CFO THOUGHT LEADER

It was Friday the 13th in March of 2020, and Steven Miller was staring at a suddenly irrelevant budget. Hours earlier Warby Parker had shuttered every one of its 280 stores to protect employees and customers. “Remember that plan we just approved?” he asked the leadership team. “Forget it.” In its place he introduced PAR—Pause, Adjust, Redeploy—a framework that let finance review cash daily, pivot marketing dollars to booming e-commerce, and preserve innovation spend while the world locked down. The episode crystallized Miller’s philosophy: data guides decisions, but agility preserves advantage.Raised as a strategy consultant at Monitor Company, Miller learned early to hunt for competitive leverage. A New York City Urban Fellows stint deepened that lesson when a commissioner advised him to “read the budget if you want to know a society’s values.” The line sent him chasing the intersection of money and mission—from Flatiron’s venture trenches to Majestic Research, where the 2008 crisis forced layoffs and, ultimately, a sale to ITG that began with his cold call. Warby Parker appealed because it made a tangible product and pledged social impact.Miller joined when the firm had 20 employees and no stores; today it approaches 4,000 people and, he tells us, opens “40-plus new locations a year.” Eight capital raises and a 2021 direct listing later, his remit is constant: align capital with purpose. By measuring four-wall EBITDA, inventory turns, and cost lines against revenue, Miller ensures every dollar advances a simple mission—help more people see clearly around the world daily.

It was a morning commute Chris Greiner had made hundreds of times before. Living in old Shanghai and working in the city’s sleek business district, Greiner’s daily drive to the Jin Mao Tower often stretched well beyond an hour. But on this particular day, his driver told him they’d arrive in just 30 minutes. Puzzled but intrigued, Greiner went along—only to discover the traffic patterns had shifted. “They repainted the lines,” the driver told him with a grin. The same bridge, same road—just used differently.Greiner never forgot the lesson. As CFO of Zeta Global, he often draws from that experience when approaching business challenges. “You might be fixed in your infrastructure, but there’s almost always another way through,” he tells us.That mindset is now shaping Zeta’s evolving AI strategy. Rather than applying AI for efficiency’s sake, Greiner tells us his team follows the real patterns of work—starting with customer behaviors. “We began by observing how marketers use our platform,” he says, “then built automations to eliminate keystrokes and surface next-best actions.”Now, the finance function is adopting the same approach. Greiner’s team is analyzing daily tasks across accounting, FP&A, and sales operations to identify which can be codified and automated. Zeta is building agent-based workflows that transform data into actionable insights—at the push of a button.“We’re letting the work show us where to go,” Greiner says. And like that rush-hour bridge in Shanghai, sometimes a better route is just a few new lines away.

Jerome Upton still remembers the silence that descends just before a game begins. As captain of his college team, he’d scan the huddle, gauge nerves, and ask, “What does winning look like today?” “That’s where I learned the power of shared goals,” Upton tells us. Years later, the Genworth Financial CFO opens staff meetings similarly—then hands teammates room to execute.The first bold play of his career came soon after graduation. At a small insurer, Upton stunned mentors by jumping to KPMG. “I needed wider fields,” he explains. Eight years of audits sharpened his technical vision, yet the move that truly stretched him arrived when GE Capital—Genworth’s predecessor—offered a divisional‑controller seat with global scope. Overnight his “team” expanded ten‑fold, teaching him to win through trust rather than touch‑every‑file oversight.International assignments followed: boardrooms in Europe, investor roadshows in Asia, client visits in Latin America. Hearing customers critique products in real time “made finance feel less like a ledger and more like a heartbeat,” he says. That perspective proved vital during Genworth’s post‑crisis crossroads. Tasked with raising capital quickly, Upton orchestrated a minority IPO of a foreign subsidiary, executed at speed and premium valuation. The deal slashed leverage and revealed hidden asset value.Today his playbook balances share buybacks and debt reduction with growth bets such as CareScout. Multi‑year downside modeling safeguards the core, while his Gretzkyesque mantra—skate where the puck is going—keeps him focused on tomorrow’s opportunity.

t was sixty days into his new role when Brian McClintock tells us he realized the company’s monthly “profit” was actually a million-dollar loss. As the CFO reviewed the financials, he discovered that each rosy figure concealed a troubling truth. For many executives, panic might have followed. Instead, McClintock’s response underscored a key principle: remain calm and stay focused on data-driven solutions.As he dug deeper, a misalignment of actual costs and revenue assumptions emerged, revealing the precarious financial situation that demanded immediate action. Determined to right the ship, he mapped a bold course, recommending a strategic acquisition that would fortify cash flow and support operational improvements. “We had to leverage operational insights along with our existing relationships,” McClintock explains, adding that his experience in complex telecom environments allowed him to see beyond the numbers. The result was rapid transformation. Within a year, the company went from losing seven figures each month to generating a million dollars in monthly EBITDA—proof of the CFO’s insistence on purposeful change.

It was a first meeting Naeem Ishaq tells us he’ll never forget: stepping into the Chief Product Officer’s office at Salesforce, he began pitching a bold new pricing model. Yet the officer cut him off, bluntly telling him to “figure out the (numbers) first, then we can talk strategy.” Ishaq admits he had inherited something of a mess when it came to the data. Despite the tough feedback, however, he refused to give up. He dove deeper—verifying metrics, updating budgets, and clarifying every detail—determined to show he could be both a financial expert and a strategic partner. By persevering rather than shrinking from the challenge, he eventually earned the trust needed to advance his pricing insights.That wake-up call echoed lessons he’d learned as a child of immigrants. Ishaq tells us his father arrived in the United States with just twenty dollars, fueled by grit and hope. Growing up, Naeem watched firsthand how determination could unlock opportunity—even if the odds seemed stacked. This conviction led him to form his first business in 1999, forging a passion for technology-driven solutions that would guide him in future roles at Salesforce, Square, and eventually Checkr.Today, as CFO and Chief Strategy Officer at Checkr, Ishaq’s mindset blends rigorous analysis with an entrepreneurial spark. He believes finance leaders create the most impact when they go beyond reporting numbers to envision what’s possible—and then rally others around that vision.

It was the kind of boardroom moment that separates finance professionals from finance leaders. Tony Jarjoura, now CFO of Gigamon, found himself surrounded by audit committee members as a dense, highly technical tax strategy unraveled before them. Despite having pored over legal memos and internal reviews, the room still looked puzzled—until Tony spoke. In just two sentences, he distilled thousands of hours of technical effort into a clear, accessible takeaway. “That was the moment,” he tells us, “when I realized the power of translating complexity into clarity.”Tony’s journey to that moment began with a professor’s advice back in university: go Big Four, earn your CPA, and the world will open up. He took it to heart, spending 15 years at Ernst & Young in San Francisco, embedded in Silicon Valley’s IPO engine room. At EY, he wasn’t just crunching numbers—he was watching ideas travel from whiteboard sketches to billion-dollar listings. Companies like Atlassian, Okta, and Workday became case studies in how finance underpins innovation.When he stepped into industry during the COVID years, Jarjoura traded IPO war rooms for the operational depths of Gigamon. He jokes about never having recorded a journal entry before—but quickly embraced the inner mechanics of finance operations. Today, he views FP&A not as a rearview mirror but as a GPS system for business decision-making. “Finance has to be the connective tissue,” he says, “translating data into decisions that shape where we go next.

