The CFO Show

The Accounting Talent Crunch | Mark Maurer, WSJ Nov 12, 2024

A severe talent shortage is threatening the foundation of the finance function: accounting.
The accounting profession is facing a critical talent shortage, threatening the foundation of financial operations across accounting firms and businesses of all sizes. Mark Maurer, reporter for The Wall Street Journal’s CFO Journal team, joins host Melissa Howatson to explore this pressing issue. Drawing from his extensive coverage of the shrinking talent pipeline, Maurer discusses the factors driving the increased demand for accountants and the dwindling supply of qualified professionals.
As competition for accounting talent intensifies, this episode offers valuable insights for CFOs, finance leaders, and business executives. Join us for a timely discussion on the urgent talent gap and its far-reaching impact on the future of finance teams and beyond.
Discussed in This Episode:

The consequences of the current talent shortage, both on daily business operations, and long-term opportunities.
What’s behind the sharp decline in CPA candidates and a dwindling interest in the accounting profession, and what plans are in place to regrow the pipeline.
How finance leaders can retain talent by making accounting team members feel more engaged and valued.
Ways to prevent burnout on short-staffed accounting teams, especially given the seasonality of the business function.
The role AI will play in the future of accounting and solving the talent shortage.

Charting the Story: Navigating Change with Financial Data Storytelling Nov 05, 2024

Financial data alone can’t drive a company’s success; it’s the CFO’s ability to turn that data into a compelling narrative that moves the needle. Whether engaging investors, rallying the board, or inspiring internal teams, the power lies in transforming raw data into stories that align with the company’s vision and steer it through both challenges and opportunities.
In this episode, Stephen Bates, Chief Financial Officer of Canford Healthcare Ltd. shares his more than 20 years of experience in finance roles across a wide range of industries in the UK. Stephen discusses the crucial role CFOs play in transforming financial data into engaging stories that drive business outcomes, especially during uncertain times.
Learn how effective narratives and storytelling can propel companies toward their strategic goals.
Discussed in This Episode:

The importance of transparency and clarity in financial storytelling
Weaving your strategic vision into the financial stories you tell
Selecting the right metrics and KPIs that align with your story, and communicating them through data visualization.
Techniques for connecting financial data with emotional appeals to inspire and motivate stakeholders.
The key components of an effective change narrative: setting the stage, identifying the drivers of change, outlining the journey, and envisioning the future.

Unlocking Excellence: Insights from Finance Leaders Oct 29, 2024

Filmed at Vena’s Excelerate Finance 2024 Summit, this episode features insights from FP&A and accounting leaders about the demands and rewards of their work. Join us as we dive into the importance of cross-functional collaboration, the art of balancing strategic vision with daily tasks, and the leadership skills that make a difference. Discover how teamwork and a purpose-driven mindset are shaping the future of finance.
Featured Guests in Order of Appearance:

[00:00], [01:03] Blake Dunaway, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Corcentric
[00:46] Eugene Fedorinov, MBA, CFA,Sr. Manager, Finance Database & Budget Analysis, Arizona Cardinals
[02:43] Pat Jones, SVP, Corporate Controller, PetIQ
[04:15] Sultan Akif, Unicorn Account Executive, Microsoft
[06:02] Harjot Ghai, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Delbridge Solutions, Inc.
[06:48] Christine Harms, Vice President and Controller, The Tuscon Roadrunners
[07:26] Brian Krause, Chief Financial Officer, Community First Solutions
[07:34] Jesse Funes, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, New Horizons
[11:07] Dan Crumb, Chief Financial Officer, Kansas City Chiefs
[13:04] Carrie Self, Senior Director of Business Intelligence, Tacala Companies

Discussed in This Episode:

What finance leaders enjoy most about their jobs, from working with so many other teams to being at the center of every major business decision.
How finance leaders feel they could be even more impactful with the help of their team and colleagues,
What finance leaders wish other colleagues understood about their jobs, and what it takes to be successful.
How FP&A roles have changed over time, and why it’s so important to have a bridge between strategic and tactical work,

The C-Suite Sweet Spot: CFO and CEO as Indispensable Partners | Hunter Madeley Oct 22, 2024

The CEO-CFO partnership is arguably the cornerstone of an organization’s success, shaping not only its financial health but its strategic trajectory. This relationship is a delicate balance of mutual respect, candid dialogue, and aligned vision. A thriving CEO-CFO dynamic goes beyond simple collaboration; it involves a continuous cycle of challenging each other’s perspectives, reinforcing financial discipline, and driving innovative strategies.
Our host and CFO of Vena, Melissa Howatson, shares such a dynamic relationship with Vena CEO Hunter Madeley. Together, they explore the unique perspectives of their respective roles and how aligning them is key to ensuring that the business is healthy today and positioned for sustainable growth.
Learn how the CEO and CFO partnership can be a strategic catalyst for success and discover how this strategic alliance is more than just a business necessity—it’s the key to unlocking the full potential of an organization, ensuring its resilience today and its growth well into the future.
Discussed In This Episode:

What’s top of mind for today’s CEOs and how finance leaders can support them through uncertain economic times
The evolving role of CFOs, and whether they should be perceived as order-takers or strategic sparring partners in shaping the future of the business
How CFOs can use their unique vantage points to help other functional leaders be more future-centric
The horizons of investments, and how CFOs can help CEOs commit to short and long-term goals

Building a Strong GDPR Compliance and Data Privacy Framework Oct 15, 2024

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in effect since 2018, reshaping how businesses handle personal data across the globe. While many view GDPR as solely a legal or IT challenge, its impact ripples far beyond those departments—it touches every aspect of an organization.
For CFOs, GDPR isn’t just about compliance; it’s about safeguarding the financial health of the company, managing operational risks, and ensuring long-term sustainability. CFOs must be at the forefront of creating a GDPR-compliant organization, not only to avoid costly penalties but to protect the organization's reputation.

Greet Gemels is the Chief Financial and Operating Officer at Advantage Group International, where she oversees the Finance, Human Resources, and Operations functions of a global market research company. In this episode, Greet and host Melissa Howatson discuss the critical implications of GDPR for CFOs and analyze the financial and operational risks involved.
Discover how CFOs can effectively navigate current and evolving GDPR requirements to mitigate data security risks, ensure regulatory compliance, and safeguard their organization's financial and operational integrity.
Discussed in This Episode

How GDPR data privacy laws have transformed data handling practices and regulatory compliance across organizations.
The tangible and intangible costs of achieving GDPR compliance, along with the serious repercussions of non-compliance.
The risks and implications of working with third-party vendors for tasks such as human resources and payroll.
The critical need for strategic resource allocation, cross-functional collaboration, and robust metrics to assess the financial impact of GDPR compliance efforts.

