GrowCFO Show

Kevin Appleby chats with GrowCFO mentor Susana Serrano-Davey and finds out how to win your next finance job. Susana provides 5 great strategies to help you win at your next finance job interview. Finance job interviews can be difficult for a number of reasons. Here are some factors that can make a finance job interview challenging: Technical Knowledge: Finance is a complex and technical field, and many finance job interviews will require candidates to demonstrate their knowledge of financial concepts, tools, and techniques. This can be challenging for candidates who don’t have a strong background in finance or who haven’t kept up with the latest industry developments. Problem-Solving Skills: Many finance jobs require candidates to be able to solve complex problems under pressure. During an interview, candidates may be asked to work through hypothetical scenarios or case studies that test their ability to analyze data and develop solutions. Communication Skills: Finance professionals often need to communicate complex financial information to others, including colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Interviews may include questions about how candidates would communicate financial information to non-financial stakeholders and how they would handle difficult conversations. Behavioral Questions: Increasingly, finance job interviews include behavioral questions that ask candidates to describe how they have handled specific situations in the past. These questions can be difficult because they require candidates to reflect on their experiences and provide examples of how they have demonstrated key skills and competencies. Susana has 5 great strategies to take with you to your next finance job interview. Listen to the full episode to find out what they are. https://youtu.be/0nCKTk0MuEA Links Susana’s Book “I Wish I had Known” is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US Find your next role on the GrowCFO job board Mentoring at GrowCFO with Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps Introduction to today’s show. (0:11) What happens if you don’t show the right side of yourself during the interview? (3:21) How to prepare for an interview with a CFO. (5:44) Why every interview has to be dealt with differently. (10:13) How do you know if you’re the right person for the job? (12:15) How to ask the right questions at the interview. (16:39) What does the interviewer think was the reason why the person failed? (20:19) Kevin’s examples of where he has led teams outside of work. (23:41) The most successful people will own the failure, not blame. (27:53)

Author, speaker and leadership coach Myles Downey joins Kevin Appleby on the GrowCFO Show. Kevin and Myles discuss how to empower your finance team. Myles is a thought leader and entrepreneur in the world of performance, learning and coaching. He is recognised as one of Europe’s leading business performance coaches with extensive experience spanning over twenty-five years. Myles is a global authority on performance, coaching and leadership. He is the author of several coaching books such as Effective Modern Coaching. A lifelong tennis player, Myles says tennis has been instrumental in shaping his view of people and how they learn. Myles’ work was initially inspired by reading The Inner Game of Tennis. The Inner Game of Tennis is a book written by W. Timothy Gallwey that explores the mental aspect of playing tennis and how it affects performance. The book suggests that one’s inner game, or mindset, is just as important as their physical skills when it comes to success in tennis (and other areas of life). Gallwey argues that the conscious mind (which focuses on outcomes and judgments) often interferes with the subconscious mind (which controls muscle memory and fluidity of movement) in a way that hinders performance. He introduces techniques such as “non-judgmental awareness” and “letting go of self 1,”. These allow players to quiet their conscious minds and let their subconscious minds take over. The book draws parallels between the mental struggles of tennis and those in other aspects of life, such as business and relationships. It has become a popular read in not only the tennis world but in the broader field of personal development as well. Leader Performance is now Myles’ major focus. He has developed the Enabling Genius model This model is the subject of his book Enabling Genius – A Mindset for Success in the 21st Century. Kevin asks Myles what genius is. Myles argues that there is genius in everyone. They go on to talk about getting the best out of your team. Myles asserts that the world of work and the needs of people in the workplace have changed. Old models no longer work. Today’s managers cannot rely on ‘command-and-control’ and a culture of compliance to get their job done. What is the answer? Listen in and find out, Myles shares some great insights. https://youtu.be/0LJ6CCl5_gs Links Myles Downey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Finance Team Training Find out more about Myles Downey Myles Downey’s books on Amazon UK and USA Timestamps 00:11 Introduction to Myles Downey and his work. 01:03 The inner game of tennis and the importance of awareness. 05:21 The importance of flow. 10:35 How do I help people explore their potential safely? 15:11 What is genius? What is the meaning of genius? 18:57 If people know why their work is important, how it fits in, and makes a difference in the organisation in which they work. 22:24 When you’ve got the most junior member of the team trying to develop them and you are trying to teach them new stuff. 26:15 Managing by walking about is here to stay. 30:28 What’s the one piece of advice that you would see as fitting to give to most finance leaders that would like to be better at doing this?

How well documented are your finance processes? In many companies, the answer is not particularly well and there is far too much reliance on knowledge in the heads of key members of the team. This leads to all sorts of problems when it comes to improving the process or bringing in new team members. Kevin Appleby chats to Alexis Kingsbury, co-founder of AirManual. Alexis founded AirManual to solve exactly this sort of problem and it forms a simple cloud-based solution that can be implemented quickly and simply. Documenting your finance processes is important for several reasons: Streamlining Operations: By documenting your finance processes, you can identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. This allows you to streamline your operations, improve productivity, and reduce the amount of time and resources spent on finance-related tasks. Compliance: Well-documented financial processes can help you stay compliant with applicable laws, regulations, and financial reporting requirements. This can help you avoid penalties, fines, and legal issues down the line. Better Decision Making: With clear documentation of your finance processes, you can make informed decisions based on accurate and up-to-date financial information. This improves your ability to forecast future revenue, manage expenses, and make strategic business decisions. Training and Knowledge Transfer: Documenting your finance processes ensures that your team members are appropriately trained and knowledgeable about how your financial system operates. This reduces the risk of errors, omissions, and misunderstandings, and helps ensure consistency and accuracy in financial reporting. Overall, documenting your finance processes is essential for ensuring the financial health and long-term success of your business. https://youtu.be/G72x8AAQ2YY Links Alexis Kingsbury on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO 2023 Predictions Find out more about Airmanual Timestamps 00:11 Introducing Alexis Kingsbury. 02:35 The importance of learning from your mistakes. 08:24 Firing yourself from tasks is a healthy attitude. 14:08 What would you do if you were working with a client to improve a process? 18:21 How do you make it possible to zoom out and see at a high level? 23:18 How to use checklists in your business to automate your processes. 28:58 The three big process systems issues in finance right now. 34:20 The cost of errors and how it affects cash flow. 38:29 What are the rules around creating realistic expectations? 42:48 The power of a well-documented process. 47:42 Why you need a purpose-built system.

Richard Nugent is the founder and MD of TwentyOne Leadership. Over the past 15 years, he has worked with some of the world’s biggest and best-known organisations. He helps fast-paced organisations build their capability and capacity for change. His typical clients are executive teams in the FTSE Top 250 type businesses that are about to grow or change their strategic direction. Richard’s research and experience have led him to create unique and practical approaches to organisational and cultural change. He is particularly passionate about challenging clients to align their strategy, culture and brand. The CFO is a key member of the leadership team. Richard Nugent believes that the leadership capability of your organisation directly shapes the culture of your organisation, shapes how innovative your products and services are and shapes the experience your customers have. We explore the role of culture and your role as a finance leader in creating the right culture in depth in this episode. Richard’s latest book “The Alignment Advantage” explores the alignment of strategy, culture and customers. These are the key elements of any business. But to truly succeed, they need to be effectively built, refined and aligned. Studies show that organizations which are highly aligned are 72% more profitable than their competition. The Alignment Advantage shows how you can achieve this through a practical and proven framework which can be adapted to all businesses whether it’s a small start-up, multinational organization or somewhere in between. https://youtu.be/wwZUTfaNsjQ Links How GrowCFO can help you with tools to build and execute your strategy Mentoring at GrowCFO  Richard Nugent on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Richard Nugent’s books on Amazon UK and USA Timestamps 00:11 Introducing Richard Nugent 01:07 What’s happening with leadership teams that aren’t aligned in their thinking? 09:11 KPI scorecards should be the responsibility of the finance team. 10:40 How the strategic process actually comes about. 14:55 The difference between leading and managing a business and a culture. 20:24 The starting point for culture change has to be a strategy. 25:20 What sort of culture do you need to change? 30:51 What’s most important to you as a person? 37:19 The impact of culture on deliverables. 41:17 You’re the person that should own the measurement

Ashley Vukovits, the newest member of the GrowCFO mentoring team, joins Kevin Appleby on the GrowCFO Show to discuss her career and her passion for mentoring the next generation of Finance Leaders. Ashley is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Besides mentoring, Ashley Vukovits is currently managing director of Liftbridge CXO. Liftbridge CXO specialises in placing fractional CFOs in start-up to scale-up stage technology companies helping them to the next level of growth. Ashley is a board and advisory board member, consultant and angel investor. She utilises her expertise in financial matters, strategic initiatives, acquisitions, mentoring young professionals and high-growth SaaS company success. Ashley was the Chief Financial Officer of a global public technology company and has 25 years of experience in accounting, finance and strategic leadership. She recently co-led a successful process to sell the company for $1.4 billion in a bid to go private. Prior to the sale, she led the financial transformation of the company moving from a premise-based sales model to the cloud. Ashley had over 200 employees worldwide in finance, human resources, facilities, information technology, information security and product distribution. https://youtu.be/mLg9IlP1i_o Links Mentoring at GrowCFO  Ashley Vukovits on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps 00:11 Ashley Vukovits’ background in finance. 04:49 The challenges of coming to terms with being a CFO. 9:11 What sparks Ashley’s life outside the office? 12:55 What would your ideal mentor-mentee look like? 17:10 How to break down your goals into bite-sized pieces. 21:31 Do you feel you’re drawn more to mentor women than men? 25:18 The challenge of making jobs available to people from different backgrounds. 27:50 What would a typical mentoring relationship look like?

James Bannon and Suraj Tirupati from Startup Blueprint join Kevin Appleby on the GrowCFO Show and discuss the problems of finding funding for fast-growing startups. James and Suraj both work in the fundraising area and are podcasters at Startup Blueprint. They share insights for founders and finance leaders looking for start-up funding. They connect businesses looking for an investment with an investor network. On top of that, they create materials that help founders create pitch decks to help them fundraise. Finding funding for fast growing startups can be a challenging task. However, there are several options available to entrepreneurs. Traditional fundraising methods such as venture capital and bank loans are common sources of capital, but more creative options are also gaining popularity. Crowdfunding is becoming increasingly popular with startups looking for an alternative way to raise money, and angel investing is providing entrepreneurs with access to capital that would otherwise not be available. Additionally, government grants and competitions offer a potential source of funding. As the startup sector continues to grow, more resources will become available for entrepreneurs seeking financial support. In the episode we look at what the finance leader can do to support the fundraising efforts of the business; what a good pitch deck might contain; and why you need to know your numbers inside out. https://youtu.be/1qVutfVduos Links Suraj Tirupati on LinkedIn James Bannon on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn CFO Competency Framework GrowCFO Fundraising Transaction Simulator Find out more about Startup Blueprint Timestamps 00:11 Introducing James and Suraj 01:03 How James ended up at venture capital firm. 03:46 The push and pull between what you enjoy doing and what you can get paid for in the moment. 09:47 What does a good pitch deck look like? 14:11 You need to ask why do you want fundraising? 15:39 Be clear about your projections 21:50 The importance of having a business plan for startups. 25:05 What’s the importance of having a vision and being adaptable. 27:22 Building a forecast of cash flow based on historical cash flow. 33:46 The rise of the fractional CFO and the future of the role. 38:33 Was it the business leadership’s fault? No.

