Inside the Mentoring Round, CFO Eric Emans emphasizes the importance of overcoming the fear of failure early in one’s career, as learning often comes from making mistakes. He fosters an expectation-based culture where finance professionals are encouraged to engage with the business, challenge assumptions, and drive insights. Emans believes this approach distinguishes great organizations from […]
The Mentoring Round | Sandeep Aujla, CFO, Intuit
Inside the Mentoring Round, CFO Sandeep Aujla explains why his eight-year investment at Intuit was driven by the continuous learning opportunities and professional growth the company offered. Although he could have become a CFO sooner elsewhere, Aujla tells us chose to stay at Intuit to deepen his expertise, gain more diverse experience to better prepare […]
The Mentoring Round | Mark Khavkin, CFO, MinIO
Inside the Mentoring Round, CFO Mark Khavkin of MinIO explains how as a CFO his interactions with customers in the past allowed him to detect discrepancies between how his prior company and its customers perceived pricing and value, leading him to refine the pricing strategy based on customer insights. When it comes to building relationships […]
The Mentoring Round | Karen Williams, CFO, American Express Global Business travel
Inside the Mentoring Round, CFO Karen Williams of American Express Global Business Travel showcases a growth mindset, turning career hurdles into invaluable learning experiences. Her journey from networking struggles at Mars to recognizing its significance underscores the power of building essential professional relationships. Williams’s emphasis on “connecting the dots” to glean insights from past missteps […]
The Mentoring Round | Mos Shahzad, CFO, Relativity Space
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Mo Shahzad of Relativity Space highlights the company’s mission to revolutionize space launch with next-generation rockets, including a larger model set to launch in 2026. Emphasizing 3D printing technology, Shahzad detailed their impressive investor support and multi-billion dollar launch agreements backlog. Shahzad tells us his leadership philosophy centers on fostering […]
The Mentoring Round | John Lutz, CFO, Sellars
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO John Lutz of Sellars highlights the company’s innovative use of recycled paper technology, providing a unique market advantage. His current priorities include enhancing IT systems and customer interaction platforms, along with further automating processes to leverage data effectively. Separately, Lutz reflects on his days at Charter Steel, where he identified […]
The Mentoring Round | Carol Lee, CFO, LogicMonitor
` Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Carol Lee of LogicMonitor discusses the key lessons that can be learned from the buy-side and sell-side of M&A, why financial planning must be your organization’s numerical roadmap, and the strategic advantages AI is bringing to financial analysis and customer interactions.
The Mentoring Round | Michael O’Grady, CFO, Permutive
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Michael O’Grady explains how he initially struggled to understand why he wasn’t succeeding despite positive feedback from colleagues. O’Grady explains how he developed strategies to block time for important tasks and manage daily operational duties more efficiently. O’Grady Highlights the importance of clear communication and education about key financial metrics […]
The Mentoring Round | Tony Querciagrossa, CFO, Pinstripes
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Tony Querciagrossa discusses a strategic moment of insight he experienced earlier in his career at Medline Industries, where he collaborated with a commercial leader to address recruitment and organizational challenges, leading to the creation of the commercial finance function. Looking forward, CFO Querciagrossa identifies several key priorities for the upcoming […]
The Mentoring Round | Erica Gessert, CFO, Upwork
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Erica Gessert emphasizes the importance for CFOs to rely on the best possible data sets for making informed decisions. CFO Gessert discusses the development of AI-enabled features to enhance the connection between clients and freelancers.
The Mentoring Round | Ashley Johnson, CFO Planet
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Ashley Johnson emphasizes that financial planning and analysis (FP&A) should empower leaders to own their budgets rather than simply dictate them. She forbids the question, “Is this in my budget?” and instead encourages leaders to consider their priorities and trade-offs.She believes in a proactive approach to budgeting, where FP&A supports […]
The Mentoring Round | Scott Henderson, CFO, DISQO
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Scott Henderson stresses the need to balance rapid growth with effective cost management. CFO Henderson discusses the need to focus on key metrics, such as net revenue and net dollar retention, crucial for a usage-based company. Henderson acknowledges the complexity of forecasting for a usage-based business model compared to a […]