On this episode Shiv interviews Rita Fiorentino, Co-Founder of Arc Capital Development, to unpack a battle-tested playbook for steering portfolio companies through economic downturns—especially when AI disruption, political volatility, and geopolitical shocks are compressing growth.

Rita lays out a disciplined sequence that starts with risk assessment and financial hygiene, then moves to locking down customers, building an all-A-player team, and only then deploying AI for process efficiency and product innovation. She warns against the common trap of slapping “AI” on legacy products or slashing headcount too soon, and shares real-world examples of how companies that follow the right order emerge stronger.

She also covers why this downturn is categorically different, how to educate boards and investors, and why skating to where the puck is going—not where it’s been—is the ultimate survival edge.

Ep 254 | The Media's Rhetoric