GrowCFO Show – Détails, épisodes et analyse

#203 Counting More Than Cash: Can CFOs Handle Human Value? with Arjan Udding and Werner Schouten https://open.spotify.com/episode/4XDwgSdG36iRyx8uhedCK4 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/203-counting-more-than-cash-can-cfos-handle-human-value/id1529443371?i=1000671388078

In this episode of the GrowCFO Show, host Kevin Appleby engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Arjan Udding, Director Impact Institute, and Werner Schouten, Director Impact Economy Foundation. The conversation centres around the evolving role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the realm of sustainability.

The guests make a compelling case for the CFO to transition into a Chief Value Officer (CVO) role, emphasizing the need to balance the traditional focus on financial value with equal consideration for social, human, and natural value creation. They delve into the importance of impact accounting, a methodology that quantifies non-financial value and integrates it with financial metrics. Arjan and Werner share examples of European institutions, such as Rabobank and Triodos, that have successfully adopted impact accounting to inform their decision-making and long-term investment strategies.

Throughout the discussion, the speakers highlight the need for a harmonized, accessible language for impact reporting. This, they argue, is crucial for driving sustainable business practices and investment decisions across organizations of all sizes, as it enables a comprehensive understanding of the interconnected environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors that shape a company’s long-term viability and societal impact.

Key topics covered include:

• Introduction and background of the guests, Arjan and Werner
• Debate on whether the finance leader should be called a CFO or CVO
• Role of financial metrics in sustainability and the need to expand them
• Integration of financial and non-financial metrics through impact accounting
• Examples of companies adopting impact accounting
• Challenges and opportunities in implementing impact accounting
• The broader impact of impact accounting beyond just ESG
• Conclusion and call to action for CFOs to embrace the role of Chief Value Officer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maxJKO35A7s Links

• Arjan Udding on LinkedIn
• Werner Schouten on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• GrowCFO Mentoring

Timestamps

• 0:0:00 – 0:0:19 Introduction and background of the guests 
• 0:0:19 – 0:1:35 Debate on whether the finance leader should be called a CFO or CVO 
• 0:1:35 – 0:3:15 The need to redefine value beyond financial value 
• 0:3:15 – 0:6:00 Expanding financial tools to include social and environmental value 
• 0:6:00 – 0:7:30 The CFO’s role in owning the balanced scorecard 
• 0:7:30 – 0:12:30 Integrating financial and non-financial metrics through impact accounting 
• 0:12:30 – 0:16:00 Examples of companies adopting impact accounting 
• 0:16:00 – 0:20:00 Challenges and opportunities in implementing impact accounting 
• 0:20:00 – 0:22:30 The broader impact of impact accounting beyond just ESG 
• 0:22:30 – 0:24:00 Conclusion and call to action for CFOs to embrace the role of Chief Value Officer

Find out more about GrowCFO

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

#202 How Does Corporate Legal Finance Work? with Jordan Licht https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gxFduDodLzWwcUMKr0rpV?si=nKOiLbeOT1m-TXDZ1wf7Xw https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/202-how-does-corporate-legal-finance-work-with-jordan/id1529443371?i=1000670492929

In this episode of the Grow CFO Show, host Kevin Appleby sits down with Jordan Licht, the CFO of Burford Capital, to discuss the fascinating world of legal fundraising and litigation finance.

Jordan Licht’s career journey to becoming the CFO at Burford Capital is an interesting one. He transitioned from a 15-year background in investment banking and consulting to eventually taking on the CFO role, reconnecting with a former boss who had also joined Burford. This highlights the importance of maintaining professional networks and how serendipitous career paths can be.

The core focus of the discussion centers around Burford Capital and the unique world of litigation finance. Jordan provides an overview of how Burford invests in commercial litigation cases, sharing in the risk and reward. He explains Burford’s thorough underwriting process, the challenges of estimating case durations, and the benefits their capital and expertise can provide to clients. The conversation also touches on Burford’s global presence, their approach to building a non-law firm culture, and the complexities of funding and managing the company’s own capital requirements.

Beyond just traditional finance responsibilities, Jordan emphasizes the value of having diverse experience across sales, strategy, and operations. This broader understanding of the business, rather than just the finance function, has been crucial in his current role as CFO. Jordan discusses how this experience has helped him appreciate the symbiotic relationship between business operations and finance, and the dependencies that exist between the two.

