When is the right time to hire your first CFO? And what actually separates a great one from an expensive mistake?

In this re-released standout episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, we revisit our conversation with Dav Masaon, Co-Founder of executive search firm Zanda, to unpack one of the most high-stakes decisions founders make: hiring a CFO who can truly scale with the business.

This isn’t a checklist of qualifications. It’s a practical look at what happens when companies bring in finance leadership too early, too late - or with the wrong expectations.

Dav brings a front-row view from placing CFOs across high-growth startups globally, sharing how the role is evolving fast in response to tighter capital, rising expectations, and the growing influence of AI and automation.

A clear tension runs through the conversation: startups don’t just need financial oversight anymore. They need operators who can balance discipline with ambition - driving growth while building the foundations for long-term performance.

We also dig into what founders consistently get wrong. From over-indexing on “big company” experience to underestimating the importance of stage-fit, Dav explains why the best CFO hires aren’t always the most obvious on paper.

If you’re a CFO or finance leader looking to understand what truly sets the best apart — from how they operate to the traits and experiences that define them — this episode will help you benchmark and sharpen your own approach.

In this episode:

• When and why companies should hire their first CFO
• The biggest finance hiring mistakes founders make
• What differentiates a great startup CFO from a corporate, and why that matters for CFO hiring
• How the CFO role is evolving with AI and automation
• Why financial discipline matters more than ever
• How to evaluate candidates for stage-fit and real impact.

Subscribe for more conversations with growth-minded finance leaders shaping the future of the CFO role.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at https://upflow.io/

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at [email protected]

What can nonprofit finance teach CFOs about decision-making

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Darien Wright, CFO and COO of the National Geographic Society.

After a 30-year career spanning public accounting, consulting, telecommunications, hospitality, and private equity - including roles at PwC, Accenture, Sprint, Marriott, and Brookfield - Darien made an unexpected move into the nonprofit sector.

What he found there reshaped how he thinks about finance leadership.

In this conversation, Darien explains how nonprofit operating models force finance leaders to make decisions with less certainty, longer revenue cycles, and greater ambiguity. With contributions replacing traditional revenue streams and impact replacing traditional ROI, the role demands discipline, judgment, and a deep understanding of mission.

Darien also shares how combining the CFO and COO roles requires enterprise-level thinking, operational alignment, and constant prioritization of liquidity, impact, and mission.

Chapters:

• 01:11 Meet Darien Wright
• 01:54 National Geographic Mission
• 03:20 Career Before Nonprofit
• 04:26 Why Choose Nonprofit
• 05:53 Donor Revenue Reality
• 06:56 Mission First Finance
• 07:53 Impact And Liquidity
• 10:00 Forecasting Fundraising
• 12:08 Transferable CFO Skills
• 13:53 Empathy As Leadership
• 15:24 CFO And COO Role
• 17:55 Balancing CFO and COO
• 18:53 Mission First Investments
• 20:04 Nonprofit Efficiency Metrics
• 22:34 Board Governance Cadence
• 23:23 Sponsor Break
• 25:08 Building the New Museum
• 28:07 Life Beyond the Mission
• 29:45 Advice for Aspiring CFOs

In this episode, Darien covers:

1. Why nonprofit finance requires strong liquidity discipline
2. How slower revenue cycles change forecasting and planning
3. The challenge of making decisions with imperfect information
4. How mission-driven organizations evaluate investment impact
5. The advantages of combining CFO and COO responsibilities
6. Why empathy and enterprise thinking are essential leadership skills.

As Darien explains: “You have to make decisions along the way with imperfect information.”

This is a thoughtful conversation about finance leadership in environments where certainty is limited, impact matters deeply, and judgment becomes the CFO’s most valuable skill.

📺 Watch this episode on YouTube:

If you're a CFO, finance leader, or aspiring executive, this episode offers valuable insight into how leadership, capital discipline, and mission-driven thinking intersect.

