A Finance Strategic Moment During his first Salesforce meeting with the Chief Product Officer, Naeem Ishaq pitched new pricing ideas without solid data. Sent away to “figure out the (numbers) first,” he refined the fundamentals, persevered, and ultimately earned a trusted seat at the strategy table—opening doors for bigger initiatives and long-term growth. Now Watch […]
1088: Driving Growth with a Builder’s Mindset | Naeem Ishaq, CFO, Checkr
It was a first meeting Naeem Ishaq tells us he’ll never forget: stepping into the Chief Product Officer’s office at Salesforce, he began pitching a bold new pricing model. Yet the officer cut him off, bluntly telling him to “figure out the (numbers) first, then we can talk strategy.” Ishaq admits the numbers he had…
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The 60 Seconds That Changed the Conversation
Faced with a complex tax strategy and an overwhelmed board, Tony Jarjoura cut through dense technical jargon and distilled thousands of hours of work into two simple sentences. The clarity shifted the conversation instantly—highlighting his belief that finance leaders must translate complexity into insight that moves decisions forward. Now watch our complete episode featuring CFO […]
1087: Why Finance Needs a Seat at Every Table | Tony Jarjoura, CFO, Gigamon
It was the kind of boardroom moment that separates finance professionals from finance leaders. Tony Jarjoura, now CFO of Gigamon, found himself surrounded by audit committee members as a dense, highly technical tax strategy unraveled before them. Despite having pored over legal memos and internal reviews, the room still looked puzzled—until Tony spoke. In just…
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Ownership, AI, and M&A Execution | Adam Ante, CFO, Paycor
Failing to integrate a newly acquired Colorado firm taught CFO Adam Ante the critical gap between operating a business and merely managing financials. Embracing “extreme ownership” transformed his approach, prompting deeper collaboration with business leaders. Now watch the complete episode featuring CFO Adam Ante of Paycor In this episode, Jack is joined by Adam Ante, […]
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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Where Finance Meets the Factory Floor
12-Month PrioritiesOver the next year, Gabi Gantus aims to refine Mytra AI’s cost structures by establishing clear unit economics for its warehouse robotics solutions. She plans to scale pilot deployments and secure large warehouse contracts, proving the technology’s value and setting the stage for a broader rollout. Equally important: developing varied financing and deal structures […]
1076: Where Finance Meets Factory Floor | Gabi (Bressack) Gantus, CFO, Mytra AI
It was an impromptu meeting Gabi Gantus will never forget. One day at Tesla, the company’s then-President of Automotive, Jérôme Guillen, pulled her aside, whispering about a decision Elon Musk was leaning toward. Guillen—who led the automaker’s push for production scale and supply chain agility—believed a different path could better serve the company, but needed…
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1058: Empowering Industry with SaaS-Driven Material Technologies | Brian Registe, CFO, QuesTek
It was only last October that the world witnessed SpaceX catching its super-heavy rocket booster as it emitted fiery bursts from the booster’s underside. Among those watching perhaps more attentively than ever was this episode’s CFO guest, Brian Registe, who today oversees the finance function of Questek—a company whose materials-by-design technologies are enabling SpaceX and…
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Ep 18: Dragon Slayer of the Budgeting World | A Tribute to Steve Player
When consultant Steve Player died last week at the age of 64, the business function that he had tormented, ridiculed, and war-hammered for more than two decades stood quivering in the shadows. Still breathing, the beast of a business process known as budgetary control had withstood its most notorious assailant’s heaviest blows—in itself a resounding […]
Experiencing a Planning Inflection Point at Salesforce | Evan Goldstein, CFO, Seismic
CFO GUEST: Evan Goldstein of Seismic EPISODE: #848 The People, the Mission, and the Innovation
811: Satisfying a Cultural Itch With Smart Growth | Jason Keen, CFO, Mills & Nebraska
Among the career milestones that CFOs prefer to highlight for us during our discussions, there’s little question that examples of driving business growth are an ongoing favorite. However, for Jason Keen, who built his finance career inside midsize construction firms, management’s growth goals have always needed to be mindful of a company’s organizational culture. Inside…
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