Rethinking IT
Rethinking IT is a Chicago-area IT consulting firm founded in 2006 by John Fisher, providing IT assessment, outsourcing remediation, and interim CIO advisory services to clients across financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and other verticals via founder-led, project-based engagements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rethinking IT does
Rethinking IT, Inc. is a privately held, founder-led IT consulting firm established in 2006 by John Fisher and headquartered in Marengo, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. The firm operates with a small team (1–10 employees) and delivers three integrated service pillars: Assessment and Strategy (IT assessment and benchmarking, strategic planning, M&A due diligence, governance modeling); IT Supply Chain Optimization (outsourcing remediation, SLA design, independent validation and verification, vendor selection and negotiation); and Organizational Improvement (business value alignment, team and leadership development, staff assessment, financial improvement, and an interim CIO function). The offering is a methodology-driven advisory practice rather than a software platform — there is no public API, no productized module, and no proprietary AI tooling. Clients engage Rethinking IT for project-based, quote-only consulting services spanning at least nine verticals: Financial Services, Outsourcing (the stated primary segment), Non-Profit, Professional Services, Distribution, Manufacturing, Energy, Healthcare, and Telecommunications.
The business model is straightforward professional services. Revenue is generated through bespoke engagements billed per project; no subscription tiers, published rate cards, or pricing transparency exists. All client acquisition is direct and founder-led — prospects contact John Fisher personally via email ([email protected]) or phone ((312) 953-0297), or submit a contact form on rethinkingit.com. Marketing relies on organic website/SEO presence, founder speaking engagements, adjunct teaching at DePaul University's College of Computing and Digital Media, and community-board roles at AITP Chicago and SIM Chicago. There is no evidence of paid advertising, demand-gen programs, channel partners, or formal sales operations. Select customer logos are not disclosed in any source.
Competitive positioning is anchored by founder credentials: John Fisher's 30+ years of combined consulting experience, his 2002 AITP Chicago CIO of the Year recognition, and his 2006 Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders designation provide the firm's primary brand moat. The firm maintains mutual partnerships with complementary services organizations (DivIHN Integration for IT transformation/staffing; .orgSOURCE for nonprofit consulting; plus Geval6, The Dooley Group, Everything DiSC, Next Era Transformation Group, thoughtLEADERS LLC, and Swingtide) and is a sponsor of the Technology Executive Network. There are no venture capital backers, no funding rounds, no parent company, and no indication of institutional ownership; the firm is a privately controlled, single-entity professional services practice with a vendor-agnostic advisory posture.
Rethinking IT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rethinking IT
- Legal name
- Rethinking IT, Inc.
- Website
- https://rethinkingit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Rethinking IT is a Chicago-area IT consulting firm founded in 2006 by John Fisher, providing IT assessment, outsourcing remediation, and interim CIO advisory services to clients across financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and other verticals via founder-led, project-based engagements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rethinking IT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- IT Management Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IT Procurement, Lifecycle & Asset Management Services (BPAEABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA)
Keywords
Where Rethinking IT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rethinking IT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- IT Consulting & Advisory Services: Revenue is generated through bespoke professional services engagements covering IT assessment, strategy, supply chain optimization, organizational improvement, and interim CIO leadership. Engagements are project-based and typically billed as consulting fees per engagement; the model is not subscription or usage-based.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Quote-based custom engagements |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Rethinking IT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rethinking IT delivers vendor-agnostic IT management consulting organized into three service pillars: Assessment and Strategy (IT assessment and benchmarking, strategic planning, M&A due diligence, and IT governance), IT Supply Chain Optimization (outsourcing remediation, SLA design, independent validation and verification, and vendor selection and negotiation), and Organizational Improvement (business value alignment, team and leadership development, staff assessment, financial improvement, and an Interim CIO Function). Engagements are bespoke, project-based, and priced per client scope; the firm does not sell software, licenses, or subscriptions. Its buyers are business and non-profit organizations that need senior IT advisory support, sourcing remediation, or interim executive IT leadership.
