The Source for CFO Thought Leadership

finance strategy

1121: Agility Through Scenario-Driven Finance | Ademir Sarcevic, CFO, Standex International

During what he calls a “terrible soccer game” his son was playing, Ademir Sarcevic picked up a recruiter’s call that would change his career. The game was lopsided, but the timing was fortunate. Within months, Sarcevic was interviewing with Standex International’s leadership team. By 2019, he was CFO of the diversified manufacturer, helping guide a…
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Prepared for the Unexpected: Steering Finance Through Volatility | Ademir Sarcevic, CFO, Standex International

When rhodium costs spiked from $2,000 to $30,000 an ounce, Ademir Sarcevic led Standex to redesign switches with cheaper ruthenium and raise prices. The dual response protected margins, revealed stronger pricing power, and created a playbook for future crises—proving agility and preparedness are critical in finance leadership. Now Watch the Complete Episode Featuring CFO Ademir […]

Why the AI Revolution Won’t Look Like the Cloud | Eric Brown, CFO, Cohesity

Facing an existential crisis at MicroStrategy, Eric Brown led a massive restructuring—cutting two-thirds of staff and shifting operating margins from -40% to +30% in under three years. Market cap rebounded from $55M to over $1B, proving that decisive, sweeping change can revive a company against impossible odds. Now Watch the Complete Episode Featuring CFO Eric […]

In the Room Where it Happens (Part 1)

In Part One of In the Room Where It Happens, we hear from four CFOs reflecting on formative moments when they found themselves face-to-face with legendary industry leaders. CFO Gabi Gantus of Mytra recounts a pivotal meeting at Tesla with Elon Musk, while CFO Jason Child (Arm) shares an FP&A breakthrough alongside Jeff Bezos during…
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1117: Building a Unicorn with a Finance Blueprint | Konstantin Dzhengozov, CFO, Payhawk

When Konstantin Dzhengozov turned down a corporate development role in the U.S., he wasn’t walking away from opportunity—he was running toward a different kind of growth. Having helped lead the FP&A function at a fast-scaling Bulgarian tech firm through its acquisition by a U.S. public company, Dzhengozov knew what came next if he stayed the…
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1116: The CFO Who Thinks in Full Color | Dan Zhang, CFO, ClickUp

When Dan Zhang joined ClickUp in 2021, she stepped into a company intent on unifying how the world works. Two years later, she entered the CFO office—just as ClickUp’s strategic bet on AI was beginning to reshape its platform and its future. ClickUp is not just a place where work is tracked, Zhang tells us—it’s…
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1115: The Evolution of a Leader—One CFO Chapter at a Time | Lisa Cummins Dulchinos, CFO, Ayar Labs

When Lisa Cummins Dulchinos joined Ayar Labs, she knew translating deep tech into a business story would be central to her role. At a company where 85% of the nearly 200 employees hold PhDs, Dulchinos found herself among experts fluent in micro-ring resonators and laser physics. To explain what Ayar Labs does, she took a…
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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 […]

1113: The Strategic Leap from Finance Partner to Business Architect | Josh Schauer, CFO, insightsoftware

When Josh Schauer joined Longview, a Toronto-based software company, he had no idea that a transformative chapter of his career was just a few years away. In 2020, Longview was acquired by insightsoftware—a turning point that brought both uncertainty and opportunity. “It’s kind of equal parts fear and optimism,” he tells us. “You wonder: Am…
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1111: Inside the M&A Playbook: Why People Come First | James Redfern, CFO Reltio

Nearly a year into his CFO role at Reltio, James Redfern still feels like he’s catching up. “I’ve made some progress, but I’m definitely not where I... need to get,” he tells us. That steep learning curve was exactly what drew him to the company. Redfern didn’t find the Reltio opportunity through recruiters. Instead, it…
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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 […]

1102: Navigating Growth and Risk in a Member-Driven Business | Andrea Hecht, CFO, CSAA Insurance Group

When Andrea Hecht walks into a finance meeting, she’s not preparing for earnings calls or shareholder Q&A. Instead, her focus is inward—on aligning every financial decision with a mission that begins and ends with AAA members. CSAA Insurance Group, where Hecht serves as CFO, operates in 23 states and the District of Columbia. It’s not…
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