High-achieving leaders often pride themselves on attention to detail, relentless drive, and demanding the best—from themselves and everyone around them. Yet the very qualities that fuel success can quietly erode team confidence, autonomy, and performance. When expectations become uncompromising, people stop taking initiative, avoid risks, and operate in fear of making mistakes. A critical leadership challenge is learning how to maintain excellence without creating pressure that stifles creativity, burns people out, or drives the best talent away—and how a few intentional shifts can turn high standards into a force for sustainable growth rather than harm.
In this GrowCFO Show episode, host Kevin Appleby is joined by Jeanné Els, GrowCFO Mentor and founder of coaching and facilitation practice Selah, to explore how high standards play out in real teams and real careers. Drawing on more than a decade in corporate finance and her work with high-performing professionals, Jeanné shares candid reflections on times when her own drive and perfectionism unintentionally created pressure and reduced ownership in her teams, and contrasts that with a more sustainable approach built on psychological safety, trust, and clear expectations. Together, Kevin and Jeanné connect these leadership lessons back to finance business partnering, showing how insight, storytelling, and curiosity can raise the bar while keeping both leaders and teams out of burnout.
Key topics covered:
Jeanné shares her journey from aspiring musician to chartered accountant and ultimately to coach and facilitator, illustrating how high performers often reinvent themselves when their old success patterns stop working
The discussion reframes finance business partnering as a storytelling and insight function, not just a reporting role, emphasizing the importance of communicating what really matters to stakeholders
Jeanné unpacks the concept of sustainable ambition, explaining how unchecked high standards can push leaders into overdrive, creating disconnects between who they are and how they show up at work
She explains how her own high standards once created pressure for her team, and how focusing on psychological safety, questions, and trust led to stronger, more autonomous performance
The episode explores imposter syndrome and the transition from technical expert to leader, highlighting why leaders must let go of needing all the answers and instead create space for their teams to learn and experiment
Jeanné outlines her vision for Selah as a community and support system for high-performing professionals who want to maintain ambition without sacrificing wellbeing or team health
00:00 – Kevin introduces Jeanné Els, her background in corporate finance, and sets up the importance of examining how high standards shape leadership and team dynamics
03:20 – Discussion of finance business partnering as moving beyond historic reporting into insights, communication, and influencing decisions—not just “being right” with the numbers
13:11 – Jeanné reflects on lessons she wishes she’d known earlier, including how relentless standards and over-responsibility can backfire on both career and team
13:27 – Jeanné explains the story behind Selah, her focus on sustainable ambition, and the need for safe spaces to step back and reflect on how you’re leading and living
20:47 – Deep dive into psychological safety, trusting your team, and treating mistakes as learning opportunities instead of evidence of falling below impossible standards
32:06 – Jeanné shares her vision for expanding Selah and building communities where driven professionals can maintain high standards without burning themselves or their teams out
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
#300 Will AI Reduce Finance Team Headcount? Dan Wells Founder & CEO, GrowCFO
In today’s finance function, the question is no longer whether AI will have an impact, but whether it will fundamentally change team size and structure. This landmark 300th episode of The GrowCFO Show asks directly: will AI actually reduce finance team headcount, and how should CFOs prepare? Dan Wells, Founder & CEO of GrowCFO, examines how automation, machine learning, and generative AI are reshaping core finance activities—from reporting and month-end close to forecasting and transactional processing—and what that means for resource planning, role design, and long-term capability building.
Dan sets out a pragmatic framework for separating hype from reality. He considers which finance activities are most automatable, where AI is likely to create capacity rather than eliminate roles, and how leading CFOs are using that capacity—whether to cut cost, reinvest in analysis and business partnering, or build new capabilities altogether. Listeners come away with a structured way to think about headcount, role design, and capability building in an AI-enabled finance function, along with practical next steps they can apply in their own teams.
