Podcasts about cfos

In this bonus episode of Count Me In, recorded live at Oracle NetSuite's SuiteConnect NYC, Adam Larson sits down with Sue Vestri, CFO at CRIO and a finance leader with a wealth of experience in startups, public companies, and private equity-backed businesses. Listen in as Sue shares real stories from her career, everything from wrangling accounting platforms for rapidly scaling teams to building a finance culture that embraces AI and continuous learning. Whether you're curious about growing a finance team from scratch, navigating the complexities of SaaS billing, or keeping your organization future-ready, Sue's practical perspectives and candid advice are sure to inspire. Perfect for finance professionals and anyone interested in how a modern CFO drives growth and innovation while building trust across the business. ___________________________________________________________BILL is a leading financial operations platform for startups to established brands. Headquartered in San Jose, California, we're a trusted partner of leading US financial institutions, accounting firms, and accounting software providers. We empower business owners, CFOs, controllers, and accountants to save time and take control of their payables, receivables, spend, and expense management. For more information, visit bill.com.

Viele Finanzteams glauben, sie sind digital aufgestellt, dabei tippen sie Daten aus Excel-Tabellen in ERP-Masken. Digitalisiert ja, automatisiert nein. Genau diese Lücke macht Circula zum Geschäftsmodell. In dieser Folge von Pricing Friends spricht Sebastian Voigt mit Nikolai Skatchkov, CEO und Mitgründer von Circula, über Pricing im Mittelstand, KI-gestützte Automatisierung und wie man eine Krise wie Corona nutzt, um gestärkt daraus hervorzugehen. Circula bedient heute knapp 3.000 Unternehmenskunden mit rund 180.000 aktiven Nutzern in 13 Märkten. Das Kernmodul für Reisekosten startet bei 15 Euro pro Nutzer, das neue Modul für Eingangsrechnungen bei 149 Euro für 100 Rechnungen. Die Kennzahlen sprechen für sich: 96 % Logo-Retention, 110 % Net Revenue Retention und ein NPS von 58. Der stärkste Hebel im Verkaufsgespräch ist dabei nicht der Preis, sondern Compliance. CFOs wollen persönliche Haftungsrisiken vermeiden und zahlen dafür auch 50 % mehr als für den günstigsten Anbieter. Mit KI und Large Language Models werden bereits 54 % aller Belege vollständig touchless verbucht, bis Jahresende sollen es 80 % sein. „Compliance ist denen so viel wert, dann ist es denen egal, ob wir auch irgendwie 50 % teurer sind als ein Marktbegleiter, weil im Endeffekt das, was hinten rauskommt bei einer Betriebsprüfung und auch die persönliche Haftung, die ein CFO übernehmen müsste, einfach viel, viel schwerer wiegt." – Nikolai Skatchkov Über den Gast Nikolai Skatchkov ist CEO und Mitgründer von Circula. Nach seinem BWL-Studium in Köln sammelte er Erfahrungen bei ProSieben sowie beim Fintech-Inkubator, wo er Ventures im Open-Banking-Bereich aufbaute. Die Idee zu Circula entstand aus einer eigenen Erfahrung: Nikolai und sein Mitgründer Roman reisten intensiv und erkannten, wie schlecht Reisekostenmanagement in Unternehmen gehandhabt wurde. Seit über neun Jahren führt er Circula als CEO und hat das Unternehmen zu einem der führenden Anbieter für automatisiertes Ausgaben- und Eingangsrechnungsmanagement im Mittelstand entwickelt.

In this episode, Jim Molloy, Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer of Ochsner Health, shares how fresh perspective, disciplined integration, and a focus on access and experience are shaping his 2026 strategy. He discusses navigating government reimbursement pressures, driving efficiency as smart growth, and why optimism and urgency are essential mindsets for today's health care CFOs.

In episode #356, Ben shares the results from the FP&A category of his 7th Annual SaaS Tech Stack Survey, highlighting the top financial planning and analysis solutions used in software companies today. With 37 FP&A solutions named in the survey, this remains one of the most competitive and fast-moving segments in the back-office tech stack. While spreadsheets still dominate usage—by a wide margin—dedicated FP&A platforms are gaining traction, especially as companies scale past $10M+ ARR and investor reporting requirements increase. Ben also compares this year's results to prior years and explains how FP&A tool adoption shifts by ARR size. Resources Mentioned 7th Annual SaaS Tech Stack Survey: https://www.thesaascfo.com/surveys/finance-accounting-tech-stack-survey/ What You'll Learn The most widely used FP&A solutions in SaaS and AI companies Why spreadsheets still dominate financial modeling workflows Which platforms are gaining momentum (Drivetrain, Mosaic, Aleph, Pigment, Planful, and others) How FP&A adoption changes as companies scale beyond $10M ARR Why enterprise-grade tools like Workday appear in larger organizations How funding and competition are reshaping the FP&A software landscape Why It Matters FP&A systems power your forecasting, budgeting, and board reporting Spreadsheet-based processes eventually break as complexity increases As ARR grows, investors expect more sophisticated financial modeling and analytics Selecting the right FP&A tool impacts forecasting accuracy, KPI visibility, and strategic planning Understanding market adoption trends helps founders and CFOs benchmark their financial systems

What happens when a Wall Street bond analyst, urban planner, freelance filmmaker, and investment banker all become the same person, and that person ends up running healthcare benefits for 215,000 people at the University of California? Laura Tauber didn't follow the rulebook. She followed curiosity. Laura Tauber is the Executive Director of Self-Funded Health Plans at the University of California, Office of the President. She oversees PPO plans, HMO plans, and benefit partnerships with Anthem and Blue Shield for a workforce that spans everything from Nobel laureates to gardeners — active employees, early retirees, and families spread across California and beyond. 60% of that workforce is unionized. 5 of her campuses have no medical center. And 50-60% of total plan spend runs through UC's own health system, meaning she's constantly negotiating with the very hospitals she depends on. It started not in healthcare — but in natural resources. Laura studied environmental policy, nearly became a forester, spent a summer in rural Montana, and realized that wasn't the life for her. She pivoted to urban planning, moved to San Francisco in 1982 in the middle of a recession, couldn't find work, and called a friend in New York who happened to be hiring at a bond insurance company. That one phone call put her in healthcare. She became a healthcare bond analyst — spending years doing deep financial analysis for hospitals, understanding how CFOs and CEOs think, what keeps them up at night, what their numbers actually mean. Then she moved to Blue Shield of California. Then Accenture as a healthcare strategy consultant. Then a stint in investment banking — where her biggest revelation wasn't finance, it was that she hated banking but loved strategy. Then Scan Health Plan. Then Kaiser. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, she took what she calls "a long sabbatical or a midlife crisis" — left healthcare entirely, got a BFA in cinematography, worked freelance for the BBC, worked on a travel show, and worked on a Spike Lee film. Then she came back. And everything clicked. In this conversation, Laura breaks down what it actually takes to make high-stakes benefit decisions across a system this complex — balancing member needs, budget constraints, union contracts, provider negotiations, pharmacy costs, and the constant pressure of doing right by people whose lives depend on the decisions you make. We go deep on: How her background across hospitals, health plans, investment banking, and consulting gives her a different lens when she looks at data — and why that multi-perspective thinking shapes every decision she makes The GLP-1 decision that consumed 18 months of her life — every study, every doctor conversation, every ethical consideration — and the hard call she ultimately made The $2 million hemophilia cure problem and the question underneath it: if a drug pays for itself over time and it's the right thing to do for the member, can you afford not to cover it? Why she still pulls up the raw spreadsheet herself instead of reading the summary — and why that habit has repeatedly led her to insights her own team missed What "making room at the table" actually looks like in practice — and how her first boss at UC gave her the opportunities that shaped everything that followed How she thinks about developing the next generation of leaders: understanding where people want to go, clearing the path for them, and supporting them even when that means helping them leave Why healthcare is fundamentally different from every other corporate environment — and why that emotional dimension is exactly what draws her to it Every detour Laura took — the bond analysis, the urban planning, the film set — gave her a way of thinking about problems that a straight-line career never could have built. This conversation is about what that actually looks like in practice.

Most cybersecurity people talk at CFOs instead of with them. What if there were a simple test to know when a CFO wants to learn about cyber risk versus when they just need someone to trust? Let's find out with our guest James Wheeler, a highly experienced CFO who now runs kept.pro, providing fractional accounting teams to businesses across the country. Your hosts are Kip Boyle, CISO with Cyber Risk Opportunities, and Jake Bernstein, Partner with K&L Gates.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdavidwheeler/   "Fire Doesn't Innovate" by Kip Boyle: https://a.co/d/0bYatohy

J.P. Morgan's Ken Ouimette, Head of Supplier Experience and B2B Payables, joins Paul McMeekin to share insights on payment lifecycle automation, cash conversion cycle metrics, and strategies for reducing errors and fraud. Practical and actionable advice for CFOs and treasury teams who want to drive results.