“It wouldn’t surprise me. No, it would be exciting.”That was Adam Ante’s initial response when asked if five years from now, he could imagine himself still in the C-suite—but not as a CFO. The comment seemed to linger in the air, hinting at a deeper current in his career journey. Ante, who had led Paycor through an IPO, a pandemic, and most recently, a $4.1 billion sale to Paychex, wasn’t just closing out a CFO chapter—he may have been opening something entirely new.While he later softened the sentiment, suggesting he might be surprised if he moved beyond finance, his earlier candor revealed a finance leader attuned to operations—and perhaps transformation.Years earlier, Ante had flown weekly to Colorado, struggling to integrate a newly acquired company. “I felt like I was failing,” he tells us. The lesson was hard-won: strategy and spreadsheets are meaningless unless you can move people with them. That shift—from financial executor to business operator—has defined his trajectory ever since.His strategic mindset matured further with Extreme Ownership, a book he credits with changing how he approached leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and results.Now, as the dust settles on Paycor’s acquisition, Ante’s priorities have shifted once again—to preserving what works, aligning teams, and honoring the customer experience.

Host Erik Zhou sits down with Amber Papp, VP of Finance at Scentbird to explore the unique challenges of accounting in the e-commerce space. From managing a massive inventory of over 700 fragrances to navigating rapid growth and making smart automation decisions, Amber shares firsthand insights on what it takes to keep financial operations running smoothly at a high-growth, subscription-based company.Amber and Erik also dig into relevant themes like the role of AI in accounting, balancing efficiency with cost when evaluating new financial tools and systems, and the never-ending pursuit of data integrity.And as the episode closes, Amber shares a truly unexpected budget request—one that involved a Cybertruck, a demolition derby, and a marketing team with big dreams.

Fresh out of a hedge fund analyst role, Erik Rothschild walked into an interview at a Chicago-based trading firm and did something unexpected—he pitched actual trade ideas to the portfolio manager across the table. That bold move earned him a spot on the team, and eventually, a portfolio of his own. “That whole experience taught me how to assess decisions through the lens of an investment,” Rothschild tells us. It’s a mindset that has quietly shaped every leadership decision he’s made since.Rothschild’s early career was forged in the high-stakes world of investment finance during the 2008 financial crisis. He later transitioned into corporate finance, helping build out the FP&A function at Sovereign. When the CFO unexpectedly departed, Rothschild found himself reporting directly to the CEO—presenting financial results to the board and leading a complex equity raise. “It was both exciting and stressful,” he recalls, “but I knew I had a window to gain experience that would last a lifetime.”What sets Rothschild apart is the investor’s mindset he brings to the CFO role at Cin7. He encourages his team to think in bets—evaluating risks, testing hypotheses, and acting decisively. He’s also a champion of simplicity and automation, challenging his team to reduce low-ROI cycles and focus on what matters most.

It was a late-night meeting room lit by the glow of Excel spreadsheets and half-empty coffee cups. Brian Carolan, then a rising finance leader, looked around the table and saw not just fellow accountants and analysts but a collection of people relying on him to bridge data and strategy. In that moment, he felt the weight of a CFO’s responsibility keenly. “Finance is never only about numbers,” Carolan tells us. “It’s about connecting the dots for everyone in the room.”Years earlier, he had traded the security of a Big Four firm for a nascent startup, learning quickly that growth rarely follows a neat script. One day, he might be projecting cash flow; the next, mending fractured vendor relationships. Each challenge Caloran tells us strengthened his conviction that adaptability drives sustainable success. He carried that lesson into a complex M&A deal, where he orchestrated integration across multiple departments. “M&A isn’t just consolidation,” Carolan tells us. “It’s a chance to redefine the culture, if you’re willing to listen.”As his influence grew, Carolan found that effective CFOs serve as translators—turning raw data into forward-looking stories. After a particularly tense board presentation, he recalls a mentor pulling him aside. “Numbers matter, but so does the narrative behind them,” the mentor said. That advice remained Carolan’s compass. In every leadership role since, he has championed an inclusive approach, ensuring finance is a unifying force that galvanizes operations, sales, and strategy under one clear vision. And that, Carolan tells us, is how real transformation takes root.

In this episode of Planning Aces, three forward-looking finance leaders share how they’re transforming planning and forecasting inside their organizations. CFO Kevin Rhodes of Extreme Networks discusses the dual lens through which he evaluates AI—external monetization and internal productivity. Brendon Sullivan, CFO of 2X, reveals how a post-PE investment reality check led him to pioneer a weekly reporting cadence to drive faster decision-making. Meanwhile, Gabi Gantus of Mytra AI draws on her Tesla FP&A roots to illustrate how finance can lead long-term operational planning. Brett Knowles joins Jack Sweeney to unpack key insights and the broader implications for FP&A.Co Host Brett Knowles emphasizes the need to distinguish internal and external AI use cases, applauds CFOs who are expanding AI’s role beyond headcount reduction, and highlights how AI can sharpen decision-making and compress process cycles. He underscores the CFO’s evolving role in overseeing cross-functional strategy, particularly as AI accelerates organizational complexity. From sales effectiveness to real-time alerting, Knowles sees AI as a vital lever in both financial performance and agility, cautioning laggards that competitors are already moving ahead.

It was a pivotal moment Brian Robins tells us he’ll never forget: stepping onto a makeshift stage to address some 400 employees just minutes before a key 8-K filing would publicly announce the potential sale of a major business unit. The room bristled with anxiety—people worried about their jobs and the future of the company. Robins recalls that, instead of relying on scripted talking points, he spoke from the heart and vowed to keep everyone informed as events unfolded. By offering that openness, he reinforced his belief that finance isn’t just about numbers, but about building trust and forging a clear path forward.Today, that spirit of transparent communication fuels Robins’s approach as CFO. Above all, he prioritizes strong relationships across every organizational function, from sales and marketing to product and engineering. This is why go-to-market execution, he explains, has become the centerpiece of his strategic leadership. Robbins embeds dedicated finance professionals alongside revenue-focused teams, helping to fine-tune territory splits, refine pricing, and calibrate product positioning based on real-time data. Now Listen

Tim Arndt still remembers the urgency in the air when AMB Property Corporation decided to merge with Prologis at the height of the financial crisis. It was, as he describes, “a merger of equals,” but Arndt tells us that, in the end, it was the legacy management of AMB that would lead the newly formed Prologis.The “equal” nature of the deal belied a deeper reshuffling of leadership, with AMB’s team rising to steer the new entity and Arndt finding himself on the CFO path.Fresh from this integration, Arndt tells us, he learned one of his most valuable lessons: staying agile and raising your hand for new opportunities is critical when your environment is in flux. He found himself immersed in evolving structures, from investor relations to strategic funding, honing a flexible leadership style that balanced risk management with forward-thinking vision.Today, as CFO of Prologis, Arndt credits this experience for shaping his strategic mindset. By leaning into the complexities of merging companies—where cultures, processes, and people collide—he discovered that strong financial leadership isn’t just about spreadsheets and metrics; it’s about stewarding a newly formed organization toward stability and growth. That early trial taught him to embrace change rather than fear it, which is precisely how he continues to guide Prologis into future opportunities.

