Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Portfolio Company

Forge Holdings • Nashville, TN

102d

About The Position

Forge Holdings is a dynamic investment firm focused on acquiring and growing lower middle market businesses generating $3M–$15M in annual cash flow. We adopt a people-first philosophy, prioritizing high-energy teams driven by grit, bias to action, and a passion for value creation over traditional experience. Our CEOs are empowered to lead their businesses, make bold decisions, and unlock value creation through smart capital allocation. As CEO, you will lead one of our portfolio companies, serving as the primary capital allocator to drive sustainable value creation. We welcome first-time CEOs and those with experience in the role — our founders succeeded as first-timers at ages 30 and 37—and seek hungry leaders excited by ownership, accountability, and earning through impact. This role demands high energy, decisive action, and a relentless focus on aligning people, strategy, execution, and acquisitions to generate superior, long-term value creation.

Requirements

• Demonstrable history of value-creating decisions for yourself, teams, and organizations—no prior CEO experience required.
• Proven track record in capital allocation, evidenced across people, strategy, assets, and acquisitions (e.g., hiring/retaining talent, leading initiatives, investing in infrastructure, or executing deals that have successful outcomes).
• Bias to action, with grit and energy to thrive in ambiguous, high-stakes environments.
• Excitement for earning through equity and creating tangible impact in a lower middle market setting.

Responsibilities

• Allocation of Capital Across Four Pillars:
• People: Hire top-tier A-players, foster strong relationships and a retentive culture, and empower them to own capital decisions within their teams, ensuring a people-first environment that fuels growth.
• Strategic Initiatives: Identify high-impact value creation opportunities, prioritize them ruthlessly, and rally your team to execute, transforming ideas into measurable business outcomes.
• Internal Investments – Growth Assets: Make deliberate investments in technology, property, plant, and equipment on timelines that support people-driven and strategy-aligned expansion, optimizing for long-term scalability.
• External Investment – Acquisitions: Pursue strategic add-on acquisitions that fit the company's vision and are highly accretive on standalone merits, excluding synergies or soft factors.
• Balance: Act as the ultimate decision-maker, balancing short-term execution with long-term value building.
• Culture: Cultivate a culture of accountability, where ownership motivates exceptional performance and rewards value creation.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Training & Development
• Stock Option Plan

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive