Executive hiring is one of the few decisions that reshapes strategy, culture, and growth at the same time.

Yet many searches begin reactively, with urgency, recycled job descriptions, and partial alignment around what success actually requires. That is where risk enters the equation.

I founded Talent Executives Group to bring strategic clarity and disciplined execution back to executive search.

We are a retained firm focused on Director through C-suite placements across Finance, HR, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Technology. Our work begins long before we enter the market.

We start with alignment.

Why does this role exist now?
Where are the operational or cultural pressure points?
What outcomes will define success?

Often the scope reflects how the role functioned in the past. Our responsibility is to structure it for where the business is going.

We partner closely with CEOs, boards, and executive teams to create focus and precision around critical hires. Our retained process is disciplined, confidential, and highly curated. Clients engage us because they want certainty when the stakes are high.

We are not filling seats. We are strengthening leadership infrastructure.

In parallel, I founded Networking Executives to create intentional spaces where leaders are thoughtfully threaded through a trusted executive community. Strong teams and strong cities are built through real relationships, not just transactions.

When the role is critical, hire with certainty.

Certainty comes from clarity, rigor, and relationships.

Amy Sulgrove

Dallas just got a stock exchange. 🏦

And the timing is intentional that DallasMeetup is launching its Fintech Cohort.

With the Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group Inc planting its flag in North Texas, DFW is stepping into something genuinely new 🚀!

The DallasMeetup Fintech Cohort will shine a spotlight on the fintech who's who across DFW: founders and startup CEOs, payments and embedded finance operators, bank innovation leaders, capital markets professionals, PE and VC investors, and the builders at the intersection of AI and finance. 💳📊🤝🧠

And as always, the whole DFW community is welcome. 

This is a high-signal, curated evening at The Village Country Club with 1,500+ cross-sector operators across DFW, featured networkers, sponsor activations, and real connection. 🎯

If you want to be in the room where Dallas fintech is taking shape, register below. 👇

https://luma.com/p5i5y1oy

Featured on Networking Executives | https://lnkd.in/gJZpaedn

#DallasMeetup #Fintech #TXSE #DFW #NetworkingExecutives

 Amy Sulgrove

Retained Executive Search for Corporate-Function Leaders | Helping CEOs Hire with Clarity, Structure, and Alignment That Lasts

Open article: Networking Executives by networkingexecutives.com

The CHRO role may be the most misunderstood position in the C-suite right now.

In the past 12 months, I’ve watched CHROs carry a remarkable set of expectations:

• Lead culture transformation
• Rebuild leadership benches
• Navigate AI disruption
• Support cost discipline
• Manage employee trust
• Partner closely with the CEO and board

It's not uncommon for me to hear:

“We’re being asked to drive transformation while simultaneously stabilizing the organization.”

The most effective CHROs I see today aren’t just HR leaders.

They are enterprise operators who understand business models, capital allocation, and growth strategy.

Because when a company changes direction, leadership capability becomes the real constraint.

This topic came up again recently at a Gig Talent conference, where HR consultants and strategy leaders were discussing how dramatically the CHRO role is evolving.

(Photo from the event with Greg Roche.)

👉 What capability do you believe next-generation CHROs must build most aggressively right now?

“He’s run a $300M business, this should be easy for him.”
But it wasn’t.

The market was different.
The structure was leaner.
The board was more hands-on.

And what looked like a perfect match on paper...
wasn’t built for this context.

Executive experience doesn’t always travel well.

Especially when leadership dynamics shift, funding environments change, or internal scale creates new constraints.

The best leaders don’t just bring a history of success.

They bring adaptability and humility to lead through what's next.

Can't wait to be a part of the amazing connections that will be built at the next DallasMeetup!

Carson Gibbons • Francis Enyinnaya Ufomadu • Bahadir 'Baha' Koseli • Tyler Riddell, Leadership MBA • Laila Sarvarian • Tad W Perryman • Ichan Stall • James Wang • Mati Fombang • Alexie Estrada • Eddie Leach • Jessica Stettler • Kyle Gray • Bobby Miller • Melissa Phan • Stephen Ellis • Chris Martin • Chris Nieto • Brooke Merrick • Dane Fuentes • Jil Smith • Aaron Witherspoon • Michael Mills • Jeffrey Dunn, CFP®

MARK YOUR CALENDARS 🗓️ 

DallasMeetup is coming to The Village Country Club in Dallas on May 7, featuring a #FinTech networking cohort. 

