim Cover → Advisory (IQ → Advantage → IQ).
e.g. A healthcare provider starts with CIO IQ® to get a HIPAA‑aligned security plan. When the internal CIO departs, they switch to CIO Advantage® for interim leadership during EHR upgrades and audits. After hiring a full‑time CIO, the engagement reverts to CIO IQ® for knowledge transfer and special project closure.
4) Advantage burst for a milestone.
e.g. A logistics company already has CIO IQ® guidance. Ahead of a critical WMS go‑live, they dial up to a 4‑month CIO Advantage® sprint to harden the plan, pressure‑test the cutover, and run hypercare. After stabilization, they taper back to CIO IQ® for the next phase’s roadmap.
5) Budget or risk triggers.
When budgets tighten, a client may step down from CIO Advantage® to CIO IQ® to preserve governance and planning. Conversely, a new regulatory requirement or cybersecurity incident often moves a client from CIO IQ® to CIO Advantage® to accelerate remediation and assurance.
The point: you’re never locked into one mode. The speed changes with your context, while leadership continuity and institutional memory stay intact.
How we prove value across both speeds
Baseline first. We capture current costs, SLAs, incident rates, cycle times, and revenue/margin benchmarks.
KPI design. Each initiative gets leading and lagging indicators tied to business outcomes.
Value ledger. We track realized benefits and cost avoidance by month/quarter against the plan.
Board‑ready transparency. Clear status, risks, decisions, and variances—no green‑until‑red dashboards.
Sustainment. We embed operating rhythms so gains persist after the consultant steps back.
This discipline matters in the mid‑market, where leadership teams are lean and every dollar must show up in the P&L or risk posture.
Choosing your starting speed
- Pick CIO IQ® if you need alignment, a defendable plan, and clarity on sequencing and vendor choices. It’s the fastest way to reduce uncertainty and unlock funding.
- Pick CIO Advantage® if urgency is high, leadership capacity is thin, or multiple vendors and workstreams must be orchestrated to hit a strategic date.
You can begin with a brief discovery, then confirm the starting speed together. Many clients start with CIO IQ® to establish the “why” and the “what,” then move to CIO Advantage® for the “how” and the “when.” Others begin in CIO Advantage® to handle an immediate need and drop to CIO IQ® once the fire is out and the roadmap is steady.
The outcomes we’re constantly targeting
Our promise is simple: turn IT & AI into engines of growth, resilience, and competitive advantage – without vendor bias. Whether you need clarity, execution, or both, the two‑speed model lets you right‑size leadership to your moment while keeping a single, accountable owner for results. That’s Two Speeds. One Approach.
