Podcasts about tropic

Tropic of Capricorn by Olympic Orchids (2013) + ANSWER Me! by Jim and Debbie Goad (1991-94) with Nick 5/8/25 S7E30 To hear this episode and the complete continuing story of The Perfume Nationalist please subscribe on Patreon. 

Irrespective of the numbers, financial storytelling and strategic communication play a massive role in influencing market perceptions. Hamza Fodderwala, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, joins CJ to discuss the critical role of CFOs in shaping and communicating a company's financial story. Hamza explains the role of storytelling in driving stocks, the significance of aligning company narratives with prevailing market themes, the metrics that software investor analysts do and don't want to see, the delicate balance of transparency in financial disclosures, and the art and science of giving good guidance. Hear how to balance long-term thinking with short-term market pressures and whether you should focus on managing expectations or results.If you're looking for an ERP, head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.—LINKS:Hamza Fodderwala on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamza-fodderwala-66997526/Morgan Stanley: https://www.morganstanley.com/CJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222Mostly metrics: http://mostlymetrics.com—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:03) Sponsor – NetSuite | Planful | Subscript(05:54) Sell-Side” Versus “Buy-Side”(07:34) Some of the Companies Hamza Covers(08:23) The Role of Storytelling in Driving Stocks(12:29) How CrowdStrike Turned Its Investor Narrative Around(16:09) Sponsor – Rippling Spend | Vanta | Tropic(20:11) What Sets Good CFOs Apart When It Comes to Storytelling(23:57) The Metrics That Software Investor Analysts Want To See(25:10) Does a CFO Need To Understand the Underlying Technology(26:14) How Often a Company Can or Should Shift Its Narrative(28:14) How To Retire a Metric Gracefully(33:29) The Art and Science Behind Giving Good Guidance(37:29) Metrics That Can Be Retired(39:25) Separating Business Fluctuations From the Broader Economy(42:57) Long-Term Thinking Versus Market Pressures(46:33) Managing Expectations Versus Managing Results(47:52) An Example of Where the Market Misread a Company's Results(50:01) Hamza's Most Memorable Earnings Call(51:52) Investor Days: Net Positive or Neutral(54:00) The Buzzword Hamza Would Ban From Earning Calls Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Jake, Stone and Jorge are BACK with another fun filled episode of Two Beers and a Mic. Today, we delve into an exciting review of the "Tropicália IPA," a standout beer from Creature Comforts Brewing Company. As we savor its unique flavors, we also take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminiscing about our favorite episodes of the beloved show Drake and Josh. In addition, we explore the fascinating world of Indonesian Chest Slap Fighting, a unique and surprising sport. To round off our conversation, we make a $500 bet on if Stone can beat Jake in a 40 Yard Dash by 1.5 seconds!

What's the real difference between a CFO and a COO? Can you do both roles simultaneously? And which title is more desirable from a career perspective? Today's guest, Colin Sims, who is currently the CFO of Hunters but has held both titles multiple times, joins CJ to answer these questions and to talk about channel sales. They discuss what it takes to build a successful channel sales model and how companies need to “feed the channels" before expecting them to feed the company in return. You'll hear about winning sales motions, what to look for in a CRO, and why transparency trumps democracy when it comes to business decisions.If you're looking for an ERP, head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—LINKS:Colin Sims: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinjsims/Hunters: https://www.hunters.security/CJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222Mostly metrics: http://mostlymetrics.com—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:35) Sponsor – Planful | Subscript | Rippling Spend(06:39) The Real Difference Between a CFO and a COO(12:58) Why CFOs Are in Greater Demand Than COOs(16:48) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | NetSuite(22:21) The CFO-COO Hybrid Role(23:39) Skills To Be a Good COO(26:21) A Winning Sales Motion and the CRO(32:07) Intellectual Curiosity and the Ability To Learn and Adapt(34:48) CROs for Different Stages(36:32) Channel Sales Models That Rely on Partners(41:14) The Predicability of Channel Models(44:24) Where Channel Sales Go Wrong(47:05) The Different Types of Channels(49:03) Transparency Works, Democracy Doesn't(54:27) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Hiring Mistakes(55:56) Finance Software Stack(58:02) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Nick Rose, CFO of Enable, joins CJ to discuss one of the most overlooked yet powerful levers for growth, trust, and alignment in B2B commerce: rebates. They talk about how rebates are often dismissed as accounting clean-up or mistaken for discounts, but they are actually critical pricing incentives that foster long-term relationships. Nick describes how he first came to Enable as a customer and how it helped him uncover more than $7 million in missed rebates. He breaks down how rebates differ from discounts, how they can exceed net profit, and why manual rebate systems are so complex and inaccurate. Nick also explains how Enable is building a new SaaS category, and the importance of becoming a business's top three priority as a SaaS platform.If you're looking for an ERP, head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.MUFG is the largest bank in Japan and a global banking powerhouse with a focus on empowering Growth and Middle Market stage companies in North America and Europe. MUFG provides comprehensive banking services for VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies with revenues starting at $40M. The bank combines its global capabilities with deep operational understanding to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory. Contact group head Bob Blee at bblee@us.mufg.jp to find out more.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:18) Sponsor – Subscript | Rippling Spend | Vanta | Tropic(07:22) From Geography Major to CFO(10:44) How Nick Became an Enable Customer(13:45) $7–8 Million in Missed Rebates(17:01) Sponsor – MUFG | NetSuite | Planful(20:27) Complexity in Manual Rebate Systems(21:45) What Is a Rebate?(26:07) Rebates Exceeding Net Profit(27:30) Why Rebates Build Long-Term Relationships(28:43) Trust and Rebates(34:42) Channel Stuffing and Rebate Fraud(39:59) Bringing Rebates and Pricing Together(42:32) Rebates Versus Discounts(43:23) The Challenges of Creating a New Category(45:42) Becoming a Top Three Priority(48:53) Investor Thesis and Network Effects(51:08) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Bad Hiring Decisions(54:25) Advice to Younger Self(55:36) Finance Software Stack(56:45) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Lucy Omahoney's Tropic JourneyDive into an inspiring conversation with Lucy Omahoney, a Tropic ambassador who transformed her maternity leave into a thriving network marketing business. Discover how passion, consistency, and strategic thinking can turn a side hustle into a life-changing opportunity. Lucy shares her raw and honest journey of building a business while raising young children, revealing:Practical strategies for managing time as a busy parentThe power of authenticity in social media and salesHow network marketing can provide personal and financial growthOvercoming self-doubt and building confidenceWhether you're a stay-at-home parent, aspiring entrepreneur, or curious about network marketing, this episode offers valuable insights into creating a flexible, fulfilling business that fits your lifestyle. Learn how Lucy went from skeptical customer to mentoring over 100 people in just four years, proving that with the right mindset, anything is possible.Join Sian Murphy and Lucy Omahoney for an energetic, motivational discussion that will inspire you to reimagine your professional potential.Created and hosted by Sian Murphy with regular co-hosts Michele Yianni-Attard, Kay Best, Rachael Bryant and occasionally Adelle Martin.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-women-in-business-radio-show--1228431/support.

Russ D'Argento, CEO and founder of FINTRX, sits down with CJ in this episode to discuss building a Data as a Service (DaaS) business while also sharing insight into the highly lucrative world of family offices. He explains what a family office is (name a billionaire, they probably have one), their roles in wealth management, and how he identified this niche. He sheds light on FINTRX, what it does, and why building a verticalized data business for a niche market can be both exceptionally complicated and rewarding. He delves into the nuances of DaaS business models, what makes them different from SaaS, why it's so important to own your own data, and the unique challenges one faces in a business like this. He also talks bout the fine art of workflow integration and how allowing customers to access FINTRX's data in other APIs has been surprisingly beneficial.If you're looking for an ERP, head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:57) Sponsor – Rippling Spend | Vanta | Tropic(07:23) What Is a Family Office(11:49) Why Family Offices Are an Attractive Place To Grow Your Career(14:06) Examples of Family and Multi-Family Offices(18:04) Sponsor – NetSuite | Planful | Subscript(21:13) The Founding Story of FINTRX(23:38) What FINTRX Does(25:02) The Data as a Service Business Model(28:50) The Challenges of Starting a DaaS Business(34:07) Broad Versus Narrow in DaaS(37:57) Building FINTRX's Ideal Customer Profile(42:20) Sourcing Your Own Data Versus Partnering With Others(46:09) Hiring for Engineering and Data Science(51:07) Using FINTRX's Interface Versus Accessing the Data in Another Tool(1:02:26) Advice for Someone Launching a DaaS Business(1:02:02) A Habit That Russ Swears By as a Founder(1:03:24) A Lesson From Something That Went Awry Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ sits down with Rob Paterson, CFO of Employment Hero, to talk about smart growth, why not all revenue is good revenue, and Australia's startup scene. They start by discussing when to turn down growth opportunities and which financial metrics are more distracting than helpful. Rob explains the challenges of holding people accountable when you are a growth CFO and how to be a Chief Reality Officer instead of a “CF-No”. He offers a view into the Australian startup ecosystem, highlighting what sets it apart, the challenges local founders face, and why global expansion from day one is a must. Rob also outlines his approach to forecasting and cost control, including how he applies the 80/20 rule to revenue, before sharing a wild fraud story from his auditing days.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:18) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | NetSuite(07:06) Not All Revenue Is Good Revenue(14:09) Metrics: Overrated and Underrated(16:14) Sponsor – Planful | Subscript | Rippling Spend(20:18) Lifetime Value (LTV)(20:11) Vertical and Horizontal P&L(21:27) Chief Reality Officer: Holding People Accountable(24:37) Staying Approachable as a CFO(26:04) The Australian Startup Ecosystem(27:28) What Sets Australian Startups Apart(29:39) Going Global on Day One(31:47) The Remote-First Superpower(32:52) Competitiveness and Tall Poppy Syndrome(35:24) Mastering the 80/20 Rule(39:17) Building Strong Management(41:32) Long-Ass Lightning Round: The Fraud Story(46:10) Finance Software Stack(47:06) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