Key topics covered:
Why the question “Will AI Reduce Finance Team Headcount?” is now a strategic issue for CFOs, not just a technology debate
A clear distinction between automating high-volume tasks and making decisions about structural headcount
Specific areas where AI can meaningfully reduce manual effort in reporting, month-end close, and forecasting workflows
Which finance roles and skill sets are most exposed to automation, and which will become more valuable in an AI-enabled team
How progressive CFOs are redeploying capacity towards partnering, scenario analysis, and decision support instead of pure cost-cutting
#299 What It Takes to Become CFO by 33 Audrey Lagresle CFO, Automobile En Direct
Becoming a CFO by 33 takes far more than technical finance skills; it demands strategic breadth, deep business exposure, and the confidence to operate at board level. In this GrowCFO Show episode, Kevin Appleby talks with Audrey Lagresle, CFO of Automobile On Direct, about how she reached the CFO seat so early in her career and why today’s CFO must be a value creator and change leader, not just a chief accountant.
Audrey shares her journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family in France, to driving global finance transformation at Bombardier, and then building the FP&A and finance business partnering function from scratch in a fast‑growing Canadian automotive business. She explains how she now leads a 19‑person finance team, focuses on strategy and decision support, shapes the company’s AI agenda, and applies lessons from ERP transformation and a volatile used‑car market. Along the way, she reflects on imposter syndrome, the role of the GrowCFO program, and how non‑traditional routes can successfully lead to the modern CFO role.
About Audrey Lagresle
Audrey Lagresle is the Chief Financial Officer of Automobile en Direct, Quebec’s leading used‑car retailer. At 35, she oversees strategy, governance, and major transformation initiatives for a fast‑growing, 400‑employee organization. Audrey joined the company six years ago to build its FP&A function and was promoted to CFO in 2024.
Born into a family of entrepreneurs in France, she developed an early understanding of how businesses operate and a lasting affinity for small and medium‑sized companies. She immigrated to Montreal at 18 to study at HEC Montréal, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Finance, a Master’s degree in Strategy, and competing as an elite student‑athlete.
#298 How Can You Fast-Track Your Career to CFO? Becky Glover Chief Financial Officer, Mazuma
A CFO role is no longer just about reporting the numbers; it’s about driving strategy, shaping growth, and leading with commercial insight. For ambitious finance professionals, understanding how to deliberately design a career that accelerates you into that top seat has never been more important. From gaining the right breadth of experience to leveraging technology, networks, and non‑traditional opportunities, there are practical ways to intentionally fast‑track your journey to CFO.
In this episode, Kevin Appleby interviews Becky Glover, Chief Financial Officer at Mazuma, about her unconventional and accelerated journey to the CFO seat. Becky outlines how she progressed from leaving school at 17 to qualifying through the AAT and ACCA routes, building a portfolio of varied roles, and eventually stepping into the CFO role without a traditional university background. The conversation positions her story as a practical blueprint for finance professionals who want to fast‑track their careers by focusing on the right experiences, networks, and skills rather than just job titles and salary progression.
The episode also explores how running her own e‑commerce business, engaging with professional bodies such as AAT and ACCA, and contributing to initiatives like Connection Career Collective all accelerated Becky’s development as a modern, technology-enabled CFO. Listeners gain insight into how exposure to technology, automation, marketing, and SME operations can significantly increase a finance leader’s impact and readiness for the top finance role. The discussion highlights that the path to CFO is becoming more diverse and that intentional career design, continuous learning, and meaningful connections can dramatically shorten the journey.
#297 How Tax Professionals Can Become Fractional CFOs Scott Winters CEO & Chairman of the Board, Financial Gravity
For tax professionals wondering what comes after traditional compliance work, this episode offers a practical roadmap for evolving into a more strategic, better-paid role. As AI and automation increasingly handle routine tax tasks, the real opportunity lies in stepping up as a trusted financial guide to business owners, not just a form-filler or historian of the past
In this episode, host Kevin Appleby interviews Scott Winters, CEO & Chairman of the Board at Financial Gravity, on how tax professionals can successfully transition into fractional CFO roles. The discussion frames this shift as both a strategic career move and a necessary response to the rapid commoditization of tax compliance, driven largely by AI and automation. Rather than remaining in backward-looking compliance work, Scott argues that tax professionals are uniquely positioned to become forward-looking strategic advisors, helping business owners make better decisions, scale, and ultimately create more enterprise value .
