In a meeting, Kevin Wall realized finance was too bogged down in non-strategic tasks to support commercial growth. He reorganized billing and ops functions into other departments, freeing finance to focus on pricing, commercialization, and decision support—ultimately redefining the team’s role as a true business partner driving scale and strategic impact. Now Play the complete […]
Turning Acquisitions into Momentum, Not Disruption | Josh Schauer, CFO, insightsoftware
Josh Schauer helped transform insightsoftware from a fragmented “house of brands” into a unified, vertically structured organization. By aligning products around buyer personas, he and the leadership team created focused business units—clarifying strategy, enhancing go-to-market execution, and reinforcing finance’s role as a driver of enterprise-wide alignment and strategic identity. Now Watch the Complete Episode featuring […]
Building a Smarter Business with Generative BI | Nathan Winters CFO, Zebra Technologies
While leading a supply chain team at GE Healthcare, Nathan Winters realized that credibility in finance hinges on visibility. By consistently showing up on plant floors and in customer meetings, he built trust with operators—making his financial guidance more impactful and actionable. The insight: proximity drives influence. Now Watch the Complete Episode Featuring CFO Nathan […]
Building Value Through Operational Insight | James Redfern, CFO, Reltio
James Redfern, who spent a decade at Morgan Stanley, told us that people management in investment banking was “more loosely defined.” When he later moved into a more operational role, he realized that people—were the key to driving performance. Redfern would make “intentional people management” a core part of his finance strategic playbook. Nearly a […]
When the Role is Earned by Leading | Amanda Whalen, CFO, Klaviyo
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 […]
Ep 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…