Today we give the straight talk on the state of the economy that operators running tech companies need to hear. We cover:

* Ripple Effects: Even if your company doesn’t ship atoms, your customers probably do. Expect slower procurement, deferred renewals, and CFOs eyeing legacy tools.

* Investor Vibes: Market uncertainty = deal drag. Think longer diligence cycles, cautious boards, and DCF models sweating in real time.

* ERP Economics: When Nike gets budget clotheslined, your cloud spend might too. The trickle-down is real.

* Hiring Freeze Incoming: Some MBA grads might be ghosted before day one. And no, Nike won’t double hire next year to make up for it.

* Winners in the Wreckage: Recommerce, maintenance software, parts platforms, and demand planning tools could quietly shine.

* Finance Playbook: Monthly budget reviews, cautious hiring, flexible vendor contracts, and employee comms that treat folks like grownups.

* Operational Clarity: Turbulent markets are a great time to re-educate teams on “how we make money here.” Finance literacy = strategic clarity.

* Sponsor Shoutout: Gelt for Mostly Metrics—proactive tax strategy for high-growth CFOs who want more than just compliance. go.joingelt.com/mostlymetrics

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