More info 👉  https://lnkd.in/gjPnZukz

A manufacturing client came to us six months ago looking for their first Chief Revenue Officer.

They'd always had a VP of Sales. Strong performer. Consistent numbers.

But growth had plateaued.

The CEO's question: "Do we really need a CRO, or are we just following a trend?"

Fair question.

Here's what we uncovered:

Their sales team was excellent at closing deals. But there was no alignment between marketing, customer success, and sales. No unified view of the customer journey.

No one owned revenue strategy across the entire lifecycle.

We placed a CRO who had scaled revenue in a similar industry.

Someone who understood that B2B growth today isn't just about landing clients—it's about expanding and retaining them.

Six months in, their revenue per customer is up 28%.

Not because they're selling more, but because they're orchestrating the entire revenue engine.

Here's the distinction that matters:

✅ A VP of Sales drives transactions

✅ A CRO drives revenue architecture

If your growth has stalled and you're not sure why, the issue might not be your sales team's execution.

It might be that no one is connecting the dots across your entire revenue ecosystem.

That's a structural issue. And it requires a structural solution.

Open article: The Network Effect: February 22-28 by Networking Executives • 2 min read

The room was full of leaders who've scaled companies, carried real weight, and delivered under pressure. And instead of competing, they were building together, raising the bar for one another and for the companies they serve.

Gig Talent is bringing together a community where excellence is the expectation, and where client solutions are designed with the same rigor we’d demand inside the enterprise.

At Talent Executives Group, that matters. Companies don’t need more activity. They need outcomes. Leaders who can step in, align stakeholders quickly, and deliver.

Proud to build alongside Gig Talent, Vendi, and Wallabi. Powerful minds. Real momentum. The bar is high, and it should be! 

What a conference. The caliber in that room was something you don't forget.

Something shifted this week. I felt it the moment I looked around the room.

Our Gig Talent certified "executive entrepreneurs". In one place. Not competing. Building.

These are leaders who have scaled companies, led transformations, carried real weight. And now they’ve chosen a different path.

Not independence for the sake of it. But impact. Standards. Belonging.

The gig economy doesn’t need more people. It needs more excellence.
That’s what this community represents.

Clarity about who we are. Pride in being Gig Talent. Commitment to raising the bar for each other and for the companies we serve.

This isn’t a network. It’s a movement toward capability, courage, and execution. With our incredible strategic partners Talent Executives Group, Vendi, and Wallabi helping us design an ecosystem of value with comprehensive client solutions.

If you could feel the energy in that room, you’d understand.
We’re not just adapting to the future of work. We’re building it. And we’re just getting started.

#GigTalent #ExecutiveEntrepreneurs #FutureOfWork #AllTheBestPeople

Texas construction is booming - or it’s struggling. 
Depends on which side you’re looking at.

🏗️ Non-residential construction—especially data centers—is exploding.
📉 Residential construction is dragging.

In fact, non-residential construction is projected to grow 3,000% in 2025. 

Meanwhile, high mortgage rates, insurance costs, and affordability issues continue to suppress new housing development.

The tension:

Employers are building infrastructure at record pace.
But where will the people live?

As a talent partner, we’re watching this imbalance closely. 

If housing lags behind, it could create long-term ripple effects on labor mobility, access to talent, and cost of living.

What impact do you think this real estate divide will have on recruitment and workforce stability in Texas?

The Champagne Board event of the season is already close to half full!

The Revenue Reset is a high-impact, half-day workshop designed for business owners, founders, and executives who are directly responsible for revenue...and are done guessing what will actually move the needle.

Grab your seat here! 

https://lnkd.in/gbgurfZi
Heather Lisle

Open article: The Revenue Reset by heatherlisle.com

⭐James Sackey you are going to knock it out of the park with this event!

#DFW Network, check out https://lnkd.in/gJZpaedn for other upcoming events that are not to be missed!