How Finance Leaders Are Preparing for What’s Ahead Oct 08, 2024

Filmed at Vena’s Excelerate Finance 2024 Summit, we had the opportunity to engage with a range of FP&A leaders, discussing the current state of business operations and their financial priorities as they strategize for 2025 and beyond.
Learn what’s top of mind for CFOs, finance leaders and Microsoft, and how they plan to support business growth in the year ahead.
Featured Guests in Order of Appearance:

[00:00], [01:53] Dan Crumb, Chief Financial Officer, Kansas City Chiefs
[00:48], [11:40] Harjot Ghai, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Delbridge Solutions, Inc.
[03:05] Jesse Funes, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, New Horizons
[03:53], [09:05] Eugene Fedorinov, MBA, CFA, Sr. Manager, Finance Database & Budget Analysis, Arizona Cardinals
[04:13] Pat Jones, SVP, Corporate Controller, PetIQ
[04:51] Sultan Akif, Unicorn Account Executive, Microsoft
[06:34] Carrie Self, Senior Director of Business Intelligence, Tacala Companies
[07:26] Brian Krause, Chief Financial Officer, Community First Solutions

Discussed In This Episode:

The state of business operations at various organizations, including recent process improvements and investments, as well as ongoing challenges
How CFOs plan to adapt their financial strategies in the second half of the year to navigate potential economic shifts or market volatility
Strategies CFOs and other finance leaders are implementing to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of financial reporting processes and prepare their organizations for growth
Where CFOs feel they need to make continued investments in the year ahead, including AI and other technologies

CFO’s Balancing Act: Productivity and Efficiency Oct 01, 2024

Today's CFOs must excel at both driving organizational productivity while ensuring operational efficiency.
Brian Krause is CFO at Community First Solutions, and has over 20 years of experience building and leading financial teams, a VP of Finance, Controller, and three-time CFO. Brian joins host Melissa Howatson to delve into the distinction between productivity and efficiency, exploring how CFOs can strike the perfect balance between to drive optimal results.
Learn how to maximize productivity on your finance team without sacrificing efficiency, and vice versa.
Discussed In This Episode:

Distinguishing productivity from efficiency, and the critical importance of ensuring all team members grasp this fundamental difference
The potential pitfalls of emphasizing either productivity or efficiency
How to leverage technology and streamline processes to build lean, agile finance teams
Actionable insights to help CFOs become ultra-efficient leaders in today's dynamic business environment
Strategies for finance leaders to cultivate an organizational culture that prioritizes both productivity and efficiency

Strategies for Impactful Financial Data Storytelling Sep 24, 2024

The ability to transform raw complex financial data into a compelling narrative has become a critical skill. Mastering the art of finance data storytelling enables finance professionals to distill complex information into strategic insights, driving pivotal boardroom decisions and shaping business strategy.
Akash Kapoor is the CFO at ColdBlock Technologies and has been advising finance leaders on operations and strategy for the last 25 years. Host Melissa Howatson welcomes Akash to explore the transformative power of financial storytelling. Together, they delve into how mastering this critical skill can revolutionize organizational decision-making and propel finance professionals to new heights in their careers. As new technologies give us access to swaths of data, it’s more important than ever to have a finance department that can interpret data and turn numbers into clear business narratives.
Learn how financial professionals can break down data silos and guide strategic decisions through compelling, data-driven narratives.
Discussed in This Episode:

Discover techniques to transform complex financial data into engaging stories that inform and inspire action.
The importance of tailoring presentations to various stakeholders, including C-suites, employees, and investors, depending on their financial acumen and objectives.
Learn how to leverage storytelling techniques, narrative structures, and data visualization tools to bring your financial data to life and make your insights impossible to ignore.
Understand why emerging technologies are elevating the role of finance professionals within organizations.

Investing in Customer Success: The CFO-CCO Business Partnership | April Oman Sep 17, 2024

In today's customer-centric business landscape, a leadership team that truly understands its customers is crucial. Everyone on the C-Suite should be learning from one another, and challenging one another to be more customer-focused.
April Oman, the Chief Customer Officer at Resilinc, brings a unique perspective to the leadership team. While her primary role is championing customer success, she's gained invaluable insights about her customers from unexpected sources—including the company's CFO. April is an accomplished customer success executive with 20 years of experience. She is known for driving results and revenue and transforming organizations to be customer-centric in a wide variety of industries and company sizes
In this installment of our "Better Business Partnering" series, April joins host Melissa Howatson to explore the powerful synergy between Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Chief Customer Officers (CCOs). They delve into April's collaborative experiences with CFOs, examining how this partnership drives innovation across the organization, improves operational efficiency through cross-functional teamwork, and fosters sustainable growth.
Discover how breaking down silos between finance and customer success can lead to transformative outcomes and customer satisfaction.
Discussed In This Episode:

Strategies to nurture a strong partnership between the finance and customer teams
How to align financial strategies with customer-centric initiatives
The number one trait April values in a CFO, and how a CFO can help a CCO be more effective
The value a CCO offers to CFOs and the broader C-suite
Points of friction between CFOs and CCOs, and how to overcome them

Agile Finance: Strategies for Streamlined Annual Budgeting and Planning Sep 10, 2024

Agile isn't just a buzzword—it's the key to unlocking your finance team's full potential in a changing market.
While annual budgeting and planning can be daunting, adopting Agile methodologies can transform this process into a dynamic, collaborative effort that propels your business forward, replacing rigid forecasts with flexible, data-driven strategies that adapt to market shifts in real-time.
Dominic DiBernardo is a Partner at Citrin Cooperman, where he helps middle-market businesses optimize their finance and business operations. In this episode, Dominic shares how to incorporate agile strategies into a finance team’s annual budgeting and planning cycle. These methodologies, he argues, will make finance teams more efficient and collaborative, so that they can withstand changes in market conditions and foster growth.
Discover how finance leaders are revolutionizing their teams by cultivating nimble cultures and leveraging agile methodologies to enhance precision in strategic planning and dynamic budgeting processes.
Discussed in This Episode:

Practical tips for finance leaders who are looking to pivot more quickly in response to emerging trends, shifting market conditions and changing business needs
How to leverage real-time data, cultivate a budget-conscious culture emphasizing accountability and shared objectives, along with adopting budgeting practices that adeptly adjust to market shifts
How finance leaders can foster an agile culture, as well as a collaborative and negotiation-focused approach to agile planning and budgeting
The importance of having the right technology in place to accommodate change and speed up processes, as well as the role AI will play in advancing FP&A

AI-Powered Finance: Developing Your Implementation Roadmap Aug 27, 2024

The Office of Finance is on the cusp of a transformative evolution, driven primarily by advancements in AI.
While finance professionals often find themselves bogged down with manual tasks, leaving little room for strategic thinking and data analysis, AI provides critical data and time efficiencies enabling the Office of Finance to focus on business strategy.
Rishi Grover, Co-Founder and Chief Solutions Architect at Vena Solutions, has spent most of his career helping companies re-engineer and optimize their financial processes. In this episode, Rishi talks to host Melissa Howatson about how financial leaders can implement AI to reduce repetitive, manual work across their teams and increase focus on strategy.
Learn how CFOs and finance leaders can take a pragmatic approach to AI adoption to improve finance functions, transform decision-making, and drive operational efficiency within their organizations.
Discussed In This Episode:

AI’s potential to streamline and automate time-consuming processes, provide data-driven insights and handle complex tasks
Tips for Incorporating AI into the Finance Function
How to address security concerns, find internal champions, and securely leverage AI technology
Advanced use cases of generative AI and the broader implications of this technology for the Office of Finance
How to measure the ROI of AI adoption in finance operations