We were very fortunate to have Jacob Parris and Joshua Lee from Tropic Gold on the podcast to talk about their new EP, "SICK TO DEATH OF EVERYTHING". Enjoy!Tropic Gold Socials: Twitter: https://x.com/tropicgoldmusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tropicgoldmusicFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TropicGold/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tropicgoldmusicApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/tropic-gold/1436537898Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/25My38UxRbqlegmRn61zQPWebsite: https://tropicgold.co/Grab some GNP Merch!: https://goodnoisepodcast.creator-spring.com/Check out the recording gear we use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/goodnoisepodcastSupport the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/goodnoisepodcastGood Noise Podcast Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/good_noise_castInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodnoisepodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodnoisepodDiscord: https://discord.gg/nDAQKwTYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFHKPdUxxe1MaGNWoFtjoJASpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/04IMtdIrCIvbIr7g6ttZHiAll other streaming platforms: https://linktr.ee/goodnoisepodcastBandcamp: https://goodnoiserecords.bandcamp.com/

Mclain Mecham is hunter, muleman, cowboy and founder of Bryce Canyon Mule Days in Tropic, UT. In this episode we talk lion hunting with mules, and Mclain shares amazing stories from his life experiences.

Rick Smith, multi-time CFO, founder of Bonfire Advisory, and author, joins CJ to discuss the complexities and nuances of the CFO role in venture-backed companies. They delve into the dynamics of the CEO-CFO relationship and examine the qualities CEOs think they want in a CFO versus what they need. Rick introduces the concept of “The triangle of doom” that exists between the CEO, the CFO, and the board, and how to navigate situations when forced to pick sides. Having been a CFO of five different organizations across industries and stages, Rick then explains how he categorizes company stages relating to CFO needs. As the founder of Bonfire Advisory, Rick talks about how founders can set themselves up for financial success before they need a full-time CFO and breaks down some of the most common mistakes early-stage companies make.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)LINKS:Demystifying the Role of the CFO in Venture and Growth Stage Companies - https://www.amazon.com/Demystifying-Role-CFO-Venture-Companies/dp/B0DS9KF2C8Rick Smith on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-906939/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:13) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | Planful(06:49) The Challenges of the CFO-CEO Relationship(12:59) What CEOs Think They Want in a CFO Versus What They Need(17:46) Sponsor – Subscript | Rippling Spend | Vanta(21:21) Hatred of Failure and Personal Accountability(24:38) Establishing Trust With a New CEO(28:21) Navigating Ethics When the CEO Is Dishonest(32:54) Picking Sides Between the Board & CEO(36:42) How To Exit When You Disagree With the CEO(38:19) Categorizing Company Stages(41:21) Why Early-Stage Companies Should Have Fractional CFOs(43:51) Common Mistakes for Early-Stage Companies(48:49) The Types of CFOs You Need at Different Stages(53:14) What Rick Likes About Working With Series A and B(54:54) Rick's Book(57:15) Anecdotes From Rick's Career(01:00:47) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Leases(01:04:49) Advice to Younger Self(01:05:38) Rick's Recommended Tech Stack(01:08:54) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ Gustafson sits down with Brad Channer, the CFO of UBIO and possibly the world's most interesting CFO and accountant. He describes his unconventional career path from acting to accounting and the he lessons learned from some entrepreneurial failures along the way. Brad also discusses communication and leadership, including how his acting background shaped his style in the boardroom. He breaks down the biggest mistakes CFOs make when explaining financials and why some accountants struggle to reach the C-suite even if they're brilliant on paper. He shares insights on neurodiversity in the workplace and how to unlock its advantages before unpacking why the UK has produced fewer tech giants than the US and the one regulatory shift that could potentially supercharge the industry.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:32) Sponsor - NetSuite | Planful | Subscript(05:39) From Actor to Management Accountant(10:25) Brad's Bold Move to the UK(13:02) His Journey into Entrepreneurship and Accounting(16:07) Sponsor - Rippling Spend | Vanta | Tropic(20:08) Reclaiming the F Word: Failure(23:37) Communicating Like a Human(25:42) Acting Lessons for Accountants(29:49) How to Understand Your Audience(35:36) Navigating Neurodiversity in Business(36:35) How to Adapt Your Communication for Founders(38:30) Why Some Accountants Don't Make it to the C-Suite(40:38) Learning to Ask Questions(43:29) Leadership in Large Companies Versus SMEs or Scale-Ups(45:24) The UK Versus US Tech Scene(47:10) Tall Poppy Syndrome in the UK(51:38) Long-ass lightning round: Do Your Research(55:14) Advice to Younger Self(56:15) Finance Software Stack(56:58) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Sanjay Datta, CFO of Upstart and former senior finance exec at Google, joins CJ to discuss leadership, scaling, and the future of lending with AI. Sanjay spent 12 years at Google, helping grow it into an $80B global ads business. He sheds light on Google's monetization model, the simplicity of its forecasting, and the power of centralized analytics. He also reflects on scaling Upstart from $10M to $500M, going public, managing investor and employee expectations, and staying agile through macroeconomic shifts.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.MUFG is the largest bank in Japan and a global banking powerhouse with a focus on empowering Growth and Middle Market stage companies in North America and Europe. MUFG provides comprehensive banking services for VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies with revenues starting at $40M. The bank combines its global capabilities with deep operational understanding to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory. Contact Bob Blee at bblee@us.mufg.jp to find out more.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:17) Sponsor – Planful | Subscript | Rippling Spend(05:39) Sanjay's Unconventional Career Path(07:55) Lessons From Google on Being a Leader(10:11) Managing an $80 Billion Revenue Ad Business(12:24) The Evolution of Google's Monetization Model(15:06) Sponsor – MUFG | Vanta | Tropic | NetSuite(21:04) Scaling Google Ads to $80 Billion(23:18) Google's Forecasting Model(24:48) Complexity and Scale at Google(28:03) The Science of Analytics in a Digital Company(31:06) Upstart's IPO(33:00) Managing Internal Expectations in Good and Bad Times(37:10) Why You Should Work Yourself Out of a Job Each Year(41:23) Things That Get Easier As You Scale(42:18) How Metrics Shift With Scale(43:35) Contingency Planning at Upstart(47:13) Why the Lending System Is Broken(49:44) How Upstart Keeps Its Credit Models Accurate and Ethical(54:31) Predictions on the Lending Market for the Next Year(58:35) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Wine Corking Business(1:01:17) Advice to Younger Self(1:02:26) Finance Software Stack(01:02:57) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ sits down with John Connolly, Managing Director at Spectrum Equity, to explore the evolution of consumer investing. They discuss how investor sentiment toward consumer companies has shifted over the past 15 years and why traditional SaaS metrics like net dollar retention (NDR) don't always apply in this space. John explains what signals indicate a strong consumer business, whether brand or product wins in the long run, and how consumer companies have adapted their monetization strategies over the last decade. Plus, John shares the story behind Spectrum Equity's investment in Teachers Pay Teachers and the craziest thing he's ever done to land a deal.If you're looking for an ERP, head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company's spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:32) Sponsor – Subscript | Rippling Spend | Vanta(06:04) The Evolution of Investing and Defensibility(08:50) Cooling Investor Appetite for Consumer Businesses(10:13) Efficiency Metrics for Consumer Businesses(12:24) How To Navigate Retention and Churn(14:12) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | Planful(17:47) When Churn Is Necessary(19:15) Increasing TAM in Consumer Businesses(21:13) The Most Important Metric: Funnel Health(24:08) Celebrity Partnerships as a Competitive Mode(25:05) Why Brand Is Even More Important in B2C Than B2B(26:25) The Strongest Brands John Has Invested In(28:23) Changes in How Companies Monetize Over the Past Decade(29:52) Using the Supply Side To Bring You Demand(34:02) How COVID-19 Wreaked Havoc on Consumer Trends(38:11) Evaluating Consumer Businesses(39:04) The Craziest Thing John Has Done To Win a Deal(40:56) How To Pitch to Bootstrapped Founders(43:00) The Revolutionary Teachers Pay Teachers Marketplace(46:18) Wrap Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Today's episode I caught up with Saint Chuck to get to know them a little better. They are about to relelase a brand new ACTING LIKE ADULTS EP this week! We deep dive into the EP, stories behind the songs, play one live acoustic, and all the details for the Release Party!  On this episode you'll hear: Ohio (live) Love Hate Letter See them LIVE: April 4th at Blueberry Hill Duck Room ACTING LIKE ADULTS EP RELEASE PARTY with special guests The Tropic of Cancer & Sharad Swaney. Tickets at Ticketmaster.com or Blueberry Hill box office.  Follow along with them on FB, IG & YouTube! saintchuckmusic.om ACTING LIKE ADULTS EP available everywhere digitally on April 4th! Listen to Rock Paper Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast apps or ROCKPAPERPODCAST.com