How can you succeed creatively in an age of generative artificial intelligence? In this episode of The Science of Creativity, Keith Sawyer speaks with creativity keynote speaker and author James Taylor about his new book SuperCreativity. His guiding metaphor is the music concert. Sitting in the audience, we naturally focus on the stars playing on stage. Taylor played a critical role that remained invisible to the audience. He working backstage, managing internationally successful artists. Along with teams of roadies, lighting experts, and sound engineers, he helped keep things running backstage at venues like the Royal Albert Hall. That experience shaped a central insight of his book: creativity is rarely the product of a lone genius. Instead, it emerges from collaboration and group dynamics, whether in jazz ensembles or business teams, or live concert tours. The conversation ranges widely, touching on creative pairs, improvisation, flow, wellbeing, sustainability, and human-AI collaboration. Taylor is bullish on AI and creativity. He argues that AI should be viewed as a creative collaborator. He provides some suggestions about how to use AI to increase your creative potential, such as identifying your cognitive blind spots and helping you see your own work in different ways. Key Takeaways Creativity happens backstage. Much of the creativity we see, consume, and love, is dependent on invisible collaborators. People like editors, coaches, producers, and managers. Creativity is a social system, not a solo act. Creative pairs matter more than lone geniuses. From musicians and editors to CEOs and CFOs, sustained creative excellence often emerges from trusted partnerships where ideas are challenged, refined, and strengthened. Psychological safety fuels innovation. The best creative teams encourage dissent, questioning, and constructive pushback—not polite agreement or deference to authority. Constraints don't limit creativity—they enable it. Whether in jazz improvisation or organizational innovation, well-designed constraints create the structure that allows originality to flourish. Creative flow requires protected time. Deep creative work can't happen in 15-minute calendar fragments. Leaders and individuals need to intentionally carve out longer blocks of "maker time" to enter flow states. Creativity and wellbeing are deeply connected. Engaging in creative activities enhances mental health and personal growth. AI works best as a creative collaborator, not a creator. Don't ask AI to do the creative work for you. You're still the creative agent, but use AI as a thoughtful peer. Use it to come up with new questions, to offer alternative viewpoints, and to help get you out of cognitive ruts. Humans still rule at taste, judgment, and imagination. For further information: James Taylor's web site: https://www.jamestaylor.me/ SuperCreativity book web site: https://www.jamestaylor.me/supercreativity/  Music by license from SoundStripe: "Uptown Lovers Instrumental" by AFTERNOONZ "Miss Missy" by AFTERNOONZ "What's the Big Deal" by Ryan Saranich Copyright (c) 2026 Keith Sawyer

Join Prashanth Swaminathan, Co-Founder and CEO of Zynk, for a deep dive into the hidden plumbing of global commerce. After a decade at Morgan Stanley managing billions in structured loans, Prashanth is now tackling one of the most persistent bottlenecks in finance: the inefficiency of correspondent banking. In this episode, we explore how Zynk is building an embedded transaction-level infrastructure that enables instant settlement without the need for traditional pre-funding—liberating capital for global startups and enterprises.

What does your CFO actually want to hear from you?In this episode of That's What I Call Marketing, Conor Byrne sits down with Michael Kaminsky former analytics leader at Harry's and Founder & CEO of Recast to unpack the real tension between marketing and finance. After Michael's Harvard Business Review article on the CMO–CFO relationship circulated widely (and resonated strongly with CFOs and CMOs), this conversation goes deep on:Why marketing forecasts keep missingWhy finance doesn't trust marketing numbersHow to talk about ROI and risk crediblyThe problem with last-click attributionHow to structure experiments properlyWhat “expected value” really means for marketersWhy brand investment must be framed as capital allocationIf you're a CMO, Marketing Director, Head of Performance or brand leader trying to build a stronger relationship with your CFO — this episode is essential.⏱️ Chapters 01:02 – Michael's time at Harry's: analytics, growth & experimentation 05:00 – The early days of podcast advertising & growth bets 06:15 – False precision in marketing measurement 07:23 – Brand tracking, survey data & real signal 08:42 – The Harvard Business Review article 09:07 – Why CMOs and CFOs feel tension 10:13 – Speaking the language of finance 14:21 – Discounted cash flow & thinking in timelines 15:00 – The credibility killer: marketing marketing 15:32 – Why being willing to be wrong builds trust 18:20 – Talking about risk & expected value 22:18 – Incrementality & structured experimentation 25:05 – Recast: forecasting & bridging marketing and finance 28:28 – The forecasting trap: last-touch attribution 30:19 – Compounding learning & agency transparency 32:00 – Final reflections: marketing as growth co-pilot

Digital transformation in procurement has been "imminent" for over a decade, however, Legacy Thinking Is the Real Bottleneck! Boards talk about automation. CFOs talk about control. Procurement leaders talk about value creation. And yet, across industries, source-to-pay (S2P) remains one of the most stubbornly legacy bound functions in the enterprise. The irony? Procurement should be one of the easiest functions to modernize. It is structured, process driven, data rich, and measurable. But in practice, S2P transformation efforts stall, underdeliver, or quietly die after expensive, lengthy and limited implementation cycles. Why? The bottleneck isn't technology. It's legacy gravity. The Hidden Cost of "Good Enough" Procurement Many organizations still operate on a patchwork of: ERP systems and bolt-ons built for another era Email based approvals Manual vendor onboarding Disconnected sourcing tools Excel driven reporting and even pen and paper These systems "work"… in the same way that a fax machine technically still works. The problem is that legacy procurement systems were designed for control and record keeping, not agility, collaboration, or strategic insight. They reflect a time when procurement was administrative. Today, it's expected to be strategic. That shift breaks the old model. Where Source-to-Pay Innovation Gets Stuck 1. ERP-Centric Thinking For years, procurement innovation meant adding modules to an ERP. But ERPs are transactional systems of record, not innovation platforms. They are excellent at posting journal entries. They are poor at enabling dynamic sourcing, supplier collaboration, or real time spend intelligence. Trying to build modern procurement on top of ERP architecture is like building a streaming service on top of a DVD player. 1. Change Fatigue and Organisational Inertia Procurement teams are often overworked and understaffed. Digital transformation becomes "another project" layered on top of operational pressure. Without clear ROI and intuitive user experience, adoption fails. Stakeholders revert to email. Maverick spend returns. The transformation narrative and urgency fades. 1. Fragmented Tool Stacks Organisations frequently assemble S2P capabilities from multiple vendors: One for sourcing One for contract management One for P2P Another for analytics Integration becomes the project. Data reconciliation becomes a full-time job. Innovation slows under its own complexity. 1. Supplier Experience Is an Afterthought Most legacy procurement systems optimize for internal compliance, not supplier usability. Clunky onboarding. Repetitive data entry. Limited transparency. In an era where supplier relationships are strategic assets, this friction is more than inconvenient — it's counterproductive. 1. Procurement Still Seen as Cost Control Perhaps the deepest legacy issue is philosophical. Many executive teams still view procurement primarily as a cost-cutting function. But modern S2P innovation unlocks: Risk visibility ESG traceability Working capital optimization Data driven negotiation leverage Cross functional alignment Actionable game changing business intelligence insights When procurement is framed as a back-office function, investment remains incremental. When it's framed as a strategic value driver, transformation becomes inevitable. What Modern Source-to-Pay Should Actually Look Like True S2P innovation isn't about digitising paperwork. It's about re-architecting the procurement experience. That includes: Consumer grade UX that drives adoption Unified workflows from sourcing through payment Real-time spend visibility Embedded analytics Supplier-first design Automation of approvals and compliance Configurability without heavy IT dependency In short, S2P should feel like modern SaaS, not a compliance portal from 2009, with the UX of teletext from the 1990's. The New Model: Agile, Unified, Intuitive Forward-thinking organizations are abandoning monolithic, ERP bound procurement stacks in favor of flexi...

Ob Zollstreitigkeiten, internationale Konflikte oder die schwächelnde Wirtschaft – die daraus resultierende Unsicherheit sorgt derzeit für hohe Volatilität an den Märkten. Was dies für das Risikomanagement von Unternehmen und Finanzdienstleistern bedeutet, sagt Sonja Kardorf, Risikovorständin beim Leasingspezialisten Deutsche Leasing. Seit Corona habe sich die Risikolandschaft fundamental verändert: „Sie ist viel dynamischer geworden.“ Unternehmen müssten Bürokratie, Transformation und Nachhaltigkeit gleichzeitig managen – in einem Umfeld, in dem sich oft über Nacht schon wieder alles geändert hat. Das erschwere die Risikoabschätzung enorm. Zudem nutze der früher bei der Risikobewertung obligatorische Blick in die Historie nur noch bedingt – und auch der Blick in die Zukunft wird zunehmend schwerer. „Klassische Frühwarnindikatoren, die man früher im Banking gelernt hat, sagen nicht mehr viel aus“, sagt Kardorf. Bei der Risikoeinschätzung setzt Kardorf daher neben den harten Zahlen auch auf Intuition. Bei Risikoentscheidungen gehöre „schon immer auch ein bisschen Bauchgefühl dazu und eben auch Erfahrung.“ Was derzeit ihr größter Schlafräuber ist und wie CFOs ihre Risikobewertung anpassen sollten, verrät Sonja Kardorf im Gespräch bei FINANCE TV.Hinweis: Diesen Talk von FINANCE TV präsentiert Deutsche Leasing.