Mentioned in this episode: our episode with Erik Nakamura, where he discusses the importance of EQ for any great CFO https://youtu.be/lYktfwG2w44?si=3oiEC_qqeYSxA244

Subscribe for more conversations with growth-minded finance leaders shaping the future of the CFO role.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at upflow.io.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at [email protected]

Want to recommend a guest? Apply via our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

What does it really take to scale finance through the stages that break most teams?

In this re-released standout episode, we revisit our conversation with Charly Kevers, CFO of Carta - who helped guide the company from Series B to Series G over seven years of hypergrowth, complexity, and rising investor expectations.

This isn’t a theoretical discussion about what CFOs should do. It’s a practical look at what actually happens when growth accelerates, pressure mounts, and the role of finance fundamentally changes.

Charly makes a compelling case that modern CFOs no longer get to choose between growth and profitability. Today, you’re expected to drive aggressive expansion while proving a credible path to sustainable profits — at the same time. That tension is where the real leadership begins.

We also explore one of the most forward-thinking aspects of Carta’s finance function: it’s not just accountants and FP&A. Charly built a cross-functional organisation that includes engineers and works deeply alongside sales, marketing, and product. His philosophy? Use constraints to sharpen creativity — not to slow teams down.

If you’re building a finance team for scale, navigating the shift from high-growth to durable growth, or redefining what the CFO role looks like today, this episode is worth a (re)listen.

In this episode:

• How the CFO role evolves from Series B to Series G

• Why growth and profitability must coexist

• Scaling finance teams through complexity

• Embedding finance across the organisation

• Using constraints to drive better decisions

Subscribe for more conversations with growth-minded finance leaders shaping the future of the CFO role.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠upflow.io⁠.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Want to recommend a guest or apply to be on the show yourself? Apply via our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

What should a CFO prioritize when stepping into a business already under pressure?

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Niels Boon, CFO of Cint, a Stockholm-Nasdaq listed tech company and the world’s largest survey exchange.

Niels joined Cint as the sixth CFO in four years, at a time of leadership change, debt pressure, public market scrutiny, and an unfinished post-merger integration. What followed was not just a financial turnaround - it was a story about rebuilding trust, stabilizing operations, and leading teams through sustained pressure.

In this conversation, Niels shares how the CFO role changes when a business is fragile, why radical candour builds credibility, and how fixing unglamorous structural issues can unlock real performance.Chapters:

• 01:08 Meet Niels Boon: A Journey to CFO
• 02:07 Niels' Career Path and Early Interests
• 04:14 First Steps in the Tech World
• 05:19 Becoming a CFO: The Learning Curve
• 11:46 Navigating Global Expansion and Compliance
• 15:58 Joining Cint: A Time of Change and Pressure
• 21:14 Refinancing Challenges and Financial Restructuring
• 22:04 Cultural Clashes and Team Motivation
• 23:13 Legal Entity Rationalization and ERP System Integration
• 25:05 The Importance of Communication and Credibility
• 27:17 The Shift to Profitable, Sustainable Growth
• 29:05 Onboarding Best Practices for CFOs
• 35:20 Positive Outcomes and Lessons Learned

In this episode, Niels covers:

• How to build trust with investors, lenders, and boards when the numbers aren’t yet on your side
• Why the CFO often becomes the stabilizing force during leadership change
• How to prioritize in complex post-merger environments
• The importance of listening before acting when stepping into a new role
• Leading finance teams through pressure without burning them out
• Why modern CFOs don’t always come from traditional finance backgrounds

As Niels puts it: “What is important is what you see on the surface, and then you need to find out why that problem is so persistent.”This is a practical, honest look at CFO leadership when the stakes are high and the margin for error is thin.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ONNt63tbED0?si=6AMhdCirK-4gbeSR

If you’re a CFO, finance leader, or aspiring executive navigating change, turnaround situations, or high-pressure environments - this episode is for you.

Subscribe for more conversations with growth-minded finance leaders shaping the future of the CFO role.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠upflow.io⁠.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Want to recommend a guest or apply to be on the show yourself? Apply via our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

In creative businesses, the art drives the upside — but the numbers determine whether the art can exist at all.

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl sit down with Diya Sagar, CFO of AWA Studios, a young media company that publishes original graphic novels and brings them to life in film and television.