It was a moment that would shape Erik Swenson’s approach to finance forever. As a co-op student at Northeastern University, he found himself in front of a room full of engineers, presenting financial metrics he had carefully compiled. When the meeting ended, one of the engineers approached him and said, “That was interesting, but it doesn’t mean anything to me. I make the product.” The comment struck a nerve. Driving home that evening, Swenson couldn’t shake the realization—numbers alone don’t drive a business; they need to connect to the people building it.That early lesson in financial storytelling set the foundation for a career built on bridging finance with operations. Swenson tells us his path wasn’t a straight line—he originally pursued computer science before pivoting to economics and then accounting. After early roles in financial analysis, he spent 15 years moving through finance leadership positions at Danaher, where he sharpened his ability to translate financial insights into business decisions.When IDT tapped him to be CFO in 2018, Swenson faced a challenge that tested his adaptability. As he tells us, the company had a strong accounting foundation but needed deeper financial analysis to support its innovation-driven growth. He immediately set to work embedding finance into IDT’s decision-making, ensuring the function wasn’t just reporting numbers but helping shape the company’s strategic direction. “It’s not just about getting the numbers right,” Swenson explains, “it’s about making sure those numbers mean something for the business.”

It was a moment of “shock and awe” that Jason Lee says shapes his strategic mindset. Soon after joining Square, he discovered a major partnership with Starbucks that was quietly bleeding millions of dollars and threatened Square’s financial runway. “We had to swarm the problem,” Lee tells us. The team renegotiated terms and preserved the company’s stability—a crucial lesson in vigilance and swift action.Lee’s path to that pivotal juncture began in investment banking and private equity, where he gained perspective on what makes companies thrive. Years later, as he moved from corporate development into investor relations and financial strategy at Square, he refined his approach to measuring ROI, understanding key business drivers, and aligning capital investment with sustainable growth. During Square’s IPO process, Lee learned how investor feedback refines product strategy and strengthens customer relationships.Today, as CFO of Faire, Lee keeps the same principle front and center: gain visibility first. “If you don’t know where your money goes, you can’t optimize the outcome,” he tells us. This insistence on clear metrics is part of a broader philosophy that financial leaders must do more than simply balance books. They must articulate how each investment—whether for short-term gains or long-term positioning—serves an overarching goal.That pragmatic yet visionary perspective is evident in Lee’s readiness to address risk head-on, allocate resources smartly, and engage stakeholders with clarity. In his view, a successful CFO not only safeguards the bottom line but fosters an

The moment 2X secured private equity backing in March 2023, CFO Brandon Sullivan knew expectations would shift overnight. “There’s gonna be a press release,” he remembers thinking. “Our new PE partners will open up a treasure chest of relationships for us—we need to be ready.”In anticipation, Sullivan and his team ramped up hiring, ensuring 2X had the supply of talent needed to meet the expected surge in demand. But in the six months spent navigating investment negotiations, pipeline oversight had faltered. Revenue didn’t spike as expected. Instead, churn crept up. “We had holes we hadn’t paid attention to,” Sullivan tells us. “And the benefits we thought would be immediate weren’t—they needed time to take root.”The result? A painful lesson in timing. They had staffed up, but business momentum had stalled, sending gross margin percentages downward month after month. The wake-up call came swiftly—a tough conversation with the PE board. “It was needed,” he admits. “The realization hit: Monthly reporting was too infrequent for a dynamic business like ours.”

Stuart Leung had occupied the CFO office at Flexport for only a few months when he realized the supply chain management company’s growing margin pressures stemmed not from a single root cause but from many. From pricing misalignment to invoice errors, Leung had compiled a lengthy list of snags. Along the way, he began empowering the people closest to each issue to drive the necessary improvements. By implementing more than 15 “big rock” initiatives—tracked through monthly reviews—Flexport rapidly identified, tested, and refined solutions. This cross-functional, data-centric effort not only began restoring margins but also created a replicable model of continuous improvement.That turnaround effort, Leung tells us, echoed lessons he learned earlier in his career. As a young analyst at an investment bank, he quickly discovered how fundamental analysis and modeling could uncover hidden risks. Later, private equity taught him the vital link between operational decisions and financial outcomes—a perspective he solidified while leading finance and supply chain for a small consumer brand. When he encountered Flexport as a paying customer, its tech platform so thoroughly simplified his logistics challenges that he became a believer in its end-to-end visibility.

Trintech CFO Omar Choucair is increasingly turning to AI as a strategic advantage—building teams, refining data “plumbing,” and automating time-consuming processes. His strategic mindset, honed by years of thriving in unpredictable environments, drives him to embrace AI as a catalyst for operational efficiency and transformative growth. Choucair tells us that his approach centers on leveraging AI to unlock competitive insights, streamline decision-making, and propel Trintech ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of finance and technology.

It was an impromptu meeting Gantus will never forget. One day at Tesla, the company’s then-President of Automotive, Jérôme Guillen, pulled her aside, whispering about a decision Elon Musk was leaning toward. Guillen—who led the automaker’s push for production scale and supply chain agility—believed a different path could better serve the company, but needed someone with operational and financial data at her fingertips. “Let’s go talk to him—just you and me,” Guillen said. Standing before Musk, Gantus walked through cost impacts and strategic trade-offs, methodically highlighting why their plan would outperform the existing direction. She recounts feeling a rush of excitement when Musk ultimately changed course, calling it key to her growth.That moment encapsulates Gantus’s rapid ascent from Tesla’s first corporate FP&A hire to a finance leader shaping billion-dollar decisions. Her approach has always been about embedding finance in day-to-day operations, whether rethinking shift schedules, optimizing inventory, or forging data-driven paths for emerging initiatives. Sitting alongside engineers and factory managers, she became a trusted partner who refused to let finance stay locked in spreadsheets.Today, as CFO of Mytra AI, Gantus carries forward the mindset that made her indispensable at Tesla. She now steers Mytra AI’s efforts to secure large warehouse contracts and streamline supply chain workflows, forging growth paths. She’s determined to refine her new company’s cost structures, champion a culture of close collaboration, and leverage every insight from the operational trenches. It’s a philosophy built on pragmatism, strategic thinking, and unwavering perseverance—one that began with a tap on the shoulder, data-driven vision, and a fearless willingness to challenge the status quo.

