If You Want To Be Acquired by Private Equity, Fix This First With Felicia Shakiba

Felicia Shakiba is the Founder and CEO of CPO Playbook, a leadership and human capital advisory firm serving private equity and venture-backed companies. As an industrial-organizational psychologist and certified Korn Ferry coach, she has over two decades of experience driving people strategy across Fortune 500 and high-growth companies. Felicia is also an Advisory Council Member for Harvard Business Review, hosts the CPO PLAYBOOK podcast, and developed PIA360™, the first tool that quantifies leadership and culture across a portfolio.

In this episode…

Many founders assume that strong financial performance is enough to ensure long-term success. Yet after an acquisition, organizations often encounter misalignment, slowed decision-making, and cultural friction that undermine results. Why do businesses with solid strategies struggle when leadership dynamics are tested?

Leadership and organizational effectiveness expert Felicia Shakiba argues that these challenges stem from leadership behaviors rather than flawed economics. She advises aligning mission and vision across the company, building trust-based communication, and replacing intuition with data-driven insights. Leaders should surface issues early, reinforce accountability, and build decision agility so teams can adapt without losing focus.

In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris talks with Felicia Shakiba, Founder and CEO of CPO Playbook, about leadership risk and value creation in private equity-backed companies. She shares common concerns investors have after deals close, how ownership mindset and decision agility drive performance, and the key questions founders should address before entering the boardroom.