Product overview
Rethinking IT delivers its offering as a single unified IT consulting practice organized into three core service pillars rather than a software platform with modules. The three named service lines — Assessment and Strategy, IT Supply Chain Optimization, and Organizational Improvement — work together as an integrated consulting engagement: the Assessment and Strategy pillar establishes the IT baseline and roadmap, the IT Supply Chain Optimization pillar executes on sourcing and vendor governance, and the Organizational Improvement pillar (including an Interim CIO Function) embeds the resulting changes into the client's people, processes, and financial outcomes. Supporting downloads such as "BIZ on a Page," "Rethinking IT Overview," and John Fisher's Professional Profile (PDFs on the Services page) reinforce the consulting nature of the offering rather than a discrete software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Assessment and Strategy A comprehensive IT assessment and strategic planning consulting service encompassing IT Assessment and Benchmarking, Strategic Planning, M&A Due Diligence, and Governance Process and Models to align technology decisions with business goals. Intended for business and non-profit organizations needing an objective, vendor-agnostic evaluation of their IT environment and a clear strategic roadmap.
- IT Supply Chain Optimization A consulting service focused on optimizing the IT supply chain through Outsourcing Remediation, Service Level Agreements (SLA) design, Independent Validation and Verification (IV&V), and Selecting and Negotiating Solutions for technology vendors. Intended for organizations that need to recover or renegotiate troubled IT outsourcing arrangements or strengthen vendor governance.
- Organizational Improvement A consulting service aimed at improving organizational effectiveness via Business Value Alignment, Team and Leadership Development, Staff Assessment, Financial Improvement, and an Interim CIO Function that supplies executive-level IT leadership on a temporary basis. Intended for organizations in transition or crisis, or those seeking to align IT investments with business outcomes through people, process, and financial improvements.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30+ years of combined consulting experience brought to each engagement
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Rethinking IT
Customer profileSegments9 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Rethinking IT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Rethinking IT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.
- DivIHN IntegrationcoreDivIHN Integration is a complementary services partner providing IT Transformation, Implementation and Staffing services. The partnership allows Rethinking IT to deliver a wider range of IT solutions by leveraging DivIHN's implementation and staffing capabilities.
- .orgSOURCEcore.orgSOURCE provides Consulting Services for Nonprofits, complementing Rethinking IT's IT advisory work with mission-driven sector expertise. Enables Rethinking IT to better serve non-profit clients.
- Geval6minorListed as a complementary services partner; specific service description not disclosed on the Rethinking IT website.
- The Dooley GroupminorListed as a complementary services partner; specific service description not disclosed.
- Everything DiSCminorListed as a complementary services partner (likely an assessment/training tool) that supports Rethinking IT's organizational improvement offerings.
- Next Era Transformation GroupminorListed as a complementary services partner; specific service description not disclosed.
- thoughtLEADERS LLCminorListed as a complementary services partner, likely providing leadership development content that aligns with Rethinking IT's Team/Leadership Development service line.
- SwingtideminorListed as a complementary services partner; specific service description not disclosed.
- AITP Chicago ChapterminorFounder John Fisher serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals, supporting community engagement and industry visibility.
- DePaul University College of Computing and Digital MediamoderateRethinking IT's founder John Fisher is adjunct faculty at DePaul CDM, teaching IT Strategy, Negotiation, Leadership, Social Media, and Project Management. He also is a founding member and chairman of the DePaul CDM Leadership Council.
- SCORE North Cook and Lake CountiesminorJohn Fisher is a volunteer mentor with SCORE, an organization that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
- SIM Chicago ChapterminorFounder John Fisher serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter of the Society for Information Management.
- Illinois Technology FoundationminorJohn Fisher volunteers with the Illinois Technology Foundation.
- Technology Executive NetworkminorRethinking IT is a sponsor of the Technology Executive Network, supporting GTM visibility among Chicago-area technology executives.