Key topics covered include:

• Jordan Licht’s career journey to becoming CFO at Burford Capital
• Jordan’s diverse experience beyond traditional finance roles
• Overview of Burford Capital and litigation finance
• Burford’s investment process and client engagement 
• Cash flow and fee structure in litigation finance
• Jordan’s role as CFO and building a non-law firm culture
• Burford’s global presence and client engagement
• Funding and capital management at Burford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yaJ0oH0uWU Links

• Jordan Licht on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• GrowCFO Mentoring

Timestamps

• 0:0:12 – Introduction by Kevin Appleby
• 0:0:48 – Jordan Licht’s introduction and background
• 0:1:59 – Discussion on career networking and connections
• 0:2:34 – Jordan’s previous roles before Burford Capital
• 0:4:03 – The evolving role of a CFO
• 0:5:01 – Explanation of Burford Capital’s business model
• 0:7:07 – Litigation finance and its benefits
• 0:10:05 – Underwriting and investment process
• 0:11:58 – Win rates and case outcomes
• 0:14:14 – Example of a litigation finance process
• 0:16:49 – Financial and strategic benefits for companies
• 0:18:11 – Jordan’s role as CFO at Burford Capital
• 0:19:39 – Company culture and working with lawyers
• 0:21:55 – Building the right company culture
• 0:23:05 – Client engagement and partnerships
• 0:24:50 – Global presence and operations
• 0:25:35 – Size and structure of the finance team
• 0:26:45 – Burford’s investment portfolio and capital sourcing
• 0:28:37 – Closing remarks and appreciation

Find out more about GrowCFO

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.

You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

#193 Navigating My First Fundraise as Group CFO with Vineta Bajaj https://open.spotify.com/episode/11eo7ZWSRIHL77o1p1kWtX https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/193-navigating-my-first-fundraise-as-group-cfo-with/id1529443371?i=1000663060229

In this episode, we are honored to have Vineta Bajaj, the Group CFO of Rohlik Group and former executive at Ocado, as our guest. Vineta opens up about her personal and professional experiences across diverse environments, stressing the importance of owning one’s space and maintaining authenticity. Her insights are not only inspiring but also provide practical advice for navigating the complexities of leadership in today’s fast-paced business landscape.

Kevin enriches the dialogue by addressing the unconscious biases and challenges that female founders often encounter in fundraising and business operations. Kevin underscores the significance of personal development mentors like Michael Hipple, who play a crucial role in helping leaders transform challenges into opportunities. This discussion sheds light on the unique obstacles faced by women in the entrepreneurial world and offers valuable perspectives on overcoming these barriers through self-awareness and strategic thinking.

In the latter part of the episode, Vineta and Kevin pivot to the specific challenges associated with sustainable growth in the competitive online grocery market. They explore the demanding responsibilities of a CFO, particularly in formulating effective communication strategies with investors during fundraising efforts. Their combined expertise provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of balancing sustainable growth with the intricate demands of financial leadership. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to gain deeper insights into the multifaceted role of a CFO and the evolving dynamics of the online grocery industry.

Key topics covered include:

• Vineta Bajaj’s career journey from KPMG to becoming the Group CFO of Rohlik Group, an online grocery company in Europe
• The challenges of fundraising for an online grocery business in a difficult market, including Vineta’s personal struggles with preparing for the fundraise
• Tips for identifying and selecting the right investors for a growing business
• The financial restructuring challenges faced by businesses in the current environment, and the importance of emotional detachment in decision-making
• Vineta’s passion for empowering female founders and overcoming biases in the business world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyBHBGqNa7s Links

• Vineta Bajaj on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• GrowCFO Mentoring

Timestamps

• 0:10 – Introduction by Kevin Appleby, highlighting GrowCFO as a platform for finance leaders.
• 0:40 – Vineta Bajaj expresses gratitude for being invited to the podcast.
• 0:46 – Vineta shares her professional background starting from her accounting degree to her experience at KPMG.
• 1:14 – Discusses various roles and accomplishments at Kerry Group and subsequent career transitions.
• 2:12 – Vineta highlights her move to the UK, joining the company Catelogue, and her journey leading to becoming Group CFO at Rohlik Group
• 3:39 – She elaborates on challenges faced in the current market and how their company has managed growth.
• 5:38 – Describes personal and professional challenges during the fundraising process.
• 8:26 – Talks about preparing for meetings with investors, focusing on understanding key business metrics.
• 10:07 – Discusses balancing precision with the broader financial picture when dealing with investors.
• 11:22 – Reflects on leveraging her team more effectively during the fundraising process.
• 13:10 – Shares strategies for identifying and selecting the right investors with the help of external financial advisors.
• 15:30 – Addresses the current difficult market conditions and consolidation within the industry.
• 18:09 – Discusses the importance of emotional detachment when making restructuring decisions.
• 21:03 – Vineta reveals her passion for mentoring and investing in small businesses, especially those led by female founders.
• 22:12 – Talks about personal experiences with sexism, racism, and ageism in her career, advocating for owning one’s space.
• 25:27 – Concludes with a powerful message about internal power and determination to succeed regardless of obstacles.
• 26:48 – Kevin Appleby wraps up the conversation, thanking Vineta for her insights.