Mastering Finance Through Continuous Learning | Bryan Lapidus Aug 20, 2024

Continuous learning is not just a nice thing to have; it’s a critical necessity in Finance. As regulations, finance tools, and technologies evolve, finance professionals must stay up to date to move at the pace of business.
Bryan Lapidus helps financial professionals match that change. Bryan is Director of the FP&A Practice at the Association for Financial Professionals, where he leverages his 20 years of experience in finance, risk, and operations to create and lead educational programs for AFP members.
In this episode, Bryan talks to host Melissa Howatson about the many ways finance professionals can engage in ongoing learning on the job, and through outside programs and networking opportunities.
Learn how CFOs and finance leaders can instill a culture of continuous learning, and how finance professionals can embrace a growth mindset to advance in their careers.
Discussed In This Episode:

Strategies for financial leaders to promote a growth mindset and continuous learning
The effectiveness of micro-learning and its application at critical moments
Analyzing the return on investment (ROI) of continuous education and strategies to counteract the inclination to cut educational expenses
The benefits of cross-functional learning in all stages of a finance professional’s career
Indicators that finance professionals should consider when selecting an employer that supports continuous learning

Data Skills for the Modern Office of Finance | Thomas Ho Aug 13, 2024

Finance teams that want to be more data-driven need both technology that can consolidate mountains of data, and skilled professionals who can interpret what it all means.
Thomas Ho serves as the Vice President at ProLytics Consulting Group, guiding clients through the digital transformation in finance. In a discussion with Melissa Howatson,
Thomas discusses how data gathering methods are revolutionizing finance roles, necessitating new skills that finance professionals need to master to keep pace with rapid change.
Learn what hard skills are essential to the modern Office of Finance and how finance leaders can upskill their teams to improve the accuracy and efficiency of financial forecasting and modeling.
Discussed In This Episode:

The transformative impact of technology on the Finance Department and the evolving requirements of finance occupations
The critical importance of data literacy, data visualization, and data analytics for modern finance professionals
The importance of learning SQL and other programming languages to perform needed data analysis and financial modeling
How micro-learning and cross-team training can allow finance professionals to acquire new skills on the job and level up in their roles
The tools and tech stack finance teams need to support data collection and data interpretation

Navigating the AI-Driven Future of Business with Microsoft | Ahmed Adel Aug 06, 2024

AI is poised to revolutionize the way we work. Businesses across the globe are investing resources into the development needed to make AI an everyday reality. Leading the charge, Microsoft is pioneering the incorporation of AI into business and daily workflows.
In this episode, host Melissa Howatson sits down with Ahmed Adel, the Director of Data, Apps & AI Cloud Solution Architecture at Microsoft to discuss Microsoft’s continuous investments in AI, along with the implications these innovations could have for finance professionals and the potential impact of AI on the future of work.
Learn how Microsoft sees the ultimate future state of business operations for finance teams and beyond.
Discussed in This Episode:

Microsoft's ongoing investments in AI, the evolving interaction between people and technology, and the potential impact of AI on the future of work
How AI will elevate finance leadership by freeing up time for more strategic work, and improving the speed and accuracy of financial reporting
How Microsoft prioritizes investments and works with partners to ensure that their innovations have the greatest impact
Why organizations should be careful to implement AI in the right places, and how they can prepare their workforces for changes that AI will inevitably bring
How Microsoft ensures its AI products are used ethically and responsibly

Soft Skills for the Modern Office of Finance | Meg Bear Jul 30, 2024

New technologies are changing finance roles, freeing up time for more analysis, strategy, and storytelling. As these roles evolve, so too do the soft skills financial professionals need to do their jobs well.
Meg Bear is a Controller at Turner Enterprises, and has more than 20 years of experience leading finance teams and redesigning business processes. In this episode, Meg talks to host Melissa Howatson about how CFOs and finance leaders can adapt their leadership styles and hiring standards to better fit the modern FP&A team.
Learn how finance leaders should prioritize soft skills as they build the future office of finance.
Discussed In This Episode:

Cultivating a work setting where empowerment and meaningful tasks are the foundation
Strategies for ensuring your team feels valued as you implement new systems and processes
Exploring the reasons behind the formation of siloes and how finance leaders can work to dismantle them for improved interdepartmental collaboration and integrated business strategy.
The significance of possessing essential soft skills and maintaining transparency throughout the hiring process
How leaders can be a talent magnet, building and retaining teams that work well together

Breaking Point: Fighting Burnout in Finance | Ruchi Kasliwal Jul 23, 2024

Employee burnout is on the rise, fueled by shrinking budgets and mounting pressure for employees to achieve more with less. But how can CFOs and finance leaders gauge the breaking point for their teams?

Ruchi Kasliwal has been building and guiding finance and accounting teams for over 15 years. With a deep passion for optimizing human and system resources, Ruchi joins Melissa to share vital strategies to protect their employees from burnout. By proactively identifying signs of burnout and offering effective support, leaders can prevent the loss of valuable team members. And by acknowledging the stressors inherent in finance roles, leaders can proactively implement strategies to protect teams from burnout while ensuring their well-being and productivity. Join us as we discover the key techniques for tackling high-pressure finance environments and empowering teams to thrive.
Discussed In This Episode:

Understanding good stress vs. bad stress
Implementing a buddy system to improve team communication around workload
Burnout warning signs that can help finance leaders identify when employees are struggling with prioritization or too much work
Planning for time off so that employees can truly unplug and unwind when they’re out of the office
Working with your team to prioritize the most important tasks and automate tedious or unnecessary tasks

The Hidden Power of CFO-CRO Collaboration | Puneet Arora Jul 16, 2024

If a CRO is expected to know the balance sheet, shouldn’t the CFO should know the sales playbook? After all, a strong partnership between these two roles is instrumental to a company’s financial health, and they need to be able to support one another.
In this installment of our better business partnering series, Puneet Arora, President at Yellow.ai, talks to Melissa Howatson about how CFOs can form strong partnerships with their CROs. Puneet was previously a CRO himself, and has over 25 years of experience working alongside CFOs while leading sales teams at high-growth SaaS organizations. In that time, he’s had a variety of strong CFO-CRO relationships and tells us about the ones that were the most effective.
Learn how to nurture a strong partnership between the Office of Finance and revenue operations by fostering not just rapport, but strategic alignment.
Discussed In This Episode:

The unique responsibilities of the CFO and CRO, and how a strong partnership leads to better business outcomes
The increasing importance of the revenue operations team in modern organizations and the layer of support they bring to the business
Some of the top challenges CROs are facing in today’s business landscape, and how CFOs can support them through these challenges
Common points of friction between the finance and revenue operations teams, and how they can work better together to uncover growth opportunities and get deals done
Traits CROs appreciate in a CFO, and tactics CFOs can use to facilitate a productive relationship with the revenue operations team

Navigating the Digital Financial Transformation Journey | Stacy Brown Jul 09, 2024

FP&A professionals spend so much of their time gathering data, and only a small portion analyzing it. Integrating digital transformation in finance has the potential to shift this dynamic by automating data collection and allowing more time for in-depth analysis and interpretation.
Stacy Brown is VP at Marcum Technology and has more than 15 years of experience advising on ERP and CPM implementations. Stacy specializes in financial planning and analysis (FP&A), financial reporting, workforce planning, and financial forecasting, leveraging her extensive accounting and finance background to help organizations create efficiencies within their finance organizations.
In this episode, Stacy talks to host Melissa Howatson about the lessons she’s learned through these implementations and her advice for organizations beginning their digital transformation journeys.
Learn how finance can benefit from investing in digitization, and the role CFOs need to play in leading digital transformation within their organizations.
Discussed In This Episode:

Identifying opportunities for digitization, and how an outside consultant can help spot inefficiencies
The five steps of a digital transformation journey in finance, including the implementation of a modern ERP
How to build a lean, flexible, and cost-effective tech stack
Common pitfalls that slow down software implementations
How to select the right vendor for your current and future needs

Staying Sharp as a CFO: Insider Tips from Melissa Howatson Jul 02, 2024

CFOs are experts in growing a business, navigating volatile economic environments, and acting as leaders inside and outside the organization. But as they focus on these big-picture problems, they naturally become removed from many day-to-day operations. It can be a challenge to stay sharp on basic skills and informed on new trends and technologies.