- Global Water WorksminorJohn Fisher volunteers with Global Water Works.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Rethinking IT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Slalom: Slalom is a global technology and business consulting firm with strong IT strategy, transformation, and outsourcing advisory offerings. Overlaps with Rethinking IT's assessment and supply chain optimization services, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Huron Consulting Group: Huron is a large consulting firm with dedicated technology, healthcare IT, and organizational improvement practices. It competes for many of the same enterprise IT advisory mandates that Rethinking IT serves, especially in healthcare, financial services, and outsourcing remediation.
- Perficient: Perficient is a large digital and technology consulting firm delivering IT strategy, enterprise applications, and transformation services. Provides broader-incumbent comparison for Rethinking IT's IT assessment and strategy offerings, especially across multi-vertical engagements.
- West Monroe Partners: West Monroe is a mid-sized technology and management consulting firm with deep IT advisory, M&A due diligence, and outsourcing advisory practices. A scaled incumbent offering many of the same service lines as Rethinking IT (assessment, outsourcing remediation, due diligence) at larger deal sizes.
Direct peers
- Pivot Point Consulting: Pivot Point Consulting is a healthcare-focused boutique IT consulting firm delivering advisory, EHR, and IT strategy services. Comparable to Rethinking IT as a boutique, vendor-agnostic advisory firm with deep vertical specialization and project-based engagements.
- CIO Partners: CIO Partners is a boutique firm specializing in interim CIO and technology executive services for mid-market and enterprise clients. It is the closest direct peer to Rethinking IT's Interim CIO Function and IT assessment/strategy offerings, with a similarly founder-led advisory posture.
- Tatum (Randstad): Tatum, part of Randstad, places interim and fractional technology executives (CIO, CTO, CISO) into organizations in transition. It directly competes with Rethinking IT's interim CIO service line and shares the on-demand executive advisory business model.
- Greythorn Group: Greythorn is a boutique IT and technology recruitment and consulting firm specializing in technology talent and advisory services. Comparable to Rethinking IT as a small, relationship-driven IT advisory shop with multi-vertical enterprise clients.
Others
- DivIHN Integration: DivIHN Integration is an IT transformation, implementation, and staffing firm that Rethinking IT lists as a core complementary partner. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but the partnership indicates shared end-market and client overlap in IT advisory and outsourcing work.
- .orgSOURCE: .orgSOURCE is a consulting firm serving nonprofit organizations, and Rethinking IT's partner for non-profit IT advisory work. A thematically related ecosystem participant that extends Rethinking IT's reach into the non-profit segment rather than competing for the same engagements.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rethinking IT social profiles
Digital presenceRethinking IT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rethinking IT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rethinking IT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rethinking IT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rethinking IT
What does Rethinking IT do?
Rethinking IT delivers vendor-agnostic IT management consulting organized into three service pillars: Assessment and Strategy (IT assessment and benchmarking, strategic planning, M&A due diligence, and IT governance), IT Supply Chain Optimization (outsourcing remediation, SLA design, independent validation and verification, and vendor selection and negotiation), and Organizational Improvement (business value alignment, team and leadership development, staff assessment, financial improvement, and an Interim CIO Function). Engagements are bespoke, project-based, and priced per client scope; the firm does not sell software, licenses, or subscriptions. Its buyers are business and non-profit organizations that need senior IT advisory support, sourcing remediation, or interim executive IT leadership.
Is Rethinking IT a public or private company?
Rethinking IT is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rethinking IT founded?
Rethinking IT was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Rethinking IT based?
Rethinking IT is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rethinking IT make money?
One revenue line is on record: IT Consulting & Advisory Services.
Who are Rethinking IT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Slalom, Huron Consulting Group, Perficient and West Monroe Partners. Direct peers are Pivot Point Consulting, CIO Partners, Tatum (Randstad) and Greythorn Group. Others are DivIHN Integration and .orgSOURCE.
Does Rethinking IT have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rethinking IT.
What industry is Rethinking IT in?
Rethinking IT's product category is IT Management Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEABAL, IT Procurement, Lifecycle & Asset Management Services, with a secondary code of BPAEAAAA, Strategy & IT Advisory. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.