#FeaturedEvent - TOMORROW: The DFW Growth Summit, by James Sackey Marketing, is the premier event designed to explore growth and innovation across the sectors that are currently driving business across Dallas-Fort Worth. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/g9ZMKiPq

🎯 CFO: I help companies achieve their talent acquisition goals! - Chief Financial Officer that values PEOPLE over FINANCIALS. Helping companies find THE BEST talent, and job seekers find THE BEST career

👋 I'm Albert Ramos Jr. — Fractional CFO for $500K–$30M fitness, wellness, and HALO brands that are scaling fast but flying blind on cash.

 

I work with owner-led and franchise brands that need a real finance partner — not another spreadsheet or a "fractional advisor" who's never run a P&L.

 

What I help fitness & wellness operators fix

 

Clean up messy multi-location QuickBooks Online (QBO) books and cash blind spots

Build AI-powered 13-week cash flow + KPI visibility for every studio and location

Prove unit economics by modality, campaign, and location

Turn "we think we're fine" into investor-ready and board-ready financials

 

I'm the Fractional CFO behind fitness, wellness, longevity, and franchise brands that need both finance leadership and AI-powered FP&A — cash flow forecasting, financial modeling, and dashboards that operators can actually use.

 

I also serve as Chief Operating Officer at De Ford Law Firm (The Woodlands, TX), where I lead operational and financial infrastructure for a growing legal practice.

 

I host The Owner Seat Podcast (formerly The Valisights Podcast), where founders, franchisors, and studio owners talk openly about the real P&L, debt stack, and unit economics behind the highlight reel.

 

Why operators and investors trust me with their numbers

 

16+ years of direct P&L accountability across multi-unit operations and corporate finance

COO/CFO experience spanning fitness, wellness, legal, and franchise sectors

Director of Operations & Finance, Life Time Inc. (NYSE: LTH) — 16 large-format clubs, 70K+ member visits/month

$200M+ revenue, $75M profit, and $45M EBITDA under direct financial oversight

Expertise in PE-backed brands, capital raises, QoE preparation, and investor reporting

 

Who I'm best for

 

Fitness & wellness studio owners scaling past 3+ locations

Multi-unit HALO, longevity, and IV therapy chains backed by PE or private investors

Franchisors and franchisees between $500K–$30M who need a Fractional CFO — not a bookkeeper

Founder-led brands preparing for a capital raise, LOI, or institutional investor process

 

Keywords for how people find me: Fractional CFO | FP&A | Fitness Finance | Wellness Brands | HALO Sector | Franchise Finance | AI-Powered Financial Modeling | Cash Flow Forecasting | QuickBooks Online | Multi-Unit Operator Finance | Boutique Fitness | Capital Raise | PE-Backed Brands | Unit Economics | 13-Week Cash Flow | COO | Chief Operating Officer | The Woodlands TX | Houston TX

Albert Ramos Jr.

Happy International Women's Day

I want to recognize my Queen.

The warrior woman in my life.

My wife.

She doesn't have a title on LinkedIn. 

No corner office. 

No business cards.

But every single day, she shows up fully for our family.

She raises our children with intention and love. 

She keeps our home running with grace. 

She serves at our church without applause or recognition. 

She is the steady hand that holds this family together when life gets loud.

She is our rock. 

Our foundation. 

Our anchor.

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth..."
— Ephesians 3:17-18

That's her. 

Rooted. 

Grounded. 

Immovable.

The world celebrates hustle culture and highlight reels. 

But the most important work happening in my house happens quietly in the everyday moments most people will never see.

I see it.

I honor it.

I honor her.

To every woman quietly holding her family, her home, and her community together you are seen. 

You are valued. 

You are the backbone of something eternal.

#internationalwomensday

THE CFO for Fitness & Wellness Brands | Host, The Owner Seat Podcast | Owner & CFO @ Stratego | CEO @ Valisights | COO @ De Ford Law Firm

One of my favorite things to do at night...


Remove connections on Linkedin that are not my ICP. 