While few plan for the demise of their startup, it's something that many face. In this episode, CJ is joined by Dori Yona, co-founder and CEO of SimpleClosure, to unpack the financial, legal, and emotional complexities of shutting down a company. Dori explains the options available when a company is running out of cash, what bankruptcy actually means, and the importance of budgeting for the end. The conversation covers acqui-hires, dissolution, returning capital to investors, hidden liabilities, legal pitfalls, tax implications, and more. Dori breaks down the differences between shutting down corporations versus LLCs and the timelines involved. They also discuss how to break the news to investors and why perseverance is sometimes overrated.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)@DoriYona https://x.com/doriyona (Dori)LINKS:SimpleClosure: SimpleClosure.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dori-yona-b8369877/Email dori@simpleclosure.com—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:44) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | RightRev(05:32) The Inspiration Behind SimpleClosure(08:25) Three Scenarios When a Company Is Running Out of Cash(11:32) The Complications of Shutting Down a Business After Selling It(13:38) What Bankruptcy Actually Means and the Different Types(16:34) Sponsor – Planful | Brex | Vanta(20:16) Giving Money Back to Investors and the Pref Stack(24:31) How To Budget for a Shutdown(27:15) The Time It Takes To Shut Down a Business(29:24) SimpleClosure's Business Model: Serving Customers That Churn(32:00) The Velocity of SimpleClosure's Transactions(36:09) What “Piercing the Corporate Veil” Means(41:27) Shutting Down Corporations Versus LLCs(45:36) The Seasonal Nature of Startups Shutting Down(47:49) Communicating a Shutdown to Your Investors(54:35) Knowing When To Persevere and When To Move On(59:53) Wrap Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ is joined by Peter Benevides, CFO of Olo, a leading vertical SaaS company powering digital ordering, payments, and guest engagement solutions for popular restaurant brands. Peter explains how Olo successfully expanded into payments and used this as a strategic advantage. He breaks down how the company stacks S-curves through continued product expansion and adoption, and how this enables them to increase revenue without increasing the take-rate. The conversation also covers pricing strategy and how Olo balances subscription and consumption-based models. Peter also sheds light on what it's like selling into franchise businesses and lessons learned from other vertical SaaS companies like Veeva.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:53) Sponsor – NetSuite | RightRev | Planful(05:24) An Introduction to Olo(08:34) Reaching Larger and Smaller Enterprises(10:34) The Focus on Guest-Facing Technology(13:22) The Evolution of Payments at Olo(16:38) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta | Tropic(20:33) The Card-Not-Present Offering and Fraud(23:50) Knowing Who Your Guest Is and Olo's Extended Value Prop(32:04) Stacking S-Curves(33:30) Increasing Revenue Without Increasing the Take-Rate(36:27) How the Payments Module Makes Other Products Stickier(37:39) Advice to CFOs Looking to Add Payments(39:11) Pricing Subscription and Consumption-Based Products(42:35) Forecasting and the Predictability of This Model(44:43) Vertical Software Company Case Study: Veeva(49:06) Working with Franchises(53:42) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Planning for the Future(56:16) Advice to Younger Self(58:48) Finance Software Stack(59:24) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ interviews Lucas Swisher, Co-Lead of Growth Investing and Software Investing at Coatue, to explore how one of tech's most influential investment firms navigates both public and private markets. Lucas explains Coatue's evolution—from hedge fund origins to a powerhouse in venture capital—and how the company balances short-term public market pressures and long-term private investments. The conversation takes a dive deep into data-driven decision-making and how Coatue's proprietary Mosaic platform provides an edge while still leaving room for human intuition. They also discuss the firm's investment philosophy, what differentiates them from other investment companies, and why they choose to have such a concentrated portfolio of investments. Lucas sheds light on how they evaluate the sustainability of a small software company's unit economics, the most important metric that they look at, and other important factors and red flags that often get overlooked when choosing where to invest.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howNetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:18) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful | Brex(06:15) Lucas's Role at Coatue(07:58) The Evolution of Coatue's Investment Strategy(11:36) Growth-Stage Private Assets Versus Public Markets(14:18) Balancing Short-Term Public Investing and Long-Term Patience of Private Markets(16:07) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | NetSuite(19:50) The Service Business at the Core of Coatue's Growth Investing(22:08) Coatue's Mosaic Platform and Due Diligence(26:29) How Mosaic Helps Coatue Get to No Faster(28:05) Creating a Concentrated Portfolio of Investments(30:40) Coatue's Edge Versus Firms with Other Investment Philosophies(37:20) How the Best Investment Firms Differentiate Themselves(41:14) Assessing the Sustainability of a Small Software Company's Unit Economics(44:12) Evaluating Enterprise SaaS Versus Consumer Software(46:21) The Next Buyer Scenario(48:53) Prediction for Coatue's Future Structure and Strategy(50:34) What Growth Stage Companies Should Look for in an Investor(52:29) Advice for the Next Generation of Investors Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Los científicos han hecho un nuevo tipo de plátano

Mark McCaffrey, the CFO of GoDaddy, joins CJ to talk about the evolution of one of the most recognizable brands on the internet from domain registration to a full-service platform for small businesses. Mark sheds light on GoDaddy's role in the entrepreneurial micro-startup ecosystem and how, after 21 years, GoDaddy has grown to 21 million customers. He describes the trends he's identified in the formation of micro businesses, their adoption of AI, their survival rates, and why churn caused by failing small businesses doesn't affect GoDaddy as much as you think it would. He also talks about the metrics that matter, what he tracks, what he discloses, and how he uses this to pursue customers with intent. He also explains how to not lose sight of the micro when the macro is so big, and lists the two things every company in the tech industry needs to do to achieve long-term success. Spoiler: one has to do with customer relationships.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:54) Sponsor – Planful | Brex | Vanta(06:16) GoDaddy and the Entrepreneurial Micro-Startup Ecosystem(07:40) The Origins of the GoDaddy Name(09:08) GoDaddy's Business Model and its Evolution(11:45) The Strategic High Ground of Starting with the Domain(12:58) Definition of a Micro-Business(15:32) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | RightRev(19:15) The Mostly Metrics Domain Name(21:50) Unsuccessful Businesses and Churn at GoDaddy(27:07) Surprises from GoDaddy's Data(29:20) Customer Trends in Openness to AI(30:45) Determining Which Metrics Matter and Which to Disclose(34:31) Pursuing Customers with Intent(35:44) When and How Mark Introduces a New Metric(38:25) ARR Versus Bookings(39:25) Retention Trends(41:06) Two Things to Do in the Tech Industry for Long-Term Success(45:47) How the Power of Relationships Led Mark to GoDaddy(49:08) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Excel Spreadsheets(49:44) Three Rules for Every Young Professional(51:02) Finance Software Stack(52:11) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Wanderléa, também conhecida como Ternurinha, foi a grande musa da Jovem Guarda. Mas foi após a Jovem Guarda que a cantora viveu a fase mais cult de sua carreira, influenciada pela Tropicália, pelo Samba-Rock e pela Soul Music. O grande disco dessa fase de Wanderléa, lançado em 1972, se chama Maravilhosa. É dele a música que ouviremos ao final do programa: Quero Ser Locomotiva.

