Six months ago, we diagnosed a condition gripping mid-market companies across the country: Waitflation. Leaders were holding back—not because of financial hardship, but because of economic ambiguity. Interest rates were high, forecasts were fuzzy, and confidence was low. The result? A national game of “wait and see.”
Now, as we enter a volatile summer, it’s time to ask: Is it go time?
Reading the Signs: Momentum Is Building
Recent data suggests that many sectors are beginning to thaw. According to the June 2025 ITR Economics Trends Report, the overall U.S. economy is still on a path toward a “soft landing”—a gentle slowdown rather than a crash. In fact, some sectors are already starting to accelerate again:
- Industrial Production and Retail Sales are showing early signs of recovery.
- Nondefense Capital Goods Orders (excluding aircraft) are rebounding—a classic indicator of renewed business investment.
- Durable Goods and Wholesale Trade are aligning in their growth rates, a technical signal that often precedes a broader upturn.
This data is not just academic. It suggests that for many companies, the long-awaited recovery might already be underway—but still hidden beneath the surface.
But There’s a Catch: Policy Fog and Caution
While the fundamentals are improving, the economic skies remain cloudy. As Nick Timiraos of the The Wall Street Journal recently reported, shifting U.S. trade policies and ongoing tariff uncertainty are giving business leaders reason to pause. Companies are freezing hiring and delaying capital expenditures, not because of falling demand, but because the rules of the game keep changing.
“Nobody—neither us, nor our customers, nor our overseas suppliers—is in any position to do any long-term thinking.” — Bill Hutton, Titan Steel
This creates a strange paradox: On the one hand, opportunity is knocking. On the other, CEOs are afraid to open the door too wide.
What a Wise CEO Should Do Now
So how should a smart, strategic CEO of a mid-sized firm respond?
Not by retreating. And not by overcommitting. Instead, by embracing flexibility—investing in the ability to act, adapt, and accelerate.
Here’s a prudent playbook:
1. Avoid Binary Thinking
This is not a time for either/or decisions. It’s not “grow or shrink,” “hire or freeze.” It’s a moment for calibrated moves—building optionality without risking your foundation.
2. Rent Your Talent Before You Buy
In uncertain times, fractional leadership is your secret weapon. Need to refresh your marketing strategy? Rebuild your sales pipeline? Accelerate a product launch? Rather than locking in long-term hires, bring in a fractional CMO, CSO, or sales leader who can help you move fast—and flexibly.
Fractional executives offer C-suite firepower without the overhead, and with the freedom to scale up or down as clarity returns. In addition, many firms offer fractional marketing and sales staff, allowing you to fully “insource” your growth capability without a long-term commitment.
3. Prepare to Accelerate
If the economy does turn decisively upward, the companies that are ready will win. That means:
- Revalidating your go-to-market strategy
- Equipping your sales team with the right tools
- Aligning your messaging with changing customer needs
- Shoring up digital infrastructure and lead gen efforts
Waiting to prepare is not a strategy. Preparing while you wait is.
4. Use Data as Your Compass
National headlines may be fuzzy, but your internal indicators can be crystal clear. Monitor your sales pipeline health, lead velocity, pricing elasticity, and customer churn. These early warning signs will tell you when to lean in—and when to hold back.
Go Time—With a Safety Net
So, is it go time?
Yes—if you’ve built a game plan with flexibility baked in. This is the moment for mid-market companies to lean in strategically, without losing the ability to pivot. That means making moves, but not betting the farm. Investing in growth, but doing it with partners who let you scale at your own pace.
As one economist put it in the WSJ:
“If [the administration] truly backs off on tariffs… you could see this expansion going another two, three years.”
Let’s be ready if it does.
Bottom Line: Growth is coming. The smart money isn’t sitting still—it’s moving deliberately, with fractional talent, real-time data, and a strategy built for adaptability. Waitflation is ending. The question isn’t whether to move. It’s how.
