In her first CFO role, Amanda Whalen revamped cost accounting, restructured sales incentives, and overhauled P&L reporting—driving a 10% profit increase in one year. The experience revealed finance’s power to align teams, influence decisions, and shape business outcomes—ultimately convincing her to pursue finance leadership as her long-term path. [ssp-player] Now Watch our Complete Episode Featuring […]
46: From Flailing to AI Forward Motion
In this Planning Aces episode, Jack Sweeney and co-host Brett Knowles spotlight three CFOs who are advancing their organizations’ FP&A capabilities through thoughtful AI adoption. CFO Andrea Hecht of CSAA Insurance discusses aligning generative AI with enterprise strategy and efficiency. CFO Matthias Steinberg of MindBridge explores combining machine learning and LLMs in finance workflows. CFO […]
When Conversion Tells the Story | Larry Roseman, CFO, Thumbtack
During the SVB banking crisis, Larry Roseman faced the risk of losing all of Thumbtack’s cash. He responded by diversifying banking relationships, revising covenants, and overhauling investment policies—transforming a high-stakes liquidity scare into a lasting strategy for financial resilience and operational continuity. Now Watch Our Complete Episode Featuring CFO Larry Roseman of Thumbtack Larry Roseman […]
How Long-Life Assets Shape a Growth Strategy | Kent Hoskins, CFO, Concord
A Finance Strategic Moment Kent Hoskins helped redirect Boosey & Hawkes’ focus from low-margin sheet music—50% of revenue but just 15% of EBITDA—to high-value IP. By outsourcing distribution and reallocating resources, the company increased profit margins and revenue, reinforcing Hoskins’ lasting belief: strategy must prioritize profitability, not just top-line growth. Now Watch our Complete Episode […]
The Strategic Conviction Behind a $2.5B Bet | John Rettig, CFO, Bill
A Finance Strategic Moment As CFO of a newly public company, John Rettig championed a bold $2.5B acquisition—nearly half of Bill’s market cap at the time. Backed by strategic conviction and rigorous analysis, he helped accelerate market penetration and proved the value of finance leadership that thinks—and acts—like a CEO. Now Watch Our Complete Episode […]
Riding the AI Wave: Revenue Strategy at Gong | Tim Ritters, CFO, Gong
A Finance Strategic Moment Facing rising downgrades, Tim Ritters led Gong’s finance team to deeply analyze product usage patterns by persona and behavior. These insights empowered customer success efforts and cut churn and downgrade rates by half within two years—proving that in tough markets, usage data can be a powerful lever for retention. Now Watch […]
Forecasting Without the Illusion of Precision | Rene Ho, CFO, SAP Taulia
During a high-pressure period at Visa following a restatement, Rene Ho shifted forecasting away from false precision. He required teams to present scenario ranges with clear reasoning, holding them accountable for understanding—not just outcomes. The result: deeper business insight and a forecasting culture grounded in strategic awareness, not guesswork. Now Watch the Complete Episode Featuring […]
When Finance Drives Strategic Change | Aaron Alt, CFO, Cardinal Health
Facing rising costs and regulatory pressures, Aaron Alt led a critical analysis of a retailer's in-store pharmacy operations. The detailed P&L review revealed the unsustainable costs, prompting a strategic decision to partner with an external provider. This move maintained customer traffic while offloading operational risks, illustrating finance’s role in strategic transformation. Now Watch the Complete…
From Anomalies To Financial Advantage | Matthias Steinberg, CFO, MindBridge
A Finance Strategic Moment Seeing poor collaboration with shared‑service finance teams, Steinberg realized relational capital drives strategic finance. He set up an office at the remote site, spent two days weekly with tax, accounting and compliance leads, listening and co‑solving issues. The strengthened partnerships lifted quality and helped to ready IONOS for a smooth IPO. Now […]
Balancing Growth With Risk Insight | Andrea Hecht, CFO, CSAA Insurance Group
A Finance Strategic Moment Facing rapid premium growth and capital constraints in 2024, Andrea Hecht led CSAA to issue a $500M surplus note—a strategic move that preserved momentum without compromising stability. Acting from a position of strength, the finance team avoided slowing growth and secured capital to support expansion beyond $7.6B in premium. Now Watch […]
From Product To Ownership Ecosystem | Tom Egan, CFO, Hometap
A Finance Strategic Moment Amid 2020’s Covid uncertainty, Tom Egan drew on his Lehman‑era lesson that contracts follow relationships. He immediately called Hometap’s two banks, shared worst‑case projections and asked for covenant flexibility. The transparency earned rapid waivers, safeguarded liquidity and proved that trust, not paperwork, is the true collateral when markets fracture. Now Watch the […]
Achieving Strategic Optionality Through Operational Rigor | Chad Gold, CFO, Fullstory
Sensing 2021’s frothy market, Gold ran a dual track—pursuing fresh capital while quietly courting strategic buyers. Years of relationship‑building and rigorous records paid off when Vista Equity acquired Salesloft, delivering liquidity without ceding control and validating his mantra that finance should anticipate peaks and “make the news.” Now Watch the Complete Episode with CFO Chad Gold […]