The CFO Show

Latest Episodes:

The Hidden Power of Procurement Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Procurement is no longer just about cutting costs. It’s about creating value, building partnerships and helping finance teams make smarter, faster decisions.

On this episode of The CFO Show, Aaqil Kassamali, Procurement Director at Vena Solutions, joins Melissa Howatson to discuss how procurement has evolved into a strategic function that drives innovation and alignment across the business.

Aaqil shares lessons from building procurement teams from the ground up, using technology to gain visibility and insight, and balancing short-term savings with long-term value. He also explains why trust, business acumen and collaboration are now the true measures of success in modern procurement.

Discussed in This Episode:

Shifting procurement from tactical to strategic
The impact of visibility and data on smarter decision-making
Building trust and partnership across business functions
Balancing short-term wins with long-term value creation
Exploring the future of procurement in an AI-driven world

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

Integrating Finance and IT: Insights From the CIO of Brookfield Residential Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Brookfield Residential CIO Brandon Sharp joins host Melissa Howatson to share his unique career journey and to reveal why tighter alignment between finance and IT drives true transformation.

Brandon reflects on lessons learned while leading major initiatives in homebuilding and real estate, from navigating shadow IT to building cross-functional trust. He offers practical insights on transparency, influence, and project management—and explains why finance leaders who are “data curious” often become the critical bridge to IT.

This discussion highlights practical strategies to strengthen IT–finance partnerships, accelerate transformation, and foster alignment that delivers business-wide impact.

Discussed in This Episode:

How to transform IT–finance collaboration into a growth engine
The “Tell Them” Triad for influence
Balancing time, cost and quality in transformation projects
Identifying and empowering data-curious champions within finance

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

From Series C to G: Carta’s CFO on Adapting to Change Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

How do you scale finance operations to keep pace with a business that’s doubling in size every few months? In this episode of The CFO Show, Carta CFO Charly Kevers shares how he has navigated constant change while helping the company grow from Series C to Series G and reach a $7.4B valuation.

Charly opens up about the tactical lessons he has learned leading finance in a high-growth environment, from building a team of engineers dedicated to finance systems, to embedding innovation into everyday workflows, to experimenting with AI use cases that free teams from repetitive tasks. He also reflects on the cultural side of scaling, explaining why curiosity, adaptability and surfacing issues early are non-negotiable traits for his team.

The audience will walk away with practical ideas for leveraging technology, strengthening cross-functional partnerships, and making space for innovation, even when the pace feels overwhelming.

In This Episode:

Why adaptability and curiosity are essential traits for modern finance talent
How Carta scaled operations without continuously increasing headcount
The value of a dedicated finance engineering team
Partnering with IT, HR and go-to-market teams to drive systems alignment
How to embed innovation into day-to-day finance work and create space for it
Using hackathons and AI pilots to unlock new efficiencies

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

ERP Migration Without the Chaos: What Finance Leaders Need To Know Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

ERP migration can make or break your finance function. From outdated systems to cloud-based solutions, the stakes are high, and the risks are real.

In this episode of The CFO Show, Melissa Howatson, CFO of Vena, sits down with Scott Jorgens, Sr. Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Endeavour Solutions. With more than 25 years of experience across finance, consulting, and technology, Scott shares how to plan and execute ERP migrations that deliver ROI.

They discuss the common pitfalls that derail projects, why change management is just as critical as technology, and how to ensure your data is ready to unlock automation, analytics and AI. Whether you’re just starting to evaluate systems or deep in implementation, this conversation is your guide to building ERP success.

Discussed in This Episode:

The biggest triggers that Indicate it’s time for a new ERP.
Data readiness: how to ensure clean, consistent, automation-ready data.
The underestimated cost of change management, and how to get it right.
Why “minimal viable product” ERP rollouts often fail.
How to align finance, IT, and operations around a shared ERP vision.

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

Balancing Stability and Innovation: The CFO Playbook From Thumbtack Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

What does it take to lead a high-growth company through economic uncertainty, while still innovating for the future?

Larry Roseman, Chief Financial Officer of Thumbtack, joins us to explore the modern finance leader's role in balancing resilience, agility, and long-term value creation. With a career spanning investment banking, accounting, and tech, Larry shares how he's redefined capital allocation, empowered decision-making across teams, and built a finance organization that thrives on trust and flexibility.

Learn how to lead with clarity, empower innovation (without waste), and turn volatility into opportunity.

Discussed in This Episode:

Why CFOs must shift from fixed annual planning to rolling investment cycles
The power of decentralized decision-making in fast-moving companies
How to empower teams with "envelope budgeting" and shared accountability
Why flexibility and financial discipline must go hand-in-hand
How to balance profitability and growth through portfolio-style capital planning
Tactics for encouraging innovation without a near-term ROI

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

What Makes a Top-Tier Private Equity CFO? Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Stepping into a PE-backed CFO role? You're not just signing up for financial reporting; you're stepping onto a burning platform.

