Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Dayton Kellenberger shared a key moment from his time at Coleman Company that reshaped his view of finance. Tasked with addressing declining gross margins, Kellenberger used a detailed price-volume mix analysis to uncover that low-margin products were unintentionally replacing higher-margin ones. His findings led to a transformation in how Coleman priced […]
The Mentoring Round | Daniel Welch, CFO, Kate Farms
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Daniel Welch emphasizes the dual nature of Kate Farms as both a healthcare and consumer packaged goods (CPG) company, with long-term customers who rely on its plant-based medical nutrition products. He highlights the importance of understanding customer lifetime value relative to acquisition costs, particularly in the company’s e-commerce expansion. Welch also […]
1,035: Balancing Growth and Sustainability: The Financial Strategy Behind Health Innovation | Daniel Welch, CFO, Kate Farms
In 2018, Daniel Welch made a life-altering decision when—after having spent a decade in investment banking working on high-profile IPOs and M&A deals at Morgan Stanley—he found himself at a crossroads. The birth of his daughter and a health scare involving his father led him to question the career path that he was on. “I…
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1,034: From Earnings Growth to Long-Term Success: A CFO’s Strategic Shift | Deanna Strable, COO & president (CFO emerita), Principal Financial Group
When Deanna Strable was approached to take on the role of CFO at Principal Financial Group, she was taken by surprise. Having spent most of her 30-year career in leading business units rather than focusing on finance, Strable initially questioned whether she was the right fit for a position traditionally held by financial experts. “Ultimately,"…
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The Mentoring Round | Scott Blackley, CFO, Oscar Health
Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Scott Blackley emphasizes the transformative role of AI in healthcare, noting that Oscar Health continuously evolves AI capabilities to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and reduce costs. He underscores AI’s potential in automating tasks like call center operations and financial processes, allowing the finance team to focus on insights rather […]
1,030: Leveraging Global Expertise to Shape ADP’s Financial Future | Don McGuire, CFO, ADP
In 2021, ADP's HR leader reached out to Don McGuire, then the company’s globe-trotting EMEA president, to gauge his interest in stepping into the firm's CFO role. McGuire was surprised, inasmuch as it had been nearly two decades since he had veered off the traditional finance career track. During this interim, McGuire had taken on…
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Ep 38: Strategic Relationship Building in FP&A
In this episode of Planning Aces, Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles discuss the evolving role of FP&A professionals, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and strategic collaboration within organizations. As summer ends and fall approaches, Brett predicts a surge in business activity, particularly as companies rush to meet year-end objectives. The conversation highlights the decline in […]
1,029: A Unique Advantage: When CEO Experience Informs CFO Leadership | Matt Steinfort, CFO, DigitalOcean
While most CFOs climb the ranks through finance-related roles, Matt Steinfort's path ended up taking quite a significant detour—which saw him lead a company as CEO and then unexpectedly step into a CFO role at his next company. Steinfort’s transition from CEO to CFO occurred when he was approached by Dan Caruso, a longtime mentor and successful…
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1,026: Partnering for Growth in the Age of AI | Kabir Ahmed Shakir, CFO, Tata Communications
According to CFO Kabir Ahmed Shakir, when AI giant Nvidia sought to expand its alliances in India, it knew exactly with whom to partner: "They did their homework, and they tapped on Tata Communications’ door.” This partnership, Shakir tells us, has proven to be but one of a number of alliances in Tata's journey toward…
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The Mentoring Round | Todd Patriacca, CFO, BVI Medical
Inside The Mentoring Round CFO Todd Patriacca emphasizes the strategic implementation of technology automation, focusing on areas that enhance efficiency and reduce internal costs. He advocates for leveraging automation to handle routine tasks, allowing teams to concentrate on strategic exceptions. Todd also champions Lean methodology, applying its principles of continuous improvement and waste elimination to […]
Ep 37: Navigating Communication Challenges
This episode Jack an Brett discuss the commentary of the three Planning Aces, CFO Sandeep Aujla from Intuit, CFO Shelagh Glaser from Synopsys, and CFO Seth Wunder from Acorns. Each Planning Ace highlights their distinct approaches to strategic finance, organizational structure, communication, and business growth. Interestingly, while all three CFOs highlight the importance of strategic…
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The Mentoring Round | Eric Emans, CFO, Nintex
Inside the Mentoring Round, CFO Eric Emans emphasizes the importance of overcoming the fear of failure early in one’s career, as learning often comes from making mistakes. He fosters an expectation-based culture where finance professionals are encouraged to engage with the business, challenge assumptions, and drive insights. Emans believes this approach distinguishes great organizations from […]