It’s the type of story that we can’t resist repeating, and one that without question underscores Eric Jenny’s entrepreneurial spirit. Still, the entertainment value of his tale of zapping wasp nests with a homemade rubber band gun for a dollar a pop was at risk of eclipsing the more traditional milestones that populate a career path otherwise defined by strategic decision-making and an innate ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities.
During his stints in public accounting and the tech industry, Jenny tells us, he enjoyed immersing himself in the dynamics of fast-paced technological advancements and entrepreneurial business growth strategies.
Read MoreAt SOCi, CFO Jenny’s data-driven approach has led to pivotal decisions, such as focusing on enterprise clients, that have showcased his adeptness at steering the company through the complexities of the digital marketing landscape. Asked about his finance mind-set, Jenny recounts his commitment to curiosity and unwavering quest for greater efficiency. However, we’d argue that it’s Jenny’s entrepreneurial bent that most resonates with us—forever accented by those wasp nests. –Jack Sweeney
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CFOTL: Tell us about SOCi … what does this company do, and what are its offerings today?
Jenny: SOCi is the leading co-marketing cloud for multilocation enterprises. We empower businesses such as Ace Hardware, Sport Clips, Jersey Mike’s, and Ford to automate and scale their marketing efforts efficiently across all of their locations and digital channels. We’re leveraging generative AI and ML to offer actionable insights and recommendations that allow businesses to make data-driven decisions.
We have raised over $230 million to date, and there have been a series of rounds to get here. I came in around 2017, so I’ve been on board almost 7 years now. We’re VC-backed and PE-backed through JMI Equity, which invests in high-growth technology-enterprise companies.
Read MoreWe’re always constantly maturing as an organization. I like to just say that we’re always tightening the bolts. Systems, processes, accurate data faster, more visibility—we have a big focus on operational efficiency metrics, yet we’re still growing at a healthy clip. A really important priority is just to be able to hire and retain good talent. It’s all about the people at the end of the day. A book that I like, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, gets into this.
It’s all about the company culture, all about the people. Spend wisely and look for an ROI on any investment made. Now, it’s like, “You want to spend that? What’s the return?” You’re always thinking this way, but I think that more recently the awareness of this has become a lot more heightened as our team has been focusing on a financial transformation.
So, my focus is on the data strategy, our people, our systems, our processes, reducing costs, and just continuing to elevate and leverage technology, beginning with AI. We need to Identify use-cases for AI within the finance function if possible but not force-fit AI as a solution. I want to just continue to grow and continue to have finance be a really strong partner with the business. The role of CFO has become one of the most complex and demanding ones that there is, especially during the past couple of decades. However, I embrace the comfort in being uncomfortable, so I believe that I’m ready for any challenge thrown my way.
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“Embrace the comfort in being uncomfortable. While our comfort zone feels safe, all it’s doing is holding us back. There is no growth in comfort. If you seek the unfamiliar, take risks, and strive to constantly challenge yourself in both your personal and professional lives, your life will forever change.” –Eric Jenny, CFO, SOCi
SOCi | www.meetsoci.com | San Diego, CA