Scott Engler, CEO & Co-founder of Sync Executive Partners, sits down to discuss what separates “A-player” CFOs from the rest in the high-stakes world of private equity.

Scott shares the mindset shifts, leadership capabilities, and stakeholder dynamics CFOs must master to drive transformation, align their teams, and quickly build investor confidence.

Whether you're already in a PE-backed seat or looking to make this career shift or leading finance elsewhere, this episode provides a framework to lead with confidence and clarity.

Discussed in This Episode:

What makes a PE-backed CFO different from a public or VC-backed one
The #1 mindset shift you need: ownership of all outcomes
Why transformation, not just reporting, is now a CFO's responsibility
How top CFOs drive performance, alignment and strategic clarity
How to build credibility with stakeholders

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

Annual Planning: Beyond Numbers to Business Growth Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Are you leveraging the full potential of strategic finance in your annual planning process?

In this episode of The CFO Show, Igor Stelea, Director of Strategic Finance, Analytics & Business Transformation at CFGI, unpacks what makes annual planning effective and what causes it to break down.

From aligning strategy with operational plans to integrating long-range forecasting and scenario modeling, Igor offers frameworks and hard-won insights on how mature finance teams turn planning into a competitive advantage.

Discussed in This Episode:

The link between strategic planning and annual budgeting.
Why “planning the plan” matter more than you think.
How to use OKRs to align strategic and financial priorities.
Best practices for rolling forecasts and scenario planning.
Common pitfalls that derail planning and how to avoid them.

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

Beyond Silos: Uniting FP&A and Controllership for Impact Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

What if the secret to financial agility lies in reimagining the relationship between FP&A and Controllership? Tom Seegmiller, CFO at Texada Software, returns to explore the transformative power of aligning FP&A and Controllership.

Tom shares his journey from FP&A leader to full-spectrum CFO, and what he’s learned about the often-overlooked (but essential) collaboration between finance’s two core functions. Together, they unpack how siloed teams can unintentionally hold each other back—and how breaking down those walls can drive agility, enhance clarity, and increase business value.

Discover how aligning FP&A and Controllership could be the key to unlocking your finance team's full potential.

Discussed in This Episode:

What CFOs get wrong about Controllership, and how to fix it
The hidden friction between finance subfunctions
How to create “earned” seats at the table across the organization
Why both FP&A and Controllership must focus on top-line growth
Tools, leadership habits, and structural approaches that make cross-functional alignment stick
How AI is helping finance teams build leverage and efficiency

For CFO insights, episode show notes and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

How Finance Teams Are Learning to Lead with AI Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Are you leveraging AI to its full potential in your finance department?

In this episode, we dive into the practical application of AI in finance with Anton Medvedev, former Senior Product Manager at Vena and CPA/CFA. With his unique blend of finance and tech expertise, Anton offers a roadmap for effectively adopting AI in your financial operations.

Anton shares insights on training AI models, understanding AI agents, and effective prompting techniques. He provides real-world examples that demystify this fast-moving technology. Whether you're experimenting with AI in Excel or trying to choose the right vendor, this episode offers practical strategies for getting started, scaling smartly, and ensuring your team stays ahead.

Learn how you can transform your finance team from AI novices to strategic innovators, harnessing the power of AI to drive value in your organization.

Discussed in This Episode:

The core components of a good AI prompt.
What AI agents are and how they improve speed, security, and execution.
Why early adopters are key to driving internal change.
How to evaluate vendors on AI readiness for finance.
Common missteps teams make with AI and how to avoid them.
Why CFOs must personally engage and lead the AI learning curve.

For CFO insights, episode show notes, and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

From Fear to Framework: Safe AI Implementation for Businesses Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, host Melissa Howatson welcomes Steve Browning, VP of Data Privacy and Corporate Security at Vena, and Kaz Takemura, Managing Director of FP&A Technologies at Modelcom, to explore how finance teams can adopt AI safely and strategically.

Steve and Kaz share practical, cross-functional strategies for embedding AI into business operations, from building the right teams to creating scalable governance frameworks. They also unpack the emotional and organizational barriers to AI adoption and offer tips to drive both innovation and risk management.

Whether you're just starting your AI journey or looking to optimize existing implementations, learn how to move from fear to forward momentum, without compromising security or trust.

Discussed in This Episode:

Why AI is now a non-negotiable technology
The importance of cross-functional teams in AI governance
How fear and job insecurity are major blockers to adoption
The risks of shadow AI usage and how to spot it
Guardrails that enable safe experimentation, not restriction
Why employee education is the secret weapon of successful AI programs

For CFO insights, episode show notes, and exclusive blog content, visit thecfoshowpodcast.com.

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