What’s it like to be CFO of a high-growth firm? Join us as Joe explains how he sought to quickly grasp the fundamentals of Xactly’s business and gain control of its cash flows to establish his organizational footing and play a strategic role in the firm’s future growth.
Made Possible By
Key Metrics
“As a SaaS company with 100 percent cloud-based applications, we track metrics that are pretty familiar to people within our industry. They include annual recurring revenue, revenue retention, salesforce productivity, marketing program spending efficiency, and certain unit economics to make sure that what we’re spending to acquire customers makes economic sense.”
Making FP&A a Priority
“I tested the forecast model from the P&L all the way down to the balance sheet and cash flow statement to see: Did we understand our business? Could we forecast? Was the balance sheet solid and uncontroversial? The team in place was very solid, but we were lacking the formal FP&A function that was necessary to drive the company to the next level. So establishing that and hiring for that became a priority.”
Mentoring Round
“I try to ply my trade with integrity, which means delivering good news and bad in a very steady manner and being able to cut to the chase and deal with the truth from the get-go. I think that not only is this a great business principle, but also it helps me to sleep better as well.”
Book Pick
Game the Plan: Every Sales Rep’s Dream; Every CFO’s Nightmare
Interview Links
- Joe’s Site