On this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Brad Silicani, COO of Anrok, to talk about his journey from Big Four accounting to leading operations at a fast-growing tech company.The discussion begins by covering Brad’s transition from audit to client side, and highlights the myriad of roles he held at Dropbox. In his time there he was Controller, tasked with landing a sound revenue recognition method, Head of Tax, focused on developing the right international tax structure prior to IPO, and Treasurer, responsible for managing $2B in cash in a changing interest rate environment. In covering all this, Brad shares how these experiences set him up for success in his current role as COO at Anrok, highlighting why a background in accounting and finance makes him the operations leader he is today.And of course, no modern finance conversation would be complete without tackling the AI revolution. Erik and Brad dig into how automation and AI are reshaping accounting, tax, and treasury functions—not just making processes smoother but fundamentally redefining the role of finance leaders. Whether you're a CFO- OR COO-in-the-making, or just someone who loves hearing behind-the-scenes war stories from hyper-growth companies, this episode delivers sharp insights and great conversation.

It began with a tense stretch of weeks that Bill Koefoed tells us he won’t soon forget. As OneStream’s CFO, he was juggling the details of going public when a small AI startup called DataSense caught his attention. “We didn’t even have a formal corporate development function,” Koefoed explains, but he threw himself into researching the opportunity. There were skeptics—some board members questioned the timing, while others worried the acquisition might be too costly.Still, the numbers looked promising, and so did the technology. Sitting in late-night calls, Koefoed listened to DataSense’s University of Michigan–trained engineers describe predictive models that could supercharge OneStream’s demand forecasting. “Getting that talent on board could pay huge dividends,” he recalls thinking. Even with the looming IPO, Koefoed pressed ahead, negotiating terms while appeasing wary investors.For Koefoed, AI isn’t a far-off gamble—it’s an immediate strategic lever. By championing technology that marries predictive power with secure financial data, Koefoed tells us he helping steer OneStream toward a future where finance and AI seamlessly intertwine.

It was a puzzle that John Wilson simply couldn’t resist. Intel had long sold processors to the federal government on a commercial basis, but the rising importance of High Performance Computing (HPC) demanded a new approach. Undeterred by the maze of federal acquisition regulations, Wilson volunteered to stand up a dedicated government unit, a move that he tells us helped unlock cutting-edge HPC research. The work took him to the edges of “bleeding-edge technology,” even if it also meant navigating the detailed rigors of government compliance.That knack for transformation would serve Wilson well when he later encountered another pivotal moment: the day the moving truck arrived at his new home in Oregon—just as Intel announced the dissolution of the very business group he was joining. Rather than panic, he thrived, moving on to master complex FP&A and business development roles. It was the same mindset that guided him in standing up an entirely separate legal entity to better serve government contracts, broadening his view of finance from purely operational tasks to strategic decision-making.Today, as CFO of Sabey Data Centers, Wilson continues to fuse vision with pragmatism. He has drawn from his HPC experience—where technology evolves at breakneck speeds—to guide Sabey’s approach to data center design and expansion. Collaborating with teams to manage billion-dollar investments, he remains resolute on two fronts: balancing the need for innovation with disciplined capital allocation, and preserving a culture of “good stewardship” that ensures long-term stability for tenants ranging from tech giants to smaller enterprises.

It was a phone call Amy Butte tells us she will never forget. Lifting the receiver, she heard the familiar voice of her father—an accountant who had always championed her career. But this time, his words were tinged with a curious mixture of praise and amazement. He simply couldn’t fathom how his daughter, who had taken only one accounting class, was now the CFO of the New York Stock Exchange. “Finance leadership is more than numbers,” Butte reminds us, explaining that, for her, success hinges on weaving data into a strategic narrative that shapes decisions.That same flair for bold moves followed her into a pivotal meeting with the NYSE’s new leadership. “How’d you like to be the CFO?” she was asked on the spot, an offer so direct it felt surreal. Butte tells us she immediately saw an opportunity to modernize a centuries-old institution, and within two and a half years—half the time originally planned—she was leading the organization’s transition to a public company. The accelerated timeline tested her agility, forcing her to rethink legacy processes and overhaul entrenched systems. Through it all, she discovered that being an agent of change meant continuously blending operational discipline with forward-thinking ideas.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, Erik Zhou sits down with Karen Wu, the Chief Accounting Officer at Clari, to discuss the role of accounting in a company’s exit strategy. The conversation starts with an overview of Karen’s time in Transaction Services at PWC, where she helped a myriad of companies prepare for IPO - including Alibaba, the largest IPO in US history. Drawing on those experiences, Karen covers the reasons why a company may look for an exit, the types of exit strategies, and the role of the accounting team in those strategies.Specifically, Karen speaks to some ‘musts’ that accounting teams have to get right no matter the exit strategy - things like closing the books on time, ensuring precision and reliability in financial statements, and being able to comply with public company requirements. She speaks to the IPO readiness timeline, and how companies should approach it not just through the lens of accounting and finance, but across all functions.The conversation then pivots to Karen’s time at Clari. She shares her priorities as well as her POV on global accounting processes given the company’s international operations. Her number one piece of advice? Don’t be hesitant to outsource pieces of work to consultants who may have a better handle on local tax policies.

Ashim Gupta, who has evolved from a pre-IPO CFO to now serving as both CFO and COO, is busy redefining the role of finance in driving growth and innovation. Initially focused on strict financial discipline, Gupta’s responsibilities have expanded to integrate long-term growth initiatives with day-to-day operational execution.In our discussion, Gupta explains that funding AI projects at UiPath is guided by a rigorous evaluation framework. “We assess every project based on scalability, efficiency, revenue impact, and strategic differentiation,” he tells us. This disciplined approach ensures that each AI investment not only delivers measurable ROI but also aligns with UiPath’s broader vision of merging AI with automation.Transparent communication with the investment community has been key to this evolution. Gupta emphasizes that clearly articulating milestones and performance metrics is essential as the company’s narrative shifts from its RPA origins to becoming a leader in AI-driven automation, he tells us. This transparency builds trust and demonstrates the strategic value behind each investment decision.Moreover, Gupta’s dual role enables him to balance aggressive AI R&D investments with the demands of core operational priorities. By bridging finance and operations, he ensures that strategic initiatives are effectively executed while maintaining robust financial discipline. As UiPath continues to push the boundaries of automation, Ashim Gupta’s strategic mindset remains central to its sustained success and innovation in the evolving digital landscape.