Find out more about GrowCFO

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.

GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. 

Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here. You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Chris Roling is the CFO at Coinme. He has 25 years of commercial and private equity experience having served in board, CEO, COO, and CFO positions with a number of global public and private companies. His previous experience is deeply rooted in venture capital, making him an expert on the current state of investor funding and how to acquire it in a bear market.

Chris provides some great insights into the following:

• What best practices and insights on critical strategies can assist companies in improving and sustaining their valuation/operations to attract investors
• What alternative fundraising strategies work in a disruptive market
• How to seek out and determine which investors best fit a company’s business model 

Chris Roling has also been a partner at Ernst and Young. We know from GowCFO research into routes to CFO that it’s very unusual for a resume to contain both CFO and Big 4 partner roles. We find out from Chris how that came about.

Links

• Chris Roling on Linkedin
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• Routes to CFO Research Report
• GrowCFO Fundraising Transaction Simulator
• GrowCFO Future CFO programme

Timestamps

00:12 Welcome and introduction to Chris Roling.

02:38 How Chris became a CFO at a very senior level.

04:40 What does it mean to be a direct admit partner?

06:54 What is the current state of investor funding?

11:15 If you do not have enough cash runway you can get yourself into a predicament.

14:00 What is the difference between B2B and B2C companies?

16:19 How to separate the wheat from the chaff in the fintech space.

20:24 The importance of having a shortlist of investors to approach.

22:14 What you need to do to become investor friendly.

24:48 The importance of having a cash flow forecast.

They tell you never to meet your heroes. So did Kevin Appleby make a mistake inviting Laura Vanderkam on to the GrowCFO Show? You will have to listen to the episode and make up your own mind about that!

Kevin recommends Laura’s book “168 Hours” every time he runs a module 3 workshop on GrowCFO’s Future CFO Programme. It’s essential reading if you need to find a few extra hours every week to sort out your own personal development and career progression. Laura tells us more about 168 hours in this week’s episode.

Laura Vanderkam is a keynote speaker and author of multiple books. She is about to release her latest work “Tranquility By Tuesday” based on a time diary study of over 150 people. In the book, you’ll learn nine tried-and-true “rules” to easily build opportunities for joy, nourishment, and fulfilment into your schedule. These strategies will help you make what you want to happen, actually happen, instead of letting the minutiae of everyday life get in the way. Better still, listen to the podcast episode as Laura reveals to Kevin what all 9 rules are. These rules of course are of limited use to Kevin. He might get to have tranquillity next Tuesday, but his problem is he still can’t get the hang of Thursdays!

Links

• Laura Vanderkam website
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• Laura Vanderkam on Amazon UK and Amazon US
• GrowCFO Future CFO programme

Timestamps

00:43 Why is Laura Vanderkam Kevin’s heroine?

01:35 Laura explains 168 Hours

03:40 How do you make time?

5:22 Doing a time audit

7:55 168 hours is a recommendation in Module 3 of the Future CFO Programme

09:15 The importance of a morning routine

12:31 Tranquility by Tuesday

14:10 The 9 different strategies or rules

15:20 Rule 1 – Give yourself a bedtime

15:50 Rule 2 – Plan on Fridays

18:44 Rule 3 – Move by 3pm

20:35 Rule 4 – Three times a week habit

23:00 Rule 5 – Create a backup slot

24:55 Rule 6 – One big adventure, one little adventure

27:27 Rule 7 – Take one night for you

29:37 Rule 8 – Batch the little things

31:20 Rule 9 – Effort full before effort less

Do you want to be a great finance business partner? If so, you’re in luck! In this episode, Oliver Deacon joins Kevin Appleby and gives us some great tips that will help improve your relationship with your colleagues in the rest of the business. Oliver Deacon is a member of the GrowCFO Mentoring team. He runs the GrowCFO Business Partnering Boot Camps and is a former FD at Microsoft.