In this episode, we to talk to Joel Nordstrom, founder at Atlar, the AI-native treasury platform, built for scaling finance teams.In our conversation we discuss the Treasury function in scaling businesses, sharing lessons from businesses that find efficiencies being supported by the latest platforms, as well as harmonising their work on an international basis. We learn about what AI can do now to support CFOs in this area and share some remarkable insights on important aspects of Treasury will be AI enabled in the near future

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPIiggRPhGU .entry-img img{ display:none !important; } .single .hentry .entry-img{ display:none !important; } https://open.spotify.com/show/7yTcgGvYdcXPxz2HbvgB2H The transition from Finance Leader to Chief Financial Officer is one of the most significant and demanding career moves in finance. While technical excellence, financial control, and operational discipline form a strong foundation, stepping into the CFO role requires a fundamental shift in mindset. It is not simply a promotion—it is a move from managing finance to leading the enterprise. The CFO becomes the strategic partner to the CEO, the external face of finance, and a key voice with investors, boards, and stakeholders. In this episode, Richard Turner, GrowCFO Mentor and Certified Transition Coach, draws on more than four decades of international finance leadership across 15 sectors and multiple countries. He explains how adaptability, humility, and curiosity enable successful transitions between industries—and why these same qualities are essential when progressing from FD to CFO. Richard outlines the universal principles that underpin effective finance leadership, from cash and cost management to stakeholder awareness and team empowerment, and explores how these fundamentals evolve at executive level. The conversation also addresses the modern pressures facing CFOs, including rapid technological change, AI adoption, and increasing executive scrutiny. Richard emphasizes that today's CFO must balance digital fluency with deeply human leadership—coaching teams, building trust, and supporting CEOs under pressure. With research showing that 40% of executives fail in new roles, he highlights the importance of structured mentoring and transition support to ensure aspiring CFOs not only secure the role—but succeed in it. Key topics covered: Why the move from FD to CFO requires a shift from operational control to enterprise-wide leadership The five universal principles that apply across all industries and underpin CFO effectiveness The three major pressures facing modern CFOs: technology, human leadership, and CEO partnership Why humility and curiosity are critical when entering new industries or executive roles The “5 Cs” communication framework every aspiring CFO should master How structured mentoring and executive transition coaching reduce failure risk in new roles. Links Richard Turner on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Mentoring Timestamps:  00:00:39 – Richard outlines his second career in mentoring and global finance background 00:02:37 – International career journey across Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa 00:06:16 – Moving across industries: transferable finance leadership fundamentals 00:07:56 – Humility in new sectors: leadership lessons from oil & gas 00:16:14 – What is keeping CFOs awake at night: technology, humanity, and CEO pressure 00:20:20 – Extraordinary leadership: raising and empowering future leaders 00:33:39 – Transitioning from FD to CFO: enterprise-wide skill expansion 00:36:42 – The “5 Cs” of executive communication 00:41:46 – Executive transition coaching and why 40% of executives fail in new roles 00:44:16 – The orchestra analogy: FD vs CFO leadership scope Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here. You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

The Supreme Court just tossed a Reverse Uno Card on Trump's tariffs… Trade War over?Nestle is selling off its $1B ice cream biz… because everyone loves ice cream, except CFOs.What's that mystery brand everyone wore at the Olympics?... It's ACG, and it's actually Nike.Plus, rivals Sam Altman and Dario Amodei refuse to hold hands… so we found the 1st handshake in history: 900 BC$NKE $NSRGY $SPY Buy tickets to The IPO Tour (our In-Person Offering) TODAYAustin, TX (2/25): SOLD OUTArlington, VA (3/11): https://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com/shows/341317 New York, NY (4/8): https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0000637AE43ED0C2Los Angeles, CA (6/3): SOLD OUTGet your TBOY Yeti Doll gift here: https://tboypod.com/shop/product/economic-support-yeti-doll NEWSLETTER:https://tboypod.com/newsletter OUR 2ND SHOW:Want more business storytelling from us? Check our weekly deepdive show, The Best Idea Yet: The untold origin story of the products you're obsessed with. Listen for free to The Best Idea Yet: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/NEW LISTENERSFill out our 2 minute survey: https://qualtricsxm88y5r986q.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp1FDYiJgt6lHy6GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Linkedin (Nick): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/Linkedin (Jack): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ About Us: The daily pop-biz news show making today's top stories your business. Formerly known as Robinhood Snacks, The Best One Yet is hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent data highlights a growing disconnect between technology spending and measurable business outcomes, with small business optimism softening and widespread skepticism about the benefits of artificial intelligence. The transcript cites an 80% rate of firms seeing no noticeable AI-driven productivity improvements, while trust in technology companies, particularly AI vendors, has declined globally according to the Edelman report. For MSPs, this presents a risk of credibility gaps, especially for those selling AI solutions without corresponding outcome data, as client trust and spending habits grow more discerning in the face of unfulfilled promises. Further context is provided by economic indicators showing a resilient U.S. economy, yet persistent challenges for small businesses. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index has dropped slightly to 99.3, with insurance costs and labor quality as major pain points; only 16% of business owners expect higher sales. At the same time, IT professionals face salary compression—median IT salaries fell from $145,000 in 2023 to $115,000 in 2024—despite a severe shortage of skilled cloud, AI, and infrastructure talent, as less than 10% of hiring managers are confident in filling in-demand roles. Additional market pressures include rising technology budgets—three-quarters of CFOs anticipate larger tech allocations, but headcount increases are slowing and tech spending faces a widening affordability gap due to sector-specific inflation outpacing budget growth. Vendor-specific developments, such as Western Digital exhausting hard drive capacity for 2026 and Enable reporting 12.8% revenue growth alongside ongoing losses and a 65% stock decline since 2021, illustrate structural risks. Vendor rationalization and strategic uncertainty are likely outcomes for MSPs relying heavily on underperforming partners. Key takeaways for service providers and IT leaders include the need for caution in messaging and solution positioning: outcome data and defensible value propositions are essential when advocating AI or cloud services. Salary data should be weighed against demand-side evidence to avoid retention failures. Finally, dependency on vendors with deteriorating financial outlooks heightens operational risk; providers should proactively assess alternatives and align with financially sustainable partners to reduce exposure during vendor consolidation cycles or market restructures. Four things to know today 00:00 AI Productivity Gap Widens as Trust Drops — MSPs Selling Outcomes They Can't Measure Face CFO Audits  04:51 IT Median Salary Dropped 20% in 2024, But Only 7% of Hiring Managers Can Fill AI and Cloud Roles 07:26 IT Inflation Hits 6.9% as CFOs Concentrate Spend; Western Digital Fully Booked Through 2026 10:28 N-Able Beats Revenue, Misses Earnings as 2026 Growth Guidance Drops to 8–9%   Sponsored by: CometBackup Small Biz Thoughts Community

Healthcare costs are no longer just a line item — they're a growing liability for employers. In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with Brandy Thompson, CEO of BenefitBay, to explore how ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements) is reshaping the way larger employers approach employee benefits. With renewal volatility, self-funded risk exposure, fiduciary pressure, and increasing administrative burden, many CFOs and HR teams are feeling squeezed from every direction. Brandy breaks down how a defined contribution model can restore budget control, preserve pre-tax advantages, and give employees true plan choice across multiple carriers — all while significantly reducing internal administration. The conversation covers: • How ICHRA works for groups 200+ lives • Why large employers are moving away from traditional self-funded models • How employees can shop plans based on their own doctors and prescriptions • The role of technology in simplifying enrollment and payroll coordination • How brokers and P&C agents can expand advisory value in the benefits space If you work with CFOs, HR leaders, or growing organizations facing healthcare cost pressure, this episode offers a fresh perspective on a rapidly evolving market. Watch now and learn how this model is changing the benefits conversation. #InsuranceShopTalk #EmployeeBenefits #ICHRA #HealthcareStrategy #CFOInsights #AgencyGrowth #InsuranceIndustry

Get ready for a fresh perspective on pricing in this engaging episode of Count Me In. Host Adam Larson welcomes behavioral pricing expert and Decision Alpha CEO Etinosa Agbonlahor to share how psychology, emotion, and real customer conversations can reshape the way businesses think about pricing. Forget relying only on cost-plus formulas or spreadsheets. Etinosa brings stories from the field, insights from brain science studies, and practical advice for using behavioral principles to set prices customers will value. Find out why understanding what customers care about and how they actually make purchase decisions can help you stand out from competitors. Learn how to confidently raise prices when needed and avoid common mistakes when communicating those changes. If you want your pricing to truly reflect the value you deliver, this episode has actionable tips, relatable examples, and fresh ideas worth hearing. Discover what happens when you combine financial know-how with a behavioral mindset, with guidance straight from Etinosa Agbonlahor. ___________________________________________________________BILL is a leading financial operations platform for startups to established brands. Headquartered in San Jose, California, we're a trusted partner of leading US financial institutions, accounting firms, and accounting software providers. We empower business owners, CFOs, controllers, and accountants to save time and take control of their payables, receivables, spend, and expense management. For more information, visit bill.com.

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Mateo Bryant, CFO of Minted. They break down Minted's life-event flywheel and decades-long LTV, managing extreme seasonality when half the year happens in one month, and balancing long-term CAC with short-term monetization. Mateo also shares lessons from scaling Uber and Amazon globally, localization missteps, and making marketplaces work in emerging markets.—SPONSORS:Abacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.aiBrex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjTabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/run—LINKS: Mostly Talent: https://mostlymetrics.typeform.com/to/cLTxtAsNMateo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryantmatt/Minted: https://www.minted.com/CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:Peter Oey, CFO of Grab:https://youtu.be/tdq0AZO0dLU—TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro03:16 Fixer to CFO05:32 Mexico City Startups09:00 Minted Flywheel10:24 LTV Expansion11:04 Entry Points12:18 CAC and Cohorts13:42 Sponsors: Metronome | RightRev | Rillet17:06 Wedding Lifecycle19:49 Holiday Forecasting22:23 Retail Calendar24:03 Cash Flow Swings25:05 Marketing Over Sales26:06 Email Limits27:41 Sponsors: Tabs | Abacum | Brex31:02 Retail Strategy35:08 Global Experience40:47 Uber Cash Economics46:04 Cost of Not Localizing50:19 Importer of Record53:17 No Google Lesson55:34 QBR Mistake56:48 High Leverage Hours59:03 Finance Stack59:50 Seven Day Cruise Expense#RunTheNumbersPodcast #MarketplaceStrategy #EcommerceFinance #GigEconomy #CFOInsights

