Run the Numbers

Eliran Glazer is the CFO of Monday.com. He joined the company just four months before its IPO. As a big believer in the art of storytelling, in this episode, Eliran explains how to be a great storyteller while weaving it into the story of Monday.com’s IPO. The conversation also delves into the unique aspects of the Israeli tech scene, the impact of military service on entrepreneurship, and the importance of resilience and adaptability in leadership. Eliran highlights the evolution of Monday.com's narrative, the strategic use of benchmarks, the importance of authenticity, tips for talking about your competition, and the pillars of a good story to help CFO’s supercharge their skillsets.

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SPONSORS:

Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn’t just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.

Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(01:53) Sponsor – Tropic | Vanta

(04:22) The Story Behind Monday.com’s Name

(09:25) What Makes Israel’s Tech Scene So Unique

(14:30) How Being an Expat in the USA Shaped Eliran as a CFO

(16:56) Sponsor – RightRev | Brex | Planful

(20:36) Managing the IPO Four Months After Joining Monday.com

(25:02) Differentiating Your Company Through Storytelling

(27:14) The Importance of Authenticity

(31:03) Avoiding “Robot Mode” When You Repeat Your Company’s Story

(32:43) The Pillars of a Good Story

(35:42) How the Story Changed Throughout the Process

(38:25) Being Bold in Your Storytelling

(40:39) Using Benchmarks to Support Your Valuation

(44:38) Tips for Talking About Competition

(46:34) How Monday.com’s Story Is Evolving Post-IPO

(51:04) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Mistake Eliran Made

(52:27) Advice to Younger Self

(53:39) Finance Software Stack

(55:03) Craziest Expense Story

CJ delves deep into the world of analytics in this interview with Jesper Sorensen, the CFO of Mambu, a leading fintech and banking platform in Europe valued at over $5 billion. Jesper, who has authored three books on analytics, introduces the Analytics Escalator—a framework for unlocking real value through descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. In the discussion, Jesper covers everything from getting started with analytics and deciding where it should sit within an organization to identifying key opportunities, building a solid BI tech stack, and understanding the role of analytics tools and data lakes. He outlines the journey to creating a high-impact analytics function within a company, emphasizing the critical interplay between people, processes, and systems in fostering a thriving analytics culture—and shares practical advice on how to achieve it.

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SPONSORS:

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:01) Sponsor – RightRev | Brex

(04:53) Jesper’s Pre-CFO Career

(06:50) The Huge Success of Mambu

(10:40) Understanding What Analytics Is

(13:56) Sponsor – Planful | Vanta

(16:02) Where Analytics Should Sit in the Org

(20:12) Model for Serving a Team’s BI Needs Internally

(22:03) Creating Value with the Analytics Escalator

(29:51) Prescriptive Analytics and How to Achieve Them

(31:08) The Steps on the Analytics Escalator

(33:36) Establishing People, Processes, and Systems

(34:54) Self-Service Versus Customer Service BI

(37:57) The Components of a Good BI Tech Stack

(38:50) Data Visualization Tools Versus Analytics Tools

(41:59) The Value of a Data Lake

(44:26) Build-Versus-Buy for Analytics Tools

(46:50) The Need for a Proof-of-Concept for Analytics Tools

(48:10) Managing the Trade-Off Between Performance and Cost

(50:19) Wrap

In this episode, CJ interviews Jeff Cassidy, CFO of Prodigy Education about navigating a diverse career across multiple industries and building strong teams based on ambition and skills rather than credentials. Having worked in financial services, biotech, restaurants, travel, edtech, and even crypto, Jeff shares the story of his own varied career, giving advice on finding the “right” career path, achieving personal product market fit, and what he looks for in a new role. He talks about how he goes about building a strong team and the qualities he looks for in applicants, while sharing stories of some of the hiring choices he’s made. The conversation touches on the evolving landscape of higher education, the failures of American four-year colleges, and the need for more practical skills and diverse experiences. Jeff also discusses the challenges of leading a travel company through the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of transparency, customer empathy, and supplier management.

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SPONSORS:

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics. 