Thomas Krolak, Director of FP&A at Vena, has a front-row seat to how our CFO and show host, Melissa Howatson, handles this challenge. In this episode, Thomas and Melissa flip the script, with Thomas interviewing Melissa about how to stay sharp as a CFO. Melissa discusses some best practices for continued learning, as well as some humbling moments in her leadership career.
Learn how CFOs keep their tactical skills sharp as they move a little farther away from the day-to-day action.
Discussed In This Episode:

How to stay up-to-date on trends as a busy CFO
The value of sharing information with your peers, mentors, and wider network
How to get the most ROI out of conferences and other outside learning opportunities
The importance of brushing up on the basics from time-to-time
Learning from your rising stars

Key Attributes of an A-Player Growth CFO | Vinny Prajka Jun 25, 2024

What makes an exceptional, growth-driving CFO?

Vinny Prajka might know better than anyone. Vinny has worked with dozens of CFOs in his role at JMI Equity, where he helps portfolio companies accelerate growth and navigate operational challenges. Vinny also sits on multiple boards, and formerly held two CFO positions himself, at both SonaCare Medical and BlackBaud Inc.
In this episode, Vinny talks to host Melissa Howatson about the best CFOs he’s worked with, and the qualities these A-players all have in common.
Discover how, as a CFO, you can help drive growth in your organization, demonstrate exceptional leadership, effectively communicate with investors and become the driving force behind business performance.
Discussed In This Episode:

The delicate balance between growing an organization and managing costs, amidst economic uncertainty
The importance of the CFO’s relationships, particularly with the CEO and the Board of Directors
Creating and communicating alignment between the CEO and CFO
Why CFOs need to think with a zero-based budgeting mindset to assess and reassess the value of every position in their business
The value of a long-range plan (LRP), and how often a CFO should update theirs

Hidden Threats: The Role of the CFO in Privacy and Security | Joe Oleksak Jun 18, 2024

CFOs wield significant influence in safeguarding a company’s financial data, but entrusting cybersecurity solely to their CIOs may jeopardize privacy and open the door to data breaches.
As Partner at Plante Moran, Joe Oleksak advises businesses on cybersecurity, IT audit, and technology compliance. He has more than twenty years of information systems security and information technology audit experience in financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, and insurance companies. In this episode, Joe and host Melissa Howatson discuss the role CFOs play in protecting financial data against cyber threats, and how they can partner with CIOs and CEOs to build a holistic cybersecurity operation that prioritizes culture and processes as much as technology.
Learn how important the CFO is to modern cybersecurity risk management, and the steps CFOs should take to protect their organizations against privacy and security threats.
Discussed In This Episode:

The evolving cyber threat landscape, and how hacker attacks are gaining strength
Why people and processes are just as important to cybersecurity as technology
How CFOs, CEOs, and CIOs should work together to create a holistic approach to cybersecurity
Proactive strategies for CFOs to safeguard their organizations and mitigate risk
The difference between privacy and security, and why understanding this difference is so important to protect financial data

The Future of Finance Leadership Jun 11, 2024

Market volatility in the last few years has shifted the business landscape. We’ve gone from a “growth at all costs” mindset, to one that is hyper-focused on efficiency.
This shift has had a huge impact on the Office of Finance. In this episode, recorded as a keynote onstage at Excelerate Finance 2024, host Melissa Howatson and Vena’s Director of FP&A, Thomas Krolak, discuss the ways the CFO’s role has evolved, as well as changes that are yet to come.
Learn what the future of finance holds, and what strategic finance leaders can do to unlock the potential in their people and data as they contend with unprecedented challenges.
Discussed In This Episode:

Disruptive forces that are changing the way businesses operate
How the scope of the finance team is growing as businesses re-prioritize efficiency and productivity
New ways FP&A leaders can use their skillsets to uncover business opportunities
Anticipated investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how new technologies will strengthen FP&A insights

The Evolution of Outsourced Finance and Accounting | Dani Sandler Jun 04, 2024

A job description that is 40% controller, 20% bookkeeper and 20% Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) is going to be near impossible to fill. But for many businesses, this is exactly the sort of hybrid role they need.
Outsourced accounting, through fractional models, has emerged as an option for businesses seeking flexibility, cost-efficiency, and specialized expertise in their financial operations.

Dani Sandler works with those businesses at ScaleNorth, an outsourced accounting partner and NetSuite Solutions provider. In this episode, Dani shares how fractional finance services allow businesses to access a diverse pool of accounting professionals with varying skill sets, without having to increase their headcount.
Learn how businesses leverage outsourced accounting and fractional models to reduce costs and improve processes and accuracy in accounting.
Discussed In This Episode:

The benefits of fractional models in finance, from cost-effectiveness to scalability
How outsourced accounting drives operational efficiency and enhances decision-making processes
What types of businesses see the most value in an outsourced accounting model
How to select the right outsourced accounting provider for your business and how to get the most value out of the partnership
Implementing an ERP system such as NetSuite, and how businesses can optimize the platform for their unique needs

Better Together: Aligning FP&A and Accounting | David Cornfield and Tom Seegmiller May 28, 2024

Accountants work with certainties, recording and reporting on past financial transactions to ensure accuracy and compliance. FP&A professional, however, are concerned with what-ifs, looking toward the future in the forms of forecasting and strategic planning. It’s no wonder these two sides of the finance team can sometimes feel their goals are incongruent.