Welcome to the first ever CROSSOVER EPISODE for both podcasts, and we are so excited to have you join us for this one.Today, the team from the Magical Learning Podcast is chatting to the amazing Alena Bennett, host of The Real Math of Business with Alena Bennett.Alena is a speaker, author and leadership expert who works primarily with CEOs and CFOs, helping build businesses where people serve people, the math just works.To reach out to Alena:https://www.alenabennett.com.au/https://www.linkedin.com/in/alenabennett/And to check out The Real Math of Business with Alena Bennett:https://www.youtube.com/@UCTC-z1B7jxC8zUW4LBxS1ww https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/the-real-math-of-business-with-alena-bennett/id1824603857Magical Learning has been running as a training and facilitation company in Australia for over 25 years and has partnered programmes with global thought leaders like John Matone and Robin Sharma.To check out to the Magical Learning Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCb70j5K0EE1DLlCLCvqdsVQ https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/magical-learning-podcast/id1503860793To find out more about our free content, sign-up for future webinars as well as our other services, go to ⁠⁠https://magicallearning.com/⁠⁠ and sign up!You can also find us on our socials: Instagram: / magical_learning Facebook: / magicallearningteam Linkedin: / magicallearning Youtube: / @magicallearning Have a Magical week!

a16z general partner Julie Yoo talks with Nikhil Buduma, CEO and cofounder of Ambience Healthcare, to discuss how AI is transforming clinical workflows. They cover the early days of deep learning, why Ambience started by running a medical practice before building a platform company, and what it takes to achieve high clinician adoption rates at major academic medical centers. They also dig into the challenge of building products when AI capabilities change every few months, the real ROI that's finally converting CFOs, and why this might be the moment to reimagine the legacy EHR stack.   Resources: Follow Nikhil Buduma on X: https://twitter.com/nkbuduma Follow Julie Yoo on X: https://twitter.com/julesyoo Read the full transcript here: https://www.a16z.news/s/podcast   Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many of us are not CFOs or finance gurus. But, understanding the financial metrics that drive the business is critical - no matter how intimidating a P&L or balance sheet can be. In this Quick Hit, you'll hear from Michael Barbarita, Founder of Next Step CFO. He helps small business owners create more time freedom and more consistent profits by helping you implement financial and business strategies your competition is not using. Listen to the full episode here

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Varsha Udayabhanu of Invisible to unpack what enterprise AI adoption actually looks like beyond the hype. They cover forward deployed engineers, eight-week solution sprints, value-based pricing when outcomes are hard to meter, ARR vs. services revenue, and why “momentum” beats traditional SaaS metrics. A tactical look at trust, expansion, and building durable AI revenue.—SPONSORS:Brex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjTabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/runAbacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.ai—LINKS: Varsha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varshaudayabhanu/Company: https://invisibletech.ai/CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:Marketing as a Form of Capital Allocation With Carta's Head of Growth Angela Winegarhttps://youtu.be/rG09ehsrWv8—TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro03:21 What Invisible Technologies Does05:34 Enterprise AI Adoption Gap07:38 Forward Deployed Engineers09:44 Evolving GTM in AI Services10:36 Solution Sprints12:37 Sponsor — Brex | Metronome | RightRev15:56 Upfront Investment vs. Upside18:38 Bespoke Deals20:37 Value-Based Pricing in Enterprise AI22:12 Value Sold vs. Value Delivered23:31 Enterprise Revenue as a Portfolio of Bets24:53 Time-Bound Solution Sprints27:06 Sponsor — Rillet | Tabs | Abacum30:32 Humans in the Loop & Expert Incentives33:38 Niche Human Expertise34:10 Rethinking KPIs Beyond ARR35:44 Momentum Metrics39:00 Evaluating GenAI Financial Profiles40:47 Expansion as the Atomic Unit42:19 AdTech Lessons on Distribution & Brand43:23 Why Brand Matters for Enterprise47:10 Commoditization Risk48:31 Long-Ass Lightning Round53:20 Credits

In episode #354, Ben shares the results from his 7th Annual SaaS Tech Stack Survey and reveals the top accounting solutions used by software, SaaS, and AI companies today. With participation across 22 software categories, this year's survey highlights both the consistent market leaders and the rise of newer, AI-first ERP platforms. While legacy players continue to dominate, new entrants are gaining meaningful traction. Ben breaks down the “Power Six” accounting platforms and what their market concentration tells us about the current state of financial systems in tech companies. Resources Mentioned 7th Annual SaaS Tech Stack Survey: https://www.thesaascfo.com/surveys/finance-accounting-tech-stack-survey/ Light, sponsor of the core accounting category: https://light.inc/ What You'll Learn The top accounting and ERP systems used by SaaS and AI companies How the “Power Six” now dominate the accounting stack landscape Which newer AI-first ERP platforms are gaining traction How concentrated is the accounting software market among SaaS companies Why accounting system selection matters as companies scale ARR Why It Matters Your accounting system is the foundation of your financial reporting, SaaS metrics, and KPI tracking Poor financial systems limit your ability to calculate ARR, revenue retention, and other recurring revenue metrics As revenue grows, moving from SMB accounting tools to more robust ERP and financial systems becomes critical Investors and auditors expect scalable accounting infrastructure as companies mature Understanding market trends helps founders and CFOs evaluate whether their current financial systems can support growth

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Rey del Valle to discuss what it really takes to move from reporting the business to steering it. Rey shares lessons from more than 25 years across media, entertainment, ecommerce, and fintech, explaining why curiosity, collaboration, and driver-based modeling are essential to effective finance leadership.Rey del Valle is a strategic CFO with deep roots in FP&A, having built his career at organizations such as FedEx, Norwegian Cruise Line, MTV Networks, and The Walt Disney Company. He has since served as CFO and advisor for companies including Ticketmaster, AXS, Guitar Center, OpenX, and several entertainment-focused fintech platforms.Expect to Learn:What great FP&A looks like beyond spreadsheets and reportingThe biggest mindset shift required when moving from FP&A to CFOWhy curiosity and operational understanding matter in financeHow collaboration plays a key role in successful turnaroundsHow benchmarks and driver-based models uncover opportunitiesHere are a few relevant quotes from the episode:“FP&A is about taking data and turning it into actionable insight so the business can actually do something with it.” - Rey del Valle“Our role in finance is not to look at numbers for their own sake, it is to help the company make better decisions.” - Rey del ValleRey shares practical insights on how FP&A teams can become stronger strategic partners by understanding business drivers, building models that support decision-making, and working closely with operations. He emphasizes that finance leaders create the most value when they listen first, stay curious, and help teams translate strategy into execution, especially during periods of change.Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation,close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Rey:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reydelvalle/Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/everestadvisorsllc/Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today's...

In this episode, host Sandy Vance chats with Dr. Sean Kelly, the Chief Medical Officer and the SVP of Customer Healthcare Strategy at Imprivata. Together, they unpack how healthcare organizations can strengthen cybersecurity without slowing clinicians down—exploring everything from mobile device security and passwordless authentication to adaptive authentication, risky user behaviors, and the very real implications for patient safety, workflow efficiency, and ROI for healthcare leaders.In this episode, they talk about:How cybersecurity can be improvedThe impact that Imprivata has on clinicians Why multi-factor authentication systems aren't more prevalent in the healthcare industryThe risky behaviors that open up organizations to security risksThe different things that Imprivata offers organizationsThe risks of patient harm in cybersecurity and privacyAdvice for CIOs or CFOs: workflow implications, security compliance, security and efficiency ROI, and financial valueAdaptive authentication at ImprivataA Little About Sean:Dr. Sean Kelly brings a uniquely well-rounded perspective to healthcare, shaped by a career that spans emergency medicine, healthcare leadership, technology, teaching, and entrepreneurship. An emergency physician at Beth Israel Lahey Health in Boston and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School, he is also the Chief Medical Officer and SVP of Customer Healthcare Strategy at Imprivata, where he helps guide product vision, go-to-market strategy, and customer experience after more than a decade with the company from startup through IPO and private equity ownership. He has led high-performing teams in both clinical and executive settings, contributed to care delivery improvements impacting millions of patients, published widely in emergency medicine and medical education, and earned multiple teaching awards. His background includes training at Harvard College, UMass Medical School, and Vanderbilt University, co-founding a concierge medical practice on Martha's Vineyard, international teaching and humanitarian work, and service in roles ranging from hospital administration to disaster relief—all grounded in a deep commitment to learning, mentorship, and collaboration.