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics. 

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(03:28) Sponsor – Brex | Planful

(06:48) Finding Personal Product Market Fit

(12:13) Qualities to Look for in a New Role

(14:01) The Misconception About Finding the “Right” Career Path

(16:04) Sponsor – Vanta | RightRev

(18:32) Linear and Non-Linear Career Moves

(20:16) Hiring Based on Ambition and Skills

(22:38) How American Four-Year Colleges Are Failing

(29:20) Transitioning into Finance

(32:05) The Story of a Surprising Finance Hire

(35:20) Lessons from an Applicant’s Interview Fail

(38:16) Running a Travel Company in the Pandemic

(41:45) Supplier Management in a Crisis

(43:59) Lessons on Communicating Internally

(45:43) Long-Ass Lightning Round: An Early Career Mistake

(48:25) Advice to Younger Self: Pursue Interests

(49:28) Finance Software Stack

(49:59) Craziest Expense Story

Michiel Boere, the CFO of Remote, joins CJ to talk about building multinational companies and the benefits of ditching traditional budgets for better business outcomes. Michiel introduces listeners to Remote's business model and discusses how it levels the global job market by enabling companies to hire talent from anywhere while absorbing complications regarding payroll, taxes, and legal entity status. The conversation also covers the complexities of managing a multinational company and the challenges of scaling finance operations globally. As a risk-on CFO, he breaks down how he looks at unit economics in order to underwrite certain risks necessary for in growth. He also shares insights from his experience at Uber before explaining how budgets can lead to suboptimal decisions, such as unnecessary spending or missing out on valuable investments.

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SPONSORS:

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:32) Sponsor – Planful | Vanta

(04:43) How Remote Levels the Playing Field

(08:02) The Marketplace-Like Element of Remote

(09:52) Increasing Optionality Versus Decreasing Costs

(13:11) How Remote Built a Multinational Company in Five Years

(14:58) Sponsor – RightRev | Brex

(17:48) The Complexity of Building a Multinational Company

(20:53) Scaling Finance Globally with a Distributed Team

(21:51) Remote’s Revenue Lines

(23:06) Managing FX in Multiple Countries

(26:06) Embracing Investment and Risks

(29:37) The Biggest Challenge Michiel Tackled at Uber

(32:50) Lessons Michiel Learned About Complexity from Uber

(37:42) Why Your Budget May Be Counterproductive

(40:56) How to Get Your Board to Change Their Thinking About Budgeting

(44:04) Setting Ambitious Goals for Revenue Generators Without a Budget

(45:06) Changing Your North Star Metric as Your Company Grows

(46:21) Non-Standard Metrics That Michiel Looks At

(47:31) Long-Ass Lightning Round: HR Mistakes

(49:55) Michiel’s Biggest Career Risk

(56:21) Finance Software Stack

(57:40) The Wall Street Journal Test and the Blush Test for Expenses

Reid DeRamus, formerly of Hulu, Crunchyroll, HBO Max, and Substack, joins CJ in this episode to discuss B2C business models and growth strategies. Reid sheds light on some of the profound evolutions he’s experienced in his career at the intersection of tech and media. The discussion dives into the nuances of price increases in B2C subscriptions—how they affect revenue growth, customer acquisition, and retention—and explores strategies for effectively communicating these changes. They examine the pitfalls of discounting, the pros and cons of annual plans, and the art of segmenting consumers who may be willing to pay more. Reid introduces the concept of “elevating the cohort floor” and emphasizes the importance of the initial subscription period for retention and conversion. The episode also tackles the paradox of "too healthy" metrics and why you should consider pairing your KPIs up. The podcast is not over until they touch on balancing advertising and subscription models, and discuss unique monetization lessons from platforms like OnlyFans, among others.

