Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Diary of a CFO

In this solo episode of The Diary of a CFO, I sit down halfway through the year to reflect on what I’ve learned during my first two years in the CFO seat, as well as the lessons I’ve gathered from speaking with more than 40 CFOs on this podcast.

I talk about the difference between strategic thinking and strategic leadership, and why most companies test for the first when the second is what ultimately keeps you in the seat.

I also explore why your relationship with your CEO and board can be the single most important factor in whether you succeed or get pushed out, including a real story from a CFO whose CEO asked her to stop attending board meetings after she shared information he didn’t want disclosed.

We get into why working with a founder CEO is completely different from working with a hired CEO, what that means for navigating the role, and how mid-market CFOs operate at different altitudes in the same day, from talking to funders to reviewing accounting entries.

I also unpack what I mean by “strategic influence” and why it has to permeate everything you do and say as an executive, right down to the words you choose.

And finally, I reflect on why alignment with your boss, your company, your family, and your health has become the one word that defines everything I’ve learned so far.

This is not just for CFOs. If you’re in any senior leadership seat, this episode is for you.

Most ERP implementations do not fail because of the technology. They fail because of what happens before the system is even turned on.

In this episode, I sit down with Sharon Barboza, Manager of Digital Services at Citrin Cooperman Advisors. Sharon is a licensed CPA who has worked on every side of finance, from public accounting to controller to senior NetSuite consultant. She has seen hundreds of growing businesses go through system implementations and knows exactly where they break.

We break down the five most common reasons ERP implementations fail. Why accounting is always the last department brought into the conversation and what that costs in redesign and delays. The client who mentioned a Bulgarian subsidiary one week before go-live that nobody knew about. Why accountants resist leaving Excel and how to show them the value without making them feel replaceable.

The 78-tab forecasting spreadsheet that took days to update and why that was the wake-up call. How to build a roadmap that plans for where the business is going, not just where it is now.

What to look for in your chart of accounts before you realize you needed it. How one client went from a failed implementation with another partner to a successful launch by rebuilding trust from scratch. And how embedded banking tools like Fispan eliminated the constant cycle of broken bank feeds and manual file transfers.

Whether you are a finance leader about to start an ERP implementation, in the middle of one that feels like it is going sideways, or still trying to decide if it is time to leave Excel, this episode covers the full picture.

This episode is brought to you by FISPAN. Learn more at fispan.com.

She spent 19 years at Southwire. She started in treasury, moved through business unit finance, became Chief Accounting Officer, and then made a move nobody saw coming. She left finance to run supply chain at a $9 billion company that provides cable for and electrical transmission throughout the US.

In this episode, I sit down in person with Christy Wright, Executive Vice President of Supply Chain at Southwire. Christy also recently served as Interim CFO while continuing her supply chain role.

We talk about what made her leave finance after checking every experience box. Why she says curiosity and a connection to the supply chain team years earlier planted the seed. What surprised her about the operations side, including having to learn the periodic table to understand the materials her team works with every day.

How her finance background gives her a different lens in supply chain, from her focus on scrap and recyclability to her appreciation for lean and continuous improvement. What it felt like stepping into the Interim CFO seat while running supply chain and why prioritization and sleep became non-negotiable.

Why she says people leadership is the hardest and most continuous work of her career. Her advice for controllers and CAOs who want to become CFOs, including why a lateral move might be the most important one you make. And the 12 for Life program at Southwire that brings at-risk youth into manufacturing to earn a paycheck, learn skills, and finish high school.

Whether you are a finance leader thinking about stepping into operations, already in the CFO seat trying to understand the business better, or building your career at one company and wondering if that is enough, this conversation covers it.

This episode is brought to you by FISPAN. Learn more at fispan.com.

She spent her entire career in accounting and finance. Public accounting, FP&A, financial reporting, corporate accounting. Then she made a move nobody expected. She went into operations. And when she came back to finance as a CFO, everything was different.

In this episode, I sit down in person with Donna Cohen, Chief Financial Officer at CarMax Auto Finance. Donna has been at CarMax for almost 14 years and is a board-ready qualified financial expert with deep expertise in M&A, spinoffs, restructurings, and automation initiatives.

We talk about what operations taught her that finance never could and why she recommends every finance leader try it. How she uses a different part of her brain now that she has seen both sides. The PE experience in the hotel industry that broke her faith in corporate America, including the downsizing, the restructuring, and the day she negotiated her exit and called it her "liberation day."

How she ended up at CarMax after thinking she was done with corporate forever. Her strategy for making change stick inside a large organization, including finding champions, planting seeds, and being comfortable with not getting credit.

How she introduces AI to teams that have never even used ChatGPT at home. The mentor who gave her an engagement to run after just one year and wrote her a letter about growth over perfection that changed how she leads to this day.

The breaking point where she realized she was giving everything to work, her kids, and her husband with nothing left for herself. And why she says she never even knew she was capable of being a CFO.

This episode is brought to you by FISPAN. Learn more at fispan.com.

Most finance leaders think about making the jump to a private equity backed company at some point. Very few know what they are actually walking into.

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Voudouris, a 3x PE CFO who has been on every side of the table. He started at KPMG in audit, moved into transaction services analyzing deals on both the buy side and sell side, then made the leap into private equity. He has led finance at multiple PE-backed companies across different industries and moved his family to Atlanta for his first CFO role knowing nobody in the city.