David Cornfield of World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF) and Tom Seegmiller of Texada Software each started their careers on one side of the finance team, and now oversee both functions. They understand what can cause friction between these two roles, and the dangers of working in silos. In this episode, David and Tom sit down with host Melissa Howatson to discuss the processes needed to build stronger collaboration across the finance team, improving data accuracy for accounting, forecasting accuracy for FP&A, and ultimately driving insights and value for the team as a whole.
Learn how both FP&A and accounting professionals approach their work, and how to build a cohesive and healthy finance team by aligning their KPIs.
Discussed in this Episode:

The benefits of a symbiotic relationship between FP&A and accounting, and how it can enhance overall efficiency and decision-making processes
The appreciation Tom and David have gained for accounting and FP&A respectively as they’ve expanded their responsibilities over time, and what they wish they had known earlier in their finance careers
How FP&A, with its focus on forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning, can provide accountants with forward-looking insights, enabling them to anticipate financial trends and allocate resources effectively
How accountants, with their meticulous attention to detail and adherence to regulatory standards, play a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial data used by FP&A
Examples of processes Tom and David have used to align their FP&A and accounting teams and ensure the standardization of data

AI Revolution: Unlocking FP&A Potential | Howard Dresner May 21, 2024

The transformative potential of AI for finance teams is extraordinary. CFOs need to educate themselves on how, where and when to adopt new technologies, and what they can be doing ahead of adoption to prepare their organizations.
Howard Dresner is a technologist, researcher, and one of the foremost thought leaders in business intelligence. In this episode, Howard discusses the research his firm, Dresner Advisory Services, has conducted on AI adoption, as well as his predictions for how next-generation AI technologies will be used in Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). Howard also explains how AI works, and why the insights it generates are so much more sophisticated than what we can produce in a spreadsheet.
Learn how innovation in AI is likely to impact FP&A, and how these developments will elevate the Office of Finance. Even if you don’t plan to be a first-mover, Howard’s insights can help your business get ready for the integration of these new technologies, long before you actually invest in them.
Discussed in This Episode:

How AI will empower finance professionals to navigate complex data landscapes with unprecedented precision and agility
Potential use cases for AI in FP&A, including forecasting and churn and risk assessment
The difference between AI and generative AI, as well as the strengths and limitations of each
When businesses should invest in AI, and how they should prepare for adoption ahead of those investments through education and policy-making
The history of business intelligence and Howard’s view on how it has evolved over the last few decades

Empowering Small Business Leaders: Tips From a Fractional CFO | Kendra James Anderson May 07, 2024

Small businesses rarely have the budget to hire a full finance team, but they still need the same diverse range of support across payroll, accounting and financial planning as a large corporation. Some companies decide to outsource these functions to a dedicated finance and accounting partner as a more cost-effective and efficient way to handle their finance function needs and expedite growth.

Kendra James-Anderson, founder of The Finance Femme, helps female entrepreneurs grow their businesses through virtual financial and accounting advisory. In this episode, Kendra gives us an inside look at a day in the life of a fractional CFO, shedding light on the value outsourced financial services can bring to small businesses. Kendra discusses when entrepreneurs should hire an outside finance partner, as well as how that partner should work with small businesses to stabilize or accelerate growth.
Learn how a fractional CFO or an outsourced accounting team can help small business owners with everything from basic accounting obligations to long-term business strategies.
Discussed in This Episode:

A close-up look at the office of the fractional CFO, from how they function to how they support clients
The increasing small business need for a trusted financial advisor
When entrepreneurs should seek outside finance assistance and guidance
Entrepreneur’s shifting mindset toward business financial health post-COVID and now during economic uncertainty
How a fractional CFO can support day-to-day operations and bring a growing businesses to the next level

New CFO Checklist: The First 90 Days | Tom Seegmiller Apr 30, 2024

A CFO is expected not only to lead financial reporting and the Office of Finance but also to provide strategic insights and strategy that propel the business forward. As a new CFO, you might feel eager to start doing the latter as soon as possible.
But you don’t need to build your long-term strategy in the first few months on the job. When starting a new role as a CFO, your first 90 days should focus on learning about the organization and its members, building relationships across the business, and setting a long-term vision. Only then can you start making big changes and building a roadmap for the future.

Tom Seegmiller, CFO of Texada Software provides his five-bullet checklist for new CFOs.
Tom reflects on what it’s like to navigate the first 90 days - both professionally and personally - and offers practical tips for anyone taking on a new CFO role.
Learn how spending time in the trenches can help you better understand the business and secure some quick wins. Once you have a full understanding of the work your colleagues are doing and how each department operates, you’ll be in a much better position to create long-term strategic value for the organization.
Discussed in This Episode:

The value of building relationships and goodwill with stakeholders and partners across the business
How to make yourself an invaluable partner to your CEO and other members of the C-Suite
Assuming best intent, keeping an open mind, and demonstrating an eagerness to help your colleagues
Aligning your vision to organizational and business goals
Why mentorship matters throughout your career, even as CFO

Power Plays: Finance Insights from Florida Panther’s NHL CFO James Suh Apr 23, 2024

If you like sports, you might say James Suh has one of the coolest jobs in the world. After 11 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, James became CFO of the NHL’s Florida Panthers. What a first year he had, as the Panthers went from barely making the playoffs to the Stanley Cup finals!
In this episode, James gives us an inside look at what goes into finance operations for a sports team, and what it was like to lead those operations for an underdog in a breakout year. His experiences offer valuable lessons in strategic planning, underscoring the importance of knowing your market, and prioritizing long-term growth and profitability over quick sales streams.
Discussed in this episode:

Understanding the finances of a hockey franchise
The many streams of revenue in an NHL franchise, and how those differ from team to team
Scenario modeling in an industry and market that are both highly unpredictable
The impact fan behavior has on budgeting and revenue forecasting
How winning impacts work culture, revenues, and operations

Ready, Set, IPO: Preparing for Your Public Offering | Donna Dellomo Apr 16, 2024

Amid uncertain market conditions, many companies are adopting a cautious "wait and see" stance regarding their initial public offering (IPO) plans. However, instead of delaying, proactive planning for an eventual IPO launch is essential. By preparing in advance, companies can capitalize on market opportunities, mitigate risks, and position themselves strategically for a successful public offering when market conditions stabilize.

Donna Dellomo, Former EVP and CFO and Current Senior Strategic Advisor for Lovesac, has has helped three companies go public throughout her long career leading finance teams. In this episode, Donna discusses how she built data-driven finance operations and prepared her teams to operate as public companies – long before they actually were. Donna’s experiences highlight the importance of investing in technology and establishing the right controls to ensure a healthy public offering, as well as how adaptability can help keep your valuation high.
Learn what meticulous planning and organization it takes for IPO readiness. While you can’t control when market conditions will shift in your favor, you can ensure you and your finance team are ready when they do.
Discussed in This Episode:

Key factors to consider when timing your IPO
Why building the right team of advisors (bankers, lawyers, auditors, investor relations, etc.) is key to fundraising and storytelling
The role of agile planning and scenario forecasting in your IPO-readiness strategy.
How Donna and her team navigated unprecedented macroeconomic shifts, such as COVID, supply chain disruption, and tariffs
Leveling up as a CFO by learning to communicate with the Street and spearhead investor relations
Cultural differences that arise once you go from private to public, and how to stay true to your company values

Strategies for Scaling Finance Operations | Andy Young Apr 09, 2024

As your business grows, you may feel a lot of pressure to meet increasing operational demands. However, investing in new resources brings the company additional risk, especially in times of economic uncertainty. How do you strike the right balance between prioritization, creating operational efficiencies and hiring?

