CFO Bookshelf

John Seddon is the founder of The Vanguard Method and is the author of Beyond Command and Control.

In this conversation we find out which action is worse in business, commanding or controlling. John also explains demand failure, break-fix systems, and the destructive nature of budget management and arbitrary targets.

Devin Durrant is the author of The Values Delta - A Small and Simple Way to Make a Positive Difference in Your Personal and Professional Life.

Durrant's book is not about corporate values but personal core values, and it's a fast, easy-to-read guide that's instructive and inspiring with practical business applications too.

In this conversation, this former NBA player reveals three simple questions that can lead to transformation in our personal and professional lives.

Gaining media attention may not be an ongoing goal for many growing businesses. However, a former TV host and Emmy-award winner in consumer reporting explains that if we can pitch the media effectively, we can sell anything to anyone.

Katrina Cravy is the author of On Air: Insider Secrets to Attract the Media and Get Free Publicity. This easy-to-read book also has far-reaching applications, for presentations, pitches of any type, and YouTube videos.

This fast-paced conversation includes Katrina's impactful H.A.V.E. formula, the power pose, the seven-second rule, killer-filler words, and much more.

When we do our weekly shopping at the grocery store, finding products is relatively easy because of the way food items are grouped throughout the aisles. That's the starting point for understanding category design in any business setting.

The authors of Play Bigger did not invent category design, but these gifted marketers gave this term and its underlying disciplines a name by studying more than five thousand businesses.

In this conversation, co-author Al Ramadan explains what category design along with some of the book's biggest ideas: the 6-10 rule, points of view, and different vs. better.

You'll also hear why Mark believes this book can be a replacement for strategic planning and why he loves chapter 10 of Play Bigger.

Output, Outcomes, Impact. Those are three strong words that seemingly go well together in any context. But is there a clear difference in each term?

Josh Seiden is the author of Outcomes Over Output, and he provides one of the best definitions of outcomes I have ever heard--a change in customer behavior that leads to better business results.

In this conversation, we learn how to apply outcomes-based thinking in any business environment along with hearing about a case study that ended in positive results when applying the philosophies in this book.

I've always assumed that great financial modelers have deep backgrounds in either corporate finance or accounting. That's not the case for Lyndsey Weber who is the Senior Solutions Consultant at Quantrix.

Lyndsey's degree is in engineering management from one of the top engineering programs in the country. She started her career at ExxonMobil where she was a supply chain data analyst and an S&OP supervisor.

After some three years, she had an itch for pivoting her career into PreSales, a story I find unique, fascinating, and informative.

In this conversation, we learn the steps that Lyndsey took to prep, investigate, and apply for positions in PreSales.

Several years ago, I'll never forget when a tax partner with a Top 10 accounting firm started talking about one of his favorite books. He described the book's three pillars - marketing, production, and accounting.

I smiled because I knew the title he was talking about - In The Black by Allen Bostrom.

A few weeks prior to this episode the marketing team for this book's co-author reached out to ask if they could be on the show. The answer was a resounding yes.

Roger Knecht is the President of Universal Accounting. He's also the perfect person to explain why accounting is anything but boring. 

On Will Guidara's 12th birthday, he had the experience of a lifetime while dining with his family at Four Seasons. Less than thirty years later, Will and his co-partner of Eleven Madison Park were being lauded for the top spot of The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2017.

Will's new book is Unreasonable Hospitality and I now call it one of the best books written on this topic. The book is part memoir and many parts of inspiration, encouragement, and instruction. 

In this conversation, Will explains the 95-5 rule, restaurant smart vs. corporate smart, pre-meal meetings, and the primary reason hospitality can be taught in any business. 

You probably know a little or a lot about a business practice called open book management. This podcast prefers the term, financial transparency.

During this episode, a CEO and co-founder of a physical therapy organization explains how he got started with financial transparency, why he did it, and how.

Dr. Arlan Alburo of Orthopedic and Balance Therapy based in rural Indiana near Chicago also explains that he shares non-financial metrics and how his team members can impact each of those critical numbers.

Think of this conversation as a mini MBA in financial and operational acumen that's practical and easy to understand.

Link to episode highlights on our website: What is Financial Transparency?

The Crazy Eddie stores of the 1980s are probably most remembered by the Jerry Carrell commercials that have been parodied in the movies, TV shows, and even by other CEOs in the past such as Steve Ballmer.

Gary Weiss is the author of Retail Gangster, The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie. Through Gary's research and captivating narrative, we learn the origin story of Eddie Antar and how he first started various skimming schemes to both undercut competitors and stash untaxed sales and profits in bed mattresses and overseas bank accounts.

We also learn about one of the masterminds of Crazy Eddie's IPO and the fraud that was required to support a high stock price following the public offering. Finally, we hear about how the house of cards crumbled and the family's failed attempt to take the company private in order to hide their misdoings.

Mark's Notes on Retail Gangster