Scott introduces a five-stage business evaluation and scaling framework and explains how it can be applied by tax professionals who want to broaden their remit beyond tax filings . He explores the mindset shift required to move from technician to strategic partner, the skills gap between traditional tax advisors and seasoned CFOs, and practical models for offering fractional CFO services, including tiered offerings and retainer-based pricing. The episode makes a strong case that those who adapt will thrive in a world where AI takes over routine work, leaving humans to deliver higher-value insight, judgment, and leadership.
Key topics covered:
Why AI is commoditizing tax compliance and pushing advisors toward value-added fractional CFO services
#296 AI Is Giving CFOs Confidently Wrong Answers Don Rogers Managing Partner & Founder, Invictus Global Advisors, LLC
AI is now embedded in almost every corner of the finance function, powering forecasts, reports, and board-ready insights at unprecedented speed. Yet when powerful systems are plugged into weak data, broken processes, or poor governance, they don’t just make mistakes, they do it with absolute confidence and immense credibility. For CFOs, the real risk isn’t that AI is wrong; it’s that it looks so right no one stops to question it.
In this GrowCFO Show episode, Kevin Appleby speaks with Don Rogers, Managing Partner & Founder of Invictus Global Advisors, LLC, to explore how AI can mislead finance teams with highly convincing but incorrect outputs, and what CFOs must do to protect decision-making. Rogers explains that while AI has reignited interest in finance transformation, many CFOs are layering powerful AI tools onto broken operating models and poor-quality data. The result is not better insight, but faster, more polished versions of the same flawed information, sometimes delivered with total confidence, yet fundamentally wrong. He stresses that without strong governance, data enablement, and process discipline, AI will amplify dysfunction rather than cure it.
Rogers positions AI as a catalyst that forces CFOs to rethink the strategic finance operating model, not a magic fix. He introduces a 10-component model spanning strategy, talent activation, service delivery, process optimization, governance, data, digital and AI, insights and analytics, constituent experience, and benefits realization. Throughout the conversation, he illustrates how weak change management, undocumented processes, and poor culture (e.g., fear of “red” status) cause transformations to miss their promised benefits, even when the technology works. His message is clear: AI can unlock the long-promised vision of finance as a true strategic advisor, but only if CFOs fix their operating model, embed strong governance, and keep “humans in the loop” to challenge and validate AI outputs.
#295 Can AI Replace the CFO? Rick Sanchez Managing Principal and CEO, Robyn Consulting Group
As automation and algorithms take on more financial analysis, the role of the finance leader is under increasing scrutiny. Boards and founders are asking what truly requires human judgment at the top of the finance function, and what can be handed over to machines.
In this episode, Kevin Appleby talks with Rick Sanchez, Managing Principal and CEO of Robyn Consulting Group, about whether AI can replace the CFO. They explore how AI can accelerate decision-making, supercharge FP&A, streamline routine workflows, and deepen insight into unit economics, pricing, and retention, while highlighting why strategy, interpretation, and stakeholder leadership still demand an experienced finance executive.
The discussion turns this vision into practical guidance: building a robust financial operating system, using AI to lower barriers to building and scaling SaaS products, and applying data to pricing and recurring revenue models. Rick also looks ahead to how fractional CFO services will evolve, arguing that those who blend FP&A expertise with AI tools will be best placed to solve complex problems. and that AI is ultimately a force multiplier for CFOs, not a replacement.
Key topics covered:
Rick outlines his transition from corporate revenue management and FP&A into a fractional CFO role, bringing Fortune 500–style tools and frameworks to founder-led and SaaS businesses.
He explains why unit economics (price, quantity, and retention) are central levers for SaaS growth and how exercises like MRR growth ceiling analysis reveal where to focus effort.
The conversation dives into pricing strategy, including starting with lower prices to acquire customers, then using value-based increases and retention to drive long-term profitability.
#294 The Skills Every CFO Will Need by 2030 Myles Corson EY Global Financial Accounting Advisory Services, Strategy and Markets Leader
In the coming years, finance leaders will operate in an environment shaped by rapid technological disruption, new business models, and rising stakeholder expectations, where a role once focused on reporting and cost control now sits at the center of strategy, value creation, and transformation. In this context, traditional accounting and compliance expertise must be complemented by fluency in data, technology, and AI, as well as much stronger leadership, communication, and collaboration skills; capabilities that will define the next generation of high-performing, future-ready finance functions.