On this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo sits down with Professor Sam Savage to tackle a question CFOs, founders, and finance-minded operators can't ignore: Will CFOs adopt ChanceCalc? Sam breaks down a deceptively simple, app-like tool that transforms static financial inputs into stochastic models, exposing the real probabilities behind cash flow, budget risk, and runway. Behind the clean interface are thousands of simulations designed to answer the question spreadsheets can't: what's the chance this plan actually works? Jack and Sam dig into why averages routinely mislead executives, how probabilistic forecasting flags systemic budget overruns, and why tools like ChanceCalc could become essential infrastructure for modern financial decision-making. https://www.probabilitymanagement.org/    Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️  

Hey humans, welcome back to the podcast. In our last episode, I introduced you to the concept of allostatic load—that cumulative wear and tear on our bodies from chronic, unresolved stress. Today, we're taking that conversation straight into the boardroom. I'm talking to the CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders who might not realize that this invisible burden is already showing up in your P&L through productivity losses, healthcare claims, and the "quiet quitting" of your highest-performing talent. With an estimated $136B annual cost attributed to chronic illness in the US workforce, this isn't just a "soft" human issue; it's a hard business reality that we have the power to change.   I'm sharing a tactical three-lever framework to help you look at organizational design as a health intervention. We'll dive into how to audit invisible labor, train managers to see performance dips as health signals, and redesign accommodation pathways to be proactive rather than reactive. It's time to stop asking our women to just be more resilient and start fixing the systems that accumulate the load in the first place. Join me as we explore how a proactive workforce strategy can become your greatest competitive advantage. Stacie More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

In this episode, we sit down with Louie Nguyen, CEO of Say San Diego, to discuss what it really means to run a nonprofit like a business while staying deeply committed to mission.Louie shares his journey from institutional investor and impact investing leader to nonprofit CEO, and how that financial discipline is now shaping SAY San Diego's strategy. The conversation covers revenue diversification, reserve policy design, social enterprise models, mental health innovation, and what responsible risk-taking looks like in the nonprofit sector.If you are a nonprofit executive, board member, or impact investor thinking about long term sustainability, this episode is worth your time.About SAY San DiegoFounded in 1971, SAY San Diego has grown from one employee to more than 500 staff members serving approximately 45,000 San Diegans each year.Key program areas include:After school programs serving 4,000 students dailyMental health services at 26 school sitesSupport for young mothers from pregnancy through early childhoodFatherhood engagement programsCommunity advocacy and educationWith annual revenue near $30 million, SAY San Diego operates at a scale most nonprofits never reach.What You Will Learn in This EpisodeWhy nonprofits should aim to generate positive marginsThe importance of unrestricted capitalHow to calculate a true rainy day reserveWhy holding real estate is not always the best strategyHow to diversify revenue beyond grants and contractsWhat investment risk looks like inside a nonprofitHow to structure social enterprise investment opportunitiesWhy mental health funding needs long term endowment solutionsKey Topics Covered1. Transitioning from Finance to Nonprofit Leadership Louie explains how his background in institutional investing and impact finance shaped his approach to leadership at SAY San Diego.2. Revenue Diversification in a Volatile Funding Environment With federal and state funding uncertainty, Louie shares how SAY is building independent, self-sustaining revenue streams.3. Rethinking Reserves and Asset Allocation A practical discussion on how CEOs and CFOs should scenario plan, define real operating risk, and segment reserves intentionally.4. The Boba Wellness Model A bold social enterprise concept where SAY acquires boba shops that operate as businesses during the day and convert into youth wellness spaces at night.5. Intellectual Property as a Revenue Strategy How a community safety initiative evolved into a licensing and IP opportunity that can scale nationally.6. The Wellspring Initiative A $2 million mental health endowment designed to fund 1,300 therapy sessions per year in perpetuity for students who need care beyond what school districts cover.

Join host Adam Larson as he chats with David Frieder, Head of Corporate Payment Systems at US Bank, about his unique journey from college intern to leading payment innovation. David Frieder shares real stories on how banks build new products, why real-time payments are gaining momentum (and where they're not), and the practical challenges of bringing new tech to traditional finance teams. They cover everything from instant payments and AI-driven fraud prevention to what it takes to build trust and lasting relationships between banks and finance professionals. David also gives a behind-the-scenes look at how he leads his team with a focus on joy and purpose. Packed with actionable insights and candid advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the future of payments, technology in banking, and how innovation really happens in finance. ___________________________________________________________BILL is a leading financial operations platform for startups to established brands. Headquartered in San Jose, California, we're a trusted partner of leading US financial institutions, accounting firms, and accounting software providers. We empower business owners, CFOs, controllers, and accountants to save time and take control of their payables, receivables, spend, and expense management. For more information, visit bill.com.

In this episode, CJ talks with Paul Stansik of ParkerGale Capital about what separates Simplifiers from Complicators. They unpack why most board meetings miss the point, how to answer the actual question, and why naming the real problem builds trust.—SPONSORS:Abacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.aiBrex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjTabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/run—LINKS: Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulstansik/ParkerGale Capital: https://www.parkergale.com/https://hellooperator.substack.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Fixing Broken Windows in Investing3:08 What an Operating Partner Actually Does5:35 Managing Nine Portfolio Companies6:07 Where PE Investors Spend Their Time9:02 Do Investors Think About You All Day?10:16 The Operator “Bermuda Triangle”12:35 Sponsors — Abacum | Brex | Metronome15:52 The CFO “Triangle of Doom”17:47 How to Become an Investor Favorite18:42 Templates Build Trust in Board Communication20:54 Using Trusted Data22:10 The Board Payback Record Scratch23:18 Building Your “Data Diet” With the Board25:19 Sponsors — RightRev | Rillet | Tabs28:47 Signs a Team Isn't in Command31:30 Board Meetings Aren't a Performance34:16 “20 Board Meetings—Don't Waste Them”35:15 Ask Permission to Reallocate the Agenda37:54 When to Send Board Materials40:28 Simplifiers vs. Complicators41:58 The Simplifier Finds the One Question That Matters42:16 Three Traits of a Simplifier: Answer, Find, Do43:15 Why Complicated Operators Take You on a Ride44:26 Selling vs. Substance46:23 “Get There, Bob”47:25 Why We Hedge49:36 You Can't Fix a Secret52:50 Credits

About John Munsell: John Munsell is the CEO of Bizzuka, Inc. and author of INGRAIN AI – Strategy through Execution: The blueprint to scale an AI-first culture. With more than 10,000 hours working hands-on with AI, he created the AI Strategy Canvas® and Scalable Prompt Engineering™, frameworks that have helped everyone from law professors to non-technical construction CFOs use AI to compress weeks of work into hours and save their companies millions.Known for making complex AI instantly understandable, John combines real-world case studies, clear frameworks, and a healthy dose of Southern charm. A former Adjunct Instructor of AI at Louisiana State University, he's consistently rated as the speaker who “finally makes AI make sense” and gives audiences tools they can put to work immediately.In this episode, Jennie and John Munsell discuss:Why most businesses overestimate their current level of AI masteryHow AI can remove administrative work and free salespeople to focus on peopleUsing AI to analyze conversations, uncover hidden needs, and improve follow-upHow personalized, AI-assisted proposals dramatically increase conversion ratesKey Takeaways:AI isn't just a faster copywriter; it's a capacity creator that gives salespeople back time to build real relationships.The most powerful AI workflows start with understanding pain, frustration, and desire—before ever pitching a solution.Personalized proposals perform better because they reflect how buyers think, decide, and communicate, not just what they need.When sales conversations are guided by preparation and insight, prospects feel seen, heard, and understood.The future of sales belongs to those who use AI to solve problems, not push products."AI creates capacity, and if you know how to use AI, then you have this excess capacity that is then used to be in front of people, because you're delegating the paperwork to AI." —  John MunsellConnect with John Munsell:Website: https://www.bizzuka.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwmunsell  CONNECT WITH JENNIE:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/badassdirectsalesmasteryInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassdirectsalesmastery/Website: https://badassdirectsalesmastery.com/Show: https://badassdirectsalesmastery.com/blog/YouTube: COMING SOON!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levelupcoachllc/Email: jennie@badassdirectsalesmastery.com  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson talks with Rivian CFO Claire McDonough about financing one of the most capital-intensive businesses in the world. They cover long-term investment decisions, capacity planning, cash management as production scales, lessons from Rivian's nearly $14B IPO, the risks of over- and under-building, and why federal EV tax credits matter more than most people think.—SPONSORS:Tabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/runAbacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.aiBrex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cj—LINKS: Claire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-rauh-mcdonough-5291b946/Rivian: https://rivian.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:Why Revenue Recognition Is the Next AI Battleground | Dan Miller of RightRevhttps://youtu.be/TxhTtwmOass—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Craziest Expense Story at Rivian00:01:22 Intro to Claire McDonough00:03:09 Capital Intensity and Vertical Integration at Rivian00:06:44 Raising $14B: How Rivian Planned Its IPO Capital00:10:22 Capacity Planning and Scaling R2 Production00:12:13 Sponsors — Tabs, Abacum, Brex00:15:34 Sweating Existing Capacity vs Overbuilding00:18:22 Winning EV Adoption from ICE Buyers00:22:27 How Federal EV Tax Credits Shape EV Pricing00:26:03 Sponsors — Metronome, RightRev, Rillet00:29:27 R2 as a Driver of Long-Term Profitability00:33:14 Supply Chain as the Critical Path to Launch00:36:53 Product Roadmap as the Anchor for Capital and Headcount00:39:40 Peloton and Flipkart Lessons from Banking00:43:42 Biggest Career Mistake00:44:50 Advice to Younger Self00:47:19 Rivian's Finance Software Stack

Private Funds CFO's 23rd annual New York Forum gathered together nearly 600 compliance, financial and operational experts in two days of discussions that covered everything from AI to new ways to think about carry. In this episode of Private Equity Spotlight, PEI Group editor Graeme Kerr chats with Private Funds CFO's Graham Bippart, Rob Kotecki and Bill Myers to get their top takeaways from one of the world's biggest events for CFOs. In this episode: Graham Bippart is senior editor of Buyouts and Private Funds CFO Rob Kotecki is deputy editor of Private Funds CFO Bill Myers is Washington correspondent for Private Funds CFO Graeme Kerr is an editor at PEI Group