Andy Young, CFO at Horwich Farrelly, has led finance teams through multiple acquisitions and periods of high growth. In this episode, Andy and host Melissa Howatson discuss how to scale up finance operations amongst global economic shifts. Their conversation focuses on re-evaluating the traditional financial framework and implementing innovative strategies as technologies advance and business structures become more complex.
Learn how to approach seasons of high growth and lead your team through major business changes.
Discussed in This Episode:

The challenges of scaling up and practical solutions to address them
How to lead and inspire a finance team through business and economic changes
What to do when there’s a misalignment between resources and growth plans
Automating processes to trim down operations while you scale up
The importance of a dedicated team during acquisitions

Staying Compliant While Keeping Finance Operations Lean | Sruthi Lanka Apr 02, 2024

Startups in highly regulated industries have to strike a tough balance — keeping operations both lean and compliant.
Sruthi Lanka, CFO at Public.com, leans on her engineering background, as well as out-of-the-box thinking from her team, to meet both criteria. Sruthi explains why she made process efficiency a top priority for her team, and how a combination of high and low-tech solutions have created efficiencies and mitigated risk.
Learn what it takes to fortify your organization against unforeseen risk management challenges with this in-depth look at Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and internal controls.
Discussed in this Episode:

The impact of automation on internal controls and how to make time for automation when you’re resource-constrained
The importance of accurate and unified data across the business
Ensuring regulatory and data compliance when leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)
How smarter checks and balances and risk management can improve the quality of your business

ROI Roadmap: Business Partnering Strategies for Finance and Marketing | Ruth Zive Mar 26, 2024

Achieving optimal growth calls for collaboration between marketing and finance.

Ruth Zive, CMO at LivePerson, joins Melissa to dive into data-driven decisions and the critical need for business partnering between the CMO and CFO. She shares insights on driving scalable growth, pipeline coverage and brand awareness in B2B SaaS marketing, as well as nuanced marketing metrics and the impact of AI investments on customer experience.
Discussed in This Episode:

Marketing strategy and data-driven decision making
Improving finance-marketing business partnerships for better outcomes
Metrics, ROI, and efficiency in enterprise B2B SaaS

Quantifying Impact: Navigating Business Performance Metrics | Craig Schiff Mar 19, 2024

When it comes to metrics, less is more.
Our host, Melissa Howatson, is joined by Craig Schiff, Founder and CEO of BPM Partners. A pioneer in Business Performance Management, Craig helped create and define the field as it evolved from generic business intelligence and analytic applications into BPM.
In this episode, we unpack the crucial components — dashboards, scorecards, KPIs, and metrics — that drive business performance management and strategic business success. We discuss the mismatch between technological progress and the slow evolution of organizational processes and culture in performance management. This conversation is filled with practical advice on navigating the complexities of business performance metrics and creating synergy between strategy and execution.
Discussed in This Episode:

The challenges of today’s performance management and business metrics.
How the Office of Finance can take the lead when it comes to performance culture within the business.
Differences between dashboards, scorecards, KPIs, and metrics.
Common pitfalls companies face, from static approaches to KPI development to internal political resistance that hinders strategic execution.
How to align business strategies with performance measures and foster a productive and enjoyable work culture.

Essential Business Partnering Skills for Finance Professionals Feb 27, 2024

Finance business partnering is crucial for aligning financial strategies with overall business objectives, but what are the essential skills that finance professionals need to make truly successful business partners?
In this episode, our hosts discuss moving beyond finance and technical expertise to develop key skills such as empathy, communication, negotiation, leading with influence and developing business acumen. These skills are crucial for fostering effective collaboration, understanding diverse perspectives and driving meaningful outcomes in today’s dynamic business landscape.
Key Learnings in This Episode:

How to balance technical expertise with empathy and influence to shape business strategies and drive change.
Have a genuine interest and understanding the other parts of the business and what they’re doing and be willing to get out of your lane of Finance to form solid partnerships
Encourage a culture where failure is a learning tool that fosters team growth and innovation.
Embrace lull periods within business for skill development, to ensure the team is prepared to lead and adapt to new challenges.

Apply The Lost Art of ROI to Your Finance and Business Strategy Feb 20, 2024

How can you showcase value and ROI effectively when talking about your business- with customers and with stakeholders across the business?
In this episode, our host Melissa Howatson sits down with Ian Campbell, CEO of Nucleus Research, to explore the intricacies of finance collaboration in driving business success. Ian, a Wall Street Journal best-selling author celebrated for his expertise in “the value sale,” offers invaluable insights on integrating sales knowledge and ROI best practices throughout businesses. His approach prioritizes payback and customer satisfaction, providing a comprehensive framework for evaluating decisions and driving success across all facets of an organization.
Join us as Melissa and Ian discuss:

Leading sales conversations with value propositions and ROI calculations
Empowering sales teams with finance insights to articulate the benefits of products or services effectively
The significance of collaboration between finance and sales in driving revenue growth and aligning sales strategies with financial objectives
Implementing finance collaboration principles across Marketing and Product development to optimize investments and maximize returns

From Data to Decisions: Tracy Edkins on HR-Finance Partnering Feb 13, 2024

A strong partnership between finance and HR is crucial to the health of any organization, and yet, studies show that fewer than half of HR leaders believe their rapport with finance is productive.
What hampers this relationship? And what can the CFO do to improve the quality of their rapport with HR? Tracy Edkins, CHRO, Board Member and Advisor, joins Melissa Howaston to detail what strategic alignment between HR and Finance can achieve for growth and sustainability.
Join us as they discuss:

The significance of open communication and collaboration between HR and finance departments for successful change management and strategic alignment
Strategies for data-driven decision-making, transparent communication, and securing resources to drive HR initiatives that align with business objectives.
The role of effective leadership, empathy, and skills development in navigating organizational challenges

Raising Capital in Tough Markets With Peter Arrowsmith of JMI Equity Feb 06, 2024

Securing funding and raising capital in today’s market can be difficult, but it's not impossible.
In this episode, our host Melissa Howatson speaks with Peter Arrowsmith, Managing General Partner at JMI Equity, about businesses seeking capital in the current economic climate. Peter shares insights on what is most important when valuations are experiencing a downturn from previous years and companies are prioritizing prudent cash management. From the impact of market fluctuations to the importance of relationship-building and operational rigor, this episode is a must for any CFO and finance leader seeking to secure funds during challenging market conditions.
Discussed in this episode:

The influence of market volatility and investor expectations on fundraising activity
Strategies for proactive relationship-building and preparation to navigate the fundraising process effectively
The significance of operational excellence and clear communication in securing funding amidst uncertain market conditions

Strategic Finance and Investments: More Than Just Trade Offs Jan 30, 2024

Finance holds a unique and pivotal vantage within a company or organization, and is much more than checks and balances. Finance is at the heart of optimizing the financial and operational performance of the organization on the whole and helps to guide leadership in making impactful strategic investments and aligning financial strategies with business vision and goals.
In this episode, hosts Melissa and Tom get to the heart of strategic finance as they discuss investments, priorities and trade offs.
Discussed in this episode:

Aligning investments with the business roadmap and priorities, focusing on areas such as headcount, technology, ESG, and supply chain
Strategies for defining and implementing impactful initiatives to bridge gaps and drive the business priorities
The crucial interplay between finance and overall business strategies, involving tough decision-making, open communication, and prioritization discussions

Decoding Market Trends for 2024 with Benjamin Tal Jan 24, 2024

We made it to 2024- not unscathed, but with a new year and fresh outlook on the economy. Yet what created the uncertainties in the markets these past several years is still driving uncertainty. To run our business and our lives, most of us want to know: when will interest rates start to drop? Will employment rates stay strong? And a big question, with big impact: are wage increases on the horizon?
This week our host, Melissa Howatson, gets to ask one of Canada’s leading economists all this and more. Benjamin Tal, Managing Director and Deputy Chief Economist, CIBC Capital Markets Inc., shares his insights, predictions and more.
Join us as we discuss:

Anticipation of normalizing labor markets and the impact on wages
The lingering uncertainties in the global markets and the factors contributing to economic unpredictability
How AI can affect profitability and long-term business strategies

CFO Super Powers: Building High-Impact Teams for Strategic Innovation Jan 16, 2024

How can CFOs escape the daily grind to focus on strategic initiatives that are increasingly being asked of them? Our day-to-day financial responsibilities are constantly competing with the pressing need for organizational innovation from financial leadership.In this episode,
Nicolas Herman, CFO, Microsoft Americas Enterprise, sits down with Melissa to discuss strategies for building and guiding teams to amplify their impact, and offers advice to CFOs on how to differentiate themselves and ultimately leave their mark.

