GrowCFO Show

As the accounting profession navigates the shifting landscape of compliance-driven services and the growing demand for strategic advisory, the need for upskilling has become paramount. Roger Knecht, the President of Universal Accounting and host of the “Building the Premier Accounting Firm” podcast, shares his insights on this critical transformation.

In this insightful discussion, Roger and Kevin, explore the evolving role of the modern accounting professional. They delve into the commoditization of traditional services, the rise of CFO and advisory offerings, and the essential skills required to thrive in this new era. Knecht, a seasoned industry veteran with over 25 years of experience, provides a unique perspective on the changing dynamics within the accounting profession.

The conversation highlights the importance of formalizing and pricing advisory services effectively, as opposed to offering them as an add-on to compliance-focused work. This shift in mindset and service delivery is crucial in ensuring that accounting professionals can meet the growing demands of their clients and remain competitive in the market. Knecht also emphasizes the need for accounting professionals to develop strong interpersonal skills, a non-judgmental approach, and the ability to ask the right questions to guide clients towards their own solutions, fostering trust and delivering meaningful value.

Key topics covered: 

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are mission-critical investments for large organizations, yet studies show that over 50% of ERP implementations fail to deliver the expected benefits. This staggering failure rate represents a significant waste of resources and a missed opportunity for companies to streamline operations and gain a competitive edge. In this episode of the Grow CFO Show, Krishna Dunthoori discusses the key factors behind ERP implementation challenges and how digital adoption platforms can be the solution.

Krishna Dunthoori is Founder and CEO of Apty. After growing up in India, Krishna completed his undergraduate in computer applications, and finished his master’s in computer science in Germany. He then traveled to New York, Silicon Valley, and eventually Dallas, where he finally decided to build roots. Prior to founding Apty, Krishna worked as a principal architect and consulted for Fortune 500 companies implementing software tech stacks.

Apty is a software value realization platform (also often referred to as a digital adoption platform, or DAP) that companies purchase along with major enterprise software packages to ensure better user adoption and ROI from their investments.

Most digital transformations fail. As a global entrepreneur and former software implementation consultant for Fortune 500 companies, Krishna knows that a digital initiative doesn’t end after a platform goes live, and there are a lot of pitfalls on the way to rapid and successful adoption, which he discussed in his article titled: “Securing the ROI Horizon – How DAPs Translate ERP Investments Into Gains.”

Krishna explains that the primary reasons for ERP failures often stem from human psychology and resistance to change. Employees accustomed to familiar processes can be reluctant to adapt to the complexity of new systems, leading to low user adoption and engagement. Traditional training methods, while well-intentioned, are typically one-time events that fail to provide the ongoing support and personalized guidance users require to effectively leverage the ERP’s capabilities.

Key topics covered: 

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Cultivating a strong personal brand is essential for finance leaders seeking to maximize their impact and fulfilment in the workplace. In this insightful discussion, GrowCFO Mentor Susana Serrano-Davey shares her expertise on how finance professionals can unlock greater confidence and career satisfaction by embracing their authentic selves.

Susana emphasizes that personal branding is not about creating a facade, but rather about uncovering and communicating one’s unique strengths, motivations, and qualities. The key highlights of this session include strategies for self-discovery, effective personal brand communication, and aligning professional choices with one’s true passions and superpowers.

Key topics covered: 

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Designing a happier, more fulfilling career is a critical concern for finance professionals navigating the challenges of linear career paths and feeling stuck in mid-level roles. In this episode, Lucia Knight, a Midlife Career Design Consultant and Co-Creator of The Fierce Emporium, shares her expertise on how finance leaders can intentionally craft careers that align with their unique strengths and interests, leading to greater job satisfaction and long-term career success.

Many finance professionals, despite their impressive qualifications and experience, find themselves dissatisfied with their work, with studies showing that less than 50% of their time is spent on tasks they truly enjoy. This episode explores strategies to help these individuals break free from the constraints of traditional career trajectories and design roles that energize and inspire them.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Amplifying personal and social impact is a crucial aspect of effective leadership in today’s business landscape. In this episode of The GrowCFO Show, host Kevin Appleby delves into this topic with two esteemed guests: Catherine Marks, Finance Team Training Director, GrowCFO, and Alice Clementi, Co-Founder of Charterpath.

The discussion centers around the importance of skills-based volunteering and the mutual benefits it can bring to both finance professionals and the nonprofit sector. Catherine Marks, who is also pursuing a master’s degree in philanthropy, shares her insights on the multidimensional nature of impact and the role of intentional leadership. Alice Clementi, drawing from her own experience of volunteering and co-founding Charterpath, highlights the challenges faced by charities in finding skilled volunteers and the transformative impact that finance professionals can have.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

In this episode of the Grow CFO Show, host Kevin Appleby welcomes Nicolas Payen, the former CEO of Positive Energy Ltd, a climate FinTech company focused on renewable energy project financing. Payen brings a wealth of experience from his 15-year career in the energy industry, including his time at Schneider Electric, where he led an innovative IoT startup within the organization.

Payen delves into the ongoing energy transition, highlighting the significant scale and pace of the shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources across regions such as the US, Europe, China, and India. He emphasizes the crucial role of government policies and incentives in driving this transformation, citing examples like the Inflation Reduction Act in the US and the EU’s renewable energy directives. Payen also explores the financial and investment implications of the energy transition, underscoring the importance of the CFO’s role in enabling and managing the strategic decisions required to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.

Furthermore, Payen discusses the impact of the energy transition on talent recruitment and retention, particularly among younger generations who prioritize working for companies with strong sustainability practices. He shares compelling statistics demonstrating the preference of Generation Z for organizations with a green footprint, underscoring the need for effective communication and alignment between a company’s financial and sustainability goals.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

In this episode of the GrowCFO Show, host Kevin Appleby engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Arjan Udding, Director Impact Institute, and Werner Schouten, Director Impact Economy Foundation. The conversation centres around the evolving role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the realm of sustainability.

The guests make a compelling case for the CFO to transition into a Chief Value Officer (CVO) role, emphasizing the need to balance the traditional focus on financial value with equal consideration for social, human, and natural value creation. They delve into the importance of impact accounting, a methodology that quantifies non-financial value and integrates it with financial metrics. Arjan and Werner share examples of European institutions, such as Rabobank and Triodos, that have successfully adopted impact accounting to inform their decision-making and long-term investment strategies.

Throughout the discussion, the speakers highlight the need for a harmonized, accessible language for impact reporting. This, they argue, is crucial for driving sustainable business practices and investment decisions across organizations of all sizes, as it enables a comprehensive understanding of the interconnected environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors that shape a company’s long-term viability and societal impact.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

In this episode of the Grow CFO Show, host Kevin Appleby sits down with Jordan Licht, the CFO of Burford Capital, to discuss the fascinating world of legal fundraising and litigation finance.

Jordan Licht’s career journey to becoming the CFO at Burford Capital is an interesting one. He transitioned from a 15-year background in investment banking and consulting to eventually taking on the CFO role, reconnecting with a former boss who had also joined Burford. This highlights the importance of maintaining professional networks and how serendipitous career paths can be.

The core focus of the discussion centers around Burford Capital and the unique world of litigation finance. Jordan provides an overview of how Burford invests in commercial litigation cases, sharing in the risk and reward. He explains Burford’s thorough underwriting process, the challenges of estimating case durations, and the benefits their capital and expertise can provide to clients. The conversation also touches on Burford’s global presence, their approach to building a non-law firm culture, and the complexities of funding and managing the company’s own capital requirements.

Beyond just traditional finance responsibilities, Jordan emphasizes the value of having diverse experience across sales, strategy, and operations. This broader understanding of the business, rather than just the finance function, has been crucial in his current role as CFO. Jordan discusses how this experience has helped him appreciate the symbiotic relationship between business operations and finance, and the dependencies that exist between the two.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

In this episode, we have the privilege of diving deep into the remarkable career journey of Sharon Barber-Lui, the US Chief Financial Officer of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Sharon’s path from her roots in public accounting to leading a diverse team of 200 finance professionals at a global pharmaceutical company is nothing short of inspiring. As someone who has successfully navigated the complexities of the finance world, Sharon has amassed a wealth of knowledge on building high-performing teams. She emphasizes the foundational role of trust and a shared sense of purpose, as well as the relentless pursuit of continuous improvement, as cornerstones of effective leadership.

Sharon’s insights don’t stop there; she passionately advocates for finance leaders to transcend traditional roles and become strategic business partners. In her view, this involves harnessing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to not only streamline processes but to add tangible value to the business. She also champions the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, urging leaders to broaden their candidate pools and engage in active outreach to cultivate a rich tapestry of perspectives and ideas.

Throughout this episode, Sharon shares her perspectives on the evolving role of the CFO as a strategic force within a company. She underscores the importance of delivering results while fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. Join us as we explore how these principles can be applied to drive success in an ever-changing business landscape. Whether you’re an aspiring finance professional or a seasoned leader, Sharon’s experiences and insights offer invaluable lessons in leadership and growth.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

In this landmark 200th episode of The GrowCFO Show, hosts Kevin Appleby and Dan Wells celebrate a remarkable journey that began in August 2020. Over the years, the podcast has grown into a key resource for finance professionals worldwide. This special episode not only reflects on the show’s development but also reveals the launch of GrowCFO Premium and its innovative approach to experiential learning.

Dan Wells, Founder and CEO GrowCFO, introduces The World’s Leading Experiential Learning for Finance (ExLF) Programs, now available in an affordable, all-in-one subscription package! For just £195 a month, you can access 30+ LIVE training programs, including the highly sought-after FBP, FT, and FP&A boot camp workshops. Whether you’re an individual looking to advance your career or a corporate team aiming to enhance skills, this flexible program is designed to meet your needs.

For more information:

The subscription package bundles a variety of experiential learning programs, including boot camps and simulators, all led by top finance experts. With live, practical exercises and customization based on role, grade, and objectives, this package is perfect for finance professionals looking to gain new skills in a dynamic, hands-on environment. The program also meets CPD/CPE requirements, allowing professionals to integrate learning into their development plans seamlessly.

Offering global availability and multiple time zones, ExLF ensures that professionals from around the world can benefit from this transformational learning experience.

Key topics covered include:

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net