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Ben Winter, co-founder and COO at Stuut. Ben Winter brings a dynamic background in management consulting, design agencies, and executive leadership roles within scaling SaaS companies. He shares the story behind founding Stuut—an AI-powered platform designed to transform the order-to-cash process for businesses where working capital and collection efficiency are essential. Ben Winter reveals how Stuut's AI agents streamline everything from invoice communication to payment collection, targeting verticals like manufacturing, logistics, and medical devices that rely on fast cash cycles. The discussion delves into Stuut's journey—from early customer pain points to rapid fundraising, the importance of founder–investor alignment, and their innovative approach to go-to-market and brand differentiation in the crowded finance technology space. Listen in for actionable insights on SaaS metrics, building AI-driven solutions, and lessons learned in scaling an operationally efficient company—straight from a COO who's at the forefront of fintech innovation. Show Notes: 00:00 "Automating AR with AI" 05:19 "Optimizing Cash Flow for Growth" 07:11 Evolving CFO Strategies for Collections 12:34 "Delivering Value to Customers" 16:25 In-Person Impact and Clear Value 19:14 "Non-Traditional Marketing Strategies" 21:16 "Digital Coworkers for Collections Teams" 24:09 "AP & AR Strategy Insights" 29:57 "Scaling Efficiently with AI" 31:28 "Rethinking Team Structures Efficiently" Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/stuut-technologies-raises-29-5m-series-a Ben Winter's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengwinter/ Stuut's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stuut/ Stuut's Website: https://www.stuut.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

The 2026 IPO Quiz: Since January 1, 2026How many companies?20How many total founders?34How many female founders?2: Cassandra Curtis and Jennifer GarnerHow many companies have female founders?1: Once Upon a FarmHow many companies with only female founders?0Once Upon a Farm: J. Garner, J. Foraker, C. Curtis, A. RazCo-founded in 2015 by Cassandra Curtis and Ari RazIn 2017, Jennifer Garner joined as a co-founder and “Chief Brand Officer”, alongside CEO John ForakerMost represented industry?Healthcare (5), including Pharma, Biotech, and AI Biotech How many are already down from their offer price (as of 10:45am)?17How many female chairs?1: Shoushana Ohanessian: VenHub GlobalHow many female CFOs?1: Cantor Equity VI: Jane Novak (F)How many female CEOsZeroHow many directly associated with Epstein Island?1: Cantor Equity VI: Cantor was founded over 75 years ago and was led by Howard W. Lutnick from 1992 until February 2025 when he became the United States Secretary of CommerceSon Brandon G. Lutnick CEO/ChairTrump Commerce Sec. Lutnick admits visiting Epstein island during family vacationHow many boards have ZERO male directors?ZEROHow many boards of zero female directors?Only six!How many with one? Only six!How many boards with at least 30% women? 4AgomAb Therapeutics 2/6 33%Green Circle Tech 2/5 40%Once Upon a Farm 4/9 44% (CEO/Chair, CFO, Nominating Committee chair, Compensation Committee chair = MEN)VenHub GlobalTotal percentage of women?18%BONUS HEADLINES QUIZKraft Heinz pauses work to split the company as new CEO says ‘challenges are fixable'What were the two new companies?Strategic Flavor Holdings Co. and North Atlantic Provisions Co.Global Taste Elevation Co. and North American Grocery Co.North Atlantic Snack Holdings and Strategic Grocery Development GroupInternational Flavor Solutions Co. and United Continental Grocery Co.Universal Taste Logistics Co. and North American Food Alignment Co.Proxy Voting: Asset Managers Increased Their Support for Management in 2025What percentage of management resolutions did the Big Three index managers support in the 2025 proxy year? Hint, it's up 3% since 2023.99% (98.7%), up from 96% in 2023Top 10 U.S. asset managers in 2025? 98%Top 50 U.S. asset managers in 2025? 96%What percentage of shareholder resolutions did the Big Three index managers support in the 2025 proxy year? Hint, it's down 1.5%.7.5%True or False: in a landmark social media case that seeks to hold tech companies responsible for harms to children, A google lawyer said this to Jurors yesterday: “It's not social media addiction when it's not social media and it's not an addiction.”True or False: xAI cofounder Jimmy Ba, the second cofounder [Tony Wu] to depart xAI in less than 48 hours, said this yesterday: "It's time to recalibrate my gradient on the big picture. 2026 is gonna be insane and likely the busiest (and most consequential) year for the future of our species."According to a new report from the WSJ, why did OpenAI fire Executive Ryan Beiermeister?sexual discriminationWhat's the story behind the story?Ryan Beiermeister, one of OpenAI's top safety executives, a vice president leading OpenAI's product policy team, was accused of sexual discrimination against a male employee after she voiced opposition to the controversial rollout of AI erotica in its ChatGPT product saying that she opposed adult mode, worried it would have harmful effects for users, and that she believed OpenAI's mechanisms to stop child-exploitation content weren't effective enough, and that the company couldn't sufficiently wall off adult content from teens.Beiermeister started a peer-mentorship program for women at OpenAI in early 2025.

You've got £250K in the bank. You're profitable. Everything looks fine.Then your VAT bill hits and you're scrambling. Or a major client payment is 60 days late and suddenly you can't make payroll.Marc Obrart has seen this exact scenario play out dozens of times. As co-founder of Fin House, he provides finance teams and CFOs to 50+ scale-ups. And the pattern he sees most often? Founders managing by their bank account instead of understanding the two stories every business tells.Here's what makes this different:Marc's not talking about hiring expensive CFOs or implementing complex ERP systems. He's talking about getting the basics right - and most founders don't have them in place.His approach is simple: finance should be embedded in your business, not isolated in a dark corner. When finance is done right, you have access to forward-looking data that lets you make confident decisions about hiring, marketing spend, and growth.You'll learn:Why your bank balance is a terrible way to manage your business. It tells you where you are now, not where you're going. Founders look at £250K and think they're fine—then their VAT bill goes out in three days and they've forgotten to connect the dots.The rolling 13-week cash flow framework and why this specific timeframe matters. In 13 weeks (roughly 3 months), you should know everything: new hires coming in, monthly payroll, payment terms from customers (30-90 days), supplier obligations. This is your Bible. If you don't have this, you're flying blind.Why VAT catches founders out more than margins, profitability, or any other metric. It's a red herring—you're collecting it, sitting on it, and then suddenly you owe £150K and don't have the cash because you thought it was available. Ring-fence it. Track available cash separately.The two stories your business tells: your profit story (management accounts) and your cash story (cash flow). These are completely different. You can be profitable and run out of cash. You can have cash and be unprofitable. Get your profit wrong, you have time to fix it. Get cash wrong, you're out of business in 30 days.Why you probably don't need an ERP system or NetSuite. Most businesses can run on Xero with proper bookkeeping, controls, and forward-looking insights. Don't overcomplicate it.How to know if your finance setup is useful. If you're skipping pages in your management pack, they shouldn't be there. If you don't understand something, it's not simple enough—and that's the finance team's fault, not yours.Marc also shares his background as an FA-qualified football coach and how explaining tactics to 9-year-olds taught him to simplify finance for founders. The crossover is remarkable: clear, concise messaging that people can actually understand and act on.The reality check:This isn't about fancy systems or complicated models. It's about nailing the basics: up-to-date bookkeeping, a rolling 13-week cash flow, and understanding your 3-5 key KPIs (not 25). If you don't have these in place, you're managing by gut feel—and that's how businesses end up in trouble.If you've been managing by your bank balance or avoiding your finance function because it feels too complicated, this episode shows you exactly what to fix.One action: Listen to the end for Marc's single recommendation every founder should implement immediately.Questions? Email hello@peereffect.com or find us on LinkedIn.More from James: Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

Finance teams in the energy, utilities, and renewable energy sectors face unique challenges, complex ownership structures, multi-entity consolidation, regulatory reporting, and constant market volatility. In this episode of CPM Customer Success, we discuss how CFOs, Controllers, and FP&A leaders are modernizing close, consolidation, and planning with a unified CPM platform. We share two customer examples to bring this to life: A fast-growing renewable energy developer that outgrew Excel as its portfolio of solar projects expanded. One of the world's largest battery recycling enterprises with a fragmented financial process.  If you're a leader in the energy or utilities space looking to deliver faster insights, improve confidence in the numbers, and support the transition to a more dynamic energy future, this episode is for you!      

This week on Next in Media, I sat down with Matt Spiegel, EVP of Marketing Solutions Growth Strategies at TransUnion, to unpack one of the most pressing questions in advertising right now: what's actually changed since cookies started disappearing and privacy laws started piling up? And just as importantly, what hasn't changed? Matt brings a refreshingly practical perspective to the conversation, explaining how disconnected data infrastructure remains the biggest obstacle for most brands, even as everyone races to adopt AI-powered marketing. He breaks down why walled gardens still have an inherent advantage, how signal loss is forcing marketers to rethink their strategies, and why the industry's obsession with the "easy button" might be holding progress back.We also tackled some uncomfortable truths about where the industry is headed. Matt shared his thoughts on agentic advertising and whether bots will really replace media planners, the noisy MarTech landscape that's overwhelming CMOs, and why he believes the next economic downturn could trigger massive layoffs in marketing and advertising. Throughout our conversation, Matt emphasized that while the tools and technology are evolving rapidly, the fundamentals of good marketing haven't changed. It's about understanding your customers, connecting your data, and applying that intelligence at scale. This is a conversation for anyone trying to make sense of the chaos in modern marketing, wondering how to navigate identity resolution in a post-cookie world, or just trying to figure out which AI tools are actually worth the hype._______________________________________________________Key Highlights

Get ready to rethink your company's legal strategy in this episode of Predictable B2B Success. Host Vinay Koshy speaks with Jeff Holman, founder of Intellectual Strategies and creator of the first fractional legal team model. Whether you're a first-time founder facing hidden legal pitfalls or a seasoned executive scaling fast, Jeff Holman explains why traditional law firms might hold you back and how fractional legal guidance can unlock growth and agility. You'll hear candid stories about real-world risks, how proactive legal input can save millions, and ways to align intellectual property strategy with investor expectations and business goals. Discover tips on managing legal debt, building IP moats in the era of AI, and why simple documentation can be your strongest defense. Learn how embedded legal partners can streamline product development and turn compliance headaches into competitive advantages. Curious about the untapped legal potential that can drive revenue growth? Ready to hear how startups and scaleups can turn legal from a roadblock into a driver for success? Tune in and let this conversation challenge what you thought you knew about legal support for growing businesses. Some topics we explore in this episode include: Fractional Legal Team Model: How Jeff Holman developed a scalable alternative to traditional legal services for startups and growing businesses.Access to Legal Support for Small Businesses: Addressing the barriers small businesses face in getting affordable, practical legal advice.Key Moments Shaping Intellectual Strategies: The pivotal decisions and experiences that led Jeff Holman to build his unique legal offering.Translating Legal Complexity for Business Leaders: The importance of making legal and technical concepts business-friendly.First-Time vs. Experienced Founders' Needs: How legal priorities differ and the crucial role of documenting agreements.Quantifying the Impact of Legal Teams: Communicating ROI to CFOs, with examples of cost and risk avoidance.Strategic IP Management: Aligning patents and trademarks with business goals and investor expectations.Adapting IP for Rapid Tech Change (AI Focus): Layering protections and adjusting strategies amidst fast-moving technology.Managing Legal Risk and Debt: Using playbooks and frameworks for identifying and prioritizing legal issues.Embedding Legal into Operations and Product Development: The value of being closely involved in client teams to deliver timely legal guidance.And much, much more...