Like many seasoned finance executives, Damon Fletcher saw Snowflake as a game-changer in cloud-based data management. While a senior finance executive at Tableau, he championed its adoption, recognizing its ability to scale analytics and streamline enterprise data operations. But he also discovered a challenge familiar to many finance leaders—the hidden costs that come with cloud consumption-based pricing.At Tableau, Fletcher tells us, the company’s Snowflake costs grew exponentially, mirroring a broader trend in tech where companies struggle to control cloud spend. This realization led Fletcher beyond the CFO office. In 2023, he co-founded Caliper, a company dedicated to bringing greater cost transparency and AI-powered efficiency to cloud spending.Fletcher tells us that AI is central to Caliper’s approach. The platform leverages machine learning forecasting to predict cloud usage trends and generative AI to surface actionable cost-saving recommendations. Unlike traditional cloud cost tools, Caliper provides deep insights across Snowflake, AWS, and Datadog, allowing finance and DevOps teams to pinpoint inefficiencies in real time.

Early in his career, Lior Maza chose to immerse himself in smaller, venture-backed startups instead of large enterprises—a move that exposed him to an array of responsibilities, from fundraising, recruiting to crisis management. “When you’re in a small team,” Maza tells us, “you end up doing everything, and that’s where the agility mindset really takes root.”Years later, after honing his skills in larger organizations, he joined Priority Software, an established yet agile cloud ERP firm. Under his guidance, the finance function embraced new performance measurements—focusing on recurring revenue, net retention, and churn—to manage a transition from traditional licensing to a SaaS model. “Agile finance leadership,” Maza tells us, “is about looking beyond immediate metrics and creating frameworks that drive long-term value.”

Bill Korn approaches board leadership with the same strategic, forward-thinking mindset that defined his CFO career. He believes a board member's role extends beyond governance to actively supporting company growth, shaping financial discipline, and guiding leadership teams through inflection points. Bill prioritizes long-term value creation over short-term gains, leveraging his M&A expertise, IPO experience, and global operations knowledge to help companies outmaneuver larger competitors. He advocates for hiring and retaining top talent, using technology as a competitive advantage, and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability—ensuring that businesses not only grow but sustain their success in evolving market conditions.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Jeff Arensman, Controller at Bloomerang, to cover two important topics: building a finance function from scratch and the role of finance in acquisitions.For Jeff, the two are inextricably linked at Bloomerang. As the first finance hire at the company, his first task was supporting an acquisition that needed to close in just three weeks. He then quickly turned to building a strong foundation for the accounting and finance practice at the company through new processes, tools, and technology. Jeff covers how he spent his time in the first few years at Bloomerang, including how he approached team building, and then turns to his current priorities now four years in at the company (a big NetSuite implementation!).After sharing how he approached building a function, Jeff does a deep dive into considerations during acquisitions both on the buy and sell side. He details his extensive experience in acquisitions and highlights some of his best practices and learnings - including how important it is to add nuance and context to the models that bankers develop during the due diligence process.The episode closes with Jeff sharing the deep detective work he had to do to get to the bottom of one of his weirdest company expense moments early in his career.

For Matt Collis, CFO of PairSoft, storytelling is more than a skill—it’s a strategic tool for aligning teams and scaling businesses. Whether leading acquisitions or guiding cross-functional teams, Collis uses financial narratives to clarify priorities and inspire action. “Someone has to be the storyteller,” Collis tells us, emphasizing how framing financial data in relatable terms helps drive organizational alignment and decision-making.Collis’ career began in accounting, where he spent seven years honing technical expertise in public accounting. However, he recognized early on that his ambitions extended beyond the technical realm. His transition into leadership roles provided opportunities to engage directly with business leaders, crafting financial strategies that supported operational goals. A pivotal chapter in his career came at Transaction Data Systems (TDS), where he helped the company scale dramatically. Over five years, TDS tripled in size through seven acquisitions, Collis tells us, requiring him to integrate diverse cultures, systems, and processes while scaling the finance team from 10 to 30 members.At PairSoft, Collis leverages these experiences to prioritize purposeful integration. He sees cultural alignment as key to long-term success, noting that acquisitions can falter without proactive efforts to unite teams around a shared vision. His strategic mindset also focuses on transparency and scalability, ensuring that financial strategies align with operational goals and are clearly communicated across the organization.

Arriving at a high school in Cape Town, South Africa, without speaking English, Cosmin Pitigoi faced an immediate communication challenge. Yet he refused to be deterred, immersing himself in language studies and expanding his vocabulary so he could thrive in the classroom. Years later, that same resolve reemerged in eBay’s IR function, where Pitigoi realized the company’s available data was falling short in communicating the breadth of eBay’s story. This time, Pitigoi immersed himself in the data, adding and fine-tuning metrics that would allow him to better convey eBay’s message.Before joining Flywire as CFO, Pitigoi spent two decades rotating through leadership roles at eBay and PayPal, building his finance acumen across treasury, investor relations, FP&A, and data analytics. “I never stayed in a single role for more than 18 months,” Pitigoi tells us, describing his drive to learn every facet of the business. By immersing himself in diverse functions, he honed both analytical and communication skills—critical for strategic decision-making.At eBay, the lack of comprehensive data became a new language barrier, prompting Pitigoi to advocate for stronger data architecture. “Numbers alone can’t tell a story unless they’re accurate and well-organized,” he tells us, underscoring his belief that precise, actionable information fuels effective narratives. This mindset ultimately shaped his approach to finance leadership: be as fluent in data as in interpersonal communication.Today, at Flywire, Pitigoi champions the idea that true value emerges when finance guides broader organizational goals. His journey from struggling to speak English in Cape Town to optimizing data-driven storytelling at a global fintech highlights a simple truth: conquering communication obstacles—whether linguistic or numeric—can spark remarkable career transformation.

Stacy Tumarkin unexpectedly found herself stepping into the CFO seat—twice—earning the moniker “The Accidental CFO.” Early in her career, she worked at a hedge fund, diving headfirst into uncharted responsibilities when a mentor urged her to stretch beyond strict accounting roles. “I was only 26 when I first became CFO,” Tumarkin tells us, recalling how imposter syndrome quickly followed. Despite her misgivings, she soon realized the best way to grow was to embrace discomfort and learn on the fly.A second twist came when she joined Kubecost as Chief of Staff, overseeing everything from support to finance. When the CEO asked her to serve as CFO yet again, she hesitated—still viewing herself as more of a people-first leader. But Tumarkin tells us that ownership of the finance function gave her a strategic seat at the table, allowing her to shape the company’s trajectory while drawing on her passion for operations and culture.