Ambereen Toubassy, the CFO of Airtable, has experience as an advisor, an investor, and an operator. In this episode, she joins CJ to talk about how this experience informs her role as a CFO. The two delve into the complexities of navigating investor feedback and how to take criticism without getting defensive. They also discuss how to build the right advisory network, red flags to watch for, and the importance of scaffolding your weaknesses with external expertise. The episode also highlights the value of specificity in the role of a finance leader. Ambereen shares insights from her extensive career, including her time at Quibi, explaining what she learned from this moonshot idea that didn't work out as hoped and her approach to balancing fiduciary duties with the human side of leadership.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howMUFG is the largest bank in Japan and a global banking powerhouse with a focus on empowering Growth and Middle Market stage companies in North America and Europe. MUFG provides comprehensive banking services for VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies with revenues starting at $40M. The bank combines its global capabilities with deep operational understanding to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory. Contact group head Bob Blee at bblee@us.mufg.jp to find out more.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:25) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta | Tropic(06:55) What Ambereen Has Learned from Being an Investor(10:53) Dealing with Investor Feedback(18:09) Sponsor – MUFG | NetSuite | RightRev | Planful(22:54) Tips for Not Taking Feedback Personally(24:12) When to Bring Founders into Meetings with Investors(25:52) Scaffolding Your Weaknesses(30:59) Whether or Not to Pay More for Great Advisors(34:12) How to Identify the Right Banker or Consultant(35:13) Banker and Consultant Red Flags to Watch Out For(39:11) “In the Particular Is Contained the Universal”(42:42) How the Specific Plays a Role in the Job of a Finance Leader(46:46) Quibi, the Moonshot Idea That Didn't Land as Planned(50:16) Fiduciary Responsibility When Things Don't Go as Planned(55:00) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Career Mistake(55:48) Advice to Younger Self(57:14) Finance Software Stack(58:26) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Christopher Brown is an accomplished lawyer and has worked on two Supreme Court confirmation hearings. He has also been general counsel for several technology companies. His varied experiences span from restoring prairies to reporting from Central American war zones. He's author of three award-nominated science fiction novels. His current nonfiction book explores the natural world in urban settings. He is the author of Failed State: A Novel (Eos 2020), Rule of Capture: A Novel (Eos 2019), The Tropic of Kansas: A Novel (Harper Voyager 2017), The Natural History of Empty and Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places (Timber Press 2024).Interview Date: 12/2/2024 Tags: Christopher Brown, eco bunker, urban wildlife, industrial wasteland, green roof, wild chili peppers, paying attention to small life, Animals, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Social Change/Politics

The Headlines: Five Years Since COVID-19 Was Declared a Global Pandemic Wendy Williams Taken by Ambulance After Dropping a Desperate Note Innovative Solution to Banana Waste: The 12-Hour Fresh Banana Five Years Since COVID-19 Was Declared a Global PandemicOn March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, marking a significant turning point in modern history. The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, rapidly spread worldwide, leading to unprecedented measures such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, and the widespread adoption of remote work and virtual communication tools. Over the past five years, COVID-19 has profoundly impacted global health, economies, and daily life, with over 7 million reported deaths worldwide, including 1.2 million in the United States. While the WHO declared the end of the global health emergency on May 5, 2023, the pandemic's effects continue to influence society today.

In this episode, Dashlane's David Lapter, a five-time CFO, joins CJ to discuss the challenges of steering high-growth companies. He breaks down the common blind spots that CFOs face, why many double down on their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, and how the Eisenhower Matrix helped him tackle his own gaps. David also gives his take on competitors and his philosophy of differentiating your org from theirs without demonizing them, as well as how they can be used for motivation. David shares insights on building high-functioning teams, when teams should move from overlapping responsibilities to more defined roles, how to simplify your OKRs to be more effective, and the nature of the ideal HR-CFO relationship. This episode is packed with valuable takeaways for finance leaders navigating the complexities of high-growth environments.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howNetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:52) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | Netsuite(06:18) Identifying Blind Spots(10:44) Hiring to Fill Your Blind Spots(14:21) The Eisenhower Matrix and Prioritising Your Blind Spots(17:15) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful | Brex(20:58) The Traps of Execution Mode Syndrome(26:37) David's Philosophy on Speaking About Competitors(31:09) Tips for Communicating How You're Differentiated(33:02) How Competitors Can Motivate Teams(39:46) When to Move from Overlapping Responsibilities to More Defined Roles(46:50) Simplifying OKRs(52:16) The Urge to Copy the Goal Setting of Other Companies(54:56) Should HR Report to the CFO?(57:57) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A VAT Mistake(01:00:21) Advice to Younger Self(01:03:32) Finance Software Stack(01:06:14) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ interviews Hanan Aharoni, CFO of Operative, who is an expert in operational excellence, particularly in private equity. Hanan shares insights on managing acquisitions and overcoming silos, inefficiencies, and decision paralysis in the process. He highlights the importance of having a clear org chart and a unified leadership team before discussing the critical role of culture in successful integrations. He breaks down how to spot inefficiencies, consolidate systems, and optimize costs without stifling innovation. He also sheds light on how the private equity model differs from the venture capital model in terms of allocating resources, managing debt, and being prepared for an exit or sale. This is a masterclass in private equity operations.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Preview and Intro01:50 Sponsor – Tropic | Netsuite | RightRev 05:55 Hanan's Impressive Career Rise to CFO08:20 Overcoming Silos and Inefficiency When Scaling10:46 Overcoming Inefficiency and Paralysis in M&A15:50 Sponsor – Planful | Brex | Vanta19:18 The Importance of Having a Clear Org Chart22:07 “Vision Without Execution Is Just Hallucination”25:33 Operational Excellence: Identifying Inefficiencies and Optimizing Costs28:40 Acknowledging Biases29:40 Using Industry Benchmarks32:20 Balancing Optimizing Expenses and Preserving Innovation35:16 Forming a Mitigation Plan41:09 Areas Notorious for Inefficient Costs42:56 Allocating Resources in a PE Model Versus a VC Model45:57 How Debt Impacts How You Operate in PE49:12 Tips for Finance Professionals Moving from VC to PE Models50:48 Being Prepared for an Exit or Sale in a PE Environment53:00 Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Massive Excel Spreadsheet Error54:53 Advice to Younger Self: Fast Decisions55:17 Finance Software Stack55:55 Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Today's guest went from being the CFO of a very large telecom company where he was meeting with ministers in Jordan to joining a team of just four people at a startup in Saudi Arabia. Abdullah Tahboub, CFO of Foodics, a cloud-based POS and restaurant management solution, joins CJ to talk about this leap and explain why he wishes he had joined the startup world sooner. The conversation delves into the differences between corporate and startup CFO roles. Abdullah also explores the rapid digital transformation in the food and beverage industry in the Middle East. He outlines Foodic's business model and evolution from cashier systems to payments, becoming a comprehensive fintech and SaaS company. He provides insights into the crawl-walk-run process of this business and how he balances growth in both the SaaS and payments aspects of the org.—SPONSORS:RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:27) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful | Brex(06:12) Abdullah's Bold Career Move & Why CFOs Avoid Risks(09:58) Being a Corporate World CFO Versus a Startup CFO(16:05) Digital Transformation in the Food and Beverage Industry(17:56) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic(20:20) Food & Beverage and Tech in the Middle East and North Africa(23:06) The Evolution of Foodics' Business Model(30:17) How Lending Works in This Industry(33:37) Balancing Growth in SaaS and Payment Revenue Streams(36:03) Forecasting for Payments(39:12) Staffing for Both SaaS and Payments(41:09) The Most Difficult Part of Adding Payments(44:16) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Dealing with Underperformers(46:21) Advice to Younger Self(47:04) Finance Software Stack(47:45) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Regis and Function's first mix in over 10 years is a unique paean to Silent Servant, heavy on unreleased material. When it came time for RA to compile our Albums of the 2010s, one record with a tauntingly limited availability of 500 copies was never in doubt: Sandwell District's era-defining 'Feed-Forward'. Encompassing Karl O'Connor (Regis), Peter Sutton (Female), David Sumner (Function) and Juan Mendez (Silent Servant), Sandwell District had the underground in a vice grip for over a decade. The collective imploded in 2013, with Sumner and O'Connor's relationship appearing beyond repair. And yet, an unlikely second phase is here, featuring imminent comeback LP 'End Beginnings' and their return to the RA Podcast after 16 years. In 2023, the trio of Function, Regis and Silent Servant had been performing and laying down new material before the latter's shock death last January. It's in the shadow of loss that this unique mix was forged. Founded in 2002 as a spiritual sister to seminal Downwards, Sandwell truly began to hit its straps in the late '00s, as shadow-stalking cuts sliced through clubland orthodoxy like a switchblade. In parallel, the label's artwork—a noir recombination of Burroughs cut-ups, DIY zines and arthouse amour that Silent Servant made his own—helped fortify a movement which placed an aesthetic premium on grit, grain and sadism. By the early 2010s, this fixation on the dark arts had utterly permeated the mood inside techno's masonic temples. Labels like Blackest Ever Black, Stroboscopic Artefacts, Avian and Modern Love were in their pomp, razorwire legends like Severed Heads and Chris & Cosey benefited from second winds, and it was briefly a jailable offence to not have a press photo in black and white. 'Feed-Forward' was the exceptional coronating statement. RA.978 features a stack of unheard recordings from each of the trio, as well as close allies Stefanie Parnow and Tropic of Cancer, while also gathering many of Silent Servant's all-time favourite songs, including Psychic TV, Grace Jones and Galaxie 500. It's a strikingly vulnerable listen, one without many parallels on the Podcast. We're glad to run it. Read more and find the tracklist here: ra.co/podcast/978