Andy Cristin is a fractional CFO and author of the book “The Profit Mindset: Know your numbers, plan ahead, grow your business”. Andy started his career in Booker, an organisation famous as a cash and carry and for the Booker Prize. Subsequently, he honed his skills with involvement in a number of startups and smaller businesses. He now operates as a “virtual finance director”. The Profit Mindset was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2020 and is an Amazon No. 1 bestseller. In The Profit Mindset, Andy Cristin asks: Is your business delivering everything you want it to achieve? Does it have predictable sales growth and a healthy profit margin? Does it provide you with sufficient leisure time and the prospect of a valuable exit? If not, it may be due to a lack of expertise on the finance side of your business. This is a common problem in small and medium-sized businesses. The book is intended to help business owners develop a profit mindset. It gives you the tools to improve your financial performance. In this episode, we talk about the 4 step methodology Andy introduces in the book; some of his practical experience in applying each of the 4 steps; and talk about how being a published author helps his business. https://youtu.be/lGyyenecvsM Links Andy Cristin on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn CFO Competency Framework Buy The Profit Mindset on Amazon UK and USA Fractional CFO Services by Andy Cristin Timestamps 00:11 Introducing Andy Cristin and The Profit Mindset 05:20 Step 1 – Build a simple financial mode 07:35 Step #2 – Break down your business into its components. 10:45 What happened when a business went from a £20m annual profit to a £20m million pound loss? 14:27 Step 3: Know the business and where the profit comes from. 19:40 The five 10% improvements and the compounding effect. 23:03 Step 4 – Get a CFO to keep you accountable. 27:50 The importance of having a CFO. 32:01 The average book only sells 200 copies, but it’s the calling card.

David B Horne joins Kevin Appleby on this week’s #growcfoshow to discuss his book Funded Female Founders: How to traverse the uneven playing field and secure funding to grow your business. The share of funding secured by female founders is unfairly and disproportionately low. A state of affairs that has remained unchanged for many years despite advances made in other areas of gender equality in business. The truth is that there is clear and consistent bias against female founders. We discuss the extent of the problem of all female teams being rejected for funding and examine the root causes. David explains that the problem isn’t restricted to women founders but also applies to ethnic minorities. David goes on to explain how women can approach the problem and get results and talks about his new fund that is expressly purposed to help female founders and founders from minority groups. https://youtu.be/FKGq-gKC-d0 Links David B Horne on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn CFO Competency Framework GrowCFO Fundraising Transaction Simulator Episode 9 Add then Multiply with David B Horne Buy the book on Amazon UK and USA Timestamps 00:11 Introducing David B Horne. 03:50 David’s new book, Funded Female Founders. 08:11 Why is the investment world dominated by white male investors? 13:24 What’s going to change in the world in the long term. 18:49 David’s pitch deck and how it’s different for men and women. 22:44 Why you need to know who else is doing what you’re doing. 26:33 The best way to raise funds -. 29:39 Crowdfunding is a very interesting thing. 34:54 David’s vision for the future of startups.

How well does your profile stand out on LinkedIn? In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to stand out from the crowd in order to make an impact and find new opportunities. LinkedIn is a great platform for professionals to showcase their skills, experiences, and goals – but with millions of users, how do you make sure your profile stands out? Anita Baldwin and Anna Geary founders at the Get Savvy Club are expert LinkedIn trainers and they have lots of helpful advice for you in this episode. Anna and Anita tell you how to: Create a killer headline that summarizes who you are in one sentence. Craft a comprehensive summary that captures your professional story and sets you apart from the competition. Share relevant articles, blogs, or insights about your career field or interests. Highlight any unique experiences such as awards received, projects completed, or volunteer work done. Ensure all relevant information is included such as contact details and educational background. Engage with others by liking posts, highlighting colleagues’ achievements or commenting valuable insights to discussions. https://youtu.be/17cjT35TL5I Links Anita Baldwin on LinkedIn Anna Geary on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Find your next role on the GrowCFO job board Future CFO programme Timestamps 0:12 Introducing Anna and Anita. 3:36 How to stand out from the crowd on LinkedIn. 8:24 Kevin’s experience with graduate recruitment programmes. 12:37 What’s the outcome that your employer wants? 17:48 How to use LinkedIn to find the right person. 19:36 How to add flesh to the bones to your LinkedIn profile and get a feel for your business. 25:10 Why do you want to work with us? What do you like about us? 29:37 How to determine what your own brand is. 34:40 Make sure your recommendations on LinkedIn are recent.

Jim Simpson is this week’s guest on the #growcfo show. He is the founder and CEO of Ziptech services, a company that specialises in supporting CEOs and CFOs to help them understand and make use of the latest advances in technology. Jim and Kevin chat about some of the latest developments in the technology field, focussing in particular on automation and AI. CFOs in charge of IT have a real challenge when it comes to keeping up with the latest innovations. Jim and Kevin look at practical ways to take advantage of the latest developments and make sure your organisation doesn’t get left behind. As a CFO, you will often need to make strategic choices in areas where you have little or no expertise.  This makes it difficult to reach informed decisions. Some of the common questions Jim finds CFOs ask include: Business process automation – How could it improve my business and how do we get started? Governance and financial controls – How do I know when I am getting ROI from my IT spending? Security and compliance – How do I know if my network and remote workers are secure? Future-proofing your investment – How can I build an infrastructure today that will see me through tomorrow? https://youtu.be/1A1M6HxNp_Q Links Jim Simpson on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO 2023 Predictions Ziptech Services Directors Briefings Timestamps 00:11 Kevin introduces Jim Simpson, a technologist. 04:59 What’s going on in the world around automation and artificial intelligence? 10:30 How do business leaders keep themselves up to date with technological changes? 14:30 How do you make sure you’re getting the right people along? 19:25 How to write a blog post with Otter. 24:21 Software that can look for errors and patterns. 29:31 How do we get our heads around some of this? 32:01 What sort of person or people would you be looking at for this role?

Yoana Land is inspirational. Originally from Transylvania, which is part of Romania, she moved to the United States and has risen to become CFO Transformation at L’Oreal North America. She tells Kevin Appleby all about the challenges that her journey has given her and how she overcame them. We talk about taking on a role in China during the pandemic. Not the best time to attempt a move to the far east! Yoana goes on to explain her current role and tells us what a CFO Transformation actually does. This role is another big challenge as it’s a brand new role and Yoana has nobody to learn it from. Yoana Land is a dynamic, hyper-growth-driving CFO offering 20+ years of financial and business acumen developed in Fortune 500 companies. She has an MBA in strategy and finance from Duke University and an MS in Finance from Harvard. Yoana is a strategic financial advisor to the CEO, and her background includes financial planning and restructuring, M&A deals, digital transformation, operational controllership, global change management, strategic planning and analysis, vendor negotiation, emerging and developed market growth strategies, organizational turnaround initiatives and IT implementation. https://youtu.be/JaZ_vncfLWE Links Yoana Land on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Overcome Imposter Syndrome: A Guide to Building Confidence for Finance Leaders CFO Competency Framework GrowCFO Future CFO Programme Free Course: New Role – Your first 100 days Timestamps 0:11 Today’s guest: Yoana Land 2:33 How good was your education in Romania? 7:01 Why she started a master’s in psychology at Harvard. 9:31 How much FPA experience did you have from American Airlines before you took the CFO role? 15:12 What did you have to do in that role? 17:27 You don’t have to be a subject matter expert to be successful in business. 22:33 What went wrong and what did you do about it? 24:59 The story of getting Yoana to Shanghai. 30:04 What does the CFO Transformation do? 31:30 What are the challenges of being in a brand new role?

Victoria Topham is the commercial director at Profit Impact. Profit Impact helps accountants get to grips with ESG and sustainability. She comes from a finance background, and we discuss the role of finance teams in ESG and sustainability. The finance team plays a critical role in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustainability reporting. This reporting is intended to provide stakeholders with an understanding of the company’s current performance in areas such as climate change, social equity, and corporate governance. The finance team should ensure that ESG and sustainability reporting includes accurate data for all relevant metrics used to measure organizational performance. They should also be responsible for managing the process of collecting data from various sources, ensuring its accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, they should help interpret the results of the reports to identify any trends or unmet goals that can be addressed with proposed solutions or adjustments. Finally, they should lead the effort in developing strategies designed to improve the organization’s ESG profile over time. Some finance teams are playing a critical role in developing reporting for B Corps. A B Corporation (or B Corp) is a for-profit company that has been certified by a third-party organization with regard to its social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. B Corps are committed to meeting higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability — as outlined in the B Corporation Declaration of Interdependence. These companies strive to create a positive impact on society, workers, the community and the environment in addition to pursuing profitability goals. This certification process requires businesses to meet and provide evidence of both their social and environmental performance. By becoming certified as a B Corporation, companies demonstrate their commitment to making decisions that serve the greater good, rather than just maximize profits for shareholders Links Victoria Topham on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Finance Predictions 2023 GrowCFO Finance Team Training Timestamps 0:11 Introducing Victoria Topham 2:20 Sustainability and finance in the real estate industry. 7:04 Is the pressure coming down the supply chain around sustainability? 9:18 What does Profit Impact do? 13:37 Why should the finance person be taking a lead in sustainability? 17:46 What’s a B Corporation? 20:39 Female founders vs male founders in B Corporations. 24:38 What’s the impact of ESG on the environment? 29:40 Is the need for consistency and discipline around reporting going to be a major factor in the future?

Hannah Munro returns as this week’s guest on the GrowCFO Show. Last time we discussed managing change, this time we looked specifically at the month-end close. Hannah Munro is the Managing Director at ITAS and host of the CFO 4.0 podcast. Hannah’s company ITAS are often involved in helping clients implement new accounting solutions, so she has lots of practical experience in using software solutions to speed things up and improve reporting. Kevin and Hannah take time to consider how technology can help you improve your close. Hannah believes that technology isn’t really the issue. The normal cause of a long close is a poor process. You need to sort your processes out before you use technology, otherwise, all you do is automate inefficiency. Real-time reporting is one of the key GrowCFO predictions for 2023. You need to have great processes before you can make the step away from the traditional month-end. To run a successful business, you need accurate and up-to-date financial information to make important decisions that affect the future of your company. Each department needs self-service access to this information on a real-time basis in a flexible format. However, most companies still rely upon month-end reporting, which is based on past data and is less user-friendly by nature. The increased adoption of real-time financial software will continue to revolutionize the way organizations view their finances. By accessing live data, companies will make decisions much faster and smarter than ever before. In turn, this will streamline the month-end reporting process and lead to the eventual phasing out of the monthly close process altogether. Listen to the full episode and find out more https://youtu.be/5A7nsg-o0kw Links Hannah Munro on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Finance Predictions 2023 Future of Finance Functions GrowCFO Show Episode 13 with Hannah Munro Timestamps 1:09 Is shortening the close process something you see as a task quite often with your client? 5:54 What is the difference between a key performance indicator and a result indicator? 12:27 Is it important to be accurate to the last penny? 16:06 How long do you spend in a business meeting where you have multiple versions of the truth? 21:07 The importance of using numbers in finance. 25:44 What AI can do for reconciliations and checks. 29:41 The importance of getting data right the first time is the first step towards the continuous close. 33:07 How technology needs to fit into your automation process.

Amy Spurling is Founder and CEO at Compt. She is a seasoned executive with over 20 years experience in leadership roles at venture-backed companies ranging from early start-up phase through high growth and ultimately exit. Amy’s backgound is finance and her resume includes CFO roles at Jana; Backupify and EXOS and COO at Bedrock Data. She has completed successful fundraising rounds at each of these organisations, including a $57m series C. Now Amy Spurling is running her own company. Compt helps companies build, streamline, and scale employee perk stipends that delight teams and give companies a more productive and engaged workforce. Everyone has different needs, and she beleives that when perks take this into account the value to the employee goes beyond just beer or catered lunches and becomes so much more. We talk about the concept behind Compt, and look at how you can retain people and improve employee engagement very effectively without breaking the bank to do so. Something thats very welcome when you have budget constraints. Links Amy Spurling on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Find out more about Compt Flexible training at Learnerbly CFO Competency Framework New free resources: The GrowCFO CFO Competency Framework eBook and Career Routes to CFO report Future CFO programme Timestamps 0:11 What role do you have in Compt? 4:12 What’s the current state of employee perks in the US? 9:06 Sustaining employee engagement is part of a multivariable puzzle. 14:03 The company gets to customise what they want employees to be able to focus on. 19:19 What is the difference between a benefits system that is personalised to company culture and one that is aligned with the company culture? 22:47 The learnerbly allowance 28:25 Why is all of this on a budget? 33:30 How do you approach that particular conundrum at the moment if you want to reduce the number of people you’ve hired?

Timothée Clément, Country Manager in UK and Ireland at Agicap joins Kevin Appleby to discuss How to Implement a cashflow forecasting system. Cashflow forecasting is one of the most important aspects of financial planning for any business. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most difficult things to get right. Many businesses choose to use Excel to create their cashflow forecast, but this can often lead to mistakes and inaccurate data. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of using a cash flow forecasting app instead of Excel. Having an accurate cashflow forecast is essential for any business, whether they are just starting out or have been running for years. Fortunately, new technology has made it easier than ever to create accurate forecasts. One major benefit of using a cash flow forecasting app is that it eliminates user error when inputting data into spreadsheets. Excel spreadsheets require manual entry which leaves room for mistakes such as incorrect formulas or typos which can lead to inaccurate results. Cash flow forecasting apps automate much of this process so you don’t have to worry about making errors while entering data into your spreadsheet. This helps ensure that your projections are always accurate and up-to-date. Agicap is one such system, and Kevin and Timothy discuss how you might go about switching from Excel, the change process you might go through, and the benefits to your business. Links Timothee Clement on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Agicap cash flow management software CFO Competency Framework Timestamps 00:11 What is Agicap? 04:26 How to update the cash flow model in real-time 06:12 What’s the difference between a cash flow model and accounting software? 09:57 The first step of transformation is confidence, then implementation. 14:24 What is the success of this system? What constitutes success? 18:47 What are some of the new product lines that you’re offering? 22:58 How can you be sure your data is still secure in the cloud? 27:42 What are some of the biggest changes you need to make in the business when you implement this? 32:09 What are the benefits of having a system like this?

Wassia Kamon is simply a brilliant person. She arrived in the USA at 17 from Ivory Coast, West Africa, where English wasn’t her first language. She adjusted to a totally new way of life, learning to be part of a minority rather than in the majority.  Wassia excelled, she joined PwC, qualified as an accountant, and is now performing a finance leadership role. In doing so she overcame the triple challenge of language, race and gender. She is naturally an extrovert, but these challenges along with imposter syndrome found her in a place she really didn’t want to be. Often the only female or only black person in the room, she found it very difficult to be herself. Her story is inspiring as is her passion to help others. She now wants to pass on the learning she gained from her experiences. Outside work she mentors other people. In particular, she is passionate about helping women develop as leaders. She has quite a story to tell. Listen to the whole of this week’s episode of the Growcfo Show. I promise you that you will be impressed! Links Wassia Kamon on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Overcome Imposter Syndrome: A Guide to Building Confidence for Finance Leaders CFO Competency Framework GrowCFO Future CFO Programme Free Course: New Role – Your first 100 days Timestamps 1:02 Wassia Kamon’s Background 3:16 How did you get to the role of VP of finance? 6:30 Coming to the US as a teenager from Ivory Coast, Africa. 10:56 The things you have to overcome in your mind to bring confidence to your workplace. 14:09 The fear of failure and the fear of not being enough. 19:11 Being part of the finance team and being able to navigate those relationships. 23:17 What’s top of Wassia Kamon’s 2023 personal objectives? 27:33 The importance of being a mentor.

On this week’s GrowCFO Show, we’re talking about the fear of failure. What happens if it all goes wrong in the first 90 or 100 days in your new role as a CFO or top finance leader? Kevin Appleby is joined by  Catherine Lamb from spectrum 360 coaching career management. Kevin and Catherine discuss how you should approach your first 100 days in a new role. They discuss how to lose your old identity and put on a new one, and spend time looking at imposter syndrome and what to do if you find yourself suffering from it. Do you fear failure when you take on a new role? Don’t worry, it’s quite a common problem, as Catherine Lamb explains. Catherine gives us some great advice on dealing with that fear and some great practical strategies to help you avoid the fear in the first place. We’ve also got some great free resources to help you go further. Take a look at the links below. Links Catherine Lamb on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Overcome Imposter Syndrome: A Guide to Building Confidence for Finance Leaders CFO Competency Framework GrowCFO Future CFO Programme Free Course: New Role – Your first 100 days Timestamps 0:11 What happens if it all goes wrong in your first 90 or 100 days as a CFO? 7:54 The importance of having a mentor in your new role. 13:11 Is there a particular period in a new role where you can get away with asking silly questions? 18:26 Kevin’s first 100 days in business. 23:46 Who are the best people to tell you what’s going wrong? 29:21 The fear of coming up short in the first 100 days. 34:06 The CFO competency framework and how it’s changing.

Ercole Manzi joins Kevin Appleby on The GrowCFO Show to discuss the state of funding markets in 2023 and what this means for your business. Ercole Manzi helps Fin/Tech start-ups to raise funds, improve their valuation reduce tax and funding costs. He has worked in Shenzhen, Milan and London. This gives him a great understanding of the funding markets and he provides some great insights into what might happen in 2023 as the availability of funding reduces. We’ve already seen the impact of reduced funds in the episode we recorded with Christoph Iwaniez at the bitcoin bank Nuri, and how that stretched his skills as a CFO. In this episode, Ercole tells us other ways CFOs will need to respond to the potential scarcity of funds. Ercole believes that managing risk will be more important in the coming months and years. Ercole Manzi has been working with emerging tech companies in China, and that experience has given him a different outlook. He explains more in the interview. Links Ercole Manzi on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn CFO Competency Framework GrowCFO Fundraising Transaction Simulator Episode 114 How to lead a team through insolvency with Christoph Iwaniez Timestamps 0:11 What is the state of the investment market in 2023? 4:09 What are the main things that he’s focused on now? 7:17 What lessons did you learn working with tech companies in China? 10:52 Risk must be at the top of the CFO’s agenda for any tech company. 14:53 Ercole Manzi advises that you shouldn’t delay in securing your next round of investment. 18:10 What is the definition of a payment startup company? 22:45 Where do you think talent development is going at the moment? 26:27 Global experience is going to be more important than ever. 29:51 When times get tough, one of the first things that usually gets cut is the training budget.

The finance technology landscape is changing quickly. Possibly at a rate faster than ever before. So, what can we expect to see in 2023. Kevin Appleby caught up with Adam Shilton, Founder at Tech for Finance and host of the Tech for Finance podcast. Kevin asked Adam what he thought the best technology for finance leaders would be in 2023. AI is an emerging force, and its role in finance shouldn’t be underestimated. We’re predicting that technology will have a major impact on financial controllership. The ability of AI to spot errors and anomalies will be considerable and may be one of the keys that will unlock time in the monthly close. We also discuss apps that can help us as finance leaders. Again, emerging apps are making use of AI. Quillbot can improve your writing. Timeflip allows you to better manage and record your time. Todoist lets you manage tasks and Microsoft Viva helps teams engage. Listen to the full episode to find out even more. Links Adam Shilton on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Business Partnering Bootcamp Quillbot https://quillbot.com Timeflip https://timeflip.io Appfluence https://appfluence.com Todoist www.todoist.com Microsoft Vivahttps://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-viva Whatifi www.whatifi.io Borncapital https://www.borncapital.vc Timestamps 0:11 Adam’s background and how he became a tech expert. 2:10 What are some of the things that you’ve seen in 2022 that might be a huge help? 6:42 What have you seen in the use of AI in finance? 12:00 What’s radically different in the automation space over 2022? 16:53 How do you know if an app is going to integrate? 21:59 What’s the biggest difference between Motion and ScatterPowell? 26:31 What’s your favourite tool? 30:50 Business Partnering Bootcamp –. 35:50 The importance of using the “why” and “how”. 40:00 How to use writing as a therapy tool. 45:01 The stuff you should be worried about is the stuff that never happens.

Christoph Iwaniez describes himself as a Passionate, inspiring and motivating leader. Resilient in times of challenges and determined to get the job done. His unique strengths are in the area where corporate finance meets legal and regulatory issues. This has been put to the test in the last few months at Berlin-based bitcoin bank Nuri. Nuri was founded in 2015 under the name Bitwala with the purpose to make Bitcoin spendable. Trading ceased on 31 December 2022 and remarkably all the bank’s customers were able to remove their funds without any losses. In this episode, Christoph Iwaniez tells us how an initially successful fintech company struggled to raise vital funds and ran into liquidity problems and filed for insolvency. The really interesting story is what happened after that and how Christoph then led a small team of committed individuals to wind up the affairs of the bank. This really did require a passionate inspiring and motivated leader to keep the team together and to navigate the legal and regulatory issues. Links Christoph Iwaniez on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Business Partnering Bootcamp Timestamps 00:11 Introduction to today’s show. 01:10 How did you get to the situation you’re in? 04:03 What role does the CFO play at Nuri? 09:17 What happened to the business after the first funding round? 14:32 What changed that made a new funding round critical 16:58 Re-branding and raising funds. 22:44 How they’ve managed to keep the platform running even though they are running out of funds? 27:41 How to motivate the team as they wind down. 30:05 Some good people wait for the right time to move on to the next opportunity. 35:07 Which were the toughest challenges

NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and it is a powerful tool that you can use to improve your life. NLP allows you to change your thoughts and behaviors by understanding how your mind works. It can help you overcome fears and phobias, achieve your goals, and much more. In this episode Susana Serrano-Davey and Kevin Appleby discuss what NLP is and how you can use it to improve your life! NLP is based on the idea that the way we think about and interpret the world around us affects our behavior. NLP techniques help us identify and change unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. By recognizing how you respond to certain situations or stimuli, you can begin to make different choices that lead to better outcomes for yourself. One of the most powerful ways to use NLP is to set and achieve goals. By breaking down a goal into small, achievable steps, you can monitor your progress and stay motivated. An example would be if you want to lose 10 pounds in 6 months; you could make a plan with daily or weekly actions that will help you reach your goal. Another way to use NLP is to overcome fears and phobias. By understanding the source of your fear or phobia, you can begin to challenge any negative thinking patterns associated with it. You can also use techniques such as visualization and affirmations to help clear away any blocks or mental obstacles standing in your way. Finally, NLP can be used to improve your communication skills. By understanding how people think and react to certain situations, you can become better at reading their body language and responding in a way that is more effective for both parties. NLP is an incredibly powerful tool that you can use to change your life for the better. Links Susana’s Book “I Wish I had Known” is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US Mentoring at GrowCFO with Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps 0:11 What is NLP and why should we be worried about it? 4:33 Using NLP for a good or bad purpose. 9:00 There is no such thing as the ultimate truth, it’s all an interpretation. 15:13 How do you influence people to get the right outcome? 19:01 What is the connection between values and success? 22:03 It’s like an iceberg. The bit above the water is what we know about ourselves and how we interact with the world. Below that lies everything else. 27:56 Do you need to understand where your beliefs come from in order to move away from them? 30:51 How do you use your body as a tool to have better outcomes?

Phil Walker and Geoff Fletcher, Co-Founders of Mettryx join Kevin Appleby to discuss the significance of Providing FP&A as a Service to Clients. Geoff and Phil explain the concept behind Mettryx, and the type of company that they would generally work with. Phil is a recent alumnus of the GrowCFO FutureCFO programme. The new business he and Geoff formed while he was part of the programme is a major change of direction for both of them and is a different approach to providing fractional CFO services. Most finance leaders understand what FP&A is and why it’s needed. Many small or medium businesses don’t have the financial expertise, and can’t afford full-time resources that take them beyond basic bookkeeping. Often these businesses don’t even realise what they are missing out on. Navigating growth can be a challenge for any size company. From start-up through to post investment, businesses need to be able to demonstrate a firm grasp on the financials. Strong process and controls, positive cash flow, well managed costs, healthy margins and well constructed business/financial plans. Mettryx provide on demand Finance services to support your business achieve all of this and more.  We talk about the challenges of launching this sort of business from scratch and the obstacles that Phil and Geoff have overcome and we look at where the future lies for both of them and their own business growth plans. Links Phil Walker on LinkedIn Geoff Fletcher on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Mettryx Future CFO programme Timestamps 0:11 Introducing Phil Walker and Geoff Fletcher. 2:36 How did Geoff and Phil get together? 5:45 The importance of FP&A as a service for SMEs. 8:18 What sort of analysis would you be doing for one of your typical clients? 10:52 How do you go about marketing your services to business owners? 16:03 Have you managed to find enough clients to fill your service up? 18:51 What apps are you using? What are the most adaptable? 21:18 How do you ensure the quality of what you’re producing is producing a result to hand? 23:28 Why an offering like Mettryx makes more sense than hiring a more affordable, but less experienced accountant into an organisation. 25:17 What do you think the business will look like in five years time?

Jeremy Rudd is an experienced Interim CFO for PLCs and SMEs in the UK. After qualifying as an accountant he worked for Metal Box plc before embarking on a consulting career during which he has worked with clients ranging from computer giant IBM to tanneries and chocolate biscuit manufacturers. In 2017 he published a book ‘4 Magic Steps to Double Profit’ designed to help managers, entrepreneurs and accountants(!) understand business financial dynamics in a fun and insightful way. In this episode we talk about the book, why Jeremy wrote it, and some of the stories he shares. Jeremy comes from a background of business change and business process reengineering, and we talk about the 3 roles the CFO plays. The CFO needs to identify changes that are needed, propose solutions and take people on a change journey from the old world to the new. This week’s guest on the Growcfo Show is an expert in business process improvement and has implemented change programmes in businesses both large and small. Jeremy Rudd shares some of his wisdom on this week’s podcast Links Jeremy Rudd on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn 4 Magic Steps to Double Profit on Amazon UK and Amazon USA GrowCFO Business Partnering Bootcamp Timestamps 02:25 Jeremy Rudd’s background in the family business. 07:18 How did you get into the business of accounting? 11:07 The vital role of the CFO in business today. 15:26 The CFO’s role in business change is threefold. 19:59 The CFO is in a position where they must engage with their peers and help them enjoy the numbers. 24:40 Who’s your target audience? 29:26 The importance of understanding the costs of your product. 37:39 Why fixed costs aren’t really fixed.

Melissa Hurrington is both CFO and VP of Operations at Premier Claims. This means that besides finance she is responsible for a lot of different functions within the company. In this episode, she shares how she manages these widely varying activities and multiple teams of people. We talk about her route to CFO and how along the way she got to love operations too. We find out why she quit her dream job. How she became CFO at Premier Claims and talk about the challenges she faces day to day and spend time discussing her leadership style. Melissa Hurrington describes herself as a servant leader. Kevin Appleby asks her to explain exactly what this means and Melissa talks about how to create an environment where every team member has everything they need to thrive and perform well. Melissa goes on to talk about setting expectations and managing underperformance. Links Melissa Hurrington on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn CFO Competency Framework New free resources: The GrowCFO CFO Competency Framework eBook and Career Routes to CFO report Future CFO programme Timestamps 0:11 Introduction to Melissa Hurrington, CFO of Premier Claims. 2:47 How many people do you manage in the context of leading multiple departments? 8:20 Melissa’s path to becoming a CFO. 13:22 Why operations is something she fell in love with. 16:09 You’re going to get what you pay for in this space. 21:48 The importance of setting the tone for the week with weekly team meetings. 26:48 How to deal with underperformance in your team. 28:51 Are you on the same page with your team? 34:33 How to know if you’re ready to move on. 39:41 Being clear in what the ask is before anyone works here.

Patrick Butcher learned how to become a leader while undertaking the CFO role at a succession of enormous organisations. His cv includes Network Rail, London Underground and Capita. He admits that he didn’t always get leadership right the first time and it took a while to become a great leader. The lessons in leadership he learned on the way have been precious, and he shares them in this week’s podcast. It’s a great story and well worth a listen. Patrick Butcher is a Board level executive with a track record in financial and operational leadership roles in listed, PE backed and public sector organisations. Proven ability to create value through restructuring, organic and acquisitive growth strategies, and capability building. Combines commercial and transformation leadership skills with a core finance background and strong communication skills. Patrick has developed a great leadership model. He calls it the 5 Cs of Leadership and he explains to Kevin Appleby what this is all about. Links Patrick Butcher on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn How to Get More Involved in Strategy, A free workshop with Patrick Butcher Timestamps 0:12 Introduction to Patrick Butcher, CFO. 1:32 Why did you decide not to become a lawyer? 4:32 How Patrick’s career in the public sector began. 9:25 What happened after he left London Underground? 12:22 Selling EWS to Deutsche Bundesbahn 18:04 Patrick’s first meeting where he felt he needed to shout at his team. 21:32 What are the questions we have to ask as a business? 24:04 The role of the CFO in creating a more sustainable business. 29:23 What has Patrick Butcher been up to lately after leaving Capita? 32:02 Patrick’s five-step model for leadership.

If you’re looking to increase the value of your business, you’re in the right place. In this episode, we will discuss methods that will help you triple your business valuation. By following the advice from Felix Velarde, you’ll be able to get a higher return on investment when it comes time to sell your company. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started! Felix Velarde is a returning guest to the GrowCFO Show. Last time we talked about the role of the CFO in a high growth business strategy. This time we focus more on the things you need to do to make sure you get the best business valuation when you sell. We talk about the factors that make a difference, and why some company values get discounted. Felix tells us about his new business AVA Acquisitions, which specialises in buying agencies growing them fast and then selling them. The process Felix uses is laid out in his book Scale at Speed. It’s not rocket science, he just applies the principles of developing and executing a good business growth strategy. He uses similar techniques to those we teach on GrowCFO’s Business Strategy Bootcamp. Links Felix Velarde on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Business Strategy Boot Camp Buy scale at speed on Amazon UK or on amazon.com Listen to Felix in episode 65 of the GrowCFO Show and on The Next 100 Days Podcast Timestamps 0:12 Introducing Felix Velarde 4:11 Felix’s new business, buying and scaling agencies. 8:09 What is a multiple of profit? 12:55 When selling an agency, you need to ensure the discount factors don’t apply to your business valuation. 16:59 The problem with waiting for a couple of years is that you are introducing risk by holding your own company. 21:27 What is a 3x programme? 26:39 What are the risk factors in a 3x business? 30:33 Why 3x doesn’t mean you’ve got to scale turnover by 3x to get the business valuation you want.

We’ve mentioned Susanna Serrano-Davey’s upcoming book in previous episodes of the podcast. It’s finally available to buy. Podcast host Kevin Appleby thought it was only right to spend an episode with Susana to discover what “I Wish I Had Known” is all about. The book draws on Susana’s 30 years of experience and covers all those things she wishes she had known about at the beginning of her career. Education gives you lots of head knowledge, but nobody ever teaches you the skills you need for the world of work. Susana qualified as an accountant and learned lots about audit, accounting, and preparing financial reports. She needed to learn a whole lot more to become a manager and then a CFO. New things need to be mastered. How do you manage a team? How do you work with boards and committees? How do you set expectations with your manager and the rest of the business? These are just a few, and there are many many more. The book isn’t aimed at finance people. It’s relevant to just about everyone new to the workplace and progressing through the early years of their career. Susana believes people at the later stages of their careers will still get a good amount from the book, there are always new things to learn. Links In the podcast, Susana mentioned a special offer for podcast listeners. You can access it here Mentoring at GrowCFO with Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps 1:33 “I Wish I had Known” is a condensed version of 30 years of experience. 3:13 How have you put all of this great stuff on paper? 5:13 How to turn a topic into something that helps you -. 7:20 Who exactly is the book aimed at? 9:13 As you grow, the skills that will make the difference become more important. 11:01 Why you need to work on your self-inquiry. 13:41 It’s not all about the destination, it’s about the journey. 16:07 What you can do if you want to get in touch with Susana 17:51 Who would you like to dedicate this book to?

 Andy Bass is the Managing Director at BassClusker Consulting. He helps organizations to overcome their limits to growth by tapping into their unique – often hidden – resources. The limits can be external – for example, competitors are learning fast and making it hard for you to stand out. Or they may be internal – for example, you know what the business needs to do, but although your people agree to do it, they aren’t following through… Andy explains ways to overcome these problems in his book, “Start With What Works: a faster way to grow your business”. He shows you a faster way to grow your business by using the resources, people and customers you already have at hand. In this episode, Andy Bass covers the ten principles outlined in the book and goes on to talk about his new book “Committed Action” which is due to be published on 7 November. Links Andy Bass on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Start With What Works on Amazon UK GrowCFO Strategy Bootcamp Timestamps 00:12 Welcome to the show and introduction to Andy Bass. 03:33 Andy’s book “Start with What Works” and its 10 Principles 05:07 Principle 1 – Recombine existing elements so they create more value. 09:27 What’s stopping you from executing your strategy? 11:07 Principle 2 – Escape from fixed purposes 14:57 Principle 3 – Reverse engineer yourself 16:52 Principle 4 – Let the world teach you 19:35 Principle 5 – Watch what actually happens 20:57 Principle 6 – The few things that really make a difference 22:18 Principle 7 -Use very plain words to describe how you would want things to be. 23:20 Principle 8 – look beyond them and us 25:06 Principle 9 – Bring customers inside 26:54 Principle 10 – Give control to get control -. 29:09 How to get your people on board with your growth strategy. 29:30 Andy Bass’ new book – Committed Action

Scott Bly is the CFO of Seattle-based International Parking Management. He is an entrepreneurial CFO with a passion for helping small business owners articulate and realize their vision. Scott joins the GrowCFO Show to talk about values. In particular, the importance of aligning personal and company values. When it comes to company values, there is no “one size fits all” approach. Every business is different, and as such, it will have different values that are important to them. The key is to ensure that your personal values align with those of your company. If they don’t, you’re going to run into trouble down the road. values are the foundation of any successful company. They provide guidance and direction for employees and help to create a cohesive culture. When values are aligned, both personally and within the company, everyone knows what is expected of them and what direction they should be moving in. This creates a sense of purpose and unity, which can help to improve productivity and satisfaction. There are a few key things to keep in mind when trying to align your personal and company values, and Scott outlines these during the episode. Links Scott Bly on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Strategy Bootcamp CFO Competency Framework Timestamps 0:12 Scott’s background and how he got into finance. 3:00 What advice would you give to someone who’s on that journey at the moment? 7:06 How do you help your customers and vendors be successful? 11:05 Think about strategy and where you’d be going in a boot camp. 13:28 The importance of diversity of views in business. 17:24 How do we get more diversity into the finance team? 19:33 The importance of being honest with your customer. 23:17 The challenge of having the willpower to be present for your family. 25:30 What would Scott’s strengths be in mentoring an up-and-coming CFO?

Gary Cokins is an internationally recognized expert, speaker, and author in performance improvement systems and advanced cost management. He believes that many organizations are far from where they want and need to be to improve performance, and they apply intuition, rather than hard data, when making decisions. Gary explains why Enterprise performance management (EPM) provides a portfolio of managerial methods that can make a real difference. These include: strategy execution with a strategy map and its companion balanced scorecard (KPIs) and operational dashboards (PIs); enterprise risk management (ERM); capacity-sensitive driver-based budgets and rolling financial forecasts; product/service/channel / customer profitability analysis (using activity-based costing [ABC] principles); customer lifetime value (CLV); lean and Six Sigma quality management for operational improvement; and resource capacity spending planning. In this episode, we take a brief look at the tools and explore why many companies are slow to adopt them. Links Gary Cokins Website Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn CFO Competency Framework Business Strategy Boot Camp Timestamps 0:12 Gary’s background. 4:37 If your competitors are adopting and integrating all of these methods, they will have a competitive advantage -. 9:43 How do you solve the problem of a company that hasn’t adopted these methods? 13:52 The importance of understanding what people spend their time doing. 15:43 What is customer profitability? 19:21 How to make your customer more profitable. 23:02 Process improvement people get the benefit of the balanced scorecard. 26:27 Gary’s frustration with the slow adoption rate of ABC. 30:11 What might a CFO do in the next 100 days to start going down that journey?

Chris Roling is the CFO at Coinme. He has 25 years of commercial and private equity experience having served in board, CEO, COO, and CFO positions with a number of global public and private companies. His previous experience is deeply rooted in venture capital, making him an expert on the current state of investor funding and how to acquire it in a bear market. Chris provides some great insights into the following: What best practices and insights on critical strategies can assist companies in improving and sustaining their valuation/operations to attract investors What alternative fundraising strategies work in a disruptive market How to seek out and determine which investors best fit a company’s business model Chris Roling has also been a partner at Ernst and Young. We know from GowCFO research into routes to CFO that it’s very unusual for a resume to contain both CFO and Big 4 partner roles. We find out from Chris how that came about. Links Chris Roling on Linkedin Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Routes to CFO Research Report GrowCFO Fundraising Transaction Simulator GrowCFO Future CFO programme Timestamps 00:12 Welcome and introduction to Chris Roling. 02:38 How Chris became a CFO at a very senior level. 04:40 What does it mean to be a direct admit partner? 06:54 What is the current state of investor funding? 11:15 If you do not have enough cash runway you can get yourself into a predicament. 14:00 What is the difference between B2B and B2C companies? 16:19 How to separate the wheat from the chaff in the fintech space. 20:24 The importance of having a shortlist of investors to approach. 22:14 What you need to do to become investor friendly. 24:48 The importance of having a cash flow forecast.

They tell you never to meet your heroes. So did Kevin Appleby make a mistake inviting Laura Vanderkam on to the GrowCFO Show? You will have to listen to the episode and make up your own mind about that! Kevin recommends Laura’s book “168 Hours” every time he runs a module 3 workshop on GrowCFO’s Future CFO Programme. It’s essential reading if you need to find a few extra hours every week to sort out your own personal development and career progression. Laura tells us more about 168 hours in this week’s episode. Laura Vanderkam is a keynote speaker and author of multiple books. She is about to release her latest work “Tranquility By Tuesday” based on a time diary study of over 150 people. In the book, you’ll learn nine tried-and-true “rules” to easily build opportunities for joy, nourishment, and fulfilment into your schedule. These strategies will help you make what you want to happen, actually happen, instead of letting the minutiae of everyday life get in the way. Better still, listen to the podcast episode as Laura reveals to Kevin what all 9 rules are. These rules of course are of limited use to Kevin. He might get to have tranquillity next Tuesday, but his problem is he still can’t get the hang of Thursdays! Links Laura Vanderkam website Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Laura Vanderkam on Amazon UK and Amazon US GrowCFO Future CFO programme Timestamps 00:43 Why is Laura Vanderkam Kevin’s heroine? 01:35 Laura explains 168 Hours 03:40 How do you make time? 5:22 Doing a time audit 7:55 168 hours is a recommendation in Module 3 of the Future CFO Programme 09:15 The importance of a morning routine 12:31 Tranquility by Tuesday 14:10 The 9 different strategies or rules 15:20 Rule 1 – Give yourself a bedtime 15:50 Rule 2 – Plan on Fridays 18:44 Rule 3 – Move by 3pm 20:35 Rule 4 – Three times a week habit 23:00 Rule 5 – Create a backup slot 24:55 Rule 6 – One big adventure, one little adventure 27:27 Rule 7 – Take one night for you 29:37 Rule 8 – Batch the little things 31:20 Rule 9 – Effort full before effort less

Do you want to be a great finance business partner? If so, you’re in luck! In this episode, Oliver Deacon joins Kevin Appleby and gives us some great tips that will help improve your relationship with your colleagues in the rest of the business. Oliver Deacon is a member of the GrowCFO Mentoring team. He runs the GrowCFO Business Partnering Boot Camps and is a former FD at Microsoft. One of the most important things to remember when trying to become a great finance business partner is that communication is key. You need to be able to effectively communicate with your colleagues in order to build strong relationships. Make sure you are always clear and concise when conveying information, and take the time to listen to what others have to say. It is also important to be responsive to questions and concerns that your colleagues may have. It is also essential that you are able to build trust with your colleagues. This can be done by being honest and transparent in your dealings with them. Make sure you keep your promises and always follow through on what you say you will do. If there are ever any issues, make sure you deal with them in a timely and professional manner. Remember that it is important to show your colleagues that you are invested in the success of the organisation. This can be done by offering help and support when needed and being proactive in finding solutions to problems. Your job is to sell ideas and provide options. If you can do these things, you will be well on your way to becoming a great finance business partner. Building a strong relationship between finance and the rest of the business is essential for the success of your organisation. Listen in for some great information on how to make things work well between you and your fellow business managers! Links Oliver Deacon on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Business Partnering for Finance Teams Boot Camps Timestamps 00:43 What is a finance business partner? 02:11 About Oliver Deacon 03:26 How to become a great business partner? Where do you start? 03:59 Relationships and selling ideas 05:38 How do you start forming great relationships? 06:15 Asking questions, showing people you are interested in them 09:43 Can you figure out what your business partners’ biggest problems are? 10:39 Stop; Start; Continue 12:16 Turning data into insights 15:40 What are we going to do differently as a business? 16:38 Finance business partnering boot camp 18:48 How is the boot camp structured? 21:17 What’s covered in each workshop? 23:32 How do you attend a bootcamp? 24:41 What surprises people most on the boot camp?

100 Episodes of the GrowCFO Show, that’s 2 years’ worth of podcast episodes. Dan Wells, founder and CEO of GrowCFO joins regular podcast host Kevin Appleby to celebrate the milestone, reflect back on the last two years and talk about some new exciting developments in GrowCFO. Dan and Kevin both choose their favourite episodes of the GrowCFO Show. Dan decided on episode 95 where Catherine Clark, head of mentoring at GrowCFO, talked about making the best decision for both you and your business. Kevin selected episode 102, yes an episode that is yet to be published, where he managed to get a guest from his own bucket list on the show. We’ll leave you to wait another two weeks to find out who it is. The clue is Kevin talks about her book every time he delivers module 3 of the Future CFO Programme. Three significant milestones arrive all at the same time. As well as the 100th episode of the GrowCFO Show we’ve published two great new resources. The first is a 100-page book that describes the CFO Competency Framework. The second is a white paper examining the career paths of 500 CFOs and exploring the many different career routes available to get to the top job in finance. Both have just been made available to download on the GrowCFO website Links Dan Wells on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Become a free member of GrowCFO Dan’s Favourite episode (episode 95) CFO Competency Framework New free resources: The GrowCFO CFO Competency Framework eBook and Career Routes to CFO report Future CFO programme Timestamps 01:40 Two years ago, what was the original vision for GrowCFO? 03:17 How did Dan and Kevin end up working together? 06:02 Working with interesting people who simply want to give something back 07:23 Our favourite episodes of the GrowCFO Show 11:38 Whats GrowCFO all about? 16:19 plans for the next 2 years 17:19 The CFO Competency Framework 21:57 New research: What’s the optimum size for your finance function 24:56 Virtual Boardroom and Fundraising Simulator 25:34 Boot Camps for both Strategy and Finance Business Partnering

Alex Budak joins the GrowCFO show on the same day that his new book “Becoming a Changemaker” is published. Quite a coup for the podcast! The book is an excellent read for anyone wanting to become a changemaker, in particular for finance leaders wanting to enhance their ability to be a catalyst for change. As a faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Alex created and teaches the wildly popular course “Becoming a Changemaker,” which has quickly grown into one of the most highly-rated courses anywhere on campus. The course is regularly heralded by students as “transformative” and “life-changing” but has only been accessible to students attending UC Berkeley. That all changes from today as the course is condensed into a book accessible by anyone. The Becoming a Changemaker playbook is a guide for anyone looking to lead positive change. It covers the mindsets and leadership skills needed to navigate, shape, and lead change, as well as how to thrive in uncertain times. The book is tailored to millennials and Gen Zers who are leaving school and entering the workforce. It is based on the popular UC Berkeley course by the same name, which students have praised as transformative and life-changing. Links Alex Budak on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Competency Framework Becoming a Changemaker on Amazon UK and Amazon USA Timestamps 00:51 Alex explains his background 02:26 Book being published on 13 September 2022 04:05 Change and the CFO 06:17 Technology and change 10:02 Can the changemaker skill be learned? 10:36 The Changemaker index 12:33 Dealing with resistance to change 15:06 Involving people in the change 18:28 Champions, fence-sitters and cynics 23:03 Impact = (mindset+leadership) x action 25:24 Who is the book aimed at? 28:06 How did you get involved in teaching “Changemaker”?

Jeremy Foster is an unusual CFO, he isn’t an accountant and doesn’t have a finance background. His origins are in sales and marketing. He changed course following an MBA at Notre Dame and has subsequently become a highly successful finance leader with strong strategic capabilities and significant M&A experience. Jeremy has been instrumental in multiple equity rounds, debt recaps, and a 9-digit platform sale to PE. Jeremy’s main interest is working with an organisation that wants to drive massive growth. He will typically be brought on board by a CEO who wants a co-pilot to go on that journey. In this episode, we talk about how Jeremy is currently doing that at Talroo and how that differs from his approach at previous companies Homeward and Kasasa. He explains how he operates as a strategic partner to the CEO and gives us some great insights to the thought process a CFO needs in helping build and drive strategy. We explore some of the key KPIs you need to understand when investing in customer acquisition, and we talk about the theory of constraints. Jeremy shows how the skills he learned as a marketing director are extremely valuable to a CFO too. Links Jeremy Foster on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Talroo.com GrowCFO Strategy Programme Timestamps 00:53 A background in marketing for a bank 01:29 Did you miss out by not having an accounting background? 02:13 What role do you play as a non-accounting CFO? 04:01 Blitz scaling 05:26 The three big KPIs you need to know 07:53 Profit per customer 10:25 Jeremy Foster’s experience growing the business at Kasasa 12:39 What issues do such rapid growth bring? 15:53 Thinking about communication channels 18:38 The theory of constraints 19:50 The importance of good relationships 21:50 The role of a finance business partner 23:03 What advice would you give to a CFO coming through a more traditional route than yourself? 24:55 What’s the role of the CFO in driving a high-growth business strategy?

Danielle Keeven has had quite a journey to get to her current role as VP of Finance at paddle.com. She has crossed the globe and changed industry sectors. She has gone from roles in large multinationals to working in high-growth startups. Danielle shares her experiences with Kevin Appleby on this week’s GrowCFO Show. Originally working in the Caribbean for large US multinationals such as Marriott and Hyatt, Danielle swapped to working in Europe for booking.com, then moved out of hospitality completely to work in fintech. This was a huge change and she tells us all about the challenges she faced in the episode. Danielle Keeven is currently VP of finance at paddle.com. Paddle offers SaaS companies a completely different way to sell. Instead of assembling and maintaining a complex stack of payments-related apps and services, Paddle provides an all-in-one solution. Danielle explains how her finance expertise is applied to the design of the product as well as to running the finance team. We discuss in detail the problems that products like Paddle solve for SaaS founders, and some of the mistakes Danielle has seen these companies make. Links Danielle Keeven on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Paddle.com GrowCFO Future CFO Programme GrowCFO Strategy Programme CFO Competency Framework Free Course: First 100 Days in your new finance role Timestamps 01:00 Born in the Netherlands, growing up in the Caribbean 01:42 The accidental accountant 02:59 Hospitality: Hyatt and Marriott 03:45 Move to Europe and the tech side of Hospitality 05:00 Accounts receivable in a SaaS business 06:41 moving from Booking.com to Messagebird 09:23 Why did you join paddle.com? 11:47 What does Paddle do? 13:18 The complexities of online business and global tax rules 16:13 Will you move on from VP Finance to a full CFO role? 17:19 Roald Dahl’s Matilda 19:13 What sort of mistakes do you see fast-growing SaaS companies making? 22:06 Building a strategy for internationalisation 23:15 Giving SaaS businesses the right data insights 25:26 What advice would you give other finance people looking to move to CFO roles 26:41 GrowCFO Competency framework 27:15 The art of delegation 30:33 The finance leader and fraud

The role of a finance transformation leader is a complex one. It requires someone with great technical skills, as well as strong people skills. A successful finance transformation leader must be able to manage and motivate their team, while also being able to communicate effectively with other members of the organization. Toni Betts, group finance director at The Travel Chapter is one of those successful transformation leaders and she shares her journey with Kevin Appleby on this episode of The GrowCFO Show. One of the most important qualities of a successful finance transformation leader is the ability to manage and motivate their team. A finance transformation is a complex undertaking that requires the efforts of many individuals. A great leader will be able to keep their team on track and focused on the goal. They will also be able to motivate their team when things get tough. In addition to being a great manager, a finance transformation leader must also be an effective communicator. This is important because they will need to communicate with other members of the organization, such as the CEO and CFO. They will also need to communicate with vendors and other outside parties. Effective communication is essential for ensuring that everyone is on the same page and that the transformation goes smoothly. Great people skills are essential for anyone looking to lead a finance transformation. A successful leader will be able to manage and motivate their team, while also being an effective communicator. If you have these qualities, then you may be well suited for this important role. Links Toni Betts on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Future CFO Programme Free Course: First 100 Days in your new finance role Susan Jeffers – Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway: How to Turn Your Fear and Indecision into Confidence and Action on Amazon UK and Amazon US Timestamps 01:39 Toni’s new group FD role 02:04 When did you decide to become an accountant? 04:50 Qualifying in an audit practice 06:52 Toni’s first role outside practice and moving on to join American Express 08:10 Being part of a great leadership programme 09:46 Stepping out of your comfort zone: You need to get comfortable with leadership skills and push yourself to use them 11:32 Susan Jeffers – Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway 12:03 Moving on from American Express 15:09 Becoming a finance transformation expert 16:43 Learning from experience 20:24 Some of the practical challenges of transforming finance teams 24:14 Technology is forcing finance to change 25:03 What advice would you give other finance leaders? 27:42 Personal Awareness and feedback from others 29:01 The importance of how you present over what you are presenting 30:45 What does Toni Betts do to avoid stress and burnout? 32:37 What’s the biggest challenge in your new group FD role?

Are you in control of your own life, or are the demands of all the other things around you taking over? Too much pressure at work to have a personal life? Perhaps you aren’t feeling fulfilled? If any of that describes you then it’s time to take control back and make decisions that benefit you and not just your organisation. In this episode, Catherine Clark joins us to talk about the importance of making the right decisions for your own wellbeing. She draws on both her own personal experience as a CFO and the situations she comes across every week when she is mentoring other finance leaders. If you aren’t happy with where you are right now it’s time to do something about it and take action. Catherine has some great advice to offer about how to find out what you really want and then take the right steps to get there. We talk about the importance of having the right mindset, and the importance of stepping forward even when there might be fear and uncertainty. This is the third episode in a mini-series looking at your well-being. In the previous two episodes, we’ve looked at resilience with Leanne Spencer and self-awareness with Susana Serrano-Davey. Links Mentoring at GrowCFO with Catherine Clark Catherine Clark on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Susan Jeffers – Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway: How to Turn Your Fear and Indecision into Confidence and Action on Amazon UK and Amazon US Timestamps 01:50 Are you feeling dissatisfied? 03:14 Getting in touch with your feelings 04:00 Go with your gut and your subconscious mind 06:03 Having the right people around you to support you 08:40 Some examples of situations people find themselves in 10:17 The decision isn’t about moving on and changing job 12:01 The mindset shift that’s needed 14:52 The fear of change, doing things differently, making a mistake 15:50 What do you need to stop doing? start doing? continue doing? 16:15 What do you want? 17:16 Overwhelm 18:12 Feel the fear and do it anyway 20:33 Where do you want to be in 3 years’ time? 23:15 Do you stay? Do you move on? 24:50 You can’t lose, just make a decision! 27:06 What do you do after you make a decision? 29:32 Some practical exercises you can do right now

Self-awareness is key for well-being. When you know yourself well, you can make better decisions and thrive in all areas of your life – including your career. As a finance leader, it’s important to be self-aware so that you can set realistic goals and healthily manage stress. In this episode, Susana Serrano-Davey, our very own Executive Coach & Mentor at GrowCFO joins Kevin Appleby once again to discuss the importance of self-awareness as a cornerstone for wellbeing. We discuss the importance of self-awareness and how it can help you achieve success both professionally and personally. Susana gives some great advice on some practical things you can do to be more self-aware Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly and understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It’s an important part of well-being because it allows you to make healthy choices, set realistic goals, and healthily manage stress. When you’re self-aware, you’re more likely to achieve your goals and be successful in all areas of your life. There are many benefits of self-awareness, but here are a few key ones: When you’re self-aware, you can make better decisions. You know your strengths and weaknesses, so you can make choices that are in line with your values and goals. When you’re self-aware, you’re more resilient. You know your triggers and how to manage them, so you’re less likely to be derailed by setbacks. When you’re self-aware, you have a better understanding of other people. You can see things from their perspective and build relationships that are based on trust and mutual respect. Self-awareness is an important part of well-being, and it’s something that you can work on every day. Susana gives us some practical strategies: Get feedback, how do people perceive you? Understand your feelings, and why you feel a certain way Learn more about your personality Make sure you meet your own needs before others Listen to the full episode to find out more. Links Mentoring at GrowCFO with Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Episode 93 with Leanne Spencer on Well-being Episode 74 Personality types with Merrick Rosenberg Episode 71 Strengthsfinder with Jim Brophy 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam on Amazon UK and Amazon US Timestamps 00:41 The previous episode with Leanne Spencer about well-being and beating burnout 01:15 No point in achieving your goals and being unhappy 03:37 You really need to know more about yourself 05:22 How others perceive us 10:03 Getting feedback from others 13:45 Becoming aware of your personality type 16:47 Using personality profiling tests (we referenced DISC and Strengthsfinder tests covered in previous episodes with Merrick Rosenberg and Jim Brophy) 19:16 Connect with your feelings 21:43 The link between a crisis and becoming depressed 23:04 Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) 24:34 Understand your needs 28:04 Dealing with recurring issues and problems 30:33 Making time and space for yourself 34:01 Susana’s book

CFOs and finance leaders are under more pressure than ever before. They are responsible for ensuring the financial stability of their company, and often have to make tough decisions that can impact the bottom line. This high level of responsibility can take a toll, and many CFOs and finance leaders find themselves struggling with burnout. In this episode, Leanne Spencer, an award-winning entrepreneur and a key-note wellbeing speaker and burnout prevention expert joins Kevin Appleby to discuss how to better manage stress, prioritize recovery and ultimately reduce the risk of burnout. Burnout can have a significant impact on CFOs and finance leaders. When individuals are burned out, they may feel exhausted, both physically and emotionally. They may also feel cynical or negative about their work and may have difficulty concentrating or making decisions. Burnout can lead to absenteeism, staff turnover, and a decrease in productivity. It can also adversely affect an individual’s health. But what action can you take to protect yourself? Leanne has plenty of answers! You need to increase your resilience. But what does that actually mean in practice? Lots of people talk about being more resilient, but few people have their own practical strategies to make it happen. Leanne talks about giving yourself slivers of recovery. Time for yourself every single day. A small part of your overall bandwidth. These slivers can have a very significant impact on your overall wellbeing Links Leanne Spencer on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Cadence: the secret to beating burnout and performing in life and work on Amazon UK and Amazon US Rise and Shine: Recover from burnout and get back to your best on Amazon UK and Amazon US Mentoring at GrowCFO Timestamps 00:39 About Leanne Spencer and Bear Grylls 01:24 Remember what is first for you 02:34 How does this apply to finance leaders? 05:20 Slivers of recovery 07:20 Learning from elite athletes 10:28 How do you recover when there’s always something else to do? 11:30 The golden hour before sleep 16:30 Turn off notifications 18:41 Simple things done every day 23:00 Decompress at the end of the day 24:17 Alchohol, good or bad? 25:26 Cadence, the overall message in the book 27:44 A business book needs to be short and easily digestible 29:24 Cadence: the secret to beating burnout and performing in life and work

As a CFO in a fast-growing business, you have a lot on your plate. You are responsible for ensuring that the company is making money and growing at a healthy rate. But what if you could take your career to the next level by having a mentor? A mentor can help you learn new skills, make important connections, and give you guidance when it comes to difficult decisions. Ian Simpkin specialises in mentoring CFOs who find themselves in that exact situation. Ian Simpkin is one of GrowCFO’s experienced CFO mentors. In this episode, he joins Kevin Appleby to discuss how he mentors CFOs in fast-growing businesses. We talk about his career and experiences and how this impacts his approach to mentoring. Ian, a Chartered Accountant (FCA), qualified with KPMG and trained at Insead in their International Executive Program. He has over 25 years of finance director experience and was European CFO of a Nasdaq 100 multinational during rapid growth from $20 to $450m. Ian has a great practical understanding of driving business growth, fundraising, acquisitions and exit planning. Besides mentoring new CFOs, he advises SMEs on financial strategies to help grow their businesses. He is passionate about helping his mentees develop their skills and expertise to realise their potential and provide Board level strategic advice. Links Mentoring at GrowCFO  Meet the GrowCFO mentors The CFO Competency framework Ian Simpkin on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps 00:57 Introducing Ian Simpkin 02:00 Growing a company from $20m to $400m 03:11 Making acquisitions to grow 04:20 What challenges do you deal with day to day as a mentor and portfolio CFO? 05:28 How do you approach mentoring? 06:52 What are the biggest issues you find with CFOs in their first role? 07:57 The CFO competency framework 10:00 The CFO as a strategic business partner 11:48 Ian Simpkin outside the office 13:16 Why choose Ian as a mentor?

One of the biggest challenges of financial modelling is creating models that are accurate and realistic. Financial modellers need to have a good understanding of all of the different formulas and functions in order to create an accurate model. Many people, even experienced modellers, use less than 5% of the functions available. Excel models need to be properly structured too so that others can easily validate them, and they can be checked for errors. There are lots to learn about, and many tips and tricks that can make your life much easier. That’s why Myles Arnott and Giles Male set up Full Stack Modeller. In this episode, Kevin Appleby chats to Miles and Giles to discover more about the challenges of building great financial models in Excel and how the Full Stack Modeller training and community of members can help you. We teach financial modelling basics in GrowCFO’s finance team training, but if you want to develop really deep specialist modelling skills Full Stack is the place to go. If you want to join Full Stack Modeller’s next cohort this coupon code will give you 15% off: GROWCFO15AUG. Registration opens on 8th August. Full Stack Modeller will give you: Excel Mastery. From core function knowledge and confident use of Excel Tables and Pivot Tables, to a truly unique way to develop your shortcut and navigation skill mastery. the major modelling standards, setting you up for more advanced modelling exercises to come further on in your journey. Advanced Financial Modelling. Covering the fundamentals of three statement modelling, valuations, scenarios & sensitivities, and more. Data Visualisation & Analytics. How to use Power BI to analyse data, and we help you understand how best to share your insights with others. These are skills that are rare to find, even amongst very talented and experienced modellers. Listen to the full episode to find out more. Links Giles Male on LinkedIn Myles Arnott on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO for Finance Teams Find out more about Full Stack Modeller (use coupon code GROWCFO15AUG to get 15% off at checkout) Timestamps 01:04 About Full Stack Modeller 03:37 What are financial models used for? 04:50 Don’t most people teach themselves how to use Excel? 07:30 Power Query 09:48 What about apps that replace Excel? 11:40 What bad habits do self-taught experienced modellers generally have? 13:12 The problem of too much data 15:05 Data visualisation 18:55 How do you teach modelling when there are so many different applications of models? 20:40 Trapping errors in models 26:34 What are the 5 or 6 key things we really need to know? 29:11 The danger of a single Excel guru in a company

It’s no secret that boardroom experience is important for aspiring CFOs. But what happens when you don’t have access to boardrooms? How can you overcome this obstacle and get the experience you need? In this episode Dan Wells, founder and CEO of GrowCFO, joins Kevin Appleby to discuss the launch of GrowCFO’s Virtual Boardroom. Over 80% of aspiring and first-time finance leaders have little or no boardroom experience. Very few have conquered the most common challenges regularly faced by CFOs during board meetings. This lack of exposure can easily prevent you from landing your dream CFO role, or negatively affect your performance during difficult boardroom situations within your existing finance role. GrowCFO’s Virtual Boardroom provides you with essential first-hand experience of dealing with real-life boardroom challenges that most CFOs encounter early on in their finance leader career. If you’re serious about becoming a CFO, don’t let a lack of boardroom experience hold you back. There are plenty of ways to gain the experience you need, even if you don’t have direct access to boardrooms. The GrowCFO Virtual Boardroom can help you get the confidence you need in the boardroom. In addition you should seek out opportunities to present to boards. Get involved with organizations that focus on board governance, and network with experienced board members. With some effort and perseverance, you can overcome this obstacle and take your career to the next level. Links Dan Wells on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Virtual Boardroom Find out more about becoming a CFO Timestamps 00:52 What is the Virtual Boardroom? 03:20 The CFO wears 2 hats in the boardroom 04:49 How does the Virtual Boardroom work? 06:08 Does it involve a lot of prep like a real board meeting? 08:52 Dealing with the different perspectives of individual board members 11:56 What time commitment do you need in order to participate? 14:04 The Virtual Boardroom is supported by online learning 16:16 The role of professional mentors in the Virtual Boardroom 17:39 How to find out more

As finance leaders, we are always looking for ways to help our businesses grow. But in order to grow, we need to have a clear strategy in place. Without a strategy, it’s difficult to set goals and measure progress. And without communication, it’s impossible to get everyone on the same page. That’s where strategy software comes in. Strategy software helps you document your strategy and communicate it effectively to everyone involved. In this episode Tom Ricca-McCarthy, Co-Founder at Lucidity joins Kevin Appleby. We talk about how to build an effective strategy and how the Lucidity software app can support you in documenting and communicating the strategy. There are many benefits of using strategy software. Perhaps the most important benefit is that it helps you document your strategy. This is crucial because a documented strategy gives you a roadmap to follow as you execute your growth plans. It also allows you to track your progress and make changes as needed. Another important benefit of strategy software is that it helps you communicate your strategy effectively. This is essential because, without communication, it’s impossible to get everyone on the same page. Strategy software makes it easy to share your strategy with your team or stakeholders and get their feedback. This way, you can ensure that everyone is on board with your growth plans. Tom relates the story of needing to present the strategy for his own business and everything he needed was scattered across a whole collection of slide decks, spreadsheets and word documents. Lucidity was born out of the need to have a single place to document and then communicate everything to do with the strategic plan. GrowCFO is running quarterly strategy bootcamps. In a series of workshops over the course of a week we help you get to grips with building a strategy for your business and documenting it using Lucidity. There’s a link below if you want to find out more. Links Tom Ricca-McCarthy on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Find out more about Lucidity strategy software The GrowCFO Strategy Programme Join a GrowCFO Strategy Bootcamp Timestamps 01:23 About Tom Ricca-McCarthy 02:50 Putting a turnaround strategy in place in one of his former companies 04:12 The idea for Lucidity 05:44 Strategy is a broad activity using lots of different tools 08:30 Why you need everything in one place 10:18 SWOT, PESTLE, 5 Forces scattered across multiple documents 14:07 Its not just the analysis, it’s about executing the plan too 14:31 Tracking the KPIs and milestones 16:30 Scenario planning 17:45 GrowCFO strategy bootcamp 23:17 The CFO strategy survey 25:30 The communication challenge 28:23 Stop Start Continue 30:06 A single source of the truth 34:21 What’s next for Tom and Lucidity? 38:30 A balanced set of objectives and OKRs 44:48 The strategy execution gap