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SPONSORS:

Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

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LINKS:

Growth Croissant - https://www.reidtandy.com

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:00) Sponsor – Vanta | RightRev

(04:40) Reid’s Career Path Through Evolutions in the Media World

(11:40) Price Increases for Revenue Growth

(15:14) Why Price Increases Impact Subscriber Acquisition More than Retention in B2C

(18:00) Sponsor – Brex | Planful

(20:25) Strategies for Price Increases Without Dropping Subscriptions

(24:32) Pricing B2C to Allow for Room to Discount

(25:52) Can Discounting Cheapen Your Brand

(29:26) The Pros and Cons of Pushing People Towards Annual Plans in B2C

(34:50) The Hierarchy of What Monetizes Best in Paid Subscriptions

(39:59) Targeting Consumers Who Are Willing to Pay More

(45:00) The Importance of the Initial Subscription Period for Retention and Conversion

(50:01) Why Your Health Metrics Can Be Too Good

(51:49) Paired Metrics: Growing Two KPIs at the Same Time

(54:08) Balancing Advertising and Subscription

(01:00:49) The B2C Business Application of OnlyFans

(01:04:35) Substack and the Value in Focus

(01:07:07) Interesting Emerging B2C Apps

(01:07:59) B2C Apps Becoming B2B Apps

In this episode, CJ sits down with Ryan Roccon, CFO of Zapier, to explore the power of storytelling in finance, decision-making frameworks, and the company's commitment to extreme transparency. Ryan highlights the significance of storytelling in finance to connect complex data with company strategy. He explains how he adapts a story for a specific audience and how he avoids “robot mode” when repeating it. The discussion delves into Zapier's unique approach to transparency, how this plays out, the benefits of it, the challenges of it, and how it has become an integral part of the company’s culture. Ryan unpacks the unique dynamics of being a remote-first, bootstrapped company with a cash flow break-even or better requirement. The conversation also covers the importance of effective decision-making, where Ryan suggests that most decisions are reversible and breaks down different frameworks for effective decision-making and fostering organizational buy-in.

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SPONSORS:

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.

—

FOLLOW US ON X:

@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:34) Sponsor – RightRev | Brex

(06:31) What Storytelling Is in Finance

(09:01) Adapting Your Story for the Audience

(12:19) Avoiding “Robot Mode” When Repeating a Story

(17:30) Sponsor – Planful | Vanta

(19:37) Frequently Used Analogies

(21:33) The Cohort of Companies Zapier Compares Itself To

(23:33) Storytelling to Potential New Employees

(24:38) Zapier’s Extreme Transparency

(26:08) The Challenges of Extreme Transparency

(29:36) Avoiding Creating Anxiety by Oversharing

(31:11) Zapier’s Cash Flow Break-Even or Better Requirement

(34:18) Other Rules and Ambitions at Zapier

(34:55) Burdening the P&L by Product Line

(37:24) Getting People to Use the DACI Framework

(40:51) The “Fist to Five” Framework

(44:51) Making It Safe to Fail While Expecting Excellent Performance

(48:35) What Ryan Would Most Like to Automate

(49:46) The US Steel and Stanley Cup Story

(52:21) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Mistake Made Early in Ryan’s Career

(53:31) What Ryan Wishes He Had Known Earlier in His Career

(54:27) Finance Software Stack

(55:25) Craziest Expense Story

In this episode, CJ interviews Matt Hudson, CFO of Coda, who shares insights from his unique career path that spans roles as a product manager at Google, YouTube, and Coda before becoming a CFO. He breaks down a number of frameworks he’s used in his career from the Blue and Black Loop framework for understanding the growth of a shareable product like Coda’s, Eigenquestions for getting to the one question at the center of all questions, and the Vacation Rule for determining whether to build or buy software tools. Matt also discusses the evolution of Coda's pricing model and offers perspectives on community-driven growth instead of typical product-led growth. He sheds light on how to better understand and work with product managers, how to minimize SaaS sprawl, and the role of luck and failure in one’s success, before sharing nuggets of wisdom from working with notable investors like Mamoon Hamid and Reid Hoffman.

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SPONSORS:

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:13) Sponsor – Brex | Planful

(04:30) Matt’s Journey from Product Manager to CFO

(08:59) The Blue and Black Loop Framework

(12:42) Modeling for Growth Loops

(16:32) Why Looking at User Cohorts Can Be Misleading

(17:59) Sponsor – RightRev

(21:08) How Coda’s Pricing Model Has Evolved over Time

(27:37) The Downside to PLG

(31:35) Community-Driven Growth Versus Product-Led Growth

(32:29) The Billing Mechanism for PLG

(34:16) The Biggest Misconceptions About Product Managers

(38:09) Build Versus Buy: The Vacation Rule

(42:43) SaaS Sprawl

(45:45) Eigenquestions

(50:15) Nuggets of Wisdom from Investors

(53:32) Reconciling Hard Work and Luck

(57:05) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Clarity over Comprehensiveness

(1:01:09) Something Matt Wishes He Had Known Earlier

(1:03:19) Finance Software Stack

(1:03:36) Craziest Expense Story

Steve Isom, the CFO of Bloomerang, joins CJ to talk about what it really means to be a “strategic” CFO. Steve shares profound insights on the people element of the job and how finance leaders can avoid making the business a math problem. He discusses the CFO’s job in playing offense not just defense, and what that looks like. He sheds light on how as a CFO, you can prove yourself as a valuable contributor and earn an invitation to various conversations instead of being seen as an umpire or “CF-no”. He also explains how to deal with friction when you do have to play that role. The conversation covers transaction readiness as part of the CFO’s job and how this helped Steve when a previous company, Flywheel, was acquired in a process that took just 31 days even though it wasn’t even for sale. He closes with advice on how to build a kick-ass finance team.

If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

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SPONSORS:

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.

Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics. 

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FOLLOW US ON X:

@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:40) Sponsor – Planful | RightRev

(07:48) What It Means to Be a Strategic Finance Leader

(12:44) Having Empathy for Sales and Other Roles

(15:29) Sponsor – Brex

(16:48) Playing Offense Versus Playing Defense

(21:02) Balancing the Metrics with the People Element

(29:05) Earning a Seat at the Table as a CFO

(31:58) Dealing with Friction When You Have to Play Umpire

(38:36) Transaction Readiness as Part of the CFO’s Job

(41:14) Flywheel’s 31-Day Acquisition

(47:47) Building a Kick-Ass Finance Team

In this episode, CJ interviews Ross Grainger, the CFO of Paradox, to discuss work-life integration (instead of balance), why the corporate ladder is less like a ladder and more like a jungle gym, and the hallmarks of a great CFO/FP&A/controller relationship. He starts by sharing his own unconventional career journey and talks about the importance of the hustle, giving examples from his own life of periods when things were weighted towards life or work and how this benefited him. He also describes why the career ladder is more like a jungle gym and gives examples of times when he had to step backwards or sideways to get ahead. He sheds light on the value of investing in work relationships outside of finance, such as product marketing and sales, before discussing the hallmarks of a good CFO/controller/FP&A relationship. With a team in Vietnam, he gives advice on how to expand internationally. The episode includes an explanation of why Ross doesn’t believe in annual planning, what he does instead, and how he justifies this to the board.

If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

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SPONSORS:

Operators Guild is where the best CEOs, CFOs, VPs of finance, and BizOps leaders in the business connect, network, and grow together. Built by operators for operators, this members-only community is home to more than 1000 of the most elite high-growth operators in the world. Experience connection and knowledge share with professionals who understand you like no one else does. Learn more and apply at operators-guild.com.

Maxio is the only billing and financial operations platform that was purpose built for B2B SaaS. They're helping SaaS finance teams automate billing and revenue recognition, manage collections and payments, and put together investor grade reporting packages. 🚀 Request a demo at www.maxio.com/runthenumbers for 10% off your first year.

RemoFirst is a full-service Employer of Record solution that handles all your global employment needs. RemoFirst can help you navigate the maze of regulations and logistical challenges to onboard employees and contractors from anywhere in the world and streamline payroll, taxes, and compliances. Get two months free on EOR fees for your first hire in any country by visiting RemoFirst.com/metrics.

Mercury is the fintech ambitious companies use for banking and all their financial workflows. With a powerful bank account at the center of their operations, companies can make better financial decisions and ensure that every dollar spent aligns with company priorities. That's why over 100K startups choose Mercury to confidently run all their financial operations with the precision, control, and focus they need to operate at their best. Learn more at mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.

NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:08) Sponsor – Operators Guild | Maxio

(06:00) Work-Life Integration Versus Work-Life Balance

(09:15) The Importance of the Hustle

(10:53) Periods of Ross’s Life That Were Weighted Towards Life or Work

(12:54) Why It’s Not a Career Ladder but a Jungle Gym

(16:38) Sponsor – RemoFirst | Mercury | NetSuite

(20:27) Examples of Downward Career Moves That Got Ross Ahead

(25:17) The Value of Work Relationships Outside of Finance

(29:30) The Hallmarks of a Good CFO/Controller/FP&A Relationship

(32:38) Paradox’s Team in Vietnam and How to Expand Internationally

(37:11) Ross’s Views on R&D Spend and Advice on Payback Periods

(39:27) Why Ross Doesn’t Believe in Annual Planning

(42:18) Justifying This Flexibility to the Board

(43:51) Communicating Bad News

(45:20) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Career Regrets

(46:41) Advice to Younger Self on the Hustle

(47:12) Finance Software Stack

(47:46) Craziest Expense Story

In this episode, CJ has an exceptionally candid conversation with Will Cureton, the CFO of Nitrogen Wealth. Will sheds light on what Nitrogen Wealth does and how it incorporates a tolerance functionality built on the prospect theory into its software platform to better serve wealth management firms. After taking on some private equity backing in 2021, Nitrogen Wealth made a big price increase mistake. Will talks about how the company went about revisiting its growth assumptions. He explains how they assessed the company’s TAM, exited unsustainable business lines, and unbundled some of their products in order to maintain or regain their customers. Will then does a deep dive on mitigating churn, covering which metrics Nitrogen tracks to predict churn, how they formulate a churn score, and other steps they take to support customer retention.

If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

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RemoFirst is a full-service Employer of Record solution that handles all your global employment needs. RemoFirst can help you navigate the maze of regulations and logistical challenges to onboard employees and contractors from anywhere in the world and streamline payroll, taxes, and compliances. Get two months free on EOR fees for your first hire in any country by visiting RemoFirst.com/metrics.

Mercury is the fintech ambitious companies use for banking and all their financial workflows. With a powerful bank account at the center of their operations, companies can make better financial decisions and ensure that every dollar spent aligns with company priorities. That's why over 100K startups choose Mercury to confidently run all their financial operations with the precision, control, and focus they need to operate at their best. Learn more at mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.

NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.

Operators Guild is where the best CEOs, CFOs, VPs of finance, and BizOps leaders in the business connect, network, and grow together. Built by operators for operators, this members-only community is home to more than 1000 of the most elite high-growth operators in the world. Experience connection and knowledge share with professionals who understand you like no one else does. Learn more and apply at operators-guild.com.

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FOLLOW US ON X:

@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(01:32) Sponsor – Maxio | RemoFirst

(04:03) An Intro to Nitrogen Wealth and Prospect Theory

(07:34) Nitrogen’s Private Equity Backing and Price Increase Mistake

(11:27) Revisiting Growth Assumptions: Assessing TAM

(14:30) Time to Land the Customer Versus the Number of Customers

(16:34) Sponsor – Mercury | NetSuite | Operators Guild

(19:58) Building Test Plans for TAM Expansion

(22:28) Exiting Unsustainable Business Lines

(25:36) Bundling or Unbundling Products

(27:43) Nitrogen’s Price-of-Value Mismatch and Drivers to Mitigate Churn

(28:30) Formulating a Churn Score

(31:47) Why Nitrogen’s RevOps Team Reports to the CFO, Not Sales

(33:31) Learnings on Mitigating Churn

(34:40) Metrics to Track to Predict Churn

(35:40) The Severity of Nitrogen’s Price Increase

(36:58) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Business Trip to Manitoba

(39:25) A Brown-Nosing Mistake Will Made

(40:52) Advice to Younger Self

(41:51) Finance Software Stack

(43:01) Craziest Expense Story