Diya leads finance in this truly hit-driven business. There’s no recurring revenue, outcomes are unpredictable, and every project is a bet. She shares how she brings financial certainty to an inherently uncertain environment - without slowing creativity.

Chapters:

• 01:55 Diya's Career Journey and Role at AWA Studios
• 03:40 Transitioning from Large Corporations to a Small Creative Company
• 05:02 Managing Multiple Roles in a Small Organization
• 07:41 Navigating the Unpredictable Nature of Creative Businesses
• 08:53 Evaluating and Investing in Creative Projects
• 15:30 Competing with Industry Giants
• 17:10 Balancing Creativity and Financial Stability
• 18:34 Providing Certainty in Creative Businesses
• 20:26 Building Trust with Creative Teams
• 21:17 Effective Communication with Creatives
• 22:44 Transitioning Her Career gto a Creative Environment
• 27:49 Challenges of Establishing a Finance Function

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What it means to run finance in a creative, hit-driven business
• How CFOs can create certainty in an uncertain environment
• Managing volatility without killing creativity
• Why guardrails matter more than control
• How to think in portfolios when every project is a bet
• What financial excellence looks like in an early-stage studio

This conversation is essential listening for CFOs, finance leaders, and operators working outside traditional recurring-revenue models - or anyone navigating creative, nonlinear businesses.

Prefer to watch? Check out the full video of the interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MfFEkYmPMQY?si=cXsfD_dOLfn3L73X

👉 SUBSCRIBE for more real-talk with modern finance leaders

👉 SHARE this episode with a CFO or operator who’ll find it valuable.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠upflow.io⁠.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Want to recommend a guest or apply yourself? Fill out our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

This week on The Growth-Minded CFO, we’re sharing a special podswap with our friends at the FP&A Unlocked podcast (formerly FP&A Tomorrow).

Host Paul Barnhurst sits down with two finance leaders who’ve shaped how modern FP&A operates: Jim Cook (former CFO of Mozilla, with leadership roles at Netflix and Intuit) and Winnie Aoieong (VP of Business Finance at PowerSchool).

Together, they explore what great FP&A looks like today - and why the function’s real power goes far beyond data analysis.

Jim and Winnie unpack how to build decision-making systems, create trust-based business partnerships, and balance technical depth with clear, actionable communication. They also dive into the growing role of generative AI, and why “progress over perfection” is now the mindset every high-performing finance team needs.

If you’re a CFO, FP&A leader, or operator who wants to elevate how your team influences decisions, this conversation is packed with practical insights.

Check out the full feed of other great episodes on the FP&A Unlocked podcast:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xu3W2R4oCbCm6L8k8XY1x
• Website: https://www.thefpandaguy.com/fpa-unlocked-podcast

What you’ll learn:

• Why world-class FP&A teams build decision-making systems, not just reports

• How trust and communication fuel strategic partnership across the business

• The power of community and crowdsourcing for problem-solving

• Why “perfection is a prison” - and how continuous improvement drives real impact

• Practical AI use cases already improving FP&A efficiency today

A thoughtful and inspiring conversation with two leaders who’ve lived through hyper-growth, transformation, and the evolution of the finance function.

• Follow Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cookflix/
• Follow Winnie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnie-aoieong-6852212/
• Follow Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy/

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠upflow.io⁠.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Want to recommend a guest for a future episode? Apply via our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

Every finance team wants a seat at the table - but too often, their message gets lost once they’re there.

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, we sit down with Anders Liu-Lindberg - Partner at the Business Partnering Institute, co-author of the book 'Communicating Financials to Executives', and one of the most followed finance voices on LinkedIn - to unpack how finance leaders can move from number-crunchers to true strategic partners.

Anders shares practical frameworks and real-world stories to help finance professionals strengthen their influence, communicate with clarity, and earn trust with leadership teams.