One of the most important things to remember when trying to become a great finance business partner is that communication is key. You need to be able to effectively communicate with your colleagues in order to build strong relationships. Make sure you are always clear and concise when conveying information, and take the time to listen to what others have to say. It is also important to be responsive to questions and concerns that your colleagues may have.

It is also essential that you are able to build trust with your colleagues. This can be done by being honest and transparent in your dealings with them. Make sure you keep your promises and always follow through on what you say you will do. If there are ever any issues, make sure you deal with them in a timely and professional manner.

Remember that it is important to show your colleagues that you are invested in the success of the organisation. This can be done by offering help and support when needed and being proactive in finding solutions to problems. Your job is to sell ideas and provide options. If you can do these things, you will be well on your way to becoming a great finance business partner.

Building a strong relationship between finance and the rest of the business is essential for the success of your organisation. Listen in for some great information on how to make things work well between you and your fellow business managers!

Links

• Oliver Deacon on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• GrowCFO Business Partnering for Finance Teams Boot Camps

Timestamps

00:43 What is a finance business partner?

02:11 About Oliver Deacon

03:26 How to become a great business partner? Where do you start?

03:59 Relationships and selling ideas

05:38 How do you start forming great relationships?

06:15 Asking questions, showing people you are interested in them

09:43 Can you figure out what your business partners’ biggest problems are?

10:39 Stop; Start; Continue

12:16 Turning data into insights

15:40 What are we going to do differently as a business?

16:38 Finance business partnering boot camp

18:48 How is the boot camp structured?

21:17 What’s covered in each workshop?

23:32 How do you attend a bootcamp?

24:41 What surprises people most on the boot camp?

100 Episodes of the GrowCFO Show, that’s 2 years’ worth of podcast episodes. Dan Wells, founder and CEO of GrowCFO joins regular podcast host Kevin Appleby to celebrate the milestone, reflect back on the last two years and talk about some new exciting developments in GrowCFO.

Dan and Kevin both choose their favourite episodes of the GrowCFO Show. Dan decided on episode 95 where Catherine Clark, head of mentoring at GrowCFO, talked about making the best decision for both you and your business. Kevin selected episode 102, yes an episode that is yet to be published, where he managed to get a guest from his own bucket list on the show. We’ll leave you to wait another two weeks to find out who it is. The clue is Kevin talks about her book every time he delivers module 3 of the Future CFO Programme.

Three significant milestones arrive all at the same time. As well as the 100th episode of the GrowCFO Show we’ve published two great new resources. The first is a 100-page book that describes the CFO Competency Framework. The second is a white paper examining the career paths of 500 CFOs and exploring the many different career routes available to get to the top job in finance. Both have just been made available to download on the GrowCFO website

Links

• Dan Wells on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• Become a free member of GrowCFO
• Dan’s Favourite episode (episode 95)
• CFO Competency Framework
• New free resources: The GrowCFO CFO Competency Framework eBook and Career Routes to CFO report
• Future CFO programme

Timestamps

01:40 Two years ago, what was the original vision for GrowCFO?

03:17 How did Dan and Kevin end up working together?

06:02 Working with interesting people who simply want to give something back

07:23 Our favourite episodes of the GrowCFO Show

11:38 Whats GrowCFO all about?

16:19 plans for the next 2 years

17:19 The CFO Competency Framework

21:57 New research: What’s the optimum size for your finance function

24:56 Virtual Boardroom and Fundraising Simulator

25:34 Boot Camps for both Strategy and Finance Business Partnering

Alex Budak joins the GrowCFO show on the same day that his new book “Becoming a Changemaker” is published. Quite a coup for the podcast! The book is an excellent read for anyone wanting to become a changemaker, in particular for finance leaders wanting to enhance their ability to be a catalyst for change.

As a faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Alex created and teaches the wildly popular course “Becoming a Changemaker,” which has quickly grown into one of the most highly-rated courses anywhere on campus. The course is regularly heralded by students as “transformative” and “life-changing” but has only been accessible to students attending UC Berkeley. That all changes from today as the course is condensed into a book accessible by anyone.

The Becoming a Changemaker playbook is a guide for anyone looking to lead positive change. It covers the mindsets and leadership skills needed to navigate, shape, and lead change, as well as how to thrive in uncertain times. The book is tailored to millennials and Gen Zers who are leaving school and entering the workforce. It is based on the popular UC Berkeley course by the same name, which students have praised as transformative and life-changing.

