CFO Eric Bouchard spent four years preparing Atrium Innovations for an exit, inside The Mentoring Round, Bouchard reflects on the transformation from a smaller organization to a more mature company capable of rewarding the company’s investors. Reflecting on his early days in the CFO role, CFO Bouchard emphasizes the importance of staying true to one’s […]
The Mentoring Round | Chermaine Hu, CFO, Episode Six
Te Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Chermaine Hu tells us how her early uncertainty about entering the investment banking world led her to seek roles that allowed for perpetual growth and self-improvement. Moving to New York and not getting a promotion taught her two critical lessons: the indispensability of building strong relationships within the organization […]
The Mentoring Round | Jeff Woolard, CFO, Velocity Global
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Jeff Woolard shares an example from Intel where finance’s broad view helped realign the product roadmap with market demands, enhancing margins. Woolard advocates a structured decision-making process to navigate uncertainties effectively. He stresses the importance of not just operational efficiency but also actively seeking opportunities to enhance the firm’s value.
The Mentoring Round | David Freeman, CFO, Starburst
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO David Freeman recounts the challenges faced during the financial crisis, highlighting the tension between investor advice to retrench and the company’s growth trajectory. Freeman reflects on the gaps in his expertise, particularly in taxation, emphasizing the need for finance leaders to recognize their limitations and bring in experts early on. […]
The Mentoring Round | Craig Wert, CFO, Jobber
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Craig Wert reveals a key piece of advice he wishes he had embraced earlier: the importance of networking. Wert acknowledges the significance of building strong internal and external networks. Additionally, Wert regrets not networking more actively earlier in his career with venture capitalists, CEOs, and CFOs in growth companies and […]
The Mentoring Round | Marc Suidan, CFO, The Beachbody Company
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Marc Suidan reflects on (1) his decision to join McKinsey & Company following business school, (2) a unique approach to stimulating demand in the semiconductor memory business, (3) and why after 17 years with PwC, he decided to join The Beachbody Company during a pivotal time of turnaround and transformation. […]
The Mentoring Round | Eric Jenny, CFO, SOCi
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Eric Jenny recalls his strategic decision to shift focus from mid-market to enterprise clients based on data analysis. CFO Jenny tells us he aspires to a finance leadership mind-set that focuses on creating a supportive company culture, where the team is encouraged to think big and innovate.
The Mentoring Round | Alejandro Castro, CFO, ONX
Inside The Mentoring Round, Alejandro Castro recalls his days in Mexico City, where as a new hire at Price Waterhouse, he traveled to various factories, including those in oil-producing states, providing a unique early career perspective. Engagement Across the Organization: Through the GE Workout methodology at Conagra, Alejandro engaged with various parts of the organization […]
The Mentoring Round | Rachel Stack, CFO, Cologix
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Rachel Stack highlights the significance of the “small stuff” in finance, such as audits, taxes, and financial reporting. CFO stack points out that while the excitement often lies in mergers and acquisitions or debt transactions, the bulk of a finance organization’s energy is dedicated to these fundamental tasks. Reflecting back […]
The Mentoring Round | Sam Kemp, CFO, Built
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Sam Kemp emphasizes the importance of understanding the gap between a business’s formal operating model and the actual, informal ways it functions. Recognizing this gap is crucial for new leaders to gain leverage quickly within an organization or a new division. Looking forward, Sam outlined his top three priorities: ensuring […]
The Mentoring Round | Dennis Johnson, CFO, Qlik
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Dennis Johnson advises new CFOs to build out their network with other CFOs, especially in the early days of their role. Johnson tells us his network is today a valuable platform for sharing best practices, challenges, and solutions. It helps in realizing that others face similar issues, and it can […]
The Mentoring Round | Elizabeth Mann, CFO, Verisk
Inside The Mentoring Round, Elizabeth Mann emphasizes the critical integration of finance and human resources, highlighting the importance of team dynamics alongside financial metrics. Her approach champions continuous learning and revisiting initial understandings as business knowledge evolves. Mann also draws parallels between the challenges of parenting and her role as a CFO, recognizing decision-making complexities […]