In this episode, Remo Gerber (SkyCell) and Fabienne Doerig (CFO expert and consultant) discuss the challenges and strategies involved in building and scaling finance functions in fast-growing companies. The two share their experiences from different growth phases, from startups to billion-dollar organizations, and provide insights into the role of the CFO, process automation, successful fundraising tactics, and the importance of team building and system implementations. They also shed light on how CFOs can master the balancing act between being a strategic business partner and an operational gatekeeper. What you'll take away from this episode: The changing role of the CFO: From operational gatekeeper to strategic business partner who not only delivers numbers but also drives growth. Automation and systems: Why it's crucial to analyze the IT landscape carefully and implement the right systems—and how to avoid mistakes in the process. Forecasting and KPI alignment: The art of combining operational and financial figures to make better decisions. Fundraising strategies: How to manage the process, keep multiple options open, and ensure that the money actually ends up in the account. Team building: When to rely on generalists and when specialists are necessary—and how important a motivated and resilient team is for success. ALLES ZU UNICORN BAKERY: https://stan.store/fabiantausch   More about Fabienne & Remo: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/remo-gerber-1153a66/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabienne-doerig-ch8/  Join our Founder Tactics Newsletter: 2x die Woche bekommst du die Taktiken der besten Gründer der Welt direkt ins Postfach: https://www.tactics.unicornbakery.de/  Chapter: (00:00:00) Introduction: Two Swiss guys in Zug – Why we're talking about scaling finance (00:02:14) How the role of the CFO is changing in fast-growing companies (00:06:32) From startups to scale-ups: The biggest challenges in growth (00:12:20) Systems and automation: Why the right tools are crucial (00:16:33) ERP systems: Build vs. buy – How to make the right decision (00:20:24) Data quality and KPI alignment: Bringing financial and operational figures together (00:24:12) Forecasting: Top-down vs. bottom-up – How to make realistic forecasts (00:30:06) Fundraising: Tips for the process, negotiation tactics, and capital structures (00:36:44) Capital allocation: How to prioritize investments and involve the team (00:42:15) Team building in the finance function: Generalists vs. specialists (00:47:37) Personal resilience: How CFOs deal with change and pressure (00:53:37) External consulting and outsourcing: When and how to leverage networks (01:00:42) The big picture: Data, context, and the question “Are we moving the needle?”

Ready for an inspiring career boost? In this episode of Count Me In, Adam Larson sits down with Isabelle Massaad, CFO at DSV, a global leader in transport and logistics. Isabelle's story is anything but ordinary: she began her professional journey at just 17, driven by curiosity, grit, and a knack for finding patterns in chaos. This conversation is full of practical advice and real stories—how Isabelle earned respect, led diverse teams, and transformed financial data into compelling business narratives. She opens up about what it means to be a transformative leader, the essential role of empathy in her leadership style, and why staying adaptable is crucial with so much rapid change in tech and AI. Whether you're just starting out or dreaming of the C-suite, you'll find plenty of actionable takeaways on building soft skills, networking, and embracing lifelong learning. Dive in for an engaging chat and get a fresh take on the future of finance, leadership, and the constantly evolving world of transport and logistics. ___________________________________________________________BILL is a leading financial operations platform for startups to established brands. Headquartered in San Jose, California, we're a trusted partner of leading US financial institutions, accounting firms, and accounting software providers. We empower business owners, CFOs, controllers, and accountants to save time and take control of their payables, receivables, spend, and expense management. For more information, visit bill.com.

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson sits down with Dan Miller, CFO at RightRev. They unpack why leasing is underused in software, how RevTech emerged, and why revenue recognition may be the next AI battleground. Dan also shares how he evaluates durable growth vs. hypergrowth.—SPONSORS:Rillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjTabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/runAbacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.aiBrex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com—LINKS: Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmillercpa/RightRev: https://www.rightrev.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:02:41 Why Operating Experience Matters for CFOs00:04:08 Defining Durable Growth00:06:06 Snowflake and Consumption Revenue Complexity00:10:17 Forecasting in Consumption Models00:11:29 AI's Role in Revenue Forecasting00:12:14 Sponsors — Rillet | Tabs | Abacus AI00:15:39 Comping Sales in Usage-Based Models00:18:15 Leasing as a Software Monetization Tool00:20:47 The CFO's Role in Sales and GTM00:22:29 How CFOs Help Close Deals00:24:14 Rev Tech vs RevOps00:26:20 Sponsors — Brex | Metronome | RightRev00:29:40 Where AI Actually Helps Rev Rec00:31:55 Deterministic vs Probabilistic AI00:33:05 Why Enterprises Hesitate on AI Agents00:34:18 Startups vs Incumbents in the AI Race00:35:13 FOMO, Overfunding, and Market Distortions00:38:13 CFO Playbooks Without Hypergrowth00:39:38 Finding PMF as a CFO00:41:15 Career Advice: Growth vs Shiny Objects00:42:00 Building the CEO–CFO Relationship00:42:49 Learning Beyond the Back Office00:43:22 Lightning Round00:44:28 Advice to My Younger Self00:45:09 Finance Tech Stack00:46:36 Credits

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping healthcare, yet many provider organizations still struggle to move from interest to practical application particularly when it comes to value-based care contracts. While AI promises efficiency and insight, turning it into measurable performance and financial advantage remains a challenge. In this episode of Value-Based Care Insights, host Daniel Marino explores how AI can be used to address one of healthcare's most complex challenges: evaluating and managing value-based contracts. Drawing on real-world experience, Daniel explores how AI can be used to build performance models that connect contract design with operational outcomes across clinically integrated networks, ACOs, and other value-based arrangements.Joined by Eddie Diaz, a data scientist with more than 15 years of experience in value-based care analytics, the discussion highlights how AI can bring clarity to attribution, risk, quality, and financial performance to help CFOs, CMOs, and managed care leaders better understand contract opportunities, risks, and results. Together, they explore how AI can move beyond hype to deliver real, actionable value in value-based care contracts.

Maxima is building AI agents that automate enterprise accounting while maintaining the auditability and control standards finance teams require. In a recent episode of BUILDERS, we sat down with Yogi Goel, CEO and Co-Founder of Maxima, to explore his eight-year journey at Rubrik from Series C through IPO, and how those lessons shaped his approach to solving the 70-80% of finance time currently wasted on manual work. Topics Discussed: Why Rubrik's approach—entering stagnant markets with first-principles thinking—became Maxima's blueprint Securing $3K-$5K POC commitments from Figma mockups before writing code Why Scale AI and Rippling rejected a point solution and demanded 3-4 modules from day one The compound startup model: building multiple products simultaneously to meet buyer expectations How 17% of CFOs are adopting AI tools today (vs 51% in software development) Why finance teams view AI agents as "digital college freshmen" who need proof of work Hiring from YouTube Studios, Apple, and Robinhood instead of legacy finance software companies How NetSuite World conference booth sizes revealed the data integration infrastructure gap The $3K-$5K validation threshold that proved finance pain was urgent enough to pay pre-product GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Demand generation unlocks engineering potential: Yogi learned from his Rubrik mentors: "focus on demand and if you have great engineers then they will solve the problems." Maxima built products in 2-3 months they didn't initially know were technically feasible—because customer demand pulled the engineering team forward. For founders with strong technical teams, customer demand should drive the roadmap, not engineering's comfort zone. Trust your engineers to solve hard problems when customers are waiting. $3K-$5K is the pre-product validation threshold: Before writing any code, Yogi secured POC commitments at this price point based solely on Figma mockups. This isn't about revenue—it's about proving urgency. Verbal interest means nothing. Small pilot commitments mean "we'll try it someday." But $3K-$5K pre-product means "this problem is urgent enough to pay before seeing a working solution." Use this threshold to separate real pain from polite interest. Sophisticated buyers will reject your narrow MVP: Scale AI and Rippling told Maxima explicitly: "If you will only build this one thing, we will not buy. You have to commit to building three, four modules." Conventional wisdom says start narrow, but enterprise buyers with complex workflows won't adopt point solutions that create new integration headaches. When sophisticated buyers articulate their real buying criteria, ignore the startup playbook. Yogi built a "compound startup" with 4-5 modules from day one because that's what the market demanded. Target acute pain over easy access: Early-stage companies (10-30 people) were easier to reach but finance wasn't urgent enough. At that scale, it's "build product, ship product"—finance operations aren't broken enough to warrant urgent attention. Companies at 500-1,000+ employees have finance teams drowning in manual work that prevents strategic contribution. Target where pain justifies urgent action and budget exists, not where calendar access is easiest. Hire intensity and first-principles thinking over domain knowledge: Maxima deliberately hired zero engineers from legacy finance software companies. Their frontend engineer came from YouTube Studios. Others came from Apple, Robinhood, Netflix—none with financial product experience. Yogi's three hiring criteria: "incredible intensity, huge confidence in themselves, and fast thinking mode." Domain expertise creates pattern-matching to old solutions. First-principles thinking creates breakthrough products. One team member didn't finish high school but is "one of the best out there." Make AI explainable or finance teams won't adopt: Finance teams adopted faster than expected because Maxima showed every calculation step. "If they can prove by looking at the Math, you know, 18 plus 88 plus 36 is X. And I can see the step of the work, they are willing to give it to them." This isn't about fancy UX—it's about auditor-grade proof of work. Finance professionals won't trust black box outputs. Build transparency into the product architecture, not as an afterthought. This explainability became Maxima's competitive moat. Conference booth sizes reveal infrastructure gaps: At NetSuite World, the largest booths weren't ERP vendors or payment processors—they were data integration companies. This single observation validated that enterprises are desperately solving data fragmentation problems. Companies manually download from Stripe, Snowflake, Salesforce weekly to build Excel pivots. Maxima invested in upstream integrations as core infrastructure from day one. Use industry conferences to validate where companies are spending money on workarounds—that's where infrastructure gaps exist. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