We talk about what nobody tells you before you take a CFO role at a PE-backed company. The three lenses he uses to evaluate any opportunity before saying yes: the investment, the business, and the people. What documents you should be asking for before you accept the role, from the confidential information memorandum to the quality of earnings report.

How he builds trust with his CEO and why he says the foxhole relationship is everything. The budget error that wiped out 15% of projected EBITDA growth he had just presented to the board and what happened when he told his CEO immediately. Why he lives by the rule that relationship always trumps the issue.

How to be the chief interpreter of your organization as a CFO. The difference between stress that motivates and distress that destroys. And his honest advice for anyone in public accounting thinking about crossing over into PE.

Whether you are considering a move into private equity, already in a PE-backed role trying to navigate the pressure, or a first-time CFO figuring out how to evaluate your next opportunity, this conversation is the playbook.

He spent over 20 years at Ernst & Young. He did a secondment to Berlin, Germany by himself. He went back to Alabama to take over the CPA firm his father started 50 years ago. And then he made the leap to CFO of a Nasdaq-listed AI company.

In this episode, I sit down in person with James White, CFO of ScanTech AI Systems. James is a multi-state CPA, an AICPA board member, and the son of one of the first Black CPAs in the state of Alabama.

We talk about what kept him in public accounting for 20 years when most people leave in five. How he made himself easy to get to know in rooms where he was often the only one who looked like him. Why he believes being the smartest person in the room is not what gets you ahead. What he had to learn and unlearn when he moved from auditor to CFO.

How he motivates people who are not as driven as the type A teams he came from in public accounting. Why he told a room full of AICPA leaders that he has always felt like an imposter and how that honesty actually helped him. T

he moment his daughter said she did not want to be an accountant because of how much he worked, and how that changed everything about how he leads. And the generational story that starts with his great-grandfather building a park in Alabama and ends with James sitting on the AICPA board.

Whether you are in public accounting thinking about making the jump, already in the CFO seat figuring out how to lead, or trying to understand what it really takes to make people want to work with you, this conversation covers it.

She won six Canadian national championships in speed skating and was training for the Olympics. Then, had a car accident at 18. Four knee surgeries. Three years of rehabilitation.

Today Lori Kaczynski is the Senior Vice President and Chief Audit, Risk, and Compliance Officer at Graphic Packaging International, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Atlanta. She leads global internal audit, compliance, and enterprise risk management.

In this episode, I sit down in person with Lori. We talk about what competitive athletics taught her about discipline and resilience that she carries into the boardroom today. How she moved from a small Canadian town of 5,000 people to building a career in Atlanta with no coaching and no roadmap.

Why she hires internal auditors based on soft skills and culture fit before technical ability. The difference between leading audit with an enforcement mindset versus a business partner mindset and why one gets people to call you with their problems and the other makes them hide.

The Von Mises framework she uses when people resist change. How a network of 60 Fortune 500 women chief audit executives became her most valuable career resource. What her husband accidentally taught her about networking. And why she is building what she calls a "portfolio career" for what comes next.

Whether you are in audit, risk, compliance, or any finance leadership role, this conversation will challenge how you think about what it really takes to lead at a high level.

He started at Ernst & Young, moved to Home Depot where he had a front row seat to one of the most operational CFOs in the country, then jumped into high-growth startups and never looked back.

In this episode, I sit down in person with Chad Gold, 2022 CFO of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and current CFO of Fullstory. Chad drove 10x growth in enterprise value at SalesLoft to over $2.3 billion and was the first CFO at G2.

We talk about why he left the stability of Home Depot for startups and what his wife thinks about that risk. His "lines not dots" principle for building relationships that actually shape your career. His playbook for the first 90 days in a new CFO role and why most leaders make the mistake of trying to tackle everything at once. How to get the business to bring finance in early instead of after the fact. Why the CFO, not the CTO, should be leading AI adoption inside the company. How his team cut the close process by 50% using AI and is going for another 50%. The SEC agent they built that reviews contracts in minutes. How they automated daily cash reporting with Claude in five minutes. Why he thinks the finance org chart is shifting from a triangle to a diamond. And the whiteboard lesson from his Home Depot boss that changed how he thinks about success forever.

Whether you are a CFO trying to figure out where AI actually fits, a finance leader navigating high-growth, or someone thinking about making the leap from big company to startup, this conversation covers it.

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO: Live in Atlanta, I sit down in person with Tiffany Willis.

Tiffany is a global investor relations executive who recently served as Senior Vice President at Starbucks, where she managed nearly $130 billion in market capitalization. She is a Wharton graduate, an Adjunct Professor at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, a CPA, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and a former Miss Black Georgia USA.

Behind that bio is a story most people would never expect. Tiffany was pregnant at 14, dropped out of school in the 9th grade, and was homeless. She kept her baby's milk on a windowsill because she had no refrigerator.

We talk about what carried her through that chapter and into boardrooms with Howard Schultz and Mellody Hobson. How she transitioned from public accounting into investor relations and why that shift required a completely different way of thinking.

The art of storytelling as a finance leader and why most finance professionals struggle with it. Her swimming pool analogy for how to make numbers feel real to non-finance people.

The WIFM framework she uses to get buy-in across every function. How being Miss Black Georgia USA gave her the communication foundation she uses in boardrooms today.

And why she wrote her book Own Your Narrative to help leaders stop hiding from their story and start leading from it.