In this GrowCFO Show episode, host Kevin Appleby welcomes Myles Corson, EY Global Financial Accounting Advisory Services, Strategy and Markets Leader, to explore what skills will define successful CFOs by 2030. Against a backdrop of rapid technological disruption and shifting business models, the conversation anchors on EY’s long-running “DNA of the CFO” research, based on over 1,500 global CFO and senior finance leader responses. The episode underscores why today’s CFOs must move beyond traditional stewardship and reporting roles to become true enterprise value creators, strategic partners, and transformation leaders.
The discussion examines the widening gap between CFOs’ ambition to lead value creation and the current reality that only about one in four are truly doing so in practice. Corson highlights that by 2030, the most effective CFOs will blend technical excellence, strategic acumen, AI fluency, and human-centered leadership, especially communication, collaboration, and change management. The conversation emphasizes that technology, including AI, is only a catalyst; sustainable success will depend on how CFOs develop their teams, reshape enterprise value metrics, and navigate uncertainty with adaptability and curiosity.
#293 Why Profitable Businesses Still Run Out of Cash Scotty Palmer Fractional CFO and Founder, Palmers Advisors
Understanding why some companies run short of the one resource they simply cannot operate without, cash in the bank, even when they are hitting revenue and profit targets has become an essential leadership skill. Cash flow problems rarely appear in the headline numbers, yet they can quietly derail growth plans, strain supplier relationships, and, in the worst cases, threaten the survival of an otherwise profitable business. For founders, CEOs, and finance leaders, success depends on looking beyond the profit and loss statement to understand the timing, predictability, and movement of cash. Organisations that master cash flow are better equipped to scale with confidence, navigate uncertainty, and seize opportunities while competitors struggle to meet their obligations.
In this episode of The GrowCFO Show, host Kevin Appleby is joined by Scotty Palmer, Fractional CFO and Founder of Palmer’s Strategic Advisors, to explore one of the most common challenges facing growing businesses: why profitable companies still run out of cash. Scotty explains how tight margins, hidden costs, and rapid growth without effective cash flow planning can quickly create a liquidity crisis, even when the profit and loss statement looks healthy. Drawing on his experience advising small and mid-sized businesses in the food and beverage sector, he shares practical examples of how cash constraints can emerge despite strong financial performance.
The conversation also explores the tools and disciplines that help businesses strengthen cash flow and improve decision-making. Scotty discusses the role of financial modelling, KPI tracking, and AI-powered forecasting in creating greater visibility over future cash needs. He explains how a better understanding of unit economics, more accurate cost allocation, and challenging assumptions about seemingly profitable product lines can uncover hidden value and improve financial resilience. Throughout the discussion, he demonstrates how a fractional CFO can act as a strategic partner, helping founders balance ambitious growth with the financial discipline needed to build a sustainable business.
#292 The Reporting Change Every CFO Needs to Prepare For Paula Kensington GrowCFO Mentor
In today’s finance landscape, corporate reporting is undergoing one of the most profound shifts in decades. Boards, investors, regulators, and lenders are no longer satisfied with backward‑looking financial statements alone; they expect CFOs to explain how evolving risks, regulation, and stakeholder expectations will shape business models, capital allocation, and long-term resilience. For finance leaders, this is no longer a peripheral compliance task but a core strategic responsibility that will increasingly determine market credibility and access to capital.
In this GrowCFO Show episode, host Kevin Appleby speaks with returning guest Paula Kensington, GrowCFO Mentor, about what she describes as a “once in 100‑year change” in corporate reporting and why CFOs must act now rather than treat it as a box‑ticking exercise. The conversation explores the new International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) climate and sustainability standards (S1 and S2), their adoption in markets such as Australia and across Asia, and the phased implementation by entity size that is rapidly pulling mid‑market businesses into scope.