Jim Cook, Netflix co-founder, former CFO of Mozilla, early employee at Inuit, executive coach, and author of Substack Cook's Playbooks, returns to the podcast for the third time. In this episode, he breaks down the evolution of the role of CFOs from traditional scorekeepers to more strategic and operator roles, before looking ahead at what's to come. This episode is packed full of helpful advice about transparency, building trust, authenticity in your executive role, and why “fake it till you make it” is actually bad advice. Looking at the future of the CFO role, Jim explains why he believes there will be no need for both COO and CFO roles in an organization, the biggest mistake a CFO can make at this time, and how CFOs should be adapting in order to succeed in this next era.—SPONSORS:Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)LINKS:Cook's Playbookswww.benchboard.comJim Cook on LinkedIn—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:37) Sponsor – Planful | Brex | Vanta(05:49) CJ's Career Growth Since First Interviewing Jim(08:35) Making Finance Transparent(14:40) Sponsor – Tropic | RightRev(17:07) The Influence of Bill Campbell(18:57) How to Get to Trust Faster(20:32) Letting Your Freak Flag Fly in Your Executive Role(23:06) Is “Fake It Till You Make It” Bad Advice?(25:25) Why CFO Tenures Are Getting Longer(28:16) The Evolution of the CFO Role and Technological Capability(32:45) Scorekeeping and Actuals Don't Matter Anymore(34:38) The Era of the Strategic CFO(36:48) SaaS and the Operator CFO Era(41:09) Jim's Prediction on the Next Era: The CFO Architect(49:47) The Biggest Mistake We Could Make in This Era(51:48) The Era of, “I Need a COO and a CFO,” Is Over(55:41) Where a CFO Will Spend Most of Their Time in This Next Era Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Today's guest, Arvind Kadaba, the CFO of Aidoc, started his career as a high-profile investor before transitioning into the role of a CFO. He joins CJ to share his career journey and discuss the challenges he faced in transitioning into an operational role. The conversation explores the “grass is always greener” mentality that drives career shifts, and how to find the right career fit. Arvind describes the evolving landscape of healthcare technology and AI. He emphasizes the need for innovation and how to choose whether to build, buy, or partner to achieve this, giving listeners a masterclass in portfolio theory for operators. He also gives helpful tips for balancing short-term and long-term investments and explaining long-term shareholder value to employees. The episode concludes with Arvind defending his contrarian views that not all businesses should be venture-backed and not all great businesses are tech businesses.—SPONSORS:Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:21) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta | Tropic(06:59) Transitioning from Investor to Operator(11:13) The Problem-Specific Nature of Being an Operator(14:29) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful(16:39) Personal Product Market Fit(23:18) “All You Need Is One”(25:46) How Arvind Decided to Switch Careers(33:07) The State of Healthcare Technology in AI(36:05) Innovation: Build Versus Buy Versus Partner(37:36) Portfolio Theory for Operators(44:36) Explaining Long-Term Shareholder Value to Employees(47:50) Not All Businesses Should Be Venture-Backed(53:38) Not All Great Businesses Are Tech Businesses(57:03) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Cross-Functional Trust(58:04) Finance Software Stack(58:54) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

This episode takes a deep dive into the business model of super app Grab as CJ interviews CFO Peter Oey. Peter introduces listeners to Grab and how it operates in Southeast Asia, highlighting the company's journey from a ride-hailing service to acquiring Uber's operations in the region, expanding into food delivery, and even branching into banking services, all in one single super app. Peter explains why this model thrives in Southeast Asia and speculates on its potential in Western markets. He sheds light on the flywheel effect of branching into banking services, how they get customers to use Grab's different products, and the advertising opportunities that exist for the platform. He also discusses how Grab has positively affected economic activity in the region and shares one customer's incredible success story. The podcast concludes with insights into Grab's proprietary technology, including its unique mapping system, and advice for Western companies looking to enter the Southeast Asian market.—SPONSORS:Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:15) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | RightRev(05:54) Super Apps and Grab's Business Model(11:16) Why the Super App Model Thrives in Southeast Asia(15:33) The Super App Model and Western Markets(17:03) Sponsor – Planful | Brex(19:16) The Role of Banking Services in Grab's Business Model(23:05) The First Step to Becoming a Fintech(25:05) Getting Users to Use Multiple Grab Products(30:31) The Advertising Opportunity for Grab(32:14) Why Southeast Asia Is Overlooked as a Tech Hub(35:30) Advice to Western Tech Companies Operating in Southeast Asia(37:15) How Grab Increases Economic Activity(40:51) A Grab Success Story(41:45) Grab's Proprietary Tech and Mapping System(45:43) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Forecast Accuracy Error Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ is joined by Kelly Mahncke, the CFO of USA Hockey, and the first CFO of a nonprofit to come on the show. They discuss the organization's business model and its revenue streams. Kelly emphasizes the importance of having a successful business whether it's a nonprofit or not, and what she means when she says that there's no mission without margin. The conversation also covers USA Hockey's efforts to balance grassroots development with elite programs, the role of data and technology in enhancing operations, and the challenges of making hockey accessible to underprivileged communities. Kelly shares insights into the financial management of USA Hockey, including the for-profit and nonprofit aspects of the business, and how the four-year cadence of the Winter Olympics affects annual planning.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:00) Sponsor – Tropic | RightRev | Planful(06:23) The Companies Under the USA Hockey Umbrella(07:50) Balancing Investing in Grassroots Development and Elite Teams(10:01) USA Hockey's Revenue Streams(11:14) USA Hockey's Data and IT(13:07) Learnings from USA Hockey's Data and Analytics(16:38) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta(19:10) Why Kids Should Try Different Sports(20:03) Anecdotes About Hockey Players(21:56) No Mission Without Margin(23:40) The Most Surprising Line Items in USA Hockey's Budget(24:32) How the Winter Olympics Affects Annual Planning(26:12) For-Profit Money in the Space(29:14) The Business of Rink Ownership(32:54) Making Hockey Accessible to Underprivileged Communities(35:30) The For-Profit and Nonprofit Aspects of USA Hockey(36:56) How Being a Nonprofit Impacts Hiring and Volunteers(39:31) Lightning Round: Advice to Younger Self(40:04) Technology at USA Hockey(41:30) Finance Software Stack(42:20) The Legacy Kelly Hopes to Leave Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

 In this thought-provoking episode, Christopher Brown—lawyer, novelist, and urban naturalist— takes us on a journey through the landscape around his home in Austin, Texas, the edgelands where the city meets the wild. Drawing from his latest book, A Natural History of Empty Lots, Christopher explores the resilience of urban ecosystems, the unexpected biodiversity thriving in neglected spaces, and the connections between land, politics, and justice in an era of climate disruption. This is a compelling dialogue about the uneasy balance between human civilization and the natural world—and how rethinking our relationship with wild spaces could reshape the cities of tomorrow. We delve into the intersections of rewilding, environmental justice, and the unfolding polycrisis, unpacking what these abandoned landscapes can teach us about adaptation, resilience, and envisioning a more livable future. This episode includes readings from A Natural History of Empty Lots, and excerpts of a new sound composition by Cat Byrne, Clapton edgelands (i), gathered in the Lea Valley, Clapton, London, during November 2024.  Christopher Brown is an American author and attorney based in Austin, Texas, renowned for his work in both science fiction and nature-focused nonfiction. His latest book, A Natural History of Empty Lots, published in October 2024, is a blend of nature writing, literary nonfiction, and memoir that explores the intersection of urban environments and wild nature.  Brown's debut novel, Tropic of Kansas (2017), was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. He continued to explore speculative themes with Rule of Capture (2019) and its sequel, Failed State (2020), the latter of which was nominated for the 2021 Philip K. Dick Award.  In addition to his writing, Brown practices law and authors the urban nature newsletter Field Notes. You can subscribe to Chris' excellent Fieldnotes newsletter here: https://fieldnotes.christopherbrown.com/ Cat Byrne is a DJ, radio host, and forest researcher from East London. She hosts the monthly radio show, Biorhythms w/ Cat, on Balamii Radio, where she explores natural sounds, textured rhythms, and percussive down-tempo, and also a live place-based radio show on RTM, Listening From. Cat is also a keen field recordist, weaving her own field recordings throughout her sets. You can listen to the full sound composition Clapton edgelands (i) at https://catbyrne.bandcamp.com and www.catbyrne.com 

His great grandfathers tamed a wild place. His ancestors include the first white child born in Bryce Canyon, Utah. He has hunted wild places before many white people ever saw it. He established a line of hounds that span 50 generations of game catchers, roped and captured mountain lions alone, started a 3 generation outfitting business, had horse wrecks and heart ache and victory. This is Stan Mecham.Mr Stan Mecham will be 88 years old this year. With nearly nine decades under his belt, his life has been so filled with adventure he has never moved away from his hometown of Tropic, UT.This is a Houndsman XP exclusive. Three generations of Mechams join Chris on this in person interview in Mr Stan's home to discuss the Last of the Old Breed. ►Get Your Houndsman XP Info, Gear & More Here!www.HoundsmanXP.com►Become a Patron of Houndsman XP! Check out our Tailgate Talks.|