The Tech-Finance Tango: Working as One for Brilliant Success Jan 09, 2024

How can organizations keep up with constant change in the digital landscape? Your CTO is a big asset in staying agile in an ever-changing business landscape. No longer are they primarily focused on technological needs, but key in working together with the CFO to drive strategic initiatives.
To understand more, Hosts Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller welcome Joel Dolisy, Chief Technology Officer at WellSky. Joel shares the importance of the relationship between finance and technology- the different tensions, successful partnerships,and how they strategically can work together. Between having ongoing communication and making strategic investments, hear how alignment between finance and technology will lead to growth and better business.
Join us as we discuss:

Insights into a CTO’s role and the different areas they manage
The unique dynamics between, not only the CTO and the finance team, but other teams within an organization
The different tensions that CTO’s and finance departments encounter
Examples of successful collaboration between the office of finance and the CTO

The Finance Velocity Paradox: How to Slow Down to Speed Up Jan 02, 2024

Have you ever been frustrated with your work, putting in so much effort, hitting every deadline, to then feel stuck in a never-ending cycle? Never having the time or energy to make the systematic changes needed for more efficient processes?
There are many reasons why we feel stuck, but there are also solutions to break the cycle. Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller sit down to acknowledge the frustrating cycles as well as bring answers to how companies can change their systems by thinking bigger, working ahead, and prioritizing the projects needed to grow your business.
Join us as we discuss:

Why it’s easy in finance to get wrapped up in the day to day and neglect larger projects
How tracking your time can help teams move forward in the long run
Reducing teams stress while also making progress as a team
When to look at the bigger picture even when it comes to small tasks

Gen Z’s Influence on Work in the Digital Age Dec 19, 2023

When you hear “Gen-Z,” what are the first words or characteristics that come to mind? Perhaps it’s a motley mix of terms like, TikTok, climate change, transparency, honesty, and social responsibility. Now, apply all of those qualities to a modern workforce.
Generation Z is defined as anyone born between 1997 and 2012, putting the eldest of the group in their mid-twenties. They are the only generation to grow up blind to a world without the internet which has made them naturally more curious, direct, and technologically and data-savvy than generations prior. Hosts Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller welcome Janine Moir, National Digital Assurance Leader and A&A Innovation Leader at Deloitte Canada to discuss qualities of the demographic that make them unique and ideal additions to today’s workforce.
Join us as we discuss:

How Gen-Z is modernizing the workplace
Leadership keys to employee growth and retention
Why management isn’t for everyone
What consistently makes Deloitte one of the best places to work
Best advice for leaders

Selling The Story: One CFO Recounts The Journey Post IPO Dec 12, 2023

An IPO is a major milestone in the history of any company. But what happens after the debut?
A company’s life after an IPO can be a broad and significant shift - from cultural transitions to systems and process changes that impact everyone from entry and mid level employees to executives in the C-suite - including the CFO. Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller sit down with Sukaran Mehta, Chief Financial Officer at global learning platform Docebo as he traces the company’s post-IPO journey.
Join us as we discuss:

Understanding and selling the company story
Adapting new day to day systems and processes
Helping employees acclimate to a new culture
Nurturing and growing relationships with investors
Advice for CFO’s post-IPO

How Finance Teams Will Evolve in the Coming Year Dec 05, 2023

The new year is quickly approaching, and after 2023 being the year of AI, and economic uncertainty, who knows what 2024 will bring. With more uncertainty on the horizon, including inflation and interest rate fluctuations, predicting the financial landscape in 2024 is a tricky proposition. Nevertheless, preparing for the road ahead is a crucial component of a CFO’s role.
Hosts Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller break down their predictions of not only the future of finance but also how finance teams will adapt and evolve in 2024.
Join us as we discuss:

Interest rates, inflation, the funding climate, and a potential recession
How geopolitical uncertainty will impact the finance world
AI and how it will influence the reallocation of tasks and talent
The rise of efficiency and operational excellence
The ongoing importance of organizational design

Finance’s Role in Getting the 1st Down Nov 28, 2023

Picture a football game: the quarterback drops back to scan the field, reads the defense, and fires a pass to an open receiver. Touchdown! Now picture a CFO: the quarterback of a finance team, reading the economic landscape, assessing risks, and making smart, decisive moves that score major wins for their organization.
The parallels between finance and football run deep. Both professions involve teamwork, competition, practice, adaptability, and pressure. To unpack the similarities, Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller welcome Dan Crumb, CFO of the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, to the show. As Dan explains, football and finance might be different, but success in both requires the same ingredients.
Join us as we discuss:

How finance and football approach team-building
The equivalent of winning a Super Bowl in finance
What we can learn from coaches about rallying our teams
Keys to effective communication and teamwork
Why both types of teams must plan for every scenario

Additional resources:
How To Use Financial Reporting To Reduce Your Operational Costs, Add Efficiencies, and Align Your Business: https://bit.ly/40t3Eq6
5 Ways To Adapt Your Financial and Operational Planning for Today's Volatile Business Environment: https://bit.ly/3sz83ep

People Metrics That Matter Nov 14, 2023

Businesses today spend an average of 52% of their budget on their workforce. Some go as high as 70%. The expense is worth it, of course, as the only way to true financial success is by having the right talent. But given this enormous cost, it’s worth asking: are the people metrics you’re tracking the ones that will make the biggest impact on your business? Or are you missing out on the full potential of your workforce?
To help us understand the people metrics that matter, Melissa Howatson welcomes RJ Milnor to the show. RJ is the Founder and CEO of People Analytics Partners and was formerly the Global Head of People Analytics at Uber. Through his research and experience, RJ has uncovered some remarkable insights and truths about the way we work, how it’s evolved post-pandemic, and what the future of work looks like.
Join us as we discuss:

The surest indicator of high-value employees
What to analyze to see how your M&A integration is going
A viable replacement for productivity-killing meetings
How to get the greatest ROI out of office spaces
One word of advice for leaders to be more effective

Additional resources:
HR Data Visualization: 10 Insights Impacting Your Bottom Line: https://bit.ly/3QQxBx9
Headcount Planning and Forecasting: The Complete Guide: https://bit.ly/3u6WqMg
Recommendation of the SEC Investor Advisory Committee’s Investor-as-Owner Subcommittee regarding Human Capital Management Disclosure: https://bit.ly/47l0lDx
SHRM: Fractional Work & Your Talent Strategy: https://bit.ly/4726epf