Back in the mid 1990s–when Russ Keefe decided it was time for a career pivot–he got behind the wheel. With a Jeep packed full of his belongings, he drove from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco, father riding shotgun, to explore fresh opportunities in Silicon Valley. He had just completed a stint at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he gained a deep respect for transparency and learned the importance of full disclosure.Eager to drive business outcomes, Keefe immersed himself in tech, soon discovering a passion for FP&A and leadership. Early roles exposed him to sales operations, giving him a front-row seat to understand revenue streams and product strategies. “That was when I realized finance is so much more than keeping score—it’s about guiding strategic decisions,” Keefe tells us.Today, as CFO of cybersecurity innovator Corelight, Keefe applies a forward-looking mindset to navigate hypergrowth markets. His background at the SEC informs his ethos of communicating frequently and candidly with stakeholders. Meanwhile, his operational experience shapes his focus on customer satisfaction, product differentiation, and consistent value delivery.Keefe tells us Corelight’s Net Promoter Score sits in the mid-60s, underscoring the company’s commitment to serving high-stakes clients in government, finance, and critical infrastructure. He believes finance leaders should be business people first—professionals who leverage financial expertise to power innovation and adaptability. His journey—beginning with a cross-country leap of faith—demonstrates that calculated risks, paired with diligent career building and leadership insight can yield results.

It was shortly after Eugene Wong exited the banking world to advance into a senior operations role that he realized the importance of a holistic view. At one meeting, he uncovered a disconnect between product and sales teams that threatened a strategic initiative. By stepping in and aligning priorities, he emerged as a “quarterback,” bridging perspectives and clarifying responsibilities.This revelation set the tone for Wong’s career journey. Originally honing his financial acumen at Silicon Valley Bank, he gained close exposure to startup ecosystems and leveraged finance transactions. Later, he pursued an MBA, joined Goldman Sachs to build on transactional capabilities, and returned to Silicon Valley Bank in a senior role. Ultimately, he stepped into the fast-paced realm of growth-stage companies, seeking to become a true financial operator.Today, Wong serves as CFO of Clara Analytics, where he orchestrates data-driven decision-making and fosters cross-functional collaboration. “You can’t stay behind spreadsheets,” Wong tells us, “you have to understand what each team does day in and day out.” By meeting regularly with department leads, he seeks to position finance as a trusted partner rather than a distant overseer.Wong credits his “big-picture” focus for sharpening his resource allocation. “Anytime you spend money or time in one place,” Wong tells us, “you’re making a bet you can’t place elsewhere.”

Four years into his 12-year career chapter at Amazon, Hetu Patel was appointed Finance Director for Prime—a role he credits with opening his eyes to strategic finance. In the days ahead Patel would be handed a milestone assignment, where he worked on a groundbreaking framework attributing the total value of Prime membership to each bundled benefit: video, music, books, and fast shipping. Collaborating with economics and business teams, he quantified how each offering affected purchase behavior and membership renewals, “Patel tells us.” This data-driven approach ultimately informed billions in investment decisions, illustrating how finance could reshape strategy, boost decision-making speed, and deliver transformative impact.Patel’s nearly 12-year tenure at Amazon exposed him to operations, retail category development, and even a general manager role, sharpening his analytical skills and broadening his perspective on enterprise-wide connectivity. “Improving the quality and speed of decision-making is the most important role of finance,” Patel tells us. This belief guided him into his subsequent position as CFO at Imperfect Foods, where he further honed board relations, fundraising, and M&A capabilities.Today, Patel channels these cross-functional experiences into his role as CFO of Thrive Market, combining rigorous long-term planning with a mission-driven focus on healthy, sustainable living. Drawing on lessons from Amazon’s culture of data-centricity, Patel emphasizes strategic foresight and clear performance metrics to guide decision-making.

When you think about accounting at growth stage companies, the word "artistry" might not immediately come to mind, but Desene Sterling makes a compelling case for it in this episode of Controllers Classified. As the Controller at Sourcegraph, Desene describes how crafting processes, like implementing procurement workflows or streamlining month-end close, feels like painting a masterpiece—except her medium is reconciliations and financial statements.This episode takes a deep dive into what it takes to build an accounting function from scratch in a growth stage startup. Desene recounts the feeling of being the first in-house accounting hire, navigating "free-for-all" credit card policies and training teams to embrace structure in a way that doesn’t stifle innovation. Her philosophy? Build processes that flex and grow alongside the company, even if that means starting with something imperfect.But it’s not all about debits and credits—relationships take center stage too. Desene explains how building credibility with colleagues and positioning finance as a partner (and not just an enforcer) are critical steps in successful change management. She also spends time on what she looks for in talent when building out her team, noting that nothing is more important than hiring people who can manage the details while keeping sight of the big picture.From detailing the nuances of SaaS and on-prem revenue recognition to recounting an unforgettable typo on a 10-Q filing, this episode showcases how accountants at growth-stage companies tackle big challenges with grit, ingenuity, and the occasional dose of humor.

CFO Kfir Lippmann began his career at Ernst & Young in Tel Aviv, auditing high-growth tech clients and navigating the intricacies of IPO-bound businesses. The experience gave him a deep understanding of strategic finance early on, Lippmann tells us. Later, he joined Monday.com when it was still a small startup, helping scale the organization through multiple investment rounds and significant secondary transactions. These transactions, which allow employees to sell shares prior to an IPO, can be tricky to manage from a morale standpoint. “It’s about maintaining fairness and long-term vision,” Lippmann tells us.By educating employees about responsible wealth management, Lippmann tellsus he was able to preserve the company’s collaborative culture and harness momentum for broader strategic goals. His approach to finance leadership emphasizes transparency and data-driven decisions across all functions, not simply “being the bad guy,” Lippmann tells us. Now as CFO of Salt Security, he applies the same philosophy of aligning metrics with execution to drive both rapid expansion and operational discipline.From orchestrating multi-million-dollar funding efforts to shaping sustainable corporate cultures, Lippmann’s journey underscores how secondary transactions—appropriately handled—can spark innovative thinking and sustainable growth.

When Emma Seymour arrived at Deputy in early 2022, she became focused on strengthening the company’s financial foundation. In the three years since, Deputy has achieved a historic milestone—reaching unicorn status through strategic partnerships with major customers who not only become clients but also invest capital, thereby opening new distribution channels and co-creating additional value.Turning back the clock, Seymour tells us her initial focus was “runway optimization”—a disciplined approach to spending and resource allocation that helped the business thrive in uncertain market conditions.Seymour’s path to the CFO office was paved by a broad advisory background, where she honed her ability to identify “leaky taps” and champion data-driven decisions. At Deputy, she has sought to refine revenue models, implement robust metrics, and guide the firm through a series of pivotal fundraising conversations.The move to pursue strategic investments from major customers rather than relying solely on venture capital is now expected not only to deepen customer relationships but also to unlock new distribution channels for Deputy’s offerings.Looking back, Seymour tells us she has consistently applied a “storytelling through numbers” philosophy.Along the way, she understood that it was incumbent on finance leadership to make sense of raw data within companies—finance leaders must connect figures to overarching strategy in a way that resonates with board members, employees, and investors alike. This dual focus on clarity and collaboration allowed Deputy to pivot quickly when market conditions shifted, without sacrificing the company’s innovation agenda.

