This is based off a real-world situation we deal with all the time at Stringfellow. 

Recently, we encountered a scenario that highlights a pervasive issue in growing organizations—underestimating the importance of technology as a foundation for success.

The Scenario

A large, expanding urgent care operation with a notable private equity partner reached out as part of a merger and acquisition process. They were acquiring one of our client clinics, and our role was to facilitate the IT transition. On the surface, it seemed like a straightforward process, but what we found was shocking.

Despite having a robust executive team (CEO, COO, CFO) and a recognized investment bank backing them, their entire IT strategy boiled down to Bob. Bob had been on the job for only three months, tasked with building an internal IT team and transitioning the company from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. While that’s the right direction, the lack of a comprehensive IT strategy was glaring.

The Problem

How does a company reach $30 million in revenue, engage in acquisitions, and yet lack a scalable IT strategy? Technology isn’t just a cost center; it’s the foundation for sales, marketing, care delivery, and operations. Without a solid IT strategy, even the best growth plans are fragile.

Unfortunately, this isn’t uncommon. Executives often relegate IT to a checkbox: “We hired Bob, so we’re good.” What they miss is that Bob, a competent and well-meaning individual, is overwhelmed. He’s tasked with everything from selecting an EHR to onboarding new clinics, all while trying to build an internal IT team in a challenging hiring environment.

A Proven Playbook Ignored

Here’s what makes this situation particularly frustrating: we’ve worked with similar clinics before. Starting with zero clinics, we helped scale operations to 50 seamlessly. We know what works, yet convincing executives to adopt a proven playbook remains a challenge. The prevailing mindset seems to be, “We have IT—Bob’s got it covered.”

But behind the scenes, Bob is asking for help because he has no roadmap, no team, and no bandwidth. He’s not about to raise his hand and admit this to his leadership, fearing for his job.

The Solution

For tech at scale, organizations need to approach IT like other critical functions: partner with experts. Just as businesses rely on private equity groups, legal counsel, and financial advisors, they need an IT partner with a tested strategy for scaling. Internal IT teams are ideal for maintaining operations at a certain size, but beyond a threshold, outsourcing to specialists is the smarter, more scalable approach.

Final Thoughts

It’s time for executives to recognize that IT leadership is integral to sustainable growth. A patchwork approach leads to inefficiency, burnout, and, ultimately, failure. By partnering with the right IT experts, businesses can focus on their strengths while ensuring their tech foundation supports, rather than hinders, their ambitions.