In this week's episode we get all up in your small business Jess rejoins the frey Colton gets butt hurt about his feels Ross plays guitar in the tubby time #smallbusiness #allthefeels #guitar #customwoodwork #makerspodcast #businessbuilding

Serial CFO Michael Bayer, who is currently the CFO of Wasabi, joins CJ to share wisdom from his long career. He talks about his journey from being a “CF-no" to becoming a “CF-go” while emphasizing the importance of strategic investment to fuel hypergrowth companies. He breaks down the epochs of growth that a company goes through as it scales from driving revenue to focusing on cash flow. He highlights the significance of order of magnitude thinking and hiring for future needs. Michael also introduces his “rock-turning” exercise for identifying and addressing issues when joining a company, and shares his three guiding principles: speed is God, best ideas win, and if you're not making mistakes, you're not trying hard enough. The episode concludes with an insightful story about Van Halen's "brown M&M" clause, and what finance leaders can learn from it.—SPONSORS:RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:16) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful | Brex(06:02) The Reason for a Sloth Background(08:31) A Company's Epochs of Growth(12:52) Staffing for the Different Epochs of Growth(17:08) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic(21:29) The CF-No Versus CF-Go Mentalities(23:42) The “Rule Of” Metric: EBITDA or Cash Flow(27:05) The Rock-Turning Exercise(29:12) The First Rock Michael Turns Over(30:26) Forming Relationships Before Solving Problems(32:08) The Time Factor in Becoming a Good CFO(36:01) Michael's Three Simple Rules for Being a Great CFO(38:45) Creating Space for the Best Ideas(41:18) What It Means to “Rent Capital”(47:25) The Brown M&M Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Erica Gessert, CFO of Upwork, and former Senior Vice President of Finance & Analytics at PayPal, joins CJ for this episode. They discuss Erica's experience with forecasting models at PayPal, emphasizing the need for adaptable models that change with economic conditions. Delving into her role at Upwork, Erica explains the company's approach to customer acquisition costs, the significance of network effects in marketplace businesses, and Upwork's take rate strategies. The conversation covers Upwork's investment in R&D, how the company maintains platform trust in the face of bad actors, and the impact of AI. Apart from explaining how Upwork gained 20 points of EBITDA in just three quarters, Erica also sheds light on their North Star metrics, how they balance growth and profitability, their approach to M&A, and her experience reporting to Masayoshi Son during her time at Sprint. —SPONSORS:Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.MUFG is the largest bank in Japan and a global banking powerhouse with a focus on empowering Growth and Middle Market stage companies in North America and Europe. MUFG provides comprehensive banking services for VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies with revenues starting at $40M. The bank combines its global capabilities with deep operational understanding to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory. Contact group head Bob Blee at bblee@us.mufg.jp to find out more.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics. Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics. Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Preview and Intro(02:30) Sponsor – Planful | MUFG | Brex(06:17) Budgeting at PayPal(10:23) Forecasting Methodologies at PayPal(13:15) The Impact of the Calendar on Forecasting(15:01) Forecasting and Macroeconomic Indicators(16:29) Planning Will Take as Long as the Time You Allot for It(17:56) Surprising Insights About Freelancers(19:26) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | RightRev(24:55) Upwork's Customer Acquisition Cost(27:59) Freelancers and AI Adoption(29:07) Network Effects in Upwork's Model(31:14) Upwork's Take Rate Strategies(34:49) R&D Investing at Upwork(38:36) Selling Trusted Transactions(41:12) Upwork's North Star Metrics(42:59) Recognising the Potential of AI(44:05) How Upwork Gained 20 Points of EBITDA in Three Quarters(45:29) Balancing Growth and Profitability(46:41) Upwork's M&A Strategy(48:35) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Big Career Mistake(50:55) Reporting to Masa from SoftBank(52:49) Advice to Younger Self(54:18) Finance Software Stack(54:55) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ is joined by Kapil Agrawal, CFO at Outschool, former CFO of Poshmark, and former Global Head of Pricing and Finance Business Partner at Uber. Kapil shares insights on Uber's pricing strategies and the use of promotions to drive customer growth. He discusses the multiple North Star metrics used at Uber before explaining his role in changing the company's take rate. He also talks about his role at Poshmark and how he raised the company's gross margin. The conversation explores the advantages and challenges of marketplace models versus subscription models and highlights the potential of combining both. Also covered is the significance of high-quality decision-making as a leader and the role of hard work in achieving this.—SPONSORS:MUFG is the largest bank in Japan and a global banking powerhouse with a focus on empowering Growth and Middle Market stage companies in North America and Europe. MUFG provides comprehensive banking services for VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies with revenues starting at $40M. The bank combines its global capabilities with deep operational understanding to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory. Contact group head Bob Blee at bblee@us.mufg.jp to find out more.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Preview and Intro(02:50) Sponsor – MUFG | Brex | Vanta(07:15) Discounting and Promotions at Uber(09:26) Pros and Cons of Acquiring Customers with Promotions(13:48) How Uber Determined the Promotion Term of Nine Months(14:33) Promotional Launch Strategies Across Different Uber Platforms(17:49) Sponsor – Tropic | RightRev | Planful(21:10) The Multiple North Star Metrics at Uber(24:31) Retention for Drivers Versus Passengers(25:25) Tackling the Competition for Drivers(27:20) Changing Uber's Take Rate(31:55) Raising the Gross Margins at Poshmark(37:53) Moving from Buyer and Seller Cohorts to User Cohorts(39:20) Poshmark's Take Rate(42:46) Intro to Outschool(43:20) Transaction-Based Models Versus Subscription-Based Models(45:04) The Role of Capital Allocation(47:22) Combining Transaction-Based and Subscription-Based Models(49:45) Being Judged on the Quality of Your Decisions(54:00) Hiring: Generalists Versus Specialists(56:06) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Price Cut Regret(57:34) Advice to Younger Self(58:44) Finance Software Stack(59:28) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Don't forget to check out www.fellow.app/coo for a 90-day free trial of their AI Meeting Assistant.[00:00] Introduction – Michael introduces Fellow as a trusted AI meeting assistant.[01:00] Welcome to Between Two COOs – Introducing Justin Etkin and Tropic.io.[02:00] The evolution of procurement – From cost-cutting to strategic value creation.[05:00] When should companies start formalizing procurement?[07:00] Common mistakes businesses make in procurement.[10:00] Using data and AI to improve procurement efficiency.[12:00] Negotiation strategies and dealing with vendors.[16:00] The role of AI in procurement and automation potential.[20:00] How companies are shifting towards integrated procurement platforms.[23:00] The intersection of procurement and legal, finance, and security.[28:00] Justin's wildest COO experience – Painting walls before an office move-out.[30:00] Closing thoughts – Where to follow Justin and learn more about Tropic.io.Tropic - https://www.tropicapp.io/Between Two COO's - https://betweentwocoos.com Episode URL - https://betweentwocoos.com/tropic-coo-justin-etkinMichael Koenig - https://linkedin.com/in/michael-koenig514Justin Etkin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justintropic/Don't forget to check out www.fellow.app/coo for a 90-day free trial of their AI Meeting Assistant.