Get Tiffany's book, Own Your Narrative: https://www.amazon.com/Own-Your-Narrative-Resilience-Restored/dp/1918077835/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

He dropped out of high school. He was a single father. He started his career at a cottonseed company. Now he oversees $3 billion in annual revenue across 76 offices in 45 countries as the Global CFO of Baker McKenzie, one of the largest law firms in the world.

In this episode, I sit down with William Washington III. William brings a rare combination of financial acumen and operational expertise shaped by senior roles at Hogan Lovells, Accenture, and Fannie Mae. He is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt and a Bloomberg New Voice on the future of finance.

We get into what it actually looks like to lead finance across 45 countries and how he adapted his communication style for teams that speak different languages and operate in different cultures. How he evaluates a finance organization when he walks in on day one. The executive coaching session where a 360 review showed him something about his leadership he did not want to see. Why the drive that made him a great director was the same thing holding him back from becoming CFO. How he leads as a self-described introvert, including how he sets boundaries to recharge. Why he went back to school for a Master's in Law Firm Management just to understand his industry. And his philosophy on the three books every finance professional should always be reading.

Whether you are a finance leader trying to grow into the CFO seat, already in it and figuring out how to lead at scale, or building resilience through a chapter that feels impossible, this conversation will meet you where you are.

Most finance teams spend two weeks building a board report that gets reviewed in ten minutes. The formatting alone could take days. And if one number changes, the entire approval cycle restarts.

In this episode, I sit down with Fabian Ferrada, Senior Solutions Engineer at Insight Software. Before moving to tech, Fabian spent over a decade in financial and operational leadership for a publicly traded company, carrying P&L responsibility on major projects across South America and the Middle East.

We break down what a great board presentation actually looks like versus what most teams are delivering. Why three out of four manual disclosure processes contain at least one number appearing differently across documents. The real cost of broken reporting, and it is not just overtime. How to present bad news to a board and keep their trust. The difference between board reporting and investor reporting and why most manual processes can barely handle one. And a real case study where a company with 12 subsidiaries across 6 countries cut their disclosure process from weeks to days.

If your team dreads reporting season or your board deserves better than what you are currently delivering, this episode will show you what the fix actually looks like.

Brought to you by insightsoftware's Certent Disclosure Management (CDM). Visit insightsoftware.com/board-reporting to learn more.

Most finance teams stay on Excel longer than they should. The hard part is knowing when it is actually time to switch.

In this episode, I sit down with Paul Barnhurst, also known as The FP&A Guy. Paul has trained thousands of finance professionals, hosts three podcasts including FP&A Unlocked, and has tested almost every major FP&A tool on the market. He is known for his clear, independent reviews and helping finance teams make smarter choices about the tools they use.

We break down when Excel stops being enough and how to know it is time to move to a real FP&A tool. The biggest mistakes companies make when buying FP&A software, including the implementation traps that quietly kill projects. How to spot red flags in software demos and what to ask before signing anything. Where AI actually fits into the modern finance team and where it is just hype. What Paul found when his team tested Claude on real financial modeling cases. The difference between deterministic and generative AI and why finance leaders need to understand it. How FP&A teams will look different in the next few years. And the one soft skill Paul says is now more important than the technical ones.

If you lead a finance team or you are an FP&A professional trying to figure out when to upgrade your tools and how to actually use AI, this episode is the honest map you have been looking for.

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Most founders make the same fundraising mistakes and do not realize it until the cash is gone.

In this episode, I sit down with Julianne Averill, a healthcare AI CFO, board director, and fractional CFO with over 20 years of experience helping life science and digital health companies scale through fundraising, M&A, and IPOs. She has been through over 50 transactions on both the buy and sell side and currently serves as a fractional CFO working with multiple founders.

We break down how startup funding actually works from Seed all the way to IPO. What investors are really looking for at each stage. The difference between debt and equity and why getting that wrong can be one of the most expensive decisions a founder makes. The 9 mistakes she sees founders make during fundraising that kill deals before they start. What actually happens when a company goes public and why it is not the finish line most people think it is. How AI is changing the way investors discover and evaluate companies. And the ideal finance team structure as a company scales.

Whether you are raising capital, sitting on a board, or leading finance at a growing company, this episode covers the full picture.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Julianne shared her sample pitch decks during the conversation. Grab both here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GlZiV70W4zIulXhFgf1Z9TtkeLyyzR7r

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO Podcast, host Wassia Kamon sits down with Jennifer Warawa, President of insightsoftware and a seven-time honoree as one of the top 25 most powerful women in accounting, to explore what CFOs must fix before implementing AI.

Drawing on over 25 years of experience at the intersection of finance, technology, and leadership, Jennifer shares :

• Why systems and talent have not kept pace with the evolution of the CFO role,
• How AI amplifies what already exists rather than fixing broken foundations,
• What a successful AI implementation looks like and how to bring excited and skeptical team members along

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This episode is brought to you by insightsoftware. With Spreadsheet Server, you can spot trends in your data before they become problems and make faster, smarter decisions. Visit insightsoftware.com/reporting to see how it works.

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👉 If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here:

http://thecfo.scoreapp.com

📬 Get Involved

Have a question or topic suggestion?

Email: Ask@thediaryofacfo.com

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO Podcast, host Wassia Kamon sits down with Dave DeFreitas, retired group CFO of Caterpillar Inc., to explore the unconventional career path that took him from staff accountant to the C-suite.

Drawing on over 30 years of experience leading finance teams at one of the world's largest manufacturing companies, Dave shares why he had seven different jobs in his first six years before getting his first promotion, and how those lateral moves built the foundation for executive-level thinking.

The conversation also explores:

• The situational leadership framework that allows leaders to adapt their approach based on where each team member is in their development,
• Why understanding how a company works matters more than functional expertise,
• The critical difference between managing change and leading improvements.

This episode is for CFOs, aspiring CFOs, and senior finance leaders who want a realistic roadmap to the C-suite and the leadership skills that matter most once you get there.

Key Timestamps

01:19 Three things that made the difference to group CFO

03:25 The power of lateral moves in career progression

12:06 Situational leadership framework explained

15:41 Leading a team where most direct reports are older than you

24:04 The difference between managers and leaders

28:16 Value stream mapping and process optimization

42:09 How university curriculum needs to evolve for AI

47:37 What finance professionals must do to adapt to AI

Learn more about the podcast at https://www.thediaryofacfo.com

Explore the CFO Readiness Scorecard at https://thecfo.scoreapp.com

👉 If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here:

http://thecfo.scoreapp.com

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO Podcast, host Wassia Kamon sits down with Tariq Munir, digital transformation advisor and author of Reimagine Finance, to explore what it actually takes to build an AI-ready finance team.

Tariq shares why the biggest barriers to AI adoption are behavioral, not technological. He explains how to identify whether a team is truly data-driven, why streamlining workflows must come before automation, and how CFOs can create a culture of thoughtful experimentation without compromising accuracy or compliance. They also discuss the emerging skills finance leaders need, including change management, emotional intelligence, and responsible AI governance.

This episode offers clarity for CFOs and senior finance leaders navigating transformation, complexity, and the evolving expectations of the role.

Key Takeaways

• AI Readiness Starts with Trust in Data
• Process Optimization Comes First
• Experimentation Requires Boundaries
• Growing a Digital Mindset Across Teams is Essential

Key Timestamps

00:00:00 Welcome

01:22:00 The one litmus test that shows if your team is AI-ready

04:07:00 What broken workflows look like and why AI makes them worse

09:03:00 Earning the right to experiment in finance

13:00:00 Why most AI projects fail to deliver value

20:06:00 How to build a digital mindset across your team

24:14:00 The skills future CFOs need to develop now

25:40:00 Why CFOs are positioned to lead responsible and ethical AI

👉 If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here:

http://thecfo.scoreapp.com

📬 Get Involved

Have a question or topic suggestion?

Email: Ask@thediaryofacfo.com

Visit: https://www.thediaryofacfo.com

🔗 Connect with Guest Tariq Munir:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariq-munir/

🔗 Connect with Host Wassia Kamon on

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassiakamon/

Stepping into your first CFO role can feel overwhelming. In this episode, former divisional CFO and GrowCFO Mentor Kevin Appleby shares what really changes when you move from finance leader to CFO.

Drawing on years of experience working with finance leaders across industries, Kevin shares why many CFOs feel unprepared when they step into the role and how the real work begins after the reporting is done. The conversation examines how CFOs add value through judgment, questioning, and forward-looking insight, especially when the path forward is unclear.

This episode is for CFOs, aspiring CFOs, and senior finance leaders who want clarity on what actually matters in the seat and how to grow into the role without trying to be everything to everyone.

Key Timestamps

00:02 Intro

02:18 What separates good finance teams from great ones

05:48 Asking better questions to drive real insight

09:28 Developing business partnering skills through responsibility

12:42 Why CFOs must shift from backward-looking to forward-looking work

18:34 Imposter syndrome and confidence in new CFOs

24:56 Choosing which CFO skills matter most

37:56 The importance of FP&A and delivering bad news early

41:14 Why risk management sits with the CFO

44:22 What new CFOs should focus on in their first 90 days

Learn more about the podcast at https://www.thediaryofacfo.com

If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here: http://thecfo.scoreapp.com

Get Involved Have a question or topic suggestion? Email: Ask@thediaryofacfo.com

Connect with Guest Kevin Appleby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinappleby/

Connect with Host Wassia Kamon on

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassiakamon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wassiakamon/

Connect with The Diary of a CFO Podcast on

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thediaryofacfopodcast/featured

Website: https://www.thediaryofacfo.com

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In this solo episode, Wassia Kamon shares how she went from staff accountant to CFO in 15 years, including the moments that didn’t look like progress at all.

She talks about:

• Moments in her career that didn’t look like “progress” from the outside.
• Rethinking the value of credentials like the CPA, CMA, and MBA.
• Learning to lead under pressure and make decisions with incomplete information.
• What it was really like to grow her career while raising young kids.
• Promotions that looked impressive from the outside but were emotionally hard, including times when she had to support layoffs from the finance side.

If you’re in accounting or finance and you feel like you’re doing everything “right” but still not moving fast enough, this episode will give you a practical sense of what to focus on next.

Resources mentioned:

👉 If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here: http://thecfo.scoreapp.com

Have a question or topic suggestion?

Email: Ask@thediaryofacfo.com

🔗 Connect with Host Wassia Kamon on

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassiakamon/

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO Podcast, host Wassia Kamon sits down with Teri Kozub, a three-time CFO with more than 33 years of experience in nonprofit finance and current CFO at Community Legal Services of Mid Florida.

Teri shares how her non-linear career shaped her leadership style, why nonprofit finance is far more complex than many assume, and how CFOs can lead effectively through uncertainty, risk, and mission-driven pressure.

Expect to Learn

• Why the CFO role extends far beyond numbers and reporting
• How nonprofit CFOs navigate uncertainty and funding volatility
• What trust and communication look like when leading outside your expertise

Key Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction and career journey

03:18:00 Why nonprofit finance is not easier

09:03:00 Trust, communication, and leadership

18:47:00 Community and executive isolation

20:45:00 Endowments and long-term legacy

Learn more about the podcast at https://www.thediaryofacfo.com

Explore the CFO Readiness Scorecard at https://thecfo.scoreapp.com

👉 If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here: http://thecfo.scoreapp.com

📬 Get Involved

Have a question or topic suggestion?

Email: Ask@thediaryofacfo.com

🔗 Connect with Guest Teri Kozub:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-kozub-81058a12/

🔗 Connect with Host Wassia Kamon on

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassiakamon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wassiakamon/

🔗 Connect with The Diary of a CFO Podcast on

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-diary-of-a-cfo-podcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thediaryofacfopodcast/

featuredWebsite:https://www.thediaryofacfo.comX

Executive presence is often cited as the reason leaders don’t get promoted, but rarely explained.

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, Wassia Kamon sits down with executive coach Jill Avey to unpack what executive presence actually means, why high performers get stuck at the Director or VP level, and how promotions really happen at senior levels.

00:00:00 – Welcome back!

01:16:00 – What is executive presence? Jill’s model for understanding and building it

07:50:00 – The challenges women face in leadership roles and how to overcome them

10:35:00 – How to balance confidence with warmth and authenticity in leadership

13:25:00 – Preparing for high-stakes meetings: Strategies for executive success

15:36:00 – The power of listening and how it enhances your leadership presence

23:10:00 – Key obstacles keeping leaders stuck at the director level and how to break through

32:07:00 – How visibility, communication, and executive presence can advance your career

This conversation explores:

• What executive presence is and what it’s not
• Why hard work and strong performance reviews aren’t enough
• The role of visibility, trust, and strategic perspective
• How leaders can show confidence without losing authenticity
• Common leadership traps that affect both men and women

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Subscribe to the Finance Executive Track newsletter for actionable insights to become the obvious choice for top finance roles and thrive once you get there

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Don't forget to download the free guide on AI prompts every finance leader needs:

https://www.wassiakamon.com/prompts

Attorney and risk-management expert Natalia Greene reveals the real stories behind major fraud cases, including those featured on American Greed that she personally worked on.

She also shares exactly how accountants, fractional CFOs, and boutique finance firms accidentally expose themselves to lawsuits, even when they’ve done nothing wrong.

We cover:

• The wildest embezzlement schemes she’s seen in 20+ years of litigation
• Why accountants often get blamed first when fraud is uncovered
• The engagement letter mistakes that put firms at massive risk
• How scope creep silently increases your legal exposure
• The insurance policy every fractional CFO or firm owner needs (but few ever buy)
• The documentation habits that can make or break you in court
• Why client acceptance and annual reevaluation may be your best risk-prevention tool

Whether you run an accounting firm, work as a fractional CFO, or simply want to protect your professional services business, this episode is packed with hard-won insights you won’t find in any textbook.

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Subscribe to the Finance Executive Track newsletter for actionable insights to become the obvious choice for top finance roles and thrive once you get there

https://the-finance-executive-track.kit.com/signup

Don't forget to download the free guide on AI prompts every finance leader needs:

https://www.wassiakamon.com/prompts

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, executive recruiter Mark Johnson shares insider perspectives on what CEOs are really looking for in today's CFOs.

Discover how the expectations of finance leadership are evolving, what separates top candidates in interviews, and the essential qualities that define success in the modern C-suite.

Whether you’re an aspiring finance leader or a seasoned executive, you’ll gain actionable advice to stand out and thrive at the top.

Expect to Learn

• Beyond the Resume: Why today’s CFOs must stand out with emotional intelligence, resilience, and trust, not just credentials
• AI vs. Human Connection: How automation is reshaping hiring, and why relationships still make the difference
• Interview Strategy: Why performance alone isn’t enough, and how to truly impress in high-stakes executive interviews
• Path to CFO: What it really takes to land your first CFO seat, including mentorship, visibility, and cross-functional experience
• The Four Intelligence Pillars: How IQ, EQ, SQ, and AQ together define the next generation of finance leadership

If becoming a CFO is part of your goals, get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Don't forget to download the free guide on AI prompts every finance leader needs:

https://www.wassiakamon.com/prompts

Note:

This episode is a pod swap from FP&A Unlocked. We’re sharing it here to help you discover another excellent show in the finance leadership space. All content belongs to the original podcast and host Paul Barnhurst.

Note: This episode is a pod swap from FP&A Unlocked. We’re sharing it here to help you discover another excellent show in the finance leadership space. All content belongs to the original podcast and host Paul Barnhurst.

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst talks with Andrew Hull, a seasoned finance leader in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. They explore the role of FP&A professionals in driving business results, navigating inflation, and transitioning from traditional budgeting to impactful analytics. Andrew Hull is a financial executive with over two decades of experience in CPG.

Currently the Vice President of Finance at UNFI Canada, Andrew has a proven track record of partnering with business leaders to deliver results through strategic insights and principled financial analysis. With a competitive spirit and passion for team leadership, Andrew shares his unique approach to FP&A, analytics, and the importance of actionable storytelling.

Expect to Learn:

• The three pillars of great FP&A: technical skills, storytelling, and actionable decisions.
• Why Andrew advocates for changing FP&A to “FA&P” and focusing more on analytics.
• Lessons learned from leading finance during the pandemic.
• Key metrics for success in the distribution industry, including variable margin and truck utilization.
• Practical advice for accelerating budget processes and focusing on analytics that drive results.

