Prepared Leaders Inspire Confidence
At Crisis IQ Partners, we help organizations turn uncertainty into clarity through proactive planning and tested frameworks. Contact us to learn more about our philosophy, approach, and how we make a real difference for leadership teams facing a crisis.
Who We Are
Based in Charlotte, NC, Crisis IQ Partners serves organizations nationally, leveraging practical, data-driven, and scalable solutions. We are a team of consultants, crisis management, and operations experts. We partner with leadership teams to build resilient organizations that respond quickly, credibly, and transparently when it matters most. We don't just offer advice; we provide actionable strategies and tools.
We serve the following industries: Professional & Financial Services, Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Nonprofits, and Hospitality & Property Management
Our Philosophy
Crisis management isn't about preventing every disaster. It's about being ready when one hits.
We believe three things other consultants won't tell you:
1. Your crisis plan probably won't work when you need it.
Most organizations have plans gathering dust on shelves. We build systems your team can actually execute at 2 AM under extreme pressure.
2. The crisis that destroys you won't be the one you're planning for.
External threats get all the attention. But the crises that close companies come from within—employee misconduct, leadership failures, preventable accidents. We prepare you for both.
3. Preparation beats prediction every time.
You can't predict which crisis will hit. But you can build decision-making frameworks, communication protocols, and leadership muscle memory that work regardless of what breaks.
Our mission: Make crisis management a core business strength, not an afterthought.
Because the organizations that survive crises aren't lucky. They're ready.
Our Approach: THE CRISIS IQ METHOD™
We created the Crisis IQ Method to move organizations from reactive chaos to proactive resilience:
ASSESS → Benchmark your current readiness and identify gaps
DESIGN → Build crisis frameworks tailored to your actual risks
TRAIN → Prepare your team through realistic simulations
SIMULATE → Stress-test your plan before you need it
OPTIMIZE → Maintain readiness as threats evolve
The First 60 Framework™
When a crisis hits, the first 60 minutes determine everything. Our First 60 Framework gives your team a step-by-step playbook for the critical first hour—from detection and safety through communication deployment and regulatory compliance.
This isn't theory. It's the protocol we've used in real crises across healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, nonprofits, and education.
Our Difference: Why Crisis IQ
We're not academics who study crises. We're practitioners who've managed them.
What Makes Us Different:
✓ We've been in the room when it matters
Our team has managed real crises—workplace fatalities, data breaches, patient deaths, regulatory investigations, viral reputation attacks. We know what works under pressure because we've done it.
✓ We tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear
If your crisis plan won't work, we'll tell you. If your team structure is flawed, we'll fix it. If you're not as prepared as you think—you'll know. Our job is to make you ready, not comfortable.
✓ We build systems, not binders
Crisis plans that sit on shelves are worthless. We build systems your team can activate in the dark. Communication templates pre-approved by legal. Decision frameworks that work when information is incomplete. Protocols designed for people under extreme stress.
✓ We measure what matters
We benchmark your readiness against industry standards and track improvement over time. You'll know exactly how you compare to peers and where to invest for maximum risk reduction.
✓ We stay with you
Most consultants deliver a plan and disappear. We offer ongoing Advisory Support so you have expert guidance before, during, and after incidents. When a crisis hits at 2 AM, you'll have someone who already knows your organization, your risks, and your stakeholders.
Our Credentials:
→ 40+ years combined experience managing crises across industries
→ Corporate Crisis Management Certified (TM) professionals
→ Certified Business Continuity and Resilience Professionals
→ 50+ organizations served across healthcare, financial services, education, manufacturing, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors
"Crisis IQ Partners helped us navigate a challenging situation with confidence and clarity. Their expertise was invaluable"
Marc Lunsford, Financial Services COO
How We're Different From Other Consultants
Crisis IQ Partners vs. Traditional Consulting Firms
| Traditional Firms | Crisis IQ Partners |
|---|---|
| Generic templates | Industry-sepcific frameworks |
| 200-page binders | Executable playbooks |
| One-time engagement | Ongoing partnership model |
| Theory-based | Battle-tested in real crises |
| Consultant-driven | We empower your team |
| Compliance-focused | Outcome-focused |
| Hope your plan works | Proven methodology through testing |
The question isn't "Can we afford crisis planning?"
It's "Can we afford NOT to be ready?"
Average crisis planning investment: $15K-$25K
Average crisis costs when unprepared: $1.5M-$3M+
Average ROI: 10,000%
See our case studies for proof
Meet our team
Behind every service we provide is a dedicated team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise and enthusiasm to our business.
Our consultants are experts in their fields, with over 40 years of combined experience managing crises for large and small organizations- both domestically and internationally.
Members of our team hold the Corporate Crisis Management Certified (TM) and Certified Business Continuity and Resilience Professionals credentials.
D. Alan Smith
Founder & Managing Partner
Emma Wood
Partner
Ben Thoms
Partner
Olive Hartman
Client Relations Manager
Zac Mangum
Business Development Manager