Chapters:

• 02:09 Anders' Professional Journey
• 03:28 From Finance to Consulting
• 05:55 Building Influence and Trust
• 16:41 The Trust Equation
• 21:56 Aligning Leadership on Key Challenges
• 22:10 Addressing Challenges with Recommendations
• 23:06 The Importance of Simplicity in Communication
• 26:01 Effective Use of Visuals in Presentations
• 27:49 Transforming Complex Data into Actionable Insights
• 34:50 The Role of Storytelling in Finance
• 38:04 Becoming the Consultant Within Your Company

You’ll learn:

• Why Insight × Influence = Impact (and how to apply it in real finance settings)
• How to shift from “finance in the trunk” to the co-pilot seat of the business
• A proven structure for board and leadership presentations that keeps executives engaged
• The concept of “Know the details, but don’t show them” — and why the appendix is your best friend
• How to use storytelling frameworks like SCQA to make financial insights memorable
• How trust and relationships unlock real influence for CFOs and finance leaders

Listen (and subscribe) on YouTube: https://youtu.be/B5twrAIQN-w?si=BW7EHFCSfTG-8Jd9

Connect with Anders: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersliulindberg/

Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/Links and Resources (mentioned in this episode):

• Book: 'Communicating Financials to Executives' (co-authored by Anders Liu-Lindberg) - https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Communica...
• Book: 'The Trusted Advisor' - https://trustedadvisor.com/books/the-...
• Article: Paul Graham, founder of Y Combinator - 'Good Writing' https://paulgraham.com/goodwriting.html
• Try Upflow FRM (Financial Relationship Management) – get paid faster and build stronger customer relationships: ⁠upflow.io⁠

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠upflow.io⁠.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Want to recommend a guest? Apply via our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

What happens when a CFO stops acting as a financial steward and starts leading as an orchestrator - aligning rhythm, trust, and strategy across the entire business?

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Xavier Castellana, former CFO of Typeform, TravelPerk, and Amenitiz, and now Managing Partner at LeaderNess.

Xavi shares lessons from scaling some of Europe’s fastest-growing SaaS companies - and how today’s CFO must go beyond reporting to become the conductor of alignment, cadence, and culture.

He explains why small misalignments at the top create chaos below, how the best CFOs find the right rhythm for leadership collaboration, and the four numbers every finance leader needs to turn strategy into execution.

Together, Xavi and our hosts unpack what it means to lead finance as a human system - one that connects people, numbers, and purpose.

Chapters:

• 02:10 Xavi's Career Path: From PwC to Startups
• 05:00 Leadership Alignment: Key to Success
• 07:44 The Evolving Role of the CFO
• 09:51 Building Collaboration and Trust
• 14:09 Setting the Right Cadence for Teams
• 16:31 Balancing Strategic and Operational Roles
• 25:19 The Power of Offsites for Strategic Alignment
• 30:56 Managing International Teams and Cultural Differences
• 39:18 Conclusion: Turning Adversity into Opportunity

Key Takeaways:

Links and Resources:

• Try Upflow FRM (Financial Relationship Management) – get paid faster and build stronger customer relationships: upflow.io

👉 SUBSCRIBE for more real-talk with modern finance leaders

👉 SHARE this episode with a CFO or operator who’ll find it valuable.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers.

Find out more at upflow.io.

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at [email protected]

Want to recommend a guest? Apply via our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast

What happens when a finance leader who learned discipline in the consumer goods industry steps into the fast, unpredictable worlds of SaaS and AI?

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Cameron Kinloch, an advisor to boards, CFOs and CEOs through her company True Vantage Partners. Cameron shares lessons from her journey — from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — and what it takes to lead finance across radically different industries.