In this episode, CJ interviews Nigel Glenday, CFO, COO, and board member at Masterworks, a company that allows investors to buy shares in high-value artworks. He sheds light on the art market and Masterworks's business model. They discuss the intricacies of art as an asset class, its historical significance, and its potential as an investment. Nigel explains the process of securitizing art, comparing it to other unique asset classes like racehorses and athlete contracts. He highlights the importance of data in valuing art and the company's approach to managing a large portfolio of art investments, before discussing the evolution of Masterworks' business model. The episode provides insights into the unique aspects of this asset class and the innovative ways Masterworks is scaling its business.—SPONSORS:Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn howRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:23) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic(04:53) Overcoming the Thomas Crown Affair(06:22) Finance Within the Art World(07:34) The Most Expensive Piece of Art Ever Purchased(09:15) The History of Art as an Asset Class(10:51) The Data-Rich Nature of Trading Art(12:46) The Performance of the Art Market Compared to Other Markets(15:37) Emotional Dividends in Art Investing(17:13) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful | Brex(20:55) Securitizing Anything with a Cash Flow(24:45) Securitizing Art(27:28) Determining When to Sell(30:03) Museums: Owned Versus Loaned(30:55) Masterworks' Revenue Streams(34:21) How Masterworks Services Their Investors(36:06) Data and How It Informs What Masterworks Buys and Sells(41:55) Evaluating the Value of the Art(43:04) The Trading Market(44:59) The Scaling and Evolution of Masterworks(49:24) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Auto-Renewal Contract Mistakes(50:43) Advice to Younger Self: No Style Points(53:52) Finance Software Stack(57:31) Craziest Expense Story: Defend Your Spend Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Christopher Brown, author of A Natural History of Empty Lots, field notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys & other wild places. In this captivating conversation Chris' lyrical descriptions take us on a beautiful journey, as we join him in stepping off the pavement into a world where nature has adapted to thrive in the most unlikely of environments at the heart of our urbanised landscapes. He describes his ambitious plan to create a home for his family on an industrialised wasteland where he has miraculously balanced their needs in a way that also allows him to actively seek to share the space with other species. Chris reminds us that rewildling doesn't require the depopulation of humans & that there is an intrinsic link between the social & economic injustices in our world & the damaged relationship we have with the natural world & the land we live on. But he also encourages us to remember that nature has an incredible ability to respond to the opportunities we make for her & that we don't have to wait for global institutions to take the lead we ourselves can be the catalysts for change in remaking a new world.Christopher Brown is the Philip K. Dick, World Fantasy, and John W. Campbell Award-nominated author of the novels Tropic of Kansas, Rule of Capture, and Failed State. Also an accomplished lawyer, he has worked on two Supreme Court confirmation hearings, led the technology corporate practice of a major American law firm, and has been the general counsel of two public companies.A Natural History of Empty Lots by Christopher Brown is a genre-bending blend of naturalism, memoir, and social manifesto for rewilding the city, the self, and society. Through his keen examination of abandoned industrial sites, empty lots, and deserted agricultural land, Brown discovers that even in these so-called "ruined landscapes" nature's resilience shines. Inspired by its unfailing persistence to return, Brown shows us how easy it can be to bring the wilds back to these damaged places and why it is critical that we do.Over the course of twenty years, Brown documented these liminal spaces, explored them with his son, and even built his home in Austin, Texas on a brownfield site bisected by oil pipelines. Infused with Brown's deep love of nature and a constant sense of awe, A Natural History of Empty Lots combines field notes from Brown's travels with his personal story as he traverses the nexus of the city and the wilds.Offering a new lens on human disruption and wild lands, he reminds readers of the magic in nature, “the seemingly supernatural wonders produced by everyday interactions among different elements of the natural world. Things that can all be explained by science, but also understood by poets. Even in the most urbanized human terrains, those wonders can still be found—most often at the edges where the pavement ends and the wild is allowed to express.”Website: https://christopherbrown.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Eliran Glazer is the CFO of Monday.com. He joined the company just four months before its IPO. As a big believer in the art of storytelling, in this episode, Eliran explains how to be a great storyteller while weaving it into the story of Monday.com's IPO. The conversation also delves into the unique aspects of the Israeli tech scene, the impact of military service on entrepreneurship, and the importance of resilience and adaptability in leadership. Eliran highlights the evolution of Monday.com's narrative, the strategic use of benchmarks, the importance of authenticity, tips for talking about your competition, and the pillars of a good story to help CFO's supercharge their skillsets.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn't just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:53) Sponsor – Tropic | Vanta(04:22) The Story Behind Monday.com's Name(09:25) What Makes Israel's Tech Scene So Unique(14:30) How Being an Expat in the USA Shaped Eliran as a CFO(16:56) Sponsor – RightRev | Brex | Planful(20:36) Managing the IPO Four Months After Joining Monday.com(25:02) Differentiating Your Company Through Storytelling(27:14) The Importance of Authenticity(31:03) Avoiding “Robot Mode” When You Repeat Your Company's Story(32:43) The Pillars of a Good Story(35:42) How the Story Changed Throughout the Process(38:25) Being Bold in Your Storytelling(40:39) Using Benchmarks to Support Your Valuation(44:38) Tips for Talking About Competition(46:34) How Monday.com's Story Is Evolving Post-IPO(51:04) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Mistake Eliran Made(52:27) Advice to Younger Self(53:39) Finance Software Stack(55:03) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, we're joined by Flat Earth Dave, who challenges us to question the world as we know it. We explore why more people are starting to question long-held beliefs and how global events have fueled this shift in perspective. Our conversation ventures into the cosmos, exploring alternative ideas about astronomy. We rethink the nature of stars, delve into the mysteries of space travel, and examine how technology and media may shape—or distort—our understanding of the universe. Dave's insights invite us to look beyond traditional narratives and explore new ways of understanding the skies above. We also dig into unconventional topics like flight paths, historical narratives, and the societal pressures that challenge critical thinking. Dave explains how strange flight routes connect to flat Earth theories, shares thoughts on Antarctic phenomena, and reflects on how mainstream media influences our understanding of science and history. It's an exploration of the unknown and a call to question what we've been taught. VIDEO VERSION OF INTERVIEW: / ============================================================ (12:58) - Cosmic Skepticism and Star Speculation (19:31) - Stars, Sun, and Flat Earth Research (31:19) - Challenging Perspectives on Flat Earth (41:10) - Debunking Space Travel Myths (45:13) - Sun's Height and Flat Earth Seasons (57:39) - Flight Routes and Flat Earth Insights (01:04:36) - Media Platforms and Moon Landing Doubt ============================================================ Chapter 1 Questioning the Globe Earth Model 00:00 This chapter welcomes back Dave Weiss, known as Flat Earth Dave, to discuss the growing skepticism around the globe Earth model and the broader implications on the nature of reality. I admire Dave's passion for questioning widely accepted truths and explore the increasing public curiosity about flat Earth theories. We address how recent global events have led to heightened skepticism about collective wisdom, highlighting how people often exhibit intelligence in smaller groups. Dave shares his journey since 2014, noting a shift in how flat Earth ideas are perceived—from ridicule to genuine curiosity. We also examine historical arguments supporting the globe model, like Eratosthenes' sticks and shadows experiment, and challenge their validity, arguing that the flat Earth perspective continues to gain traction without people reverting to traditional globe beliefs. Chapter 2 Cosmic Skepticism and Star Speculation 12:58 This chapter explores the complexities and curiosities of our universe, challenging conventional astronomical models. We discuss the dynamic journey of Earth as it orbits and chases the sun through space, raising questions about the behavior of stars and the concept of parallax. I express skepticism about the mainstream explanations for the formation and nature of stars, proposing an alternative view of stars as perfect, angelic entities that do not move. The discussion also touches on the vast distances between stars, questioning the plausibility of human understanding and the depiction of space travel. Through these reflections, we question the boundaries of current scientific explanations and ponder the mysteries of our cosmic surroundings. Chapter 3 Stars, Sun, and Flat Earth Research 19:31 This chapter explores the skepticism surrounding astronomical images and the scientific reasoning behind flat Earth theories. We discuss how distinguishing between images from the James Webb Space Telescope and those created using graphic design tools can challenge perceptions of space. A critical analysis of distance and visibility is presented through a thought experiment about the sun and stars, questioning the possibility of seeing celestial bodies at the vast distances claimed by mainstream science. We also scrutinize the gravitational relationships between celestial objects, like the sun, Earth, and moon, raising questions about the feasibility of current astronomical models. Chapter 4 Challenging Perspectives on Flat Earth 31:19 This chapter explores the concept of creating wealth by inventing products that cater to people's desire for convenience, citing examples like fast food and delivery services such as DoorDash. The conversation then shifts to a discussion about societal divides, contrasting the "15-minute city people" with those who prefer to live independently, likening it to the scenario in "Logan's Run." The focus turns to experiences at Anarchapulco, particularly interactions with Larkin Rose, a notable figure who is resistant to engaging in discussions about flat earth theories. Despite Rose's reluctance, efforts to present counterarguments continue, including addressing his points in a well-attended seminar. The chapter emphasizes the importance of open dialogue and challenging differing perspectives, highlighting the frustration when such discussions are not reciprocated. Chapter 5 Debunking Space Travel Myths 41:10 This chapter explores the intriguing topic of the sun's movement in Antarctica, examining whether the phenomenon of a circling sun could be evidence for or against the flat Earth theory. We discuss the recent event where both flat earthers and globe believers witnessed this occurrence, sparking debates on whether it was genuine or fabricated. We question the traditional narrative of the sun as a massive, stable, burning entity in space, and critique the feasibility of space travel and the International Space Station's operations. The discussion also touches on the broader societal context, suggesting that modern stresses may hinder critical thinking compared to past decades. Furthermore, I mention the Flat Earth Sun, Moon, and Zodiac Clock app as a resource for discovering hidden content that challenges mainstream scientific views, emphasizing the need for open-mindedness and exploration of alternative perspectives. Chapter 6 Sun's Height and Flat Earth Seasons 45:13 This chapter takes a closer look at the Flat Earth perspective on viewing distant mountains and the concept of seasons. We begin by examining how the visibility of Mount Canigou challenges the traditional globe model, discussing the role of sunlight and atmospheric conditions in making the mountain visible from a great distance. Transitioning to the Flat Earth model, we explore how the sun's position and movement over the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn explain seasonal changes. Using the analogy of a heat lamp, we illustrate how the perceived height and warmth of the sun affect temperature variations on Earth. This chapter contrasts the Flat Earth explanation with the globe model, questioning the logic behind the globe's distance-based seasonal changes and proposing an alternative view where the sun's local proximity is a key factor. Chapter 7 Flight Routes and Flat Earth Insights 57:39 This chapter explores the intriguing debate around flight paths and their implications on the flat Earth theory, as presented by Dave Weiss. We examine the unconventional routes taken by planes from New Zealand to Argentina and how these routes appear on both globe and flat Earth maps. Dave Weiss challenges traditional beliefs about Earth's shape, citing gyroscopes in airplanes and their orientation as evidence. We also discuss the criticism faced by flat Earth proponents and the notion of questioning established norms to discover hidden truths. Furthermore, we touch upon the "Old World" theory, promoting exploration beyond taught history, and the growing flat Earth community. The chapter concludes with an invitation to the Anarchapulco conference, emphasizing freedom and new perspectives on reality. Chapter 8 Media Platforms and Moon Landing Doubt 01:04:36 This chapter explores potential opportunities for guest appearances on popular platforms like Coast to Coast AM and a Florida-based podcast hosted by Danny Jones. We discuss the challenges of getting on Joe Rogan's podcast, considering his significant contract and shifting stance on controversial topics like the moon landing. Rogan's past skepticism about the moon landing is highlighted, along with his evolving perspective after interviewing Neil deGrasse Tyson. Additionally, Eddie Bravo's influence on Rogan is considered, given Bravo's known skepticism about the moon landing and belief in flat earth theories. The chapter concludes with excitement about sharing this engaging conversation and continuing to question prevailing narratives.