🔗 Connect with Guest Andrew Hull

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhull4/

UNFI Canada: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unfi/

🔗 Connect with Host Paul on

Website: https://www.thefpandaguy.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefpandaguy

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefpandaguy

Join Vivienne Wei, COO of Unified Agent Force Platform at Salesforce and a leading thinker in financial technology, as she shares her journey from Wall Street to orchestrating enterprise-wide AI transformations.

In this episode, Vivienne breaks down the realities and myths of AI in the finance function, from predictive models to generative AI, and reveals how agentic AI is creating a new category of digital workers, “AI agents,” that drive both productivity and resilience in modern businesses.

You'll also learn the essentials of upskilling for an AI-augmented workforce, the leadership behaviors needed to foster adoption, and actionable strategies for CFOs to harness AI for operational and strategic advantage.

Whether you're a finance leader, tech executive, or simply curious about the future of work, discover practical lessons and frameworks to drive innovation and business value in the AI era.

If becoming a CFO is part of your goals, get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Don't forget to download the free guide on AI prompts every finance leader needs:

https://www.wassiakamon.com/prompts

What does it take to turn a traditional finance team into a true strategic business partner?

In this episode, Paul Young, CFO of Liberty Bank, shares how he connected strategy, budgeting, and talent development to create a finance function built for impact.

Paul brings over 25 years of experience leading finance, strategy, business transformation, and digital innovation across major institutions such as Citizens Bank, TD Bank, CIT, and Siemens Financial Services.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between strategy and execution, this one’s for you.

We talked about:

• How starting strategy early makes budgeting faster and easier
• Why CFOs should own project management and transformation
• What it really takes to attract and keep top finance talent
• How he created a Business Transformation Office within the office of the CFO that helped Liberty Bank cut mortgage closing time in half and become a leader in their space.

This conversation is a masterclass in modern CFO leadership.

If becoming a CFO is part of your goals, get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Don't forget to download the free guide on AI prompts every finance leader needs:

https://www.wassiakamon.com/prompts

CFOs are expected to drive transformation, lead strategy, and still deliver flawless numbers every month. In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, I sit down with Tom Hood, one of the most influential voices in finance leadership, to unpack what’s really behind the growing pressure on today’s CFOs.

We talk about:

✅ How the CFO role has evolved from finance expert to strategic co-pilot

✅ Why upskilling and reskilling are the new competitive edge

✅ How to balance performance with transformation

✅ The real impact of AI and automation on finance teams

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing 5 jobs at once as a CFO, this episode is for you.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

1. Upskilling & Reskilling Resources - Business Learning Institute (BLI)

https://blionline.org

1. Business Resilience Toolkit

https://www.aicpa-cima.com/advocacy/download/business-resilience-toolkit

1. F.A.M.E. Finance Assessment Model for Effectiveness

https://blionline.org/finance-assessment-model-for-effectiveness

Brought to you by insightsoftware. Register for our upcoming webinar:

https://insightsoftware.com/resources/get-out-of-the-reporting-rut-how-finance-leaders-drive-strategic-impact/

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, I sit down with Anna Sagan, Senior Principal Solutions Engineer, who brings over two decades of experience in financial software and strategic reporting.

We talked about:

• The evolving expectations from finance teams
• Why Excel is still the most loved BI tool in finance
• Reporting limitations in ERPs
• Why companies underutilize the tools they pay for

Whether you're a controller frustrated by ERP reports or a CFO aiming to future-proof your reporting stack, this episode delivers sharp insights and real-world advice.

If becoming a CFO is part of your goals, get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Brought to you by insightsoftware. Register for our upcoming webinar:

https://insightsoftware.com/resources/get-out-of-the-reporting-rut-how-finance-leaders-drive-strategic-impact/

What does it take to lead finance through real estate booms, construction slowdowns, and global crises?

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO Podcast, I sit down with Bona Allen, a CFO with three decades of experience across real estate development, construction, and investment. Bona has led finance at both public and private companies, navigated the savings and loan crisis, the 2008 crash, and COVID, and built strategies that kept projects and people moving through uncertainty.

We talk about:

• How the CFO role has changed
• Real estate vs construction finance
• Spotting business cycles
• Crisis leadership
• Building and keeping strong teams

Bona also shares the career moves that shaped him, the mistakes that made him better, and why networking to help others is the best long-term strategy.

If you’re in real estate, construction, or any cyclical industry, this conversation is full of lessons you can use to prepare, adapt, and lead.

If becoming a CFO is part of your goals, get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Not every CFO starts as a controller or FP&A lead. Axel Talout shares how banking and private equity shaped his journey, why your “different” background can be your edge, and how to intentionally build a team that fills your blind spots.

Brought to you by insightsoftware. Register for our upcoming webinar:

https://insightsoftware.com/resources/get-out-of-the-reporting-rut-how-finance-leaders-drive-strategic-impact/

If becoming a CFO is part of your goals, get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Mike High (CFO, NAIT; ex-Shell Deep Water CFO) shares leadership lessons from the Army to corporate finance: why the “platinum rule” beats one-size-fits-all leadership, what truly changes when you move from FP&A to the CFO seat, and how to carry a portfolio of crises without burning out.

We discussed:

• practical playbooks to lead through a portfolio of crisis,
• how to keep long-term work moving during emergencies,
• what most companies get wrong about FP&A,
• how to make digital transformation succeed.

Get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Whether becoming a CFO is your goal or not, this assessment highlights the competencies that matter most at the VP level and above, in finance.

It’s completely free, and you will get personalized results instantly.

Big thanks to insightsoftware for sponsoring this episode.

Join our upcoming webinar on October 15th >

https://insightsoftware.com/resources/get-out-of-the-reporting-rut-how-finance-leaders-drive-strategic-impact/

Andrea Hecht, EVP & CFO at CSAA Insurance Group, walks through the real shifts at each step of her career — from auditor at Big 4 accounting firm, EY, to Controller, and ultimately CFO. She explains how the focus moves from technical detail to culture, strategy, and leadership. We cover:

• Why the first move from public accounting to industry didn’t work, and why the second one did.
• How interviews and expectations change as you move up.
• What makes the Controller → CFO leap so challenging.
• How to get Accounting and FP&A working as one team.
• The habits that keep her sharp while leading finance at a 4,000-person organization.

It's an insightful roadmap for anyone asking what actually changes when you leave public accounting and aim for the CFO seat.

Get your CFO readiness score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/

Whether becoming a CFO is your goal or not, this assessment highlights the competencies that matter most at the VP level and above, in finance.

It’s completely free, and you will get personalized results instantly.

Controller vs FP&A : which path gives you a better shot at the CFO seat? Wassia Kamon has done both. In this solo episode, she reveals why neither route guarantees success on its own and what truly sets future CFOs apart.

Drawing on her first year as a CFO, Wassia introduces her Executive Readiness Framework and explains how to develop the executive substance, influence, and presence boards and CEOs look for. Whether you're in the weeds of the close or building forecasts, this is the episode that will change how you think about your next move.

Resources mentioned:

1. The Free CFO Readiness AssessmentWhether becoming a CFO is your goal or not, this assessment highlights the competencies that matter most at the VP level and above, in finance.Get your CFO score here: https://thecfo.scoreapp.com/
2. Learning Hub for Aspiring CFOsTo learn more about how to become a CFO, visit: https://thediaryofacfo.com/resources

This week on The Diary of a CFO, host Wassia Kamon is joined by Sheryl Shaw, Senior Manager at Bridgepoint Consulting and a former CFO with three decades of experience leading finance teams through transformation.

Sheryl shares her remarkable journey, from starting as an accounting clerk in the 1980s to becoming a CFO 3 times, and now a trusted consultant for companies implementing NetSuite.

She opens up about the lessons learned through chaos, the role of technology in finance, and how to build teams that are ready for change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it really takes to scale a finance team that embraces innovation
• How Sheryl built a treasury function from scratch, without formal training
• The difference between operational and fundraising CFOs
• Her go-to strategies for managing change and gaining team buy-in
• The mindset shift needed to lead in today’s tech-driven finance world

Special thanks to FISPAN for sponsoring this episode.

FISPAN is a leading fintech company that seamlessly integrates banks with their clients’ enterprise resource planning (ERP) and accounting systems. For more information, head to www.fispan.com.

Christian Wattig is the program director of Wharton’s FP&A Certificate and the founder of InsideFP&A. In this episode, he shares his path from Procter & Gamble to becoming a leader in finance education, along with the pivotal lessons he learned along the way.

You’ll learn:

• Why forecasting accuracy remains a major challenge for finance teams
• How to apply multiple forecasting methods for better results
• What separates great financial models from the rest
• How AI is reshaping FP&A work beyond just automation
• The habits and mindset shifts needed to move from analyst to strategic business partner

This conversation is packed with practical insights for anyone looking to sharpen their FP&A skills and drive real impact in their organization.

In this episode, Summa Simmons, Associate VP of Treasury at Victoria’s Secret & Co., shares what most people get wrong about treasury and why it's a strategic powerhouse. She explains how treasury helps companies manage cash, risk, and financial readiness during major business decisions like mergers and divestitures.

Summa also opens up about her own journey from accounting to treasury, and what it means to be a true business partner across teams.

You’ll learn:

• How treasury supports M&A and long-term business strategy
• Why relationship-building is key to finance leadership
• The mindset shift from accounting to strategic thinking
• Career lessons on ownership, feedback, and staying curious

Most companies think cybersecurity is about firewalls and IT policies. But the real risk often starts with culture.

In this episode, Dutch Schwartz, VP of Cloud Services at SideChannel and former security leader at AWS and Raytheon, shares why companies with poor culture are three times more likely to face a breach. We talk about how leadership, disengaged employees, and outdated mindsets quietly open the door to cyber threats.

You'll also hear:

• The $25 million AI voice scam that could have been prevented
• How to build a culture of security that actually sticks
• What CFOs need to understand about working with CISOs
• Why cybersecurity is no longer just a tech problem

This conversation is a must-listen for finance and business leaders navigating today's digital risks.

Christina Ross, serial CFO turned CEO of Cube, explains why spreadsheets aren’t the problem and what finance leaders should focus on instead. She shares multiple frameworks for moving from manual chaos to strategic clarity. This episode is packed with insights on real-time planning, clean data, and leading high-impact finance teams.

In this episode, we cover:

• The four layers of strategic finance
• How to plan faster and forecast smarter
• Partnering across departments for better data
• Leading with speed, structure, and strategic intent

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, Wassia Kamon speaks with Dr. Tamer Alsayed, CFO at the Future Investment Initiative and author of The Art of Becoming a Strategic CFO. With over two decades of experience across industries and regions, Dr. Tamer offers a clear-eyed view of what today’s finance leaders need to succeed.