In our latest Planning Aces episode of CFO Thought Leader, Jack Sweeney teams with FP&A veteran Brett Knowles to spotlight three finance leaders tackling one of business’s most critical challenges: aligning sales, operations, and finance around a common goal.First, Orion Innovation CFO Cyrus Lam recalls how transparent metrics and well-crafted incentives helped double profit margins by bridging the gap between sales and delivery teams. Then, Jellyfish CFO Joanne Cheng reveals the power of being a “connector”—a finance leader who unifies fast-scaling startups by integrating hires, systems, and processes from day one. Finally, Cribl CFO Zach Johnson shares his “three P’s” framework—precision, predictability, and performance—spotlighting how open communication and unit economics training can shape a company’s culture and boost long-term value.Throughout, Brett Knowles offers revealing insights into how CFOs can develop organizational trust, adopt strategic compensation models, and champion cross-functional collaboration to drive sustainable growth.

It was late 2020 when Michelle Hook ended 17 years of fruitful career-building at Domino’s to accept a CFO appointment at fast casual restaurant chain Portillo’s.  “The two things that I was looking for were to be passionate about a new brand and to feel a culture fit,” recalls Hook, who adds that she had long imagined someday leaving Domino’s to join a smaller company that she could help to grow.“I just didn’t care about going to a bigger company or ‘X,’ ‘Y,’ or ‘Z,’” continues Hook, who tells us that she ultimately took a leap of faith with regard to there being a culture fit at Portillo’s.“I actually never stepped into our headquarters until my first day on the job and had met in person only with the CEO, since this was during COVID times and the rest of the hiring process had been done on Zoom,” comments Hook.Fast-forward 15 months to when the Omicron variant was still grabbing headlines and inflation had begun to rattle the economy—and Hook could not escape the notion that the traditional Portillo’s restaurant needed to change for the post-COVID world.“I thought to myself, I think that we’re overbuilding our restaurants—we need to think about where the puck is going,” remembers Hook, who notes that Portillo’s dine-in customers in today’s post-COVID environment account for only roughly 35 percent of the chain’s volume.“I had come from Domino’s, which didn’t have these big dining rooms and had built out a heavily digital business,” remarks Hook, who reports that Portillo’s digital business represents only 20 percent of overall sales.This subject soon surfaced at an executive strategy session at which Portillo’s CEO, Michael Osanloo, tasked Hook and Portillo’s head of marketing with leading an initiative dubbed “Restaurant of the Future.”   “I think that Michael knew that I’d take on the project by using a data-driven lens,” comments Hook, who points out that the project has involved “time and motion studies” involving specific restaurants and their conveyance activities within the kitchen.      “Getting the engine right in the car is super important to us,” she says. “This will bring benefits not only on the cost side of things but also for our team members, who will find it easier to complete their work.” –Jack Sweeney

Among the learnings that Dev Ahuja has gleaned from his three-decade-long, globe-hopping finance career, perhaps none has delivered a more enduring instruction than that which followed his very first hop.By his own account, after Ahuja had reached the summit of Novartis’s finance executive ranks in India, the drug giant invited him to occupy an office at its Basel, Switzerland, headquarters. Here, Ahuja was promised, he would be able to apply his flourishing financial acumen on a more global scale.  “I thought that I knew what it took—I came with a lot of confidence rather than in a mode of humbleness and wanting to learn,” comments Ahuja, who let us know that his first years at headquarters did not always go as planned.Ahuja reports: “The Swiss don’t mince words."Confronted with his shortcomings, Ahuja set out to get things back on track—beginning with a hefty dose of self-scrutiny.  “I had done a miserable job because I really had not made the effort to build relationships and take the time and make the effort to understand the cultural nuances,” remarks Ahuja, whose track change paid off with a Swiss stint in the roles of group controller and head of Basel’s finance operations that stretched to 5 years.Still, Ahuja’s Swiss experiences would prove to grow even more valuable in the years ahead, as he would come to occupy the CFO offices of Novartis Korea (3 years) and Novartis Japan (2 years).“Novartis was very active when it came to developing people across geographies, but my case—where I would end up living in five different countries—was not very normal,” observes Ahuja, whose fifth nation became the U.S. after the drugmaker’s $46 billion acquisition of Alcon opened the door to a number of opportunities for him.Announced in 2010, the Alcon deal was to present post-merger integration challenges that in part led Novartis to relocate Ahuja from Korea to Japan, where the Alcon integration tasks were more pressing.“We accomplished a lot in Japan in a short period of time, and it seems that Alcon U.S.—which was twice the size of Alcon Japan—was in need of some of what we had learned,” recalls Ahuja, who tells us that at the time, a son had recently relocated to the U.S. for studies.With little delay, it seems, Ahuja was headed to Fort Worth, Texas, to serve as CFO North America for the drug giant’s Alcon division—a business that years later would nab business headlines when Novartis opted to spin it off.According to Ahuja, he has been able to apply his Swiss “lessons” at each career move, including his change when he departed from Novartis in 2016 to accept the CFO position at aluminum products giant Novelis.It seems that regardless of whether a move has involved geographies or industries, Ahuja has been able to apply the benefits of his time in Switzerland.Says Ahuja: “When you fail, you must make up your mind to take every lesson from that failure and act on it.” –Jack Sweeney

In this special holiday episode of CFO Thought Leader, host Jack Sweeney shares three unique CFO beginnings that highlight the power of perseverance, determination, and meaningful connections. First, CFO Scott Healy recounts his father’s unwavering belief in trying and shares how his deaf brother’s relentless pursuit of success influenced his own leadership approach. Next, CFO Tracy Curley reveals how her path from West Point to motherhood in part shaped her trailblazing mindset. Curley’s experience as a non-traditional student underscores the value of supportive mentors and the importance of balancing professional commitments. Finally, CFO Svai Sanford describes his journey from war-torn Laos to the United States, overcoming formidable obstacles to achieve academic and professional success with the help of caring foster parents. Through these uplifting stories, the episode spotlights the human dimensions of leadership and reminds us how origins can profoundly inspire a CFO’s journey, inviting listeners to reflect on perseverance and gratitude.

monday.com CFO Eliran Glazer highlights three vital priorities for 2025. First, he stresses that long-term efficiency must guide strategy. Instead of focusing solely on near-term investor demands, CFOs must structure financial planning like a marathon—mapping out sustainable growth through transparent scenario planning that accounts for macro uncertainties. Second, Glazer emphasized that CFOs need to become tech experts. With remote and hybrid work creating a surge in disconnected software tools, CFOs must champion integrated systems, unify data, and eliminate costly redundancies. Finally, Glazer underscored the increased need for real-time, data-driven insights. In a volatile market defined by inflation and local pressures, CFOs can no longer rely on static reports. They must deliver on-demand analytics and immediate forecasting to guide decisions around profitability, cost management, and risk.Sustainably grow through scenario planning for evolving macro trendsAlign technology to unify data and reduce costsProvide real-time insights to inform profitable decisionsBy embracing these three priorities, CFOs can keep their organizations nimble, resilient, and primed for success in 2025. He concluded that CFOs who truly embrace these principles will remain central to the organization’s innovation, stakeholder confidence, and long-term business performance throughout 2025 and beyond.