La Orquestra do Estado de Mato Grosso toca música de Milton Nascimento en el disco 'Flores, janelas e quintais' ('Ponta de areia', 'Cravo e canela', 'Travessia', 'Canção de América') y la formacion dirigida por Gaia Wimer y Jaques Morelenbaum toca música de Caetano Veloso en 'Trem das cores' ('Trilhos urbanos'', 'Trem das cores' -con la voz de Mônica Salmaso-, 'Queixa', 'Tropicália', 'Minha voz, minha vida'). Escuchar audio

Ken Bruce spent 16 years researching and writing about the most important piece of theme park pop art ever made: Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. The resulting book not only tells the history of that attraction, but serves to show how its story is the story of how we see the modern theme park as a whole.Ken was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his book and the stories and myths surrounding Walt Disney's most personal attraction which, over six decades later, is still delighting audiences at Disneyland.His book "Before the Birds Sang Words" is available at Amazon or from his website, https://www.tikiroom63.com.Thanks for listening!We'd love it if you would give us a cheeky little review on your podcast platform of choice. They're really helpful.Come visit our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1511094196139406 or drop us a note to comments@lowdown-plus-up.com and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up! We are a Boardwalk Times production.Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

Christian Parenti is an investigative journalist, academic, and author whose recent articles have appeared in Compact Mag and others.  We discuss Kash Patel as the potential FBI Director, President Jimmy Carter's legacy and other news. Parenti is Professor of Economics at John Jay College, City University of New York. His undergraduate and graduate teaching, and research, focus on: American economic history, environmental history, and the history of capitalism; climate change and sustainable energy; as well as war, policing, and political violence. His books include Radical Hamilton: Economic Lessons from a Misunderstood Founder, (Verso, 2020); Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence, (Nation Books, 2011); The Freedom: Shadows and Hallucinations in Occupied Iraq, (The New Press, 2004); The Soft Cage: Surveillance from Slavery to the War on Terror, (Basic Books, 2003); and Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis (1999/2008, Verso). Previously, as a journalist, he reported extensively from Afghanistan, Iraq, and various parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America for The Nation, Fortune, The London Review Books, The New York Times, and other publications. Follow us at: @JackmanRadio Become a Patron:  www.patreon.com/JackmanRadio For $ tips if you enjoy our work:  Venmo Eric: SenatorJackman86 Venmo Mike: MikeJackman1986

In this episode, David and Nathan delve into Henry Miller's controversial and groundbreaking novel "Tropic of Cancer." Published in 1934, this semi-autobiographical work was banned in the US and the UK upon its release due to its explicit content. Despite—and perhaps in part because of—its ban, "Tropic of Cancer" has endured as a provocative and essential piece of literature.  Discussed on this episode, historical context (with a lot of help from George Orwell's essay "Inside the Whale," which contextualizes the novel superbly), mysticism, narcissism, surrealism, c*cks and c*nts, general vulgarity, and authenticity.  This episode serves as a comprehensive exploration of "Tropic of Cancer," addressing both its literary significance and the moral dilemmas it poses, making it a rich conversation for fans and critics of Henry Miller alike. This episode serves as a comprehensive, though by no means exhaustive, exploration of "Tropic of Cancer” that we hope you enjoy.   As always, please leave comments, reviews, and buy some books through the podcast's website to support future episodes. *  Note: The photographs at the opening of the YouTube version of the episode come from Henry Miller's personal friend Brassaï (Gyula Halász), a 20th century Hungarian–French photographer, sculptor, filmmaker, and writer (even a book on Miller's Paris Years). *  Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BooksOSubstance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/booksosubstance/ Our brand-new website: https://www.booksofsomesubstance.com/

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! We're a little later this week than usual because we decided to record this episode in person in London. We discuss several topics, but we end with a brief holiday gift guide. Our watch content starts after approximately 20 minutes.It's holiday gift guide season but also the last Time4APint of the year in London. Balazs has made the journey into the Big Smoke and we've decided to record in his hotel. We exchanged some gifts before the episode, are prepped for the night's festivities, and have holiday gift guide suggestions.HandgelenkskontrolleThis week's Handgelenkskontrolle is complicated because we mention the watches on our wrists and several we brought for the evening's get-together. Balazs has brought the new Nivada Grenchen F77 Collection Ceramic, a stunning watch that starts at just €1,370 with a full ceramic case and bracelet. Mike has his Ming 37.02 Minimalist on an olive Jean Rousseau Barenia leather strap. We've listened to previous requests and have included a picture of all the watches discussed in the episode. From left to right, a '50s Tissot, an Omega 27 Chro, a Lemania 27 Chro, a Breitling Chronomat 769, an Angelus 250, an Angelus Chronodato Luxe, and a Gruen Ocean Chief.Holiday gift guideFor the holiday gift guide, we each mention three different items. Some our watch-related, while others are great for daily life or travel. We mention the following:On Cloudmonster running shoes — Balazs swears by them and Mike needs to give them a try!The Fratello x Bergeon Mini Tool — both of us own one and it's a great stocking stufferThe Star 69 straps from Joseph Bonnie — these look like rubber Tropic straps, but are made of leatherTreating yourself to a bespoke strap from the likes of Delugs or Handdn — there's nothing like a tailored strap to pair with your favorite watchThe book, Chronographs for Collectors — we reviewed this in 2016 and it's a fantastic gift!Finally, the Rimowa Pilot Case — an expensive splurge, but such a cool piece for travel or storing camera gearThanks so much for listening and we'll be back next week with a new episode! If you have ideas for future show topics, please let us know.

*This Episode is (Em)powered by Tropic *In this episode, Bryony Blake and I are joined by our wonderful friend and the Director of Marketing at Tropic Skincare, Emily Mitchell.Emily is such a wonderful human being and during the episode we chat about what #RedefineYouth means to us and why the campaign has aligned so well with everything that Tropic stands for.I also read out some of the wonderful messages from you, Outspoken Beauty community. SO many of you have embraced the idea of challenging yourselves to leave your comfort zones and do some truly incredible things over the past few months. I'm truly in awe of you.I'm forever grateful to Emily and Tropic for supporting this project and for helping so many of us to think beyond society's expectations and rediscover the things that truly matter to us and it doesn't end here. Let's carry on redefining youth together. 

Welcome to Part 2 of my talk with Christopher Brown, author of the brand new book, “A Natural History of Empty Lots,” as well as the science fiction novel, “Tropic of Kansas” and the legal thrillers “Rule of Capture” and “Failed State.” - How there were “not a lot of huggers” in his family, and how that relates to his desire to get better at engaging emotionally in his writing, versus just telling a good story - Using a regular newsletter to write your way into a longer work - The challenge of weaving together different genres in one body of work–in his case, memoir, nature writing, and literary nonfiction - The challenge in outlining what your book will be about in a book proposal and actually writing a book that matches that outline - How the voice you've used in short form pieces doesn't wholly translate to long-form (i.e., the medium is the message) - When things you read 40 years ago pop up to influence your current work (i.e., another plug for reading widely) - A common reality in modern publishing–your editor leaves in the middle of your book getting published, and how to navigate that - Figuring out how to turn a narrative of colonization–something we've all been so exposed to its part of our collective subconscious fabric–into a narrative of decolonization - The questions Christopher asks himself when he's worried he's not getting something exactly right Visit Christopher at https://christopherbrown.com/ and sign up for his Field Notes newsletter at https://fieldnotes.christopherbrown.com/. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thank you for listening! And thanks to this week's sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices