It was a first meeting Naeem Ishaq tells us he’ll never forget: stepping into the Chief Product Officer’s office at Salesforce, he began pitching a bold new pricing model. Yet the officer cut him off, bluntly telling him to “figure out the (numbers) first, then we can talk strategy.” Ishaq admits he had inherited something of a mess when it came to the data. Despite the tough feedback, however, he refused to give up. He dove deeper—verifying metrics, updating budgets, and clarifying every detail—determined to show he could be both a financial expert and a strategic partner. By persevering rather than shrinking from the challenge, he eventually earned the trust needed to advance his pricing insights.

That wake-up call echoed lessons he’d learned as a child of immigrants. Ishaq tells us his father arrived in the United States with just twenty dollars, fueled by grit and hope. Growing up, Naeem watched firsthand how determination could unlock opportunity—even if the odds seemed stacked. This conviction led him to form his first business in 1999, forging a passion for technology-driven solutions that would guide him in future roles at Salesforce, Square, and eventually Checkr.

Today, as CFO and Chief Strategy Officer at Checkr, Ishaq’s mindset blends rigorous analysis with an entrepreneurial spark. He believes finance leaders create the most impact when they go beyond reporting numbers to envision what’s possible—and then rally others around that vision.