Brian Registe’s path to the future began in Dominica before relocating to Alaska with his industrious father. He launched his finance career in Alaska’s telecom sector, where a mentorship with a female CFO was pivotal. Serving eight years in the US Army, Brian specialized in finance, accounting, and procurement, including a tour in South Korea. Transitioning to the nonprofit sector with Heartland Alliance for a decade, he honed his leadership skills. He then led finance at Midhouse Engineering, a minority-owned firm in Chicago, before joining Questek. Brian’s diverse experiences across military, nonprofit, and engineering sectors uniquely shaped his path to the CFO role.

Beginning his career in audit at PwC Moscow, Georgy Egorov gained a foundation in finance’s finer details before transitioning into high-stakes investment banking. Across seventeen years with firms like Goldman Sachs and UBS, he navigated complex emerging markets and forged trusted relationships with mentors. This journey refined his ability to think both broadly and deeply. Later, he leapt into tech-enabled biotech and climate tech startups, where he learned to reshape strategies and build finance infrastructures from scratch. Today, at ZeroAvia, Egorov’s blend of traditional finance rigor, global perspective, and entrepreneurial spirit defines his unique path to the CFO office.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou, CAO at Brex, dives into the world of accounting and automation with Jake Jones, Controller at FinQuery. Jake shares his journey from a decade at Cherry Bekaert to his current role, detailing his transition approach from audit to client side. The conversation then explores Jake’s approach to finding efficiencies in the accounting process through automation tools, effective team building, and cross-functional relationship building.

Ask any business manager about the “three Ps in business” and they will likely say People, Process, and Product. However, ask any finance team member at Cribl that question, and you’ll likely hear a different answer: Precision, Predictability, and Performance. These are the three Ps that guide CFO Zach Johnson’s data-driven approach to financial leadership.Johnson’s career journey provides the context for this unique framework. At Splunk, he witnessed firsthand how a company could grow from roughly $40 million in revenue and 130 employees to more than $1.5 billion and nearly 2,000 employees, he tells us. During this period, Splunk navigated a complex transition from on-premise software to cloud-based solutions, forcing the team to reevaluate pricing, infrastructure, and market strategies. That experience taught Johnson how to deconstruct challenges into measurable components that teams could understand and act upon.Now, at Cribl, Johnson applies his three Ps to ensure a sustainable, value-driven path forward. “Precision” involves rigorous financial processes—clean audits, timely closes, and granular understanding of key metrics. “Predictability” means setting realistic forecasts, tightening pipeline management, and increasing confidence in decision-making. “Performance” emerges naturally once the first two Ps are in place—improved unit economics, stable revenue growth, and a roadmap toward greater shareholder value, he tells us.But numbers alone don’t drive results. Johnson emphasizes building strong teams and fostering a learning culture. By ensuring every team member aligns with the broader vision, he creates an environment where the three Ps define not only what finance does, but helps others understand why it matters.

Joanne Cheng’s career had already carried her through multiple successful exits and leadership roles when an unexpected opportunity arose. Having proven her ability to guide companies to liquidity events and beyond, Cheng had established a new benchmark for any next move: she wanted to steer a firm toward an IPO while serving as its CFO. But then along came Jellyfish, a company whose big day in the public markets would likely be years away.At first glance, Jellyfish didn’t fit Cheng’s established criteria for her next CFO position. The company was still small—just about 90 people—and lacked a finance team. Yet there was something about Jellyfish that instantly drew her in. Before she fell for the company, she fell in love with its product. As Cheng puts it, “I’ve needed this product at every company I’ve been at. Measuring R&D impact and efficiency is something I’ve thought about for much of my career.”While the prospect of an IPO was an important consideration, Cheng realized that her passion for Jellyfish’s offering outweighed any reservations about the company’s stage. She saw, firsthand, the immense value this product could bring to finance leaders. It addressed a persistent pain point: quantifying engineering effort and impact.So, Cheng followed her instincts and joined Jellyfish as its first finance hire—even before an accountant or controller was brought on. In doing so, she committed not only to building a finance function from scratch, but also to a product she genuinely believed in. It was a decision grounded in long-term vision and authentic enthusiasm.CFO PlaybookViews the budget as a roadmap, aligning investments with measurable outcomes.Bridges cross-departmental gaps by serving as a connector and resource allocator.Advocates for data-driven decision-making in resource allocation and project prioritization.Balances long-term vision with operational discipline through collaborative leadership.Sunscribe: https://cfothoughtleader.com/the-mentoring-round-sign-up/

Chris Nagy’s finance career began with a foundation in problem-solving, influenced by his early passion for math and logic. He started in commercial finance, focusing on pricing and market dynamics, which shaped his understanding of value differentiation and operational efficiency. His experience included IPO readiness, strategic planning, and time at BlackRock, where he gained insights into large-scale finance operations. Relationships played a key role in his ascent, with his first CFO role stemming from a decade-old professional connection. Over his career, he has navigated diverse roles, blending strategic planning and finance to drive business success.Episode Highlights:Balancing Growth and Profitability: Focuses on aligning growth with sustainable profitability to ensure long-term success.Data-Driven Decision-Making: Builds from reliable data to generate insights and drive performance.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partners with key teams to align efforts and enhance efficiency.Agility in Dynamic Markets: Adapts quickly to market changes using driver-based models and actionable insights.Learn more about Chris Nagy's Career Journey: Visit Us

For Cyrus Lam, the aspect of the CFO role that sets it apart from all others is the weight of non-negotiable priorities. Despite years spent closely collaborating with CFOs as an investment banker, Lam tell us he quickly discovered a new level of accountability in the role. Managing cash flow and ensuring payroll, he says, are unyielding priorities. “If you can’t make payroll, that’s a big, big issue. It destroys trust,” he reflects. While this hands-on responsibility was not unexpected, Lam tells us he's learned to enthusiatically embrace it, finding enjoyment in understanding financial details down to the dollar.Lam’s career began in India, where KPMG had recently opened an office. “I was the third person to join them as an article clerk and the first among them to qualify as a chartered accountant,” he explains. Lam’s drive and capabilities propelled him through the ranks quickly. His fascination with technology eventually led him to KPMG’s technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) group in the UK, where he developed a reputation for his work with IT service companies and tech firms.In 2006, Lam relocated to New York to lead KPMG’s global TMT corporate finance team. Over two decades, he honed his expertise in mergers and acquisitions, valuation, and strategic advisory, collaborating with CFOs on transformative deals. However, stepping into the CFO role at CDI, one of his clients, presented him with new and uncharted challenges.Now CFO of Orion Innovation, Lam draws on lessons from his investment banking years while embracing the operational demands of finance leadership. Balancing strategic oversight with tactical precision, he demonstrates that leadership thrives at the intersection of experience and adaptability.