How Can CFOs Use the P = Potential – Interference Formula to Boost Team Performance? CFO Julian O’Neill uses the principle of Performance = Potential – Interference (P = P – I) to unlock greater productivity and mindset shifts in his finance team. By identifying and reducing internal and external interference — from negative thoughts to environmental distractions — finance leaders can help teams perform at their highest potential. This episode explores how to apply the formula in real-world leadership and personal development. In order to achieve success, you must remove any interference that stands in the way of your potential. This is the principle of performance = potential – interference, or P=P-I for short. This equation is a simple but powerful way to think about success and how to achieve it. In this episode, Kevin Appleby is joined by Julian O’Neill and we look at how Julian uses P=P-I every day to get the best out of his finance team and others that work with him. We discuss the factors that contribute to interference and how you can eliminate them to reach your full potential. Interference can come from many sources. It can be external, such as the people and environment around you, or it can be internal, such as your own thoughts and emotions. Both types of interference can prevent you from reaching your potential and achieving success. External interference is often beyond your control. You may not be able to change the people or circumstances around you, but you can control how you react to them. Internal interference is entirely within your control. Your thoughts and emotions are yours to choose from, so make sure they are positive and supportive of your goals. Whenever you find yourself facing interference, remember the P=P-I equation. Performance = Potential – Interference. Eliminate the interference and reach your full potential. You are capable of great things. Go out and achieve them. Julian O’Neill is CFO of Ardent Hire Solutions and previously appeared on episode 81 of The GrowCFO Show where he described his career path to his current CFO role. Links Julian O’Neill on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Episode 81 My journey to CFO with Julian O’Neill 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam on Amazon UK and Amazon USA Timestamps 01:02 What is P=P-I 04:35 Examples of things that cause interference 08:45 Start Stop Continue 10:10 The importance of “Stop” and making space for new things 11:12 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam – Do an audit of how you use your time 11:40 Getting rid of unnecessary tasks and meetings 16:00 Long hours at work are counterproductive 19:11 The need to be flexible with time 22:12 Finding space to think 26:00 What defines potential? 28:41 Most people dont show up to do a poor job 30:30 Sensing when somebody isn’t quite right 32:28 The complication of working remotely

Do you have a strategy? If so, congratulations – you’re ahead of the curve. Many businesses don’t take the time to develop a strategy, and as a result, they struggle to achieve their goals. But having a strategy is only half the battle; the other half is making sure that your strategy is executed properly. In this blog post, we’ll talk about how to close the strategy execution gap and turn your plans into results! Benjamin Wann is an expert at closing the strategy execution gap. He is a CPA and has written several books, including Getting Shit Done: The No-Nonsense Framework for Closing the Strategy Execution Gap which is the subject of this episode of The GrowCFO Show. The strategy execution gap is the difference between where a company wants to be and where it actually is. This gap can be caused by a number of factors, including unclear goals, inadequate resources, and poor communication. But regardless of the cause, the result is always the same: Your company isn’t achieving its full potential. So how can you close the strategy execution gap? Here are a few tips: Define your goals clearly. If your employees don’t know what they’re supposed to be working towards, they can’t possibly achieve it. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Allocate the necessary resources. Your strategy won’t get very far if you don’t have the people, money, and time to make it happen. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Make sure everyone involved in your strategy knows what their role is and what they’re supposed to be doing. regular check-ins will help keep everyone on track. Be flexible. Things will inevitably change as you’re trying to execute your strategy. Be prepared to make adjustments along the way. Closing the strategy execution gap can be a challenge, but it’s worth it. By taking the time to implement a solid strategy, you’ll ensure that your business is able to achieve its full potential. Listen to the full episode. We dive deep into these points and many more. Links How GrowCFO can help you build and execute your strategy Getting Shit Done: The No-Nonsense Framework for Closing the Strategy Execution Gap on Amazon UK and Amazon US Benjamin Wann’s other books on Amazon UK and Amazon US 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam on Amazon UK and Amazon USA Benjamin Wann on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps 01:02 Introducing Benjamin Wann 02:46 Everything in life is a project! 03:15 Ben’s books 06:22 Getting Shit Done 08:15 You have designed the strategy. What comes next? 08:42 Many organisations don’t actually have a strategy 10:57 In its most basic form, what is a business strategy? 12:09 The strategy execution gap 13:57 Who does what and by when? 16:39 Time is limited. How do you prioritise? 17:16 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam 19:47 Mindset for achieving the milestones you need to reach 23:10 Napoleon’s army and empowerment 23:47 Strategy lessons from the US Civil War 24:54 The need for flexibility in the plan 26:48 What gets measured gets done 28:00 Rats in Hanoi: Why linking measurement to reward can be very dangerous 31:44 It’s all about communicating effectively 35:00 Use e-mail properly 36:19 Create the right culture 40:00 The role of the CFO in strategy execution

Strategy is the backbone of any successful business. Without a strategy in place, it can be difficult to make decisions and achieve your goals. Many CEOs try to implement the strategy on their own, but this can be difficult if you don’t have the right tools and resources. In this episode, we will discuss how to embed strategy in your business and make sure that it is a part of everything that you do! The strategy should be embedded in every facet of your business, from the way you set goals to the way you communicate with customers. By embedding strategy into your business, you will be able to make better decisions, achieve your goals, and improve your overall performance. There are a few key steps that you can take to embed strategy in your business: Define what strategy means for your business Without a clear understanding of what strategy is, it can be difficult to implement it effectively. Take some time to sit down and define what strategy means for your company. What are your goals? What are the most important things that you want to achieve? Once you have a good understanding of what strategy is and what it means for your business, you will be able to start embedding it into your operations. Make strategy a part of your decision-making process One of the most important ways to embed strategy in your business is to make it a part of your decision-making process. Whenever you are faced with a decision, big or small, take some time to think about how it will impact your strategy. What are the risks and opportunities associated with this decision? By taking the time to consider these things, you will be able to make better decisions that align with your strategy. Communicate your strategy to everyone in your company It is important that everyone in your company is aware of your strategy and knows how it affects their day-to-day work. Hold strategy meetings, send out regular emails or memos, and post your strategy on your company’s intranet. The more people that are aware of your strategy, the more likely they are to help you achieve it. These are just a few of the ways that you can embed strategy in your business. We talk about much more in the episode, so listen in and find out more. Susana Serrano-Davey is an experienced CFO and a member of the GrowCFO professional mentoring team. If you are interested in having Susana as a mentor then please get in touch using the link below. Kevin Appleby is GrowCFO’s business strategy mentor and runs the GrowCFO Strategy Programme. Links How GrowCFO can help you build and execute your strategy Mentoring at GrowCFO with Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Timestamps 01:30 What is strategy? 03:55 How do you go about building and deploying a strategy? 04:01 Three typical scenarios 05:28 What about the business that’s in trouble and needs a turnaround strategy? 08:04 What does the CFO need from the strategy? 08:59 The objectives are clear, but how do we achieve them? 09:50 The power of a simple SWOT analysis 12:32 Achieving a balance between growing revenue and cutting cost 13:42 The role of the Zero-Based Budget 17:24 The need to be constantly aware of new challenges and adapt the strategy 19:34 The danger of not implementing change in the good times 21:53 The difficulty of restructuring when the business is losing money 24:34 Strategy and the high growth business 26:38 The CFO as the challenger of strategy 28:07 Measuring the right things and understanding cause and effect 30:02 What are the 3 or 4 most useful tools to use?

How Did Jimmy Vassilas Go from Big 4 Auditor to CFO of SantéVet? Jimmy Vassilas’ journey from audit to CFO is anything but linear. In this episode of The GrowCFO Show, he shares how strategic horizontal moves, international assignments, and a deep focus on tech shaped his career. From qualifying as a Canadian Chartered Accountant at Deloitte to rising through Autodesk into CFO roles at Receipt Bank, Zappi, and now SantéVet — Jimmy’s story shows that agility, openness to change, and strong FP&A skills are essential ingredients for modern CFO leadership. Jimmy Vassilas started his career in Montreal, Canada. He qualified as a Canadian Chartered Accountant with Deloitte majoring in high tech and telecoms. High tech has remained the focus of his career ever since. Jimmy’s CFO roles include Receipt Bank; Zappi; and most recently SantéVet. Jimmy joined Autodesk and then moved to Europe temporarily to cover maternity leave. The person on maternity leave never returned to work and Jimmy never returned to Canada. In the episode, we reflect on how unexpected things like this often have the biggest impact on your career path. His journey takes him from external audit to internal audit. Subsequent job changes take him into FP&A and several senior management roles. Jimmy achieved many of these by moving horizontally rather than vertically within Autodesk, eventually becoming Autodesk’s finance director. Links Jimmy Vassilas on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO CFO Competency Framework Find out more about becoming a CFO Timestamps 01:21 Jimmy’s early career in audit 05:35 Internal audit to FP&A and 17 years in Autodesk 07:35 Are horizontal moves worth taking? 08:49 The 9 competencies of a CFO 09:29 The number one complaint CEOs have about CFOs 11:26 Is 17 years too long in a single organisation? 14:00 So why leave after 17 years? 16:07 Becoming CFO in an organisation funded by venture capital. 19:04 SantéVet and a move to France 20:46 The challenges of being CFO in a high growth tech company 21:49 The importance of shared values within the business 23:11 The importance of being a business partner 25:00 What’s the best advice you would give somebody at the start of their journey? 29:00 The importance of networking and maintaining connections

Richard Haywood left school at 18 and started work as a trainee accountant in a manufacturing business. He studied for the ACCA qualification on day-release. His route to qualification took 5 years and he moved to become a financial controller in the record industry at a time of huge change from vinyl to CD. His challenge, keep his manufacturing unit viable and one of the last vinyl production facilities operating. Polydor Records gave way to the Mecca Organisation. Richard became responsible for the finances of nightclubs; bingo halls and restaurants. It introduced him to the world of mergers and acquisitions. A move to CFO soon followed. Richard took a job in the Bahamas at a leisure park and Zoo. Not many people can say they have been CFO of a Zoo. Richard Haywood can! Back in London, Richard continued his career as a divisional CFO in several business units in BT Global Services before moving on to become CFO in a much smaller communications company. In the episode, we talk about the skills you need to deal with people. Those people range from trade unions to investors and board members. We talk about managing change and the advice Richard would give to a mentee or to a younger version of himself. Links Richard Haywood on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Find out more about becoming a CFO Timestamps 00:57 Starting accountancy training at 18, straight from school 01:57 The first job change 05:18 Changing the business model to survive; learning to manage conflict and deal with trade unions 08:42 Richard’s goal to become a CFO 10:00 Bingo Halls, Nightclubs and Restaurants; learning about M&A 12:48 How to move from manufacturing to entertainment 14:52 What makes a good CFO? 16:49 The skills needed to deal with investors and board members 20:31 Richard’s first CFO role. A Zoo in the Bahamas 27:05 Moving back to a Telco in London 26:17 Cost review of a Zoo 29:36 What advice would you give a mentee about managing change? 34:05 What’s in it for me? 37:07 What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?