In an era where technology drives nearly every aspect of business, organizations face a critical challenge: aligning their IT capabilities with long-term goals while maximizing efficiency and value. For small and midsize companies, this often involves navigating complex technical landscapes without the resources of larger enterprises. What they need is more than advice—they need a trusted partner who can bridge the gap between business goals and IT strategies, turning technology into a competitive advantage. This is exactly where Innovation Vista LLC stands out, offering tailored IT consulting services that empower businesses to thrive in a digital world.

Innovation Vista LLC is rewriting the rules of IT consulting by offering strategic, customized solutions designed for small and midsize businesses. Their expertise spans IT assessments, digital transformation, artificial intelligence strategies, cybersecurity, and interim or virtual CIO services.

What sets Innovation Vista apart is its exclusive network of over 400 seasoned C-level IT leaders, carefully matched to each client’s unique needs. These experts, supported by an award-winning innovation framework and a best-practices library, help businesses optimize operations, create revenue streams, and even disrupt their industries—all at a fraction of the cost of traditional consulting.

At CIO Bulletin, we had the distinct honor of interviewing Jeff Roberts, Founder of Innovation Vista LLC. He shared valuable insights on how he and his team, guided by a philosophy of delivering “100% of the Expertise for a Fraction of the Cost^®” and helping clients “Innovate Beyond Efficiency^®,” are transforming IT from a back-office function into a strategic powerhouse driving growth and profitability.

Interview Highlights

Can you share with us the story behind the founding of Innovation Vista LLC, including the inspiration and vision that led to its establishment?

In 2019, after five tenures as the CIO of midsize companies, I decided to start Innovation Vista to offer affordable IT strategy and leadership services to small and midsize organizations. My guiding principle was to ensure that we could match the very best consultant with every client. Rather than hiring a “bench” of consultants like most firms do, I instead began building a network of C-level IT consultants from which we can choose the ideal fit for each project. This approach avoids the all-too-common trap of consultants arriving at a client and needing to educate themselves about the business before they can contribute ideas; our consultants walk in the door already knowing about the industry, business models, and technology solutions, allowing them to collaborate immediately with the client to find improvements and ways that IT can power their business.

Could you provide us with an overview of Innovation Vista LLC’s core offerings in IT strategy and leadership consulting, highlighting how your services address the unique needs and challenges faced by small and midsize organizations?

Many engagements begin with a technology assessment and recommendations report. From there, some clients want help developing a strategic IT roadmap, digital transformation, and/or innovation planning. Many clients want our consultant’s help in guiding their improvements, either as an advisor or actually serving as the head of IT on a short-term or part-time basis as an Interim CIO or Virtual CIO.

What inspired the development of your 'Innovating Beyond Efficiency^®' framework, and how has it contributed to Innovation Vista's distinct approach in the IT consulting industry?

We determined from the founding of the firm to bring an ROI-driven business mindset to all our engagements, including the initial assessment. Many competing firms include a laundry list of “things that could be better” in IT when they conduct an assessment, leading to clients feeling overwhelmed and lacking guidance on how specific improvements will actually impact their business capabilities and performance. Our framework ensures that our entire focus is on business results and views IT enhancements as a means to that end. Viewing technology through this business lens is the key to successful CIO services, and we’re proud to have made it the focal point of our approach.

Going “beyond efficiency” is really about keeping our focus on top-line potential and not just cost savings; too many IT professionals have a very narrow view that the job of IT is to automate repetitive tasks and achieve efficiency. Our message highlights our commitment to go beyond this limited vision for IT and to identify ways that unique tech capabilities can drive new or accelerated revenue and market share for our clients.

Digital transformation and artificial intelligence are decisive focus areas for many organizations. How does Innovation Vista LLC assist clients in navigating these complex technological landscapes and harnessing their full potential?

The key for most midsize organizations in navigating these complex and fast-changing, high-risk, high-reward landscapes is the expertise to know what’s possible and to identify the best route(s) to achieve their tech goals. The ROI on an investment in this knowledge is immense, as it ensures that high-potential options are not missed and that the strategic plan will avoid the common missteps made by other organizations who attempt to navigate this terrain with internal knowledge and blind spots.

Data security is a top concern for businesses in all industries. How does Innovation Vista address data security concerns and ensure the protection of sensitive information?

A professional approach to cybersecurity includes both the tooling and the governance to ensure appropriate protections and monitoring are in place, and that these protections evolve as needed with the organization’s needs and advancements in the industry.

The tagline "100% of the Expertise. A Fraction of the Cost" suggests significant value proposition. Could you provide some examples or case studies where clients have experienced this value firsthand?

The Problem: The Need for Experienced IT Leadership on a Budget

Many businesses need expert IT leadership but can't afford the high costs of a full-time CIO or CTO. As technology plays a critical role in business success, small and midsize companies often struggle to find affordable, experienced leaders who can make crucial decisions on IT strategy, staffing, and vendor negotiations.

Innovation Vista LLC to the Rescue: A Game-Changer in IT Leadership

Innovation Vista LLC offers a solution. With their focus on delivering results beyond efficiency, they help businesses innovate and use IT and data to create new revenue streams. Their award-winning framework, developed over 25 years, has transformed IT departments into profit centers, driving over $2 billion in tech-driven revenue and savings.

Their Virtual CIO (vCIO) service provides experienced C-level IT leadership on a part-time or fractional basis, giving companies access to strategic guidance without the cost of a full-time executive.

Results That Matter: Unmatched ROI

With a network of over 400 top-tier consultants, Innovation Vista delivers customized, actionable solutions that drive real business growth. Their clients often see ROI of 300% or more, stabilizing technology platforms and accelerating digital transformation to turn IT into a strategic asset for long-term success.

What advice would you give to businesses looking to partner with a CIO service provider in 2025, and why should they choose Innovation Vista?

We published a recent blog post on exactly this topic (here). Our main advice is to select a firm specializing in these services, and not to settle for a group for whom it’s a side business. The main advantages we offer over specialty competitors are our focus on top-line impact and not just efficiencies, and, most importantly, our unmatched depth and breadth of talent—our network of over 400 consultants gives us the largest talent pool in this industry from which to hand-pick consultants for each project.

Meet the Ardent Visionary behind Innovation Vista LLC’s Unwavering Success

Jeff Roberts is the Founder of Innovation Vista LLC. With over 25 years of IT leadership experience, Jeff has earned recognition as a five-time CIO, a former finalist for Enterprise CIO of the Year, and the founder and leader of Innovation Vista since 2019. He has successfully turned around multiple struggling IT departments, led IT in dozens of successful M&A transactions, guided digital transformations across various industries, and transformed several IT departments into profit centers. Nineteen of his former subordinates have advanced to C-level positions.

Jeff has been featured in interviews on television, multiple podcasts, and in numerous magazine articles discussing innovation, IT leadership, tech consulting, and digital transformation.

"With over 400 elite consultants, we deliver tailored, actionable solutions that drive exponential growth. Our clients see 300%+ ROI, stabilize their tech platforms, and transform IT into a strategic asset for lasting success."