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AI integration

1084: Reading the Signals, Not Just the Statements | Brian Carolan, CFO, SailPoint

It was a late-night meeting room lit by the glow of Excel spreadsheets and cluttered with half-empty coffee cups. Brian Carolan, then a rising finance leader, looked around the table and saw not just fellow accountants and analysts but a collection of people relying on him to bridge data and strategy. In that moment, he…
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1083: Navigating the Go-To-Market Roadmap with Precision | Brian Robins, CFO, GitLab

It was a pivotal moment Brian Robins tells us he’ll never forget: stepping onto a makeshift stage to address some 400 employees just minutes before a key 8-K filing would publicly announce the potential sale of a major business unit. The room bristled with anxiety—people worried about their jobs and the future of the company.…
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Staying Ahead of Growth: How Finance Powers Proactive Scaling 

In this episode, CFO Brandon Sullivan of 2X shares how he transformed financial reporting to drive agility and informed decision-making. After securing private equity backing in March 2023, 2X ramped up hiring in anticipation of rapid growth. However, when revenue stalled, Sullivan realized that monthly reporting was too slow for a dynamic business. He implemented […]

1079: Staying Ahead of Growth: How Finance Powers Proactive Scaling | Brandon Sullivan, CFO, 2X

The moment 2X secured private equity backing in March 2023, CFO Brandon Sullivan knew expectations would shift overnight. “There’s gonna be a press release,” he remembers thinking. “Our new PE partners will open up a treasure chest of relationships for us—we need to be ready.” In anticipation, Sullivan and his team ramped up hiring, ensuring…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:50:31)
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 From Black Box to Control Tower

A former customer turned advocate, Stuart Leung joined Flexport when it was still a fast-growing startup lacking formal finance structures. In just a few months as CFO, he oversaw a thorough margin-improvement effort involving 15 “big rock” initiatives, uniting cross-functional teams to boost efficiency and profitability. He now focuses on AI-based automation, using new technology […]

1078: From Black Box to Control Tower | Stuart Leung, CFO, Flexport

Stuart Leung had occupied the CFO office at Flexport for only a few months when he realized the supply chain management company’s growing margin pressures stemmed not from a single root cause but from many. From pricing misalignment to invoice errors, Leung had compiled a lengthy list of snags. Along the way, he began empowering…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:56:29)
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1077: Unleashing Innovation: Strategic Insights into AI Integration | Omar Choucair, CFO, Trintech

Trintech CFO Omar Choucair is increasingly turning to AI as a strategic advantage—building teams, refining data “plumbing,” and automating time-consuming processes. His strategic mindset, honed by years of thriving in unpredictable environments, drives him to embrace AI as a catalyst for operational efficiency and transformative growth. Choucair tells us that his approach centers on leveraging…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:46:58)
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1075: Mastering Recurring Revenue: The Next Chapter Unfolds | Kevin Rhodes, CFO, Extreme Networks

Kevin Rhodes recalls one of the earliest lessons in his finance career. “I wanted to understand the business,” he tells us, describing his decision to ride along with a Waste Management truck crew. Clipboard in hand, he meticulously recorded stop distances, tonnage collected, and time spent at each location. By the end of the week,…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:42:33)
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1074: Balancing AI Innovation with Post-IPO Expectations | Bill Koefoed, CFO, OneStream

It began with a tense stretch of weeks that Bill Koefoed tells us he won’t soon forget. As OneStream’s CFO, he was juggling the details of going public when a small AI startup called DataSense caught his attention. “We didn’t even have a formal corporate development function,” Koefoed explains, but he threw himself into researching…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:43:01)
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Building Networks & Nurturing Talent: Key CFO Insights from Amy Butte

Inside The Mentoring Round, Navan CFO Amy Butte recalls the unexpected responsibilities she faced at the New York Stock Exchange, underscoring how the CFO role extends beyond accounting. She reveals the importance of connecting with people—whether on a trading floor or in a finance function—and highlights the power of vulnerability in leadership. Butte also stresses […]

1072: Numbers, Narratives, and Navigating Change | Amy Butte, CFO, Navan

It was a phone call Amy Butte tells us she will never forget. Lifting the receiver, she heard the familiar voice of her father—an accountant who had always championed her career. But this time, his words were tinged with a curious mixture of praise and amazement. He simply couldn’t fathom how his daughter, who had…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:43:36)
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1071: Empowering Finance: Lessons from the Automation Edge | Ashim Gupta, CFO, UiPath

Ashim Gupta, who has evolved from a pre-IPO CFO to now serving as both CFO and COO, is busy redefining the role of finance in driving growth and innovation. Initially focused on strict financial discipline, Gupta’s responsibilities have expanded to integrate long-term growth initiatives with day-to-day operational execution. In our discussion, Gupta explains that funding…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:40:33)
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