The episode reframes so‑called “climate reporting” as a strategic exercise in business resilience, not a peripheral ESG disclosure. Paula explains how climate‑related risks and opportunities will increasingly drive strategy, governance, risk management, and metrics—and why these new disclosures may, over time, become more important to investors than traditional backward‑looking financial statements. She highlights the emerging regulatory expectations, the evolving role of assurance and audit, and the personal liability implications for directors and CFOs who underinvest or delay, emphasizing that the apparent savings from aiming for “minimum compliance” today may be dwarfed by future costs once standards, regulator expectations, and market scrutiny have fully matured.
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00:00 – 03:30 – Introduction: why AI and finance headcount is now a board-level topic
03:30 – 10:00 – Mapping the current finance operating model and identifying automation hotspots
10:00 – 18:00 – Tasks vs. roles: what AI can automate today versus what still needs human judgement
18:00 – 28:00 – Example scenarios: where AI could change team size and structure in reporting, close, and forecasting
28:00 – 38:00 – Future skills and profiles: what CFOs should hire, retain, and develop in an AI-driven finance function
38:00 – 45:00 – Strategic implications: balancing cost savings with capability, culture, and stakeholder expectations
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
Audrey built a non‑traditional CFO path through eight years at Bombardier, gaining experience in accounting, financial modeling, finance transformation, corporate strategy, and M&A. She later joined Automobile en Direct, where she led FP&A, strategic planning, corporate governance, a multi‑bank loan syndication, a divestment plan, and major innovation projects including ERP replacement and the launch of an internal AI Committee.
Key topics covered:
Audrey’s journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family in France to becoming CFO of a leading Canadian used‑car retailer by age 33.
How global finance transformation work at Bombardier—shared services, FP&A systems, and post‑merger integration—equipped her with change, people, and risk management skills vital for the CFO seat.
Why she left a multinational for a fast‑growing medium‑sized business and how she built FP&A, budgeting, cash flow planning, and monthly performance reviews from the ground up.
Audrey’s view of the modern CFO as a value creator and strategic partner to the CEO and COO, rather than a traditional “chief accountant,” and how the GrowCFO program reinforced her readiness for the role.
Lessons from navigating the post‑COVID used‑car downturn, executing a divestment plan, and still opening new branches while maintaining financial discipline .
How she is leading the company’s AI and technology agenda—creating an internal AI committee, adding a Director of Technology and Innovation, and using AI to enhance decisions without cutting headcount.
0:00:01 – Introduction to Audrey Lagrell and Automobile On Direct; overview of the used‑car business model and scale (14,000+ cars per year, #1 used‑car retailer in Canada focused solely on used cars)
0:02:04 – Audrey’s early exposure to entrepreneurship in her family’s furniture business and how living “inside the business” shaped her holistic understanding of how companies operate
0:04:20 – Bombardier finance transformation: building shared service centers in Costa Rica, Romania, and the Philippines; project management, process mapping, and large‑scale change management in a 60,000‑employee multinational.
0:09:18 – Standardizing finance across multiple plants and learning from major divestments and post‑merger integrations, including work with Airbus on carve‑outs and integration activities.
0:14:10 – Transition from multinational to a growing medium‑sized automotive business; building FP&A, budgets, cash flow, treasury policies, and monthly financial reviews from scratch.
0:16:46 – The GrowCFO program, evolving expectations of the CFO role by 2030, and why Audrey believes the CFO’s primary mission is to create value and help the CEO make better decisions—not just close the books.
0:21:01 – Imposter syndrome, stepping into the CFO role at 33, and realizing she was already operating as a strategic influencer before the title formally changed.
0:25:25 – Audrey’s finance team structure: strong corporate controller, dedicated FP&A, and treasury support that free her to focus on growth, strategy, and partnerships with the CEO and COO.
0:28:40 – How she is leading AI in the business: internal AI committee, evaluating use cases across marketing, finance, and reconditioning, and insisting on clear ROI and risk management.
0:33:39 – Lessons from a major ERP replacement to Microsoft Business Central and why the CFO must stay close to tech projects to ensure they genuinely create business value.
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
Key topics covered:
Becky’s non‑traditional path: from AAT apprenticeship to ACCA-qualified CFO without a university degree
How diverse roles, board work, and “saying yes” to opportunities helped fast‑track her career
Lessons from running an e‑commerce wine business and how it sharpened her technology and commercial skills
How Mazuma combines fintech and accountancy to serve small SMEs with proprietary automation (MazApp)
Why future CFOs must leverage technology and automation to focus on advisory and value creation
Becky’s work with AAT, ACCA, and Connection Career Collective to build networks in male‑dominated fields
0:00 Becky’s unconventional route from AAT apprentice to CFO.
0:03 Key factors that accelerated her path to the CFO role.
0:05 How launching an e‑commerce wine business changed her finance skill set.
0:08 Practical lessons from entrepreneurship for aspiring CFOs.
0:11 Inside Mazuma’s fintech‑accountancy model and SME focus.
0:13 The role of technology and AI in the future CFO toolkit.
0:16 Giving back through AAT and ACCA and why networks matter.
0:19 Confidence, imposter syndrome, and Becky’s mindset strategies.
0:25 Connection Career Collective and building connections in male‑dominated sectors.
0:28 Becky’s vision for her future and the evolving CFO role.
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
The five-stage framework Scott uses to evaluate, fix, and scale client businesses
The skills tax professionals must develop to bridge the gap between compliance work and strategic CFO leadership
How to design a tiered service offering that layers advisory and fractional CFO work on top of core tax services
Shifting from hourly billing to a retainer-based model that supports deeper, ongoing client relationships
Why the demand for fractional CFOs is growing, and how tax professionals can differentiate in a crowded advisory market
0:00:02 – Scott Winters’ background and entrepreneurial journey
0:03:17 – Why tax professionals should become fractional CFOs
0:06:31 – Skills gap between tax compliance work and fractional CFO roles
0:08:45 – Scott’s five-stage business evaluation and scaling process
0:13:15 – Challenges and upskilling opportunities for tax professionals
0:14:33 – The value proposition of fractional CFO services
0:20:25 – Impact of AI on tax, accounting, and advisory services
0:24:08 – Fractional CFO market demand and competition
0:29:16 – Creating a tiered tax, advisory, and fractional CFO offering
0:30:52 – Moving from hourly billing to retainer-based models
0:32:55 – Book promotion and closing thoughts on “Tax Professional to Fractional CFO”
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
Key topics covered:
Don explains how AI, when layered on top of a broken finance operating model and poor data governance, will “amplify the dysfunction” and produce confidently wrong answers instead of better insight.
He shares a real client example where the same AI prompts produced two completely different board reports, underscoring the risks of hallucinations, model drift, and weak governance in AI-led reporting.
Rogers introduces his Strategic Finance Operating Model with 10 components, showing CFOs how to connect corporate strategy, talent, processes, data, AI, and benefits realization into one coherent blueprint.
The discussion highlights sobering transformation statistics (e.g., high failure and dissatisfaction rates) and links them directly to poor change management, cultural resistance, and cutting “change” from budgets first.
Don stresses the need for a new apprenticeship model in finance: young professionals must learn AI, data, and tools, while experienced leaders focus on change enablement, strategic storytelling, and constituent experience.
The conversation explores the evolution from bespoke AI to generative and agentic AI, and why CFOs must demand strong guardrails, governance, and documented processes before trusting AI in core finance tasks like journal entries.
0:02:21 – AI, changing expectations of CFOs, and why layering AI on a broken model only “amplifies the dysfunction.”
0:04:46 – Don’s story of a CFO getting two different AI-generated board reports from the same prompts, and the risks of hallucination, drift, and bad data.
0:06:13 – How young professionals must learn AI, data, and tools, while senior leaders become change catalysts and keep “humans in the loop.” [episode296]
0:11:39 – Why 50% of transformations never get off the ground and ~70–80% fail to deliver expected benefits; Don links this directly to change management and human behavior, not technology.
0:17:32 – The importance of tracking outcomes and benefits: business cases are created, funded, then forgotten, driving the gap between promised and realized value.
0:20:23 – Culture, governance, and the “green-to-red” effect: why everything looks green until a project suddenly turns red, and how fear and blame stop early escalation.
0:22:41 – Don outlines the Strategic Finance Operating Model components (strategy, talent activation, service delivery, process optimization, governance, data enablement, digital & AI, insights & analytics, constituent experience, outcomes & benefits).