The discussion covers:

• How the CFO role has evolved beyond reporting and compliance
• What it means to think and lead strategically in finance
• Lessons from working on IPOs, M&A deals, and international startups
• Why transparency matters more than polish in investor relations
• The impact of mentorship, curiosity, and AI on future finance teams

This episode is for anyone who wants to grow as a finance leader and make a meaningful impact in their organization.

Special thanks to Bill for sponsoring this episode.

Visit https://www.bill.com/guides to download a free toolkit on leading through uncertain times.

Welcome to Season 2 of The Diary of a CFO.

In this kickoff solo episode, Wassia Kamon shares behind-the-scenes highlights from Season 1, why some careers stall at the executive door, and what actually opens it.

You’ll hear:

• The real reason technical skills alone won’t get you promoted
• The 3-digit P.I.N. code to executive leadership
• What separates great CFOs from the rest
• Why work-life harmony beats balance
• What’s new in Season 2?

🎥 Full-video episodes on YouTube

🗞 A brand-new Substack called Off the Record

Join the conversation at: https://wassiakamon.substack.com/

In this episode, Syed Nadeem shares the lessons he wishes more finance professionals learned early on. He talks about why certifications alone won’t get you promoted, and why your mindset, human skills, and personal brand matter just as much as your technical skills.

Syed also shares how losing his job became a turning point. He built a global brand and started helping others grow in their careers. From business partnering to leadership, this episode is full of insights that can help you stay relevant and move forward, no matter where you are in your finance journey.

Today’s episode is brought to you by BILL, a leading financial operations platform for small and midsize businesses. I’m also hosting a free webinar on June 24th, 2025 at 1pm ET. Click here to learn more.

If you’ve ever lost sleep over complex contracts, usage-based pricing, or revenue schedules that live in hundreds spreadsheet tabs, this episode is for you.

I’m joined by Apurv Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Zenskar, to talk about how AI is helping SaaS companies automate billing and revenue recognition end-to-end. We unpack why legacy tools can’t keep up with modern pricing models, what finance teams really need from automation, and how to avoid the most common implementation mistakes.

Special thanks to Zenskar for sponsoring this episode.

Visit zenskar.com/upgrade to learn more.

Audit Director at FORVIS Mazars and board treasurer for Girls on the Run Georgia, Kendra LaFleur opens up about her journey from intern to partner, how she grew into strategic leadership, and how she navigates the evolving role of finance in mission-driven organizations.

Stephen McLain led 250 soldiers as an Army Commander. He built internal controls in Iraq to fight fraud and misuse of funds. And, he defended military budgets in front of NATO.

Now, he helps corporate finance and accounting teams fix problems with their internal processes, financial modeling, and strategy development.

In this episode, he shares what finance professionals can learn from leading in high-stakes environments. We talk about strategic thinking, transitioning from military to corporate finance, and the leadership gaps most companies overlook.

Treasury often works behind the scenes, but Matthew Harlan shows why it should be a key player at the table. We cover what treasury leaders bring to IPO readiness, how to rethink working capital, and how finance teams can collaborate better across functions.

Jenny Fuss has led finance teams in Germany, China, and the United States. Each move meant learning a new way of working. In this episode, she shares how working and living in three different countries shaped her leadership style and helped her lead major transformations with clarity and confidence.

Tamica Williams went from relying on food pantries as a kid to leading the largest food bank in Georgia as CFO. She shares how she made the jump from teaching to accounting, built her career and why leadership is about showing up 100% no matter where you start.

Jack McCullough has spent decades in the CFO seat, but his biggest impact may be what he’s done for the next generation of CFOs.

He’s the founder of the CFO Leadership Council, a global community of over 2,500 senior finance leaders, and the author of three books including Secrets of Rockstar CFOs and MBA for Lunch.

In this conversation, Jack opens up about:

• What companies really look for in a CFO,
• Why some controllers get stuck (and what to do about it),
• How one rejection led him to create the CFO Leadership Council,
• The most underrated career move finance professionals can make.

This is a must-listen for finance professionals at every stage.

What do you get when a CFO, CPA, and accounting professor starts teaching on TikTok?

42,000 followers and a new way to make accounting finally click.

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, I sit down with Professor Bee Nance to talk about her multi-hyphenate career, from leading a multimillion-dollar nonprofit to becoming a viral content creator and author of Sunny Gets Money, a financial literacy book for kids.

We cover:

• What it takes to thrive as a nonprofit CFO
• Why even seasoned finance pros struggle with personal money
• How Bee’s classroom experience helped her go viral online
• The disconnect between accounting education and real-world finance
• How to make accounting relatable in the age of AI

In this solo episode, I answer 4 questions from my newsletter subscribers:

1. Is the climb and reach to CFO worth it?
2. Do you enjoy the work and people?
3. Do you have work-life balance?
4. What helped you get there?

If you’ve got questions about leadership, your team, or growing in your role, the best way to ask is through my newsletter. Subscribe at thediaryofacfo.com.

In this episode of the Diary of a CFO podcast, Edwine Alphonse shares her journey from a work-study student in Canada to a senior controller at Ramp, discussing her experiences in startups, the importance of accounting, and how to build a high-performing finance team. She emphasizes the critical role of accounting in business operations and the necessity for finance leaders to advocate for adequate technology for their teams.