In this episode of the EY Better Finance Podcast, Myles Corson is joined by Christopher Volk, business leader and author of the book, The Value Equation, a guide to wealth creation for entrepreneurs, leaders and investors.

Christopher's distinguished business career has included taking three companies public, two of which he founded. Leading those companies, he evolved the ideas that inform the reader that wealth creation for shareholders was a more important measurement of business success than typical earnings metrics. His approach provides a roadmap to how successful companies can create wealth through strong business models.

With this approach, there are six key variables that combine to deliver equity return. The key for the CFO is to dissect the business model, understand where the variables are, and track them over time. The objective is to make the business and the equity worth more than it costs to create. The key stakeholders are customers and shareholders. If a business can deliver value for them, other stakeholders, such as employees, suppliers and communities will all benefit from the wealth created.

In a high-performing business, corporate culture is vital and strong communication should be at the heart of it. Employees should be empowered to put forward ideas and solutions, and not be held back by fear of disrupting positivity.

Finally, Christopher gives us a glimpse into a quote that inspires him and looks forward to a constructive future for finance as it exploits the potential of artificial intelligence (AI).

The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not reflect the official policy or position of EY or any other organization.

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