0:23:39 – Evolution of AI in finance: from bespoke models to embedded generative AI in ERPs and point solutions, and now to agentic AI acting on goals, not just instructions.
0:28:27 – Agentic AI and governance: Don’s epilogue on corporate and government responsibility for guardrails, and why AI is still only as good as the instructions and constraints given.
0:32:16 – Journal entry example: a client’s agentic AI project hits a 96% fail rate because underlying code-block rules weren’t built into the model.
0:33:33 – The hidden risk: critical business processes exist only in people’s heads, never documented, leaving AI with no reliable instructions to follow.
0:35:04 – Deeper dive into the 10 components and how to prioritize projects when organizations can only handle 5–7 major initiatives at a time.
0:39:59 – Don’s upcoming book: “Building the Strategic Finance Operating Model: The CFO’s Blueprint for Value Creation in the Age of AI” and its practical, conversational style.
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
Rick and Kevin explore how AI will reshape finance, from automating routine tasks to enhancing planning, analytics, and CEO decision-making, while still requiring human oversight and strategic judgment.
They discuss how AI is lowering barriers to entry in SaaS, enabling rapid prototyping and go-to-market, while highlighting that distribution, marketing, and scalable business models still determine success.
Looking ahead, Rick predicts strong growth in fractional CFO services powered by AI and bespoke FP&A tooling, and stresses clear differentiation between bookkeeping, controllership, and high-value CFO advisory work.
0:00:01 – Rick’s background and journey from corporate CFO roles to founding his own fractional CFO firm, working with startups and founder-led businesses.
0:01:39 – Deep dive into his corporate career in technology, revenue management, and FP&A, and how those disciplines shape his current advisory approach.
0:04:31 – Discussion of specialization in SaaS and tech companies, including unit economics, recurring revenue, and the critical importance of retention.
0:07:52 – Practical pricing strategies for startups and established firms, covering low-entry pricing, retention dynamics, and managing paid-in-full and deferred revenue.
0:21:39 – Core segment on AI in finance and fractional CFO work, how AI can automate tasks, elevate decision quality, and fit into a layered financial operating system.
0:28:17 – How AI reduces product development friction in SaaS, plus the remaining challenges around scaling, marketing, and infrastructure for young tech CEOs.
0:36:22 – Future trends: growth in fractional CFO demand, the role of creativity plus AI in solving complex problems, and the rise of in-house FP&A tools tailored to niche markets.
0:39:52 – Closing reflections on AI’s long-term impact on finance, the necessity of clean and accurate data, and the upskilling imperative for finance professionals.
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.
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Key topics covered:
EY’s multi‑year “DNA of the CFO” research shows a persistent gap between CFOs’ desire to lead value creation and the small minority actually doing so day-to-day.
Future-ready CFOs will be distinguished less by technical credentials and more by strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and human-centered leadership.
AI adoption in finance remains early: only around 20% of organizations consider themselves advanced, with most struggling on data, culture, skills, and scaling beyond “science experiments.”
Successful finance transformations correlate strongly with team adaptability and clear articulation of the “why” behind change, not just the technology or cost targets.
The most impactful CFOs intentionally build varied career experience (operations, strategy, international roles) and focus on mentoring, networks, and peer benchmarking.
In an AI-driven world, people remain the decisive factor: leadership, communication, and culture ultimately determine whether technology investments deliver value.
0:00:02 – Introduction to Miles Corson, EY Global Leadership Team and framing the reality vs. perception of the CFO role.
0:02:07 – Miles’ career journey and how diverse roles across geographies, audit, management accounting, government, and advisory shaped his CFO perspective.
0:08:00 – Discussion on curiosity, varied experience, and mentorship as critical enablers of finance career progression and leadership.
0:10:52 – Key findings from the DNA of the CFO survey: CFOs’ ambition to lead value creation vs. the reality that only ~25% do so in practice; the need to rethink enterprise value metrics.
0:21:12 – Deep dive into AI in finance: low maturity of adoption, challenges with data, culture, and skills, and the importance of focusing on business outcomes rather than technology hype.
0:26:31 – Why most finance transformations underperform; the pivotal role of human factors, communication, and storytelling in driving successful change.