On this episode Dan explores how AI can be used to address one of healthcare's most complex challenges: evaluating and managing value-based contracts. Drawing on real-world experience, Daniel shares how Lumina Health Partners has leveraged AI to develop a performance model that connects contract design with operational outcomes across clinically integrated networks, ACOs, and other value-based arrangements. Joined by Eddie Diaz, a data scientist with more than 15 years of experience in value-based care analytics, the discussion highlights how AI can bring clarity to attribution, risk, quality, and financial performance to help CFOs, CMOs, and managed care leaders better understand contract opportunities, risks, and results. Together, they explore how AI can move beyond hype to deliver real, actionable value in value-based care contracts. To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio”. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Brett Queener, Managing Director at Bonfire Ventures, to trace the origins of ARR and examine how new revenue models are reshaping B2B software. Drawing on Brett's time at Salesforce and SmartRecruiters, they explore the shift from annual contracts to outcome-based pricing, what it means for forecasting and gtm strategy, and where the next major inflection points in SaaS are likely to emerge.—SPONSORS:RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjTabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/runAbacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.aiBrex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.com—LINKS: Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettqueener/Brett's Substack: https://queener.substack.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.comThe Staffing Ratios Salesforce Used, with Brett Queener of Bonfire VChttps://youtu.be/lJVgstAXjJs—TIMESTAMPS:00:02:54 Welcome Brett & episode setup00:03:51 On-prem software to SaaS00:05:54 Salesforce & recurring revenue00:07:15 On-prem costs & partner bloat00:09:58 Contracts, control & comp shifts00:14:15 Lock-in, renewals & SaaS drift00:16:20 Sponsors — RightRev | Rillet | Tabs00:19:48 From buying to hiring software00:21:59 Agents change pricing & planning00:25:59 Forecasting without ARR00:28:03 Talent models break00:29:45 Sponsors — Abacum | Brex | Metronome00:33:01 Rethinking sales & comp00:36:47 Selling by doing the job00:40:50 The future role of sales00:46:10 Zombie SaaS & category collapse00:51:07 Context as the moat00:56:07 Where AI hits next00:58:44 Vertical AI & hidden TAMs01:02:12 $1B startups vs mega rounds01:05:48 Dilution, fund math & pressure01:08:03 Choosing your founder path

Summary Are your rising customer acquisition costs eating into profits while your NPS surveys gather dust? Discover Earned Sales Growth (ESG)—the game-changing customer experience metric that tracks how much revenue comes from customers you've earned through loyalty and referrals versus customers you've bought through advertising. In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, customer experience expert John DiJulius reveals why traditional surveys are broken (response rates now in single digits) and introduces the Return on Experience (ROX) Dashboard—a proven system that directly links CX investments to measurable revenue growth. What You'll Learn: Why NPS is failing: Survey fatigue has crashed response rates, and founder Fred Reichheld now advocates for Earned Growth Rate instead The ESG formula: How to calculate what percentage of your revenue comes from repeat customers and referrals vs. paid advertising Real results: How injury attorney firm Carter Mario increased earned growth from 30% to 68% in 5 years—slashing advertising costs by half Hot vs. cold leads: Why referred customers (hot leads) close faster, spend more, and have zero price sensitivity compared to ad-driven prospects Implementation guide: The CRM requirements and tracking systems needed to measure ESG by department, location, and individual employee The 3-lead framework: Understanding cold (outbound), warm (ad-driven), and hot (referral) customers and their dramatically different close rates Key Takeaways: "Discount is the tax you pay for having an average experience. Are you a coupon away from losing your customers?" - John DiJulius Companies spending 6-7% of revenue on advertising could cut that to 3.5% by focusing on earned growth Top customer experience companies consistently outperform the S&P 500 in stock performance Every employee should know their personal ESG score and be held accountable to it ESG works across industries—even businesses without repeat customers (injury attorneys, funeral homes, car dealers) can leverage referrals Perfect For: Customer Experience Directors and VPs Chief Customer Officers Marketing leaders tired of rising CAC CEOs and CFOs seeking measurable CX ROI B2B and B2C service businesses with CRM systems Featured Resources: Customer Experience Executive Academy (CXEA) 12-month certification program Return on Experience (ROX) Dashboard framework ROX Template Interview with Fred Reichheld on "Winning on Purpose" Carter Mario personal injury attorney case study Stop measuring intent. Start measuring impact. Learn how to build a business that compounds in equity, not effort, by tracking the one metric that proves your customer experience is actually working. Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

As he nears the end of his first 100 days at Nintex, Burt Chao is doing something many new CFOs resist: listening more than talking. Understanding the business, its people, and its real growth potential comes before dashboards or directives, he tells us.Chao describes Nintex as a company with a “long and rich history” of helping organizations automate mission-critical work, but one now entering a new season. That evolution centers on orchestration—whether AI-enabled, agent-based, or rooted in RPA—while remaining clear-eyed about identity. Nintex, he explains, will not “become an AI company.” Instead, it aims to help customers leverage AI deliberately, embedding it where it strengthens the foundation of their operations, he tells us.That emphasis on fundamentals shows up quickly in how Chao evaluates performance. In today's environment, “there's no more important number than growth,” he tells us. Margins, profitability, and even rule-of-40 metrics only make sense once leadership understands what growth is possible and how it can be accelerated. Benchmarks matter, but only as tools; every business must be understood on its own terms, he tells us.That discipline has shaped some of the most challenging moments of his career. Chao recalls “shrink to grow” decisions—walking away from investments that still produced revenue but no longer delivered the best return. Those moments are rarely spreadsheet problems alone. They are emotional, cultural, and deeply human, requiring influence rather than authority, he tells us. For Chao, that balance—grounding strategy in numbers while leading people through change—defines the modern CFO role.

"There is value in being able to articulate the qualitative value of sustainability…And yes, obviously revenues can be attached to that, but obviously just the opportunity to open up new markets more broadly and innovate…There's the risk and compliance component, which tend to be more easy to actually quantify. And then there's the brand reputation…So you can make the case qualitatively in any of those three areas…There's this movement from morality to materiality now that CFOs are involved…We actually take that all the way to the financial statements, to the balance sheet, to the profit and loss statement, and identify those specific line items where there could be savings or synergies or increases." Maura Hodge on Electric Ladies Podcast   Companies have to focus on long-term value and returns, and a recent report by KPMG found that 88% of them say sustainability creates both. They also see it as a competitive advantage. Why? Listen to Maura Hodge, Chief Sustainability Officer of global management consulting and accounting firm KPMG in this enlightening conversation with Electric Ladies Podcast host Joan Michelson.   You'll hear about: ●        How companies see sustainability as a competitive advantage. ●        How sustainability and ESG initiatives drive return on investment and long-term value. ●        Why CFO's are on board with ESG, as both a risk mitigation and revenue driver. ●        What companies can do to make progress themselves. ●        Plus, career advice, such as:   "My experience has been looking for those opportunities of new area growth, innovation. Of course, there's risk. There's going to be risk when you move into those areas…I actually pivoted and started working with venture capital backed life sciences companies…then I got to come back to sustainability after that. …I think keeping your eyes open, keeping your ears open, developing your network, and being willing to make those changes and taking those pivots in your career will pay off….(And) the way that you get ahead is actually sometimes by taking two steps back. And so, it's more of a step up, plateau, then maybe take a step down and then start moving up again. And that's how you kind of break into the next level." Maura Hodge on Electric Ladies Podcast   Read Joan's Forbes article on Maura's panel at the Workiva conference here, and her Joan's other Forbes articles here.   You'll also like: ·       Business Leaders Bridging the Climate Gap – Joan's panel at The Earth Day Women's Summit 2025 with four top business leaders. ·       Sustainable Business Is Good Business – Tensie Whelan, Founding Director, NYU  Stern School of Sustainable Business. ·        Leveraging AI for Sustainability – Mandi McReynolds, VP of External Affairs & Chief Sustainability Office at Workiva ·       The Politics of Climate & Energy – with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, Co-Chair, Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus ·       6 Ways Sustainability Can Help Businesses Navigate Tough Times and Drive Growth – From Workiva, KPMG and NYU   Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.   Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson