The CFO Show – Details, episodes & analysis

The Office of Finance is on the cusp of a transformative evolution, driven primarily by advancements in AI.

While finance professionals often find themselves bogged down with manual tasks, leaving little room for strategic thinking and data analysis, AI provides critical data and time efficiencies enabling the Office of Finance to focus on business strategy.

Rishi Grover, Co-Founder and Chief Solutions Architect at Vena Solutions, has spent most of his career helping companies re-engineer and optimize their financial processes. In this episode, Rishi talks to host Melissa Howatson about how financial leaders can implement AI to reduce repetitive, manual work across their teams and increase focus on strategy. 

Learn how CFOs and finance leaders can take a pragmatic approach to AI adoption to improve finance functions, transform decision-making, and drive operational efficiency within their organizations.


Discussed In This Episode:

• AI’s potential to streamline and automate time-consuming processes, provide data-driven insights and handle complex tasks
• Tips for Incorporating AI into the Finance Function
• How to address security concerns, find internal champions, and securely leverage AI technology
• Advanced use cases of generative AI and the broader implications of this technology for the Office of Finance
• How to measure the ROI of AI adoption in finance operations

Continuous learning is not just a nice thing to have; it’s a critical necessity in Finance. As regulations, finance tools, and technologies evolve, finance professionals must stay up to date to move at the pace of business. 

Bryan Lapidus helps financial professionals match that change. Bryan is Director of the FP&A Practice at the Association for Financial Professionals, where he leverages his 20 years of experience in finance, risk, and operations to create and lead educational programs for AFP members.

In this episode, Bryan talks to host Melissa Howatson about the many ways finance professionals can engage in ongoing learning on the job, and through outside programs and networking opportunities.

Learn how CFOs and finance leaders can instill a culture of continuous learning, and how finance professionals can embrace a growth mindset to advance in their careers.

Discussed In This Episode:

• Strategies for financial leaders to promote a growth mindset and continuous learning
• The effectiveness of micro-learning and its application at critical moments
• Analyzing the return on investment (ROI) of continuous education and strategies to counteract the inclination to cut educational expenses
• The benefits of cross-functional learning in all stages of a finance professional’s career
• Indicators that finance professionals should consider when selecting an employer that supports continuous learning

CFOs wield significant influence in safeguarding a company’s financial data, but entrusting cybersecurity solely to their CIOs may jeopardize privacy and open the door to data breaches.

As Partner at Plante Moran, Joe Oleksak advises businesses on cybersecurity, IT audit, and technology compliance. He has more than twenty years of information systems security and information technology audit experience in financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, and insurance companies. In this episode, Joe and host Melissa Howatson discuss the role CFOs play in protecting financial data against cyber threats, and how they can partner with CIOs and CEOs to build a holistic cybersecurity operation that prioritizes culture and processes as much as technology. 

Learn how important the CFO is to modern cybersecurity risk management, and the steps CFOs should take to protect their organizations against privacy and security threats.

Discussed In This Episode:

• The evolving cyber threat landscape, and how hacker attacks are gaining strength 
• Why people and processes are just as important to cybersecurity as technology 
• How CFOs, CEOs, and CIOs should work together to create a holistic approach to cybersecurity
• Proactive strategies for CFOs to safeguard their organizations and mitigate risk
• The difference between privacy and security, and why understanding this difference is so important to protect financial data

Market volatility in the last few years has shifted the business landscape. We’ve gone from a “growth at all costs” mindset, to one that is hyper-focused on efficiency.

This shift has had a huge impact on the Office of Finance. In this episode, recorded as a keynote onstage at Excelerate Finance 2024, host Melissa Howatson and Vena’s Director of FP&A, Thomas Krolak, discuss the ways the CFO’s role has evolved, as well as changes that are yet to come.

Learn what the future of finance holds, and what strategic finance leaders can do to unlock the potential in their people and data as they contend with unprecedented challenges.

Discussed In This Episode:

• Disruptive forces that are changing the way businesses operate
• How the scope of the finance team is growing as businesses re-prioritize efficiency and productivity
• New ways FP&A leaders can use their skillsets to uncover business opportunities
• Anticipated investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how new technologies will strengthen FP&A insights

A job description that is 40% controller, 20% bookkeeper and 20% Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) is going to be near impossible to fill. But for many businesses, this is exactly the sort of hybrid role they need.

Outsourced accounting, through fractional models, has emerged as an option for businesses seeking flexibility, cost-efficiency, and specialized expertise in their financial operations. 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danisandler/

Dani Sandler works with those businesses at ScaleNorth, an outsourced accounting partner and NetSuite Solutions provider. In this episode, Dani shares how fractional finance services allow businesses to access a diverse pool of accounting professionals with varying skill sets, without having to increase their headcount.
Learn how businesses leverage outsourced accounting and fractional models to reduce costs and improve processes and accuracy in accounting. 


Discussed In This Episode:

• The benefits of fractional models in finance, from cost-effectiveness to scalability
• How outsourced accounting drives operational efficiency and enhances decision-making processes
• What types of businesses see the most value in an outsourced accounting model
• How to select the right outsourced accounting provider for your business and how to get the most value out of the partnership
• Implementing an ERP system such as NetSuite, and how businesses can optimize the platform for their unique needs

Accountants work with certainties, recording and reporting on past financial transactions to ensure accuracy and compliance. FP&A professional, however, are concerned with what-ifs, looking toward the future in the forms of forecasting and strategic planning. It’s no wonder these two sides of the finance team can sometimes feel their goals are incongruent. 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cornfield-87847010/?originalSubdomain=ca
David Cornfield of World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF) and Tom Seegmiller of Texada Software each started their careers on one side of the finance team, and now oversee both functions. They understand what can cause friction between these two roles, and the dangers of working in silos. In this episode, David and Tom sit down with host Melissa Howatson to discuss the processes needed to  build stronger collaboration across the finance team, improving data accuracy for accounting, forecasting accuracy for FP&A, and ultimately driving insights and value for the team as a whole.

Learn how both FP&A and accounting professionals approach their work, and how to build a cohesive and healthy finance team by aligning their KPIs.

Discussed in this Episode:

• The benefits of a symbiotic relationship between FP&A and accounting, and how it can enhance overall efficiency and decision-making processes
• The appreciation Tom and David have gained for accounting and FP&A respectively as they’ve expanded their responsibilities over time, and what they wish they had known earlier in their finance careers
• How FP&A, with its focus on forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning, can provide accountants with forward-looking insights, enabling them to anticipate financial trends and allocate resources effectively
• How accountants, with their meticulous attention to detail and adherence to regulatory standards, play a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial data used by FP&A
• Examples of processes Tom and David have used to align their FP&A and accounting teams and ensure the standardization of data

The transformative potential of AI for finance teams is extraordinary. CFOs need to educate themselves on how, where and when to adopt new technologies, and what they can be doing ahead of adoption to prepare their organizations. 

Howard Dresner is a technologist, researcher, and one of the foremost thought leaders in business intelligence. In this episode, Howard discusses the research his firm, Dresner Advisory Services, has conducted on AI adoption, as well as his predictions for how next-generation AI technologies will be used in Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). Howard also explains how AI works, and why the insights it generates are so much more sophisticated than what we can produce in a spreadsheet.

Learn how innovation in AI is likely to impact FP&A, and how these developments will elevate the Office of Finance. Even if you don’t plan to be a first-mover, Howard’s insights can help your business get ready for the integration of these new technologies, long before you actually invest in them.

Discussed in This Episode:

• How AI will empower finance professionals to navigate complex data landscapes with unprecedented precision and agility
• Potential use cases for AI in FP&A, including forecasting and churn and risk assessment
• The difference between AI and generative AI, as well as the strengths and limitations of each
• When businesses should invest in AI, and how they should prepare for adoption ahead of those investments through education and policy-making
• The history of business intelligence and Howard’s view on how it has evolved over the last few decades

Small businesses rarely have the budget to hire a full finance team, but they still need the same diverse range of support across payroll, accounting and financial planning as a large corporation. Some companies decide to outsource these functions to a dedicated finance and accounting partner as a more cost-effective and efficient way to handle their finance function needs and expedite growth.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendranjames/
Kendra James-Anderson, founder of The Finance Femme, helps female entrepreneurs grow their businesses through virtual financial and accounting advisory. In this episode, Kendra gives us an inside look at a day in the life of a fractional CFO, shedding light on the value outsourced financial services can bring to small businesses. Kendra discusses when entrepreneurs should hire an outside finance partner, as well as how that partner should work with small businesses to stabilize or accelerate growth.  

Learn how a fractional CFO or an outsourced accounting team can help small business owners with everything from basic accounting obligations to long-term business strategies.  

Discussed in This Episode:

• A close-up look at the office of the fractional CFO, from how they function to how they support clients 
• The increasing small business need for a trusted financial advisor
• When entrepreneurs should seek outside finance assistance and guidance
• Entrepreneur’s shifting mindset toward business financial health post-COVID and now during economic uncertainty
• How a fractional CFO can support day-to-day operations and bring a growing businesses to the next level

A CFO is expected not only to lead financial reporting and the Office of Finance but also to provide strategic insights and strategy that propel the business forward. As a new CFO, you might feel eager to start doing the latter as soon as possible. 

But you don’t need to build your long-term strategy in the first few months on the job. When starting a new role as a CFO, your first 90 days should focus on learning about the organization and its members, building relationships across the business, and setting a long-term vision. Only then can you start making big changes and building a roadmap for the future. 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-seegmiller-cpa-ca/
Tom Seegmiller, CFO of Texada Software provides his five-bullet checklist for new CFOs.
Tom reflects on what it’s like to navigate the first 90 days - both professionally and personally - and offers practical tips for anyone taking on a new CFO role. 

Learn how spending time in the trenches can help you better understand the business and secure some quick wins. Once you have a full understanding of the work your colleagues are doing and how each department operates, you’ll be in a much better position to create long-term strategic value for the organization.


Discussed in This Episode: 

• The value of building relationships and goodwill with stakeholders and partners across the business
• How to make yourself an invaluable partner to your CEO and other members of the C-Suite
• Assuming best intent, keeping an open mind, and demonstrating an eagerness to help your colleagues
• Aligning your vision to organizational and business goals
• Why mentorship matters throughout your career, even as CFO

If you like sports, you might say James Suh has one of the coolest jobs in the world. After 11 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, James became CFO of the NHL’s Florida Panthers. What a first year he had, as the Panthers went from barely making the playoffs to the Stanley Cup finals! 

In this episode, James gives us an inside look at what goes into finance operations for a sports team, and what it was like to lead those operations for an underdog in a breakout year. His experiences offer valuable lessons in strategic planning, underscoring the importance of knowing your market, and prioritizing long-term growth and profitability over quick sales streams. 

Discussed in this episode:

• Understanding the finances of a hockey franchise
• The many streams of revenue in an NHL franchise, and how those differ from team to team
• Scenario modeling in an industry and market that are both highly unpredictable
• The impact fan behavior has on budgeting and revenue forecasting
• How winning impacts work culture, revenues, and operations