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 […]
1,007: The Art of Financial Storytelling | Ashley Johnson, CFO, Planet
When she was an international studies major living abroad, Ashley Johnson tells us, she met a U.S. ambassador whose unvarnished advice subsequently led her to divert her career path away from the diplomatic corps of the U.S. Foreign Service. "I had thought that I would be going into the State Department," she recalls. However, a…
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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. […]