Links

• Alex Budak on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• GrowCFO Competency Framework
• Becoming a Changemaker on Amazon UK and Amazon USA

Timestamps

00:51 Alex explains his background

02:26 Book being published on 13 September 2022

04:05 Change and the CFO

06:17 Technology and change

10:02 Can the changemaker skill be learned?

10:36 The Changemaker index

12:33 Dealing with resistance to change

15:06 Involving people in the change

18:28 Champions, fence-sitters and cynics

23:03 Impact = (mindset+leadership) x action

25:24 Who is the book aimed at?

28:06 How did you get involved in teaching “Changemaker”?

Jeremy Foster is an unusual CFO, he isn’t an accountant and doesn’t have a finance background. His origins are in sales and marketing. He changed course following an MBA at Notre Dame and has subsequently become a highly successful finance leader with strong strategic capabilities and significant M&A experience. Jeremy has been instrumental in multiple equity rounds, debt recaps, and a 9-digit platform sale to PE.

Jeremy’s main interest is working with an organisation that wants to drive massive growth. He will typically be brought on board by a CEO who wants a co-pilot to go on that journey. In this episode, we talk about how Jeremy is currently doing that at Talroo and how that differs from his approach at previous companies Homeward and Kasasa. He explains how he operates as a strategic partner to the CEO and gives us some great insights to the thought process a CFO needs in helping build and drive strategy.

We explore some of the key KPIs you need to understand when investing in customer acquisition, and we talk about the theory of constraints. Jeremy shows how the skills he learned as a marketing director are extremely valuable to a CFO too.

Links

• Jeremy Foster on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• Talroo.com
• GrowCFO Strategy Programme

Timestamps

00:53 A background in marketing for a bank

01:29 Did you miss out by not having an accounting background?

02:13 What role do you play as a non-accounting CFO?

04:01 Blitz scaling

05:26 The three big KPIs you need to know

07:53 Profit per customer

10:25 Jeremy Foster’s experience growing the business at Kasasa

12:39 What issues do such rapid growth bring?

15:53 Thinking about communication channels

18:38 The theory of constraints

19:50 The importance of good relationships

21:50 The role of a finance business partner

23:03 What advice would you give to a CFO coming through a more traditional route than yourself?

24:55 What’s the role of the CFO in driving a high-growth business strategy?

Danielle Keeven has had quite a journey to get to her current role as VP of Finance at paddle.com. She has crossed the globe and changed industry sectors. She has gone from roles in large multinationals to working in high-growth startups. Danielle shares her experiences with Kevin Appleby on this week’s GrowCFO Show.

Originally working in the Caribbean for large US multinationals such as Marriott and Hyatt, Danielle swapped to working in Europe for booking.com, then moved out of hospitality completely to work in fintech. This was a huge change and she tells us all about the challenges she faced in the episode.

Danielle Keeven is currently VP of finance at paddle.com. Paddle offers SaaS companies a completely different way to sell. Instead of assembling and maintaining a complex stack of payments-related apps and services, Paddle provides an all-in-one solution. Danielle explains how her finance expertise is applied to the design of the product as well as to running the finance team. We discuss in detail the problems that products like Paddle solve for SaaS founders, and some of the mistakes Danielle has seen these companies make.

Links

• Danielle Keeven on LinkedIn
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
• Paddle.com
• GrowCFO Future CFO Programme
• GrowCFO Strategy Programme
• CFO Competency Framework
• Free Course: First 100 Days in your new finance role

Timestamps

01:00 Born in the Netherlands, growing up in the Caribbean

01:42 The accidental accountant

02:59 Hospitality: Hyatt and Marriott

03:45 Move to Europe and the tech side of Hospitality

05:00 Accounts receivable in a SaaS business

06:41 moving from Booking.com to Messagebird

09:23 Why did you join paddle.com?

11:47 What does Paddle do?

13:18 The complexities of online business and global tax rules

16:13 Will you move on from VP Finance to a full CFO role?

17:19 Roald Dahl’s Matilda

19:13 What sort of mistakes do you see fast-growing SaaS companies making?

22:06 Building a strategy for internationalisation

23:15 Giving SaaS businesses the right data insights

25:26 What advice would you give other finance people looking to move to CFO roles

26:41 GrowCFO Competency framework

27:15 The art of delegation

30:33 The finance leader and fraud