0:38:31 – Long-term trends in the CFO role: evolution rather than revolution, with enduring importance of strategic vision, collaboration, and the human side of leadership.
0:43:32 – Conclusion: in a world of AI and advanced technology, people, culture, and talent still determine whether CFOs and finance functions can truly transform and create value.
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
Key topics covered:
How a fractional CFO helps profitable businesses avoid cash crunches by improving visibility into true costs and cash conversion
Why food and beverage businesses are especially vulnerable to cash-flow problems due to thin margins and complex cost structures
A client case where disciplined financial modeling and KPI tracking helped increase business performance 10x
Practical strategies to balance passion for product with commercial viability, including pricing, cost allocation, and product mix decisions
How Scotty uses AI tools and spreadsheets to build agile financial models and improve decision-making speed for clients
Scotty’s longer-term vision of building a specialist team of food and beverage advisors to support more founders at scale
0:00:01 – Scotty’s background and journey from corporate accounting at Honey Baked Hams to becoming a fractional CFO for food and beverage businesses
0:02:57 – The personal and financial challenges of leaving a stable corporate role to build a fractional CFO practice, and the central importance of predictable cash flow
0:07:14 – Why the food and beverage sector is high-risk for cash shortages despite apparent profitability, and how thin margins amplify operational missteps
0:08:39 – Case study: managing a large retailer opportunity, understanding true costs, and avoiding overextending cash to chase volume
0:22:37 – Using cost analysis, pricing strategy, and product-level profitability to turn around a struggling taproom restaurant
0:29:21 – Leveraging AI (Claude, Gemini, Google Sheets) to power financial modeling and scenario analysis without heavy financial systems
0:40:05 – Advice for corporate finance professionals considering a move into fractional CFO work, including risk, reward, and impact
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
For further information, visit Authentyxand subscribe to the newsletter to receive practical resources, including downloadable checklists and a 90-day action plan designed to support confident, effective leadership and lasting success.
Key topics covered:
Paula positions the new ISSB climate standards (S1 and S2) as a once-in-a-century shift in corporate reporting that many CFOs are still underestimating.
She explains the phased roll-out by company size, showing how mid‑market organizations (Group 2 and Group 3) are quickly becoming subject to these requirements and cannot rely on being “too small” to be affected.
The discussion reframes climate reporting as forward‑looking resilience analysis, where climate scenarios and risks inform strategy and may ultimately become more critical to stakeholders than traditional P&L and balance sheet statements.
Paula distinguishes between physical risks (e.g., assets and warehouses threatened by climate events) and transition risks (e.g., changing policies, markets, and customer expectations making existing products or models obsolete).
She outlines how governance, risk registers, and board oversight must evolve so climate risks and opportunities actively drive decision‑making rather than sit as a static compliance document.
The episode stresses that aiming for minimum viable compliance is a high‑risk strategy in light of director liability, potential fines, and increasing regulator and investor focus on the quality and consistency of climate disclosures.
00:00–02:30 – Introduction to Paula and framing of the topic as a major, under-appreciated change in corporate reporting.
02:30–04:30 – Explanation of Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 entities and why mid‑market CFOs are now “on the hook.”
04:30–07:30 – Reframing climate reporting as business resilience rather than ESG box‑ticking; climate disclosures as potential primary statements.
09:17–11:19 – Deep dive into physical vs transition risks with practical examples (warehouses, energy, low‑cost apparel).
15:19–18:38 – How assurance and audit standards are evolving, and why investors will focus on climate‑driven risks and opportunities more than last year’s earnings.
19:47–21:25 – The four pillars of ISSB (governance, risks and opportunities, metrics and targets, strategy) and their implications for how strategy is set.
22:11–23:33 – Discussion on the risk register as a living, strategic tool rather than a periodic governance formality.
28:22–31:40 – Why only ~20% of CFOs are taking this seriously; dangers of focusing solely on AI and cyber while underplaying climate risk.
33:28–34:51 – Regulator expectations, linkage between prior risk disclosures and current climate scenarios, and potential fines and director liability.
35:09–36:54 – Global implications, including differences in US regulation and why international supply chains will still force adoption.
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
