Jim Caci, CFO of AvePoint, a global leader in robust data management and data governance, joins CJ for this episode. He talks about the harrowing experience of transforming a company from perpetual licenses to SaaS, how the key metrics he tracked changed throughout this process (and what his top three key metrics are), what he needed to convey to members of the company about the basics of SaaS, and how paying sales reps changed with this shift. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between bookings, ARR, revenue, and sales. Jim unpacks why he believes that AI is a worthy investment for CFOs to champion, describing tactical examples of how he incorporates AI into his work, and explaining how he goes about avoiding buyer's remorse considering the fast-evolving nature of this technology.

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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.

Leapfin is accounting automation software that automatically prepares and posts reliable journal entries. High-growth businesses like Reddit, Canva, and Seat Geek choose Leapfin to eliminate manual tasks, accelerate month-end close, and enable accounting leaders to provide faster insights to help their companies grow. To automatically standardize your revenue data with measurable business impact, check out leapfin.com today.

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 37,000 thousand 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 ✅ NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:05) Sponsor - Planful | Leapfin

(04:23) Transitioning From Perpetual Licenses to SaaS

(10:34) The Shift in Metrics With the Change to SaaS

(14:35) AvePoint’s SaaS Learning Curve

(17:08) Sponsor - Mercury | Netsuite | Maxio

(20:30) How Paying Sales Reps Changed With the Shift to SaaS

(24:31) Why AI is a Worthy Investment for CFOs to Champion

(26:28) Avoiding Buyer's Remorse With AI Tooling

(29:00) Tactical Examples of Incorporating AI

(30:24) Building a Diversified Career as a CFO

(33:31) Sales as a Skill in Jim’s Career

(36:09) Wisdom From Jerry Seinfeld & Roger Federer

(39:41) Long-ass Lightning Round: Hiring Advice

(44:07) Finance Software Stack

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com