She explains how each stage of her career built a new “muscle”: the precision of fintech, the discipline of CPG, and the strategic bets of enterprise software. Together, the hosts and Cameron unpack what makes a great operator CFO — one who’s trusted by the CEO, grounded in data, and unafraid to get close to the business.Chapters

• 01:09 Meet Cameron Kinloch
• 03:06 Key Career Moments
• 03:23 Transitioning from Wall Street to Silicon Valley
• 09:35 The CFO Role Across Industries
• 12:31 Balancing Growth and Profitability
• 19:37 The Importance of Process in Startups
• 29:44 Building Relationships with CEOs
• 35:36 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Key Takeaways

• Every CFO role builds a different muscle. Cameron shares how CPG taught discipline, enterprise software honed strategic bets, and fintech demanded precision and trust.
• Operator mindset over reporting mindset. Modern CFOs don’t just deliver numbers — they build systems, visibility, and speed for the business.
• Profitability and growth can coexist. Cameron explains how process and data, done right, actually accelerate execution rather than slow it down.
• Trust is the foundation of CFO–CEO alignment. The best partnerships thrive on cadence, transparency, and shared accountability.
• EQ matters as much as IQ. Today’s CFOs succeed not only through financial mastery but through empathy, communication, and leadership that inspires confidence.

📺 Subscribe for more episodes with founders, CFOs, and finance leaders.LINKS & RESOURCES

• Try Upflow FRM (Financial Relationship Management) – get paid faster and keep customers happy: https://upflow.io
• Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QeNKdBab1I8?si=63Iv3I7eUrcD2bE5

👉 SUBSCRIBE for more real-talk with modern finance leaders.👉 SHARE this episode with a CFO or operator who needs to hear this.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and explore how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠⁠upflow.io

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at [email protected]

Hosts Alex Louisy (CEO, Upflow) and Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO) unpack the sharpest insights from Season 2 of The Growth-Minded CFO - from AI (without the hype) and executional finance to storytelling, EQ, and when to hire fractional vs. full-time. It’s your highlight reel to operate smarter, lead better, and move faster.

What you’ll learn

1. Clean data before clever AI — hygiene first; tools and agents second

2. Storytelling that moves decisions — narratives that align teams and unlock action

3. The rise of the executional CFO — architect systems, not just measure them

4. Stage-fit team building — when to hire full-time vs. bring in fractional expertise

• Jeffrey Fidelman — The Modern CFO: Fundraising, AI, and Starting Smart in 2025: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/modern-cfo-fundraising-ai-2025

• Jon Gross (RepeatMD) — From Banker to Builder: Hands-On CFO Lessons for SaaS: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/banker-to-builder-cfo-lessons-for-saas-jon-gross

• Nicolas Kopp (Rillet) — Rewiring Finance: AI, ERP, and the Rise of the Executional CFO: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/rewiring-finance-ai-erp-rise-of-the-executional-cfo

• Erik Nakamura — From Spreadsheets to Storytelling: Communication & EQ Tips for CFOs: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/spreadsheets-to-storytelling-communication-tips-for-cfos

• Anne Samak de la Cerda (FLG Partners) — Rise of the Fractional CFO – Your Next Career Move? (& When and Why to Hire One): https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/rise-of-the-fractional-cfo

• Dav Masaon (Zanda) — What Makes a Great CFO in 2025? Insights from the Frontlines of CFO Hiring: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/cfo-hiring-dav-masaon

• Nicolas Boucher — AI in Finance: From Buzz to Business Value: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/ai-myths-finance-2025-nicolas-boucher

• Kate Gulliver (Wayfair CFO & CAO) — The CFO Leading Talent, Operations & Corporate Communication Too: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/talent-to-finance-wayfair-kate-gulliver

• Carla Cooper (Contentful CFO) — Wall Street to SaaS CFO: Lessons from IPOs, Acquisitions & Growth: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/ipos-acquisitions-growth-carla-cooper

• Gabi Steele (Preql) — Clean data, clear insights: AI for finance & building the right foundation: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/building-a-structured-foundation-for-ai-with-gabi-steele

• Ilana Esterrich (Planned Parenthood CFO) — The CFO as Leader: Mastering Management: https://upflow.io/growthmindedcfo/cfo-as-leader-mastering-management-ilana-esterrich

Try Upflow FRM (Financial Relationship Management) – get paid faster and keep customers happy: https://upflow.io

• Like this episode if it helped you level-up your finance game.
• Follow/Subscribe for more real-talk with modern finance leaders.
• Share it with a CFO or operator who needs to hear this.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time founder, Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO, Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders who share playbooks for building high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow — a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth.

Questions or guest ideas? Email our producer: [email protected]