Avoid the Pitfalls of Year-End Financial Close Nov 07, 2023

As each year draws to a close, CFOs are gearing up for one of the most critical tasks in their financial calendar: the year-end financial close. There are key areas to focus on and best practices to ensure this process goes smoothly… but what happens when it doesn’t? More importantly, what is it that trips finance teams up at the last minute?
To explore the ins and outs of year-end close, hosts Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller sit down with Benno van Ingen, Lead Consultant CFO Tech, Finext. Benno has served in various financial roles over the past 20 years, giving him extensive experience with corporate financial processes and firsthand insight into how things can go awry.
Join us as we discuss:

How an organization is hampered by a lackluster year-end close
The specific pitfalls that finance teams want to avoid
Ways to mitigate the time crunch associated with this process
Legacy tools and systems that can prevent a successful close

Additional resources:
7 Ways To Conquer Your Year-End Close Nightmares: https://bit.ly/3u24yOc
The Ultimate Guide to Financial Close: https://bit.ly/49onRS6

Building a Finance Tech Stack That Works for Your Organization Oct 31, 2023

Agility and efficiency are more important than ever for finance teams, which places an outsized importance on the quality of an organization’s tech stack. A good finance tech stack can help you automate tasks, improve visibility into your data, and make better decisions.
But with a plethora of options out there, building and implementing the right tech stack for your organization can be difficult. To help you know what to expect at every step of this journey, Melissa Howatson welcomes William Liang, Managing Director at ProLytics Consulting Group, to the show. Over the past 13 years, William has provided world-class planning and forecasting services solutions in a wide variety of industries, including financial services.
Join us as we discuss:

Sorting through a crowded fintech space to find the right option
Who to engage with to make tech decisions for your organization
Mistakes that can hinder digital transformation efforts
Personnel requirements to ensure a smooth implementation
How decision-makers should think about integrating their systems

Additional resources:
How To Build a Finance Tech Stack That Works for You: https://bit.ly/3PuS4FF

Navigating the CFO-CEO-Board Relationship Oct 24, 2023

In today’s business landscape, the relationship between the CFO, CEO, and Board of Directors is a pivotal axis that can either drive an organization to new heights or lead it astray.
To better understand the intricacies of this relationship, Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller enlist the help of someone with a unique point of view: Kim Eaton, Operating Managing Director at Vista Equity Partners. Kim has served as both a CEO and a board member, giving her unique insights into what causes this relationship to flourish (and what makes it fall apart).
Join us as we discuss:

How CFOs can help build a shared trust with their CEO and board
Tips for managing a productive board meeting
Handling disagreements in a way that preserves relationships
The importance of pre-meeting touch points (e.g. the board dinner)
Traits of the most effective CFOs from the board’s perspective

Additional resources:
Managing Your Relationship as the CFO With the CEO and Board of Directors: https://bit.ly/451EpM1

The CFO's Path to the CEO's Office Oct 17, 2023

Every career path is unique. For many CFOs, though, their paths share a common destination: the CEO’s office. What does the journey from CFO to CEO look like?
This transition requires more than mastering the balance sheets. Being a CEO demands a unique blend of strategic vision, leadership finesse, and a fearless appetite for risk. To give us a firsthand perspective of this shift, host Melissa Howatson welcomes Lincoln Greenidge, CEO of Sandfire Resources America Inc. Lincoln, who’s spent 35 years climbing the ranks of finance and FP&A across six industries, shares the opportunities and challenges that arose as part of his transition from CFO to CEO.
Join us as we discuss:

The new skills CFOs need to succeed as CEO
Unforeseen challenges that new CEOs should watch out for
How leadership styles evolve in your new role
Specific areas of development CFOs should focus on

Additional resources:
How To Get on the Finance Leadership Track: 5 Pieces of Advice for Future CFOs: https://bit.ly/3Zygl28
7 Principles of the Agile Finance Leader | 0.5 CPE | Vena Academy: https://bit.ly/3rqyanh

5 FP&A Trends That Have Defined 2023 Oct 10, 2023

2023 has been a year defined by uncertainty. This trend is a driving force behind the decision making of FP&A teams, as they aim to create more agile and dynamic operations in the face of constant change. But uncertainty is only one FP&A trend that’s shaped the past year.
Howard Dresner, Founder and Chief Research Officer of Dresner Advisory Services, suggests there are five major FP&A trends that have defined 2023 and point to what lies ahead in 2024. In this episode, Howard dives into these trends with hosts Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller.
Join us as we discuss:

How to achieve efficiency goals in the face of economic uncertainty
The appropriate strategy for human capital investments
ESG reporting and planning taking on added significance
The importance of rolling forecasts in a volatile geopolitical climate
Being dynamic enough to operate given supply chain challenges

Additional resources:
The 8 FP&A Trends Making Waves in 2023: https://bit.ly/3RA4EGf

2024 Annual Budget Planning Oct 03, 2023

2023 was a roller coaster for finance professionals, and with a potential recession looming, the storms don’t look to calm down anytime soon. This means annual budget planning takes on an added importance as they look ahead to 2024.
Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller discuss the issues that should be top of mind for CFOs and reinforce the importance of scenario planning. Harjot Ghai, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Delbridge Solutions, Inc., shares his best practices for planning ahead in uncertain times.
Join us as we discuss:

Projections and expectations for the economy in 2024
Actions that companies should take now to prepare
How leaders can create an environment of stability and trust
Ways to balance financial constraints with talent retention

Additional resources:
The Ultimate Guide to Corporate Budgeting: https://bit.ly/3PP8OZN

Better Business Partners: Finance and the Office of the CIO Sep 26, 2023

There’s an underrated skill that seasoned CFOs have mastered: forging partnerships with other C-suites across the organization. One of the most vital partners for finance teams is the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Together, these teams can drive efficiency with technology, mitigate risks, and make strategic investments.
To understand what a successful business partnership with the Office of CIO looks like—and what factors often get in the way—Melissa Howatson talks with Johan Dowdy, Global Head of IT and IT Security at Asana.
Join us as we discuss:

How IT has evolved over the years to be more strategic
The value of listening before offering suggestions (not just prescribing)
One of the most common pain points in the CFO-CIO partnership
Considering ROI and long-term payback on all programmatic spend
How to achieve smoother operations and more accurate reporting

Additional resources:
How To Develop a Finance Business Partnering Model: https://bit.ly/46joolC
Transforming Finance as a Strategic Business Partner | 0.5 CPE/CPD Course:
https://bit.ly/467s5vk

Driving Finance Innovation with AI Sep 19, 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the finance industry, empowering CFOs and finance teams to drive innovation and adapt to new market conditions with speed and efficiency. But for as widely discussed and debated as AI has been recently, best practices for adoption are hard to come by.
To assist those looking to jumpstart their digital transformation efforts with AI, Melissa Howatson sits down to talk with Rob Drover, VP Business Solutions at Marcum Technology, part of Marcum LLP Group. From his extensive firsthand knowledge, Rob shares how to leverage technology to streamline finance processes and boost strategic decision-making.
Join Melissa and Rob as they discuss:

What digital transformation really means (and what’s impeding its progress)
Practical applications of AI to create more time for value-added tasks
The need for continuous improvement in addition to regular AI audits
Ensuring your AI model is approved by people who know your business
How workers who invest in their own upskilling will stand out

Additional resources:
The Definitive Guide to AI in FP&A: Benefits, Use Cases and Risks Explained: https://bit.ly/3ELJTzY

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected