Established Entrepreneurs Navigating Drift or Transition

Every experienced leader eventually faces it: a missed signal during due diligence that later becomes a liability. Sometimes it’s a concealed relationship. Sometimes it’s a partner with undisclosed debt, a founder with political baggage, or a “compliant” supplier that turns out to be an operational risk. Whatever the oversight, what…

Surprise visits are one of the few tools leaders can use to cut through polished updates, staged reporting, and unchallenged routines. But the objective is often misunderstood. These visits are not meant to expose individuals or punish teams. Their purpose is to reassert expectations, reestablish accountability, and observe what happens…

Realizing that a local partner may be involved in illicit financial flows is one of the most difficult positions a project lead, donor, or investor can face. The relationship is often established. Money has already moved. Public alignment may exist. But once the red flags are confirmed—or even strongly suspected—inaction…

Not every business is what it claims to be. Behind storefronts, digital platforms, or community ventures, some entities exist primarily to transfer, obscure, or clean money for other actors. These businesses are operational in form but hollow in function—designed less to sell a product or service and more to facilitate…

When a project becomes reputationally, politically, or ethically compromised, leadership faces a critical decision: stay, fix, or exit. In fragile markets, even the appearance of contamination—from allegations, internal misconduct, or partner exposure—can be destabilizing. If left unmanaged, it spreads beyond the project itself, infecting donor confidence, staff morale, and organizational…