Woodworth realized early that high‑growth companies must plan for downturns. She pushed Peloton’s leadership to model severe demand shocks and secure funding before it was essential. When COVID’s whiplash forced a $800 million cost‑cut and mass layoffs, those preparations helped to buffer liquidity and allowed the company to restructure rather than stall. Now Watch the Complete […]
1098: Pandemic Rollercoaster Veteran Champions Smarter MRI Suites | Jill Woodworth, CFO, Prenuvo
When Peloton’s stock debuted in 2019, CFO Jill Woodworth believed the playbook was air‑tight. She had shifted fiscal calendars, re‑segmented reporting and shaped statements that “tell a story,” she tells us. Then COVID hit. Orders “flew nine‑fold overnight,” marketing was switched off, and customer focus narrowed to a single metric: getting bikes from order to doorstep. CFOTL:…
Listen to the Episode Below (1:04:18)
1093: Anime Economics: Serving Fans, Driving Returns | Travis Page, CFO, Crunchyroll
A little more than a decade ago, Travis Page was hauling gear off a tour bus, criss-crossing the country with indie bands. One late night, sweat-soaked and exhausted, he noticed fans waiting in the rain simply to glimpse their favourite artist. Passion like that ought to power a business, he thought. That backstage epiphany still…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:35:30)
Simplify, Measure, Accelerate | Jason Lee, CFO, Faire
FINANCE STRATEGIC MOMENT | CFO JASON LEE At Faire, Jason redefined how the company measured growth by simplifying customer behavior analytics. Initially, the company tracked broad volume and percentage-based growth metrics, but Jason shifted the focus to two core drivers: discovery volume (new product trials) and reorder rate (repeat purchases). Now Watch the Complete Episode […]
1080: Reframing Your Drivers of Growth | Jason Lee, CFO, Faire
It was a moment of “shock and awe” that Jason Lee says shapes his strategic mindset. Soon after joining Square, he discovered a major partnership with Starbucks that was quietly bleeding millions of dollars and threatened Square’s financial runway. “We had to swarm the problem,” Lee tells us. The team renegotiated terms and preserved the…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:58:17)
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)
1063: From Banking to Building: One Leader’s Shift to Operations | Eugene Wong, CFO, Clara Analytics
It was shortly after Eugene Wong exited the banking world to advance into a senior operations role that he realized the importance of a holistic view. At one meeting, he uncovered a disconnect between product and sales teams that threatened a strategic initiative. By stepping in and aligning priorities, he emerged as a “quarterback,” bridging…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:52:47)
1057: Building Strategic Value: Inside the Finance Engine Room | Georgy Egorov, CFO, ZeroAvia
“Maybe it was a little bit of beginner’s luck,” Georgy Egorov tells us, reflecting on his first CFO appointment at a biotech startup. Although the life sciences firm’s blend of knowledge-driven resources and AI placed it at the forefront of drug discovery innovation, Egorov identified a critical vulnerability: the company’s model depended too heavily on…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:56:14)
1053: Strategic Financial Alignment for Enhanced Transparency and Growth | Cyrus Lam, CFO Orion Innovation
For Cyrus Lam, the aspect of the CFO role that sets it apart from all others is the weight of non-negotiable priorities. Despite years spent closely collaborating with CFOs as an investment banker, Lam tells us he quickly discovered a new lesvel of accountability in the role. Managing cash flow and ensuring payroll, he says,…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:59:37)
1,046: Transforming Finance from Reactive to Proactive Leadership | David Eckstein, CFO, Vanta
When David Eckstein inherited a struggling business unit earlier in his career, there was little question he faced an uphill battle. The unit wasn’t one he had built, nor had he developed the frameworks or discounting policies in place. Who was responsible for the unit’s troubles? And shouldn’t this problem child belong to someone else?…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:44:49)
How Isabelle Winkles Built a CFO Career Toolkit | Finance Leadership Insights
Inside The Mentoring Round, Isabelle Winkles, CFO of Braze, reflects on her deliberate and evolving path to becoming a CFO. From her early career as an investment banker to 18 years at Morgan Stanley, Winkles emphasizes the importance of building a diverse finance toolkit through roles in corporate FP&A, treasury, and equity research. She discusses […]