The Growth-Minded CFO – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of The Growth Minded CFO, hosts Lauren and Alex speak with Rita Kale, a seasoned CFO with experience in global firms like Roche and New York-based biotech startups. The conversation delves into the evolving role of the CFO, emphasizing the importance of understanding and engaging with business processes beyond traditional financial functions. Rita shares her unique journey from international finance roles to leading financial operations in India, as well as how her early career experiences with ERP implementations have given her a unique view on finance technology projects. Rita also highlights the importance of work-life balance, and how she discovered running as a tool for personal reflection and problem-solving. The episode also touches upon the challenges and rewards of transitioning from large corporations to startups, which Rita has done several times in her career to date, showcasing the need for adaptability and strategic thinking in modern CFO roles.

Conect with Rita on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritakale/

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

Get the lowdown on what our new podcast is about in this introductory episode.

Forget the dusty stereotype of the CFO sitting in the corner, chained to a spreadsheet. Today's financial leader is a growth architect and a strategic partner in the organization’s success.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and smash the ‘back-office shackles’. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high performing organizations.

Want to get in touch? Read out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

In this episode, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Chris Ortega, the CEO and founder of Fresh FP&A.

Chris shares his inspiring career journey, from his early passion for finance to roles at Ernst & Young and leadership positions in fast growing software and pharmaceutical companies.

He discusses the foundation and philosophy behind Fresh FP&A, highlighting its focus on being Financial Partners and Advisors - and why all internal finance teams should position themselves the same way!

The conversation delves into the necessity of thinking like a business person for success in finance leadership, and why a collaborative approach that builds strong business partnerships with other departments is key.

Chris also emphasizes the role of emotional intelligence, authenticity, and learning from failure as key components of effective leadership.

This episode is rich with personal anecdotes and professional insights, illustrating how CFOs can inspire and empower their organizations beyond traditional financial metrics.

We hope you enjoy the episode! 00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction 00:22 Chris Ortega's Background and Career Journey 02:12 The Role of CFOs and CEOs 06:56 Transitioning to CEO and Fresh FP&A 14:43 Building Collaborative Finance Teams 18:41 The Consultative Approach in Finance 19:38 The Power of Empathy in Finance 20:55 The Concept of First Team 22:11 Balancing IQ and EQ 25:39 Embracing Failure as a CFO 30:24 Inspiring Leadership and Authenticity 33:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freshcfo/

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

In this episode of 'The Growth Minded CFO,' hosts Lauren and Alex welcome Charly Kevers, CFO of Carta. Charly has served as CFO through some of the highest growth phases of Carta's journey - seeing them go from Series B to G in his 7 years there. Charly shares insights on the evolving role of the CFO, focusing on profitable growth, employee retention, and operational excellence. He also discusses Carta's strategic initiatives, including their recent acquisition of Tactyc, and the importance of cross-functional collaboration in finance. Tune in to learn how Charlie's diverse background and innovative approach are driving success at Carta. Don't miss his advice on leveraging CFO networks for problem-solving and growth. Discover Carta's data and research, as referenced by Charly in this episode, here: ⁠https://carta.com/data/⁠⁠00:00⁠ The Role of the Modern CFO ⁠00:44⁠ Introduction and Welcome ⁠00:59⁠ Special Guest: Charly Kevers, CFO of Carta ⁠03:03⁠ Charly's Journey to Becoming a CFO ⁠05:40⁠ The Strategic Role of a CFO ⁠07:56⁠ Operational Involvement and Team Collaboration ⁠10:24⁠ Adapting to Growth and Scaling Challenges ⁠12:39⁠ Cross-Functional Integration and Communication ⁠29:10⁠ Leveraging Data and Insights at Carta ⁠37:16⁠ Acquisition of Tactyc and Future Plans ⁠40:20⁠ Conclusion and Final Thoughts Connect with Charly on LinkedIn: ⁠  / charlykevers  ⁠ Find out more about Carta: ⁠https://carta.com/sg/en/⁠ Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: ⁠  / alexlouisy  ⁠ Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: ⁠  / laurenepearl  ⁠ The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and smash the ‘back-office shackles’. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high performing organizations. Find the full audio versions on your favorite podcast app, by searching 'The Growth-Minded CFO'. This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business. Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠https://upflow.io/⁠ Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

Lauren and Alex sit down with Nick Wijnberg, a former Wall Street banker turned CFO and partner at Lorimer Ventures.

Nick shares his journey from high school investor to equity derivatives trader, structured credit specialist, commercial banker, and ultimately a company builder.

He discusses the importance of understanding investments and the VC ecosystem, the return on investment (ROI) required in early-stage startups, and the evolving role of a CFO within a company.

The conversation covers various topics like the impact of higher interest rates on financial decisions, and how Nick has brought together dual roles as a fractional CFO and investor.

Nick offers insights on preparing for board meetings, the importance of three-sheet financial models, and actionable advice for finance leaders gearing up for fundraising rounds.

Tune in to explore the dynamic interplay between finance, strategy, and operational success through the lens of an experienced CFO and investor. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Minded CFO 01:04 Meet Nick Wijnberg: From Wall Street to Company Builder 02:00 Nick's Journey: From Investor to CFO 05:02 The Challenges of Being an Operator 08:21 The Importance of Empathy and Experience 15:01 Balancing Roles: Investor and CFO 19:55 Adapting to a High Interest Rate Environment 20:59 The Evolving Role of the CFO 24:03 Managing Financial Conversations with Founders 27:20 Empowering Teams Through Financial Strategy 29:09 The CFO's Role in Board Meetings 34:35 Preparing for Fundraising as a CFO 39:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nwijnberg/

Find out more about Lorimer Ventures: https://www.lorimerventures.com/

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and smash the ‘back-office shackles’. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business. Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at https://upflow.io/

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

In this episode of The Growth Minded CFO, we dive deep with Tatia Mays-Russell, the visionary CFO of the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Discover how Tatia's unique journey from a material science engineer to a strategic finance leader has shaped her approach to business. Learn about her strategies for transforming the finance function into a strategic partner, empowering her team, and leveraging technology to drive innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• The evolving role of the modern CFO
• The importance of a strong organizational culture
• The power of empowering your team
• The impact of technology on finance
• The need for continuous learning and adaptation

Listen now to gain valuable insights and inspiration for your own career.

Connect with Tatia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatia-mays-russell-5a86362/
Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/
Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and smash the ‘back-office shackles’. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high-performing organizations.

Find the full video version on youtube: https://youtu.be/g5VtzJPuXa4?si=CZA4FtggQYQeGrqT

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business. Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠https://upflow.io/⁠

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

In this episode of 'The Growth Minded CFO,' hosts Lauren and Alex welcome Howard Katzenberg, CEO of Glean.ai. With our co-host Alex Louisy representing the world of Accounts Receivable, Howard brings the other side of the coin with Accounts Payable, as they both discuss what innovative approaches to these seemingly transactional processes can do for your business. Howard shares his transition from CFO to founder, the importance of changing mindsets in AP processes, and the development of Glean.ai. Alex discusses revolutionizing Accounts Receivable, focusing on customer relationships, and the impact of smart tooling. Together, they explore the evolving role of the CFO and the strategic integration of finance within businesses.

00:00 Mindset Shift in AR and AP

00:33 Introduction to the Growth-Minded CFO Podcast

01:04 Meet Howard Katzenberg, CEO of Glean AI

02:06 Understanding Vendor Expenses with Glean AI

03:08 Revolutionizing Accounts Payable and Receivable

03:51 The Role of Analytics in Finance

06:44 Challenges in Traditional AR Processes

08:36 The Value of Automation and Insights

21:36 Building a Strong Spend Culture

26:20 The Strategic Role of the CFO

30:36 Howard's Journey from CFO to CEO

35:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Howard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardkatzenberg/ Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/ Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/ The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and explore how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high-performing organizations. Find the video version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YVrL6tjqDkw?si=P7Jnww_8pdSduMCA This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business. Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠⁠https://upflow.io/⁠⁠ Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

In this episode of the Growth Minded CFO podcast, hosts Lauren Pearl and Alex Louisy speak with Carl Seidman, an industry-leading finance educator and consultant.

Carl talks through his professional journey from Big Four consulting to establishing his own successful practice focused on FP& A processes and upskilling teams.

The discussion then focuses into the evolving role of finance professionals, emphasizing the importance of technical skills (but not only!), critical and strategic thinking, and effective communication.

Carl also highlights the continuous nature of learning and development, and the impact of AI and digital transformation on the finance function. 00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts

00:39 Welcome to the Growth Minded CFO

00:59 Meet Carl Seidman

02:06 Carl's Career Journey

02:52 Helping Companies Upskill

03:53 Differences in Company Sizes

08:01 Mindset Evolution in Finance

14:20 Training and Development in Finance

40:16 The Role of AI and Digitization

45:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Carl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlseidman/

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and explore how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high-performing organizations.

Find the video version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XPPsfNVwt-M

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠⁠https://upflow.io/⁠⁠

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

Finance teams are drowning in data—but turning it into clear, strategic insights is the real challenge.

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Gabi Steele, CEO and Co-founder of Preql (and formerly Head of Data Visualization Engineering at WeWork), to explore how CFOs can build a rock-solid data foundation, harness AI effectively, and lead with confidence in an AI-powered world.

Gabi shares why AI is only as good as the data behind it, how multidisciplinary teams are shaping the future of finance, and why storytelling is the key to turning numbers into action. Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or looking to refine your approach, this conversation is packed with insights to help you stay ahead.

Key takeaways:

• Why clean, structured data is the foundation of AI success
• How CFOs can foster collaboration between finance, data, and strategy teams
• The role of AI in automating tasks while enhancing strategic decision-making
• How storytelling can make finance teams more impactful

AI isn’t replacing finance professionals—it’s redefining their roles. Tune in to learn how CFOs can embrace AI and data-driven leadership to drive long-term success.

• 00:42 Meet Gabi Steele: CEO and Co-founder of Preql
• 01:25 Gabi's Journey: From Art to Data
• 02:02 The Birth of Preql
• 05:34 Bridging the Gap: Data and Finance
• 08:05 Multidisciplinary Teams: The Key to Success
• 10:14 The Importance of Reliable Data
• 11:50 Finance and Data Integration Best Practices
• 15:56 The Importance of Strategy in Finance
• 18:58 Diving into AI and Single Source of Truth
• 23:37 Practical Implementation of AI for CFOs
• 29:19 Concluding Thoughts and Future Insights

Connect with Gabi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellasteele/

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/

Find the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PGOmS2MW_-c?si=hpIJFd0aWBMpPxL6

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and explore how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at https://upflow.io/

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io

Great CFOs do more than manage the numbers—they lead, adapt, and shape the future of their organizations. In this episode, Ilana Esterrich, CFO of Planned Parenthood, shares how she steers her team through uncertainty and change while keeping a sharp focus on strategy and leadership.

With a background in the military, Ilana brings a unique perspective on building strong teams, fostering a growth mindset, and navigating the shifting financial and regulatory landscape.

Tune in for a candid conversation about what it really takes to be a CFO who drives impact, resilience, and innovation in today’s world.

Connect with Ilana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilanaesterrich/

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/Find the video version of this episode on YouTube:The Growth-Minded CFO podcast aims to challenge the status-quo and explore how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to support high-performing organizations.

This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships and efficient growth for your business.

Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠⁠upflow.io

Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at joseph.sweeney@upflow.io