If I could do ONE thing different when I started Stratego years ago, it would be to always, no matter what, focus on my ICP only

Niche and ICP

NICHE AND ICP

1. I look at each profile, review if they match my client profile and ICP

2. If they do, excellent, Ill follow and double tap the bell, maybe send a nice message

3. If they dont, I click the 3 dots (some call it the hamburger), and unfollow and remove connection

4. I dont accept every connection request, and I block bots that follow me, try to connect, and message me


So if youre seeing this, yes I workout with that cindy every morning, now with a 30lb vest, and you most likely are in my target audience. 

If not, Im blocking you in 3...2....1...

Fitness and wellness franchisors — this one is for you.

You've been pitched wellness amenities before. 

Salt rooms. 

Infrared. 

Cold plunge. 

Red light.

And most of the time the conversation ends the same way: "Sounds cool. But does it actually make money?"

That's the only question that matters. And it's exactly what this episode answers.

Michael Parrish is SVP of Client Development & Funding at Halotherapy Solutions

and he's not a wellness influencer. 

He's a U.S. Military veteran, former SWAT team member, and the operator of a high-performance training camp that prepared elite athletes and special forces candidates.

He sits across the table from franchisors, franchisees, and multi-unit studio owners every single day and answers the hardest question in amenity expansion:

What's the real ROI — and how do you actually build it?

Here's what we covered on The Owner Seat:
→ The 15 vs. 20 minute session model debate and what it does to revenue per hour across your locations → How to structure halotherapy memberships so they scale without creating booking chaos or margin bleed at the unit level 
→ What "attendant-less" actually solves for franchise operators — and what it doesn't → Funding options that work when franchisees want to expand but capital is tight 
→ The silent ROI killers after install that nobody warns franchisors about before signing a deal

🎙 Episode is live now on The Owner Seat Podcast. Link in the comments.

#hfa #hfa2026 #hfashow #hfashow2026 #theownerseat #halotherapy #fitnessfranchise #wellnessfranchise #franchisegrowth #gymowner #studioowner #franchisee #franchisor #fractionalCFO #boutiquefitnessowner

Everyone at HFA 2026 will be talking about retention tech, AI workouts, and brand collabs.

Nobody is talking about the fact that 60%+ of boutique studios can't produce a clean P&L.

I'm not there but I'll be the loudest voice in the room all week. 🧵

Daily thread incoming. 

Every single day of Health & Fitness Association 

And here's the deal:

You paid $2,000+ to be there.

I'll give you more value in 60 minutes

Here's how to get it 👇
→ Tag someone you're partying with to
at HFA in the comments
→ DM me your single biggest financial headache right now and your P&L, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows

I'm picking 3 operators for a FREE 60-minute financial teardown. And Ill send you a personalized Loom video

This is the launch of my $199 a month option for fitness and wellness operators....

Every month, Im doing a full financial review, recorded for 60 mins on Loom

Nothing held back.

Your P&L, your unit economics, your cash flow on the table.

Here's the truth nobody is saying from the stage this week:

Boutique fitness is heading into its first real financial reckoning since COVID.

2026 is the year the undercapitalized studios get separated from the operators who actually know their numbers.

I've been saying this to clients behind closed doors.

PE is coming to your backyard and setting up shop

Time to say it publicly.

See you in the feed all next week. 👀

#HFA2026 #BoutiqueFitness #hfashow2026 #hfashow #FractionalCFO #Fitness #wellness #StudioOwner #beyondactiv

If You’re Only Monetizing Classes and Memberships, You’re Leaving Money on the Table

As a gym owner or franchisee, you’ve probably said this recently:

“We want to offer more wellness services, but we don’t have the staff, space, capital or time.”

Sound familiar?

Here’s the good news:

You don’t need to open a med spa, hire a dietitian, or lease another 1,000 sq ft to expand into wellness.

 You just need to launch a digital wellness storefront for your members, with the right systems behind it.

View newsletter: The AI-Powered Finance Guide

As a gym owner, affiliate or franchisee, you’ve probably said this recently: “We want to offer more wellness services—but we don’t have the staff, spa

Open article: If You’re Only Monetizing Classes and Memberships—You’re Leaving Money on the Table by Albert Ramos Jr. • 4 min read

If You’re Only Monetizing Classes and Memberships—You’re Leaving Money on the Table

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