Episoder
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In the final episode of season one, Sasha Orloff is joined by David Hartley, a seasoned CPA with over 30 years of experience, as they explore the evolution of accounting from the 15th century to today's AI-driven landscape and discuss how the profession adapts to technological change while preserving its core value of trust.
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
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Highlights from the Episode:
Accounting profession is facing its most significant period of change, with AI and automation creating both challenges and opportunities for practitioners at all levels.
There's currently a major pipeline issue in accounting - with 75% of CPAs approaching retirement age and not enough new talent entering the field.
Despite technological advances, the fundamental need for trust and human interpretation in accounting remains paramount, suggesting AI will augment rather than replace accountants.
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SPONSOR:
📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/upstreampod
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LINKS:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehartley/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff (Sasha) -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff is joined by Andrew Gazdecki, founder of Acquire.com, who shares his expertise on successfully selling companies, maximizing exit value, and key lessons from his own acquisition experiences, with over $500 million in closed deals.
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
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Highlights from the Episode:
Creating a competitive process with multiple potential buyers is crucial for maximizing exit value - "if you have one buyer, you have no buyer"
Proper preparation and documentation (clean financials, confidential information memorandum) significantly speeds up the acquisition process and builds buyer confidence
Being transparent about business challenges upfront ("bruises and all") builds trust and allows you to control the narrative around potential objections
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SPONSOR:
📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/upstreampod
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LINKS:
Acquire: https://acquire.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/agazdecki/
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X/SOCIAL:
@acquiredotcom (Acquire)
@agazdecki (Andrew)
@sashaorloff (Sasha)
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(02:10) Personal lessons from selling Business Apps
(03:50) Building Acquire.com from personal experience
(06:49) First acquisition story with ESW Capital
(09:28) Negotiating terms and tax considerations
(12:20) Story of Altcoin acquisition
(13:53) Sponsor: Notion
(15:15) Experience at Spiff and path to Acquire.com
(18:35) Maximizing exit value strategies
(25:47) Process of listing on Acquire.com
(27:36) Types of buyers and deal sizes
(29:34) Success stories and notable deals
(32:57) Future plans for Acquire.com
(34:04) Wrap -
Mangler du episoder?
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This week, Sasha Orloff sits down with JustPaid founders Daniel Kivatinos, a successful YC founder behind the first iPad medical records company, and Anelya Grant, a Kazakhstan immigrant who built an accounting practice for YC startups, about how their unique backgrounds inspired them to tackle the critical challenge of accounts receivable automation with an AI-powered platform. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/309bb91f-34ee-4052-88e5-28718a9101da
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
—
SPONSOR:
📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/upstreampod
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LINKS:
Streamlining Accounts Receivable: Transforming an Overlooked Cornerstone of Business Operations: https://www.justpaid.ai/blog/streamlining-accounts-receivable
JustPaid: https://www.justpaid.ai
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kivatinos/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anelya/
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X/SOCIAL:
@getjustpaid (JustPaid)
@danielkivatinos (Daniel)
@sashaorloff (Sasha) -
Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at the Webby Awards-honored CRAFTED. podcast. In this conversation, Dan Blumberg interviews growth expert, SYSTM founder, and former PayPal leader Matt Lerner about his book 'Growth Levers,' offering actionable strategies for startups to identify the 10% of efforts that drive 90% of growth. They discuss common startup pitfalls, the mindset shift to customer-centric thinking, JTBD-style interviewing, and the importance of rapid experimentation. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/af10e152-f30a-403e-805f-d234eb40109a
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
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Check out Dan Blumberg's CRAFTED. where he interviews founders of high growth startups, including from Lattice, Gusto, Moov, Monte Carlo, Customer.io and our own Sasha Orloff!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crafted-the-tech-podcast-for-founders-makers/id1649355311
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3xtU2V1jRP89aI1ULRN2GI?si=b5753bd5be14494c
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SPONSOR:
📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/upstreampod
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LINKS:
Matt Lerner's company: https://www.systm.co/
CRAFTED. podcast: https://crafted.fm
Growth Levers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/173842622X
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LinkedIn:
Matt Lerner https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewlerner/
Dan Blumberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/dblums/
Sasha Orloff https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashaorloff/ -
This week, Nicolas Boucher, a finance influencer with nearly a million LinkedIn followers, shares his journey from corporate finance to becoming a content creator and educator, discuss the impact of AI on finance jobs, and how he uses platforms like LinkedIn to share valuable financial insights. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/af10e152-f30a-403e-805f-d234eb40109a
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
—
RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing
Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
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SPONSOR:
📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/product/ai?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=upstreampod
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LINKS:
AI Finance Club: https://ai-finance.club/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bouchernicolas/
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X/SOCIAL:
@BoucherNicolas (Nicolas)
@sashaorloff (Sasha) -
This week, Sasha Orloff is joined by Andrés Ugarte to explore the rise of Copilot Money after Mint's shutdown announcement, sharing his journey from frustrated user to founder of a privacy-focused personal finance app, and discussing the challenges of building a product-driven company in a shifting financial landscape. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/31895f5b-d783-4eaa-ab11-ac3214b21ddb
—
RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing
Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
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SPONSOR:
🌎ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
💳 Imagine total control over your company's spending with Rippling Spend, the all-in-one platform for expense reports, corporate cards, and bill pay. Control spend, set custom approval chains, and close your books 3x faster. Visit https://www.rippling.com/turpentine for a free demo and one month free trial.
📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/product/ai?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=upstreampod
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LINKS:
Copilot Money: https://copilot.money/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andresugarte/
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X/SOCIAL:
@chuga (Andrés)
@sashaorloff (Sasha) -
In this episode of Turpentine Finance, host Sasha Orloff sits down with Paul Barnhurst, a passionate FP&A educator and content creator who shares insights on financial planning & analysis, teaching methodologies, and the evolution of financial tools. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/1823b417-abe8-49bb-8f00-d673e24077b1
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📰Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing
Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
SPONSOR:
--
🌎ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
💳 Imagine total control over your company's spending with Rippling Spend, the all-in-one platform for expense reports, corporate cards, and bill pay. Control spend, set custom approval chains, and close your books 3x faster. Visit https://www.rippling.com/turpentine for a free demo and one month free trial.
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LINKS:
The FP&A Guy: https://www.thefpandaguy.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheFPandAGuy/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff -
In this episode, host Sasha Orloff interviews Brad Wiskirchen about his journey with Kount, the AI-driven fraud prevention company he bootstrapped and sold to Equifax for $640 million, while sharing insights from his experience as a founder and now a partner at CVC Capital Partners. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/eec1be56-ae04-4afc-bb24-7ed8523b2176
--
📰Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing
Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
--
SPONSOR:
🌎ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
💳 Imagine total control over your company's spending with Rippling Spend, the all-in-one platform for expense reports, corporate cards, and bill pay. Control spend, set custom approval chains, and close your books 3x faster. Visit https://www.rippling.com/turpentine for a free demo and one month free trial.
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LINKS:
Kount: https://kount.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradwiskirchen/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@KountInc -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff is joined by Aneal Vallurupalli, CFO at Airbase, who drops insights on modern spend management and his journey from M&A to leading finance at a Paylocity acquisition target. Aneal discusses his career trajectory, the impactful role of a CFO in spend management, and how Airbase revolutionizes non-payroll spends in the AI era. Aneal also offers essential advice to CFOs navigating today’s dynamic financial landscape.
🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
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SPONSORS:
ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Trusted by Notion, Anthropic, and Vanta. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
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LINKS:
Airbase: https://www.airbase.com/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@AVallurupalli
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview
(01:16) Intro
(01:43) Meet Aneal Vallurupalli, CFO of Airbase
(02:28) Understanding Airbase's spend management
(04:33) Aneal’s journey to Airbase
(08:08) Evolution and impact of Airbase
(09:43) Role and strategy as CFO
(17:34) Sponsor: Anrok
(18:59) Balancing flexibility and control in spend management
(21:36) Importance of change management
(23:58) Memorable customer success stories
(27:35) Evolution of software in the CFO's office
(31:21) Trends in selling to different industries
(37:08) Future of Airbase and business spend management
(39:36) Insights on M&A and career journey
(43:37) Reflections on buy-side and sell-side experiences
(45:39) Wrap -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff sits down with Blake Hutchison, CEO of Flippa, the leading platform for buying and selling online businesses. Blake shares insights from his career (Xero, Lonely Planet, Good44), and explains how Flippa operates as the ‘investment bank for the 99%,’ providing a marketplace for subscale business transactions. The episode dives into the opportunities presented by the marketplace, key deal characteristics, and the different buyer segments. They also discuss the importance of financial literacy for subscale businesses, provide tips for first-time buyers, and offer predictions for the future of flipping businesses.
🔥Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
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SPONSORS:
RIPPLING
Imagine total control over your company’s spending with Rippling Spend, the all-in-one platform for expense reports, corporate cards, and bill pay. Control spend, set custom approval chains, and close your books 3x faster. Visit https://www.rippling.com/turpentine for a free demo and one month free trial.
ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
--
LINKS:
Flippa: https://flippa.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakehutchison/
--
X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@Flippa
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview
(01:20) Intro
(02:26) Blake's career journey
(03:37) Flippa: The investment bank for the 99%
(05:55) Focus on digital assets
(07:20) Selling and buying on Flippa
(14:20) Buyer types and market dynamics
(18:30) Sponsors: Rippling | Anrok
(21:22) Investing in digital assets
(26:28) Navigating the first-time buyer market
(28:05) Buyer intent and market trends
(33:47) Common deal breakers in business sales
(36:46) Financial literacy and cloud accounting
(44:27) Future trends in online business flipping
(47:47) Getting started with Flippa
(49:02) Wrap -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff welcomes Jane Lee and Aditya Reddy of Sapphire Ventures to unpack their paper, “Rise of the Next Gen CFO,” which features a market map of CFO tools and identifies key trends and predictions. Jane and Aditya discuss how finance roles are transforming, the convergence of finance and data science, the influence of AI, and emerging investment strategies in this fast-paced sector.
Nothing presented within this podcast is intended to constitute investment advice, and under no circumstances should any information provided herein be used or considered as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund managed by Sapphire Ventures (“Sapphire”). Information provided reflects Sapphires’ views as of a time, whereby such views are subject to change at any point and Sapphire shall not be obligated to provide notice of any change. No assumptions should be made that investments or strategies described were or will be profitable. Due to various risks and uncertainties, actual events, results or the actual experience may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in these statements. Nothing contained in this podcast may be relied upon as a guarantee or assurance as to the future success of any particular company or strategy. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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SPONSORS:
ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
NETSUITE: More than 40,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's guide to AI and Machine Learning at https://netsuite.com/102
METAVIEW is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
OMNEKY is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
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LINKS:
Rise of the Next Gen CFO: https://sapphireventures.com/blog/rise-of-the-next-gen-cfo-the-evolution-of-finances-role-and-tech-stack/
Sapphire Ventures: https://sapphireventures.com/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@leejane09
@adityareddy97
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview
(00:53) Intro
(01:18) Viral market map by Sapphire Ventures
(02:23) Rise of the Next Gen CFO
(06:25) Key findings from the paper
(10:57) Impact of AI on finance
(18:09) Sponsors: Anrok | Netsuite
(20:36) Complexities with crypto assets
(24:22) AI affecting different industries
(28:22) Investment insights from Sapphire Ventures
(34:58) Sponsors: Metaview | Omneky
(36:27) Platform risks
(41:06) Sapphire Ventures' focus
(43:37) Wrap -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff is joined by Eugene Spevakov, the Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense, treasury expert, and veteran CFO. Sasha and Eugene dive deep into the Treasury function: how it differs across industries, how a scaling startup will know when it’s time to hire for the role, how to structure the function, and what separates a great treasurer from merely good. Eugene offers a masterclass on leveraging treasury to drive growth, improve cash flow, and allocate risk strategically in an uncertain world.
🔥Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
--
SPONSORS:
ANROK is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Anrok tracks your exposure, calculates tax, and handles filings—all in one platform. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.
NETSUITE: More than 40,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's guide to AI and Machine Learning at https://netsuite.com/102
METAVIEW is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
OMNEKY is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
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LINKS:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugene-spevakov-cfa/
6sense: https://6sense.com/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview
(00:49) Intro
(01:14) Understanding treasury
(02:22) Meet Eugene Spevakov: A treasury expert
(03:39) Basics of treasury functions
(05:40) Real-world treasury challenges and risks
(09:12) Industry-specific treasury insights
(14:07) Sponsors: Anrok | Netsuite
(16:30) Treasury in software companies
(22:32) Risk management and allocation
(27:29) Sponsors: Metaview | Omneky
(28:58) When to hire a treasury professional
(30:07) Understanding and managing business risks
(32:40) Challenges and solutions in treasury functions
(37:08) Role and excitement of treasury
(43:12) Tools and resources for treasury management
(47:40) Advice for building a treasury function
(50:32) Wrap -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff sits down with Camille Ricketts, former Co-Head of Marketing at Notion, Editor of First Round Review and Elon’s comms manager at Tesla, to talk about the ROI of content as a growth driver. Camille, currently a partner at XYZ Venture Capital, played a key role in persuading Sasha years ago to invest in content as a revenue channel. In this episode she shares her invaluable insights from her roles at Notion, Tesla, and First Round Review. Tune in to hear Camille’s compelling arguments for CEOs and VPs about the strategic value of content marketing. This is a must-listen for founders, finance leaders, and anyone eager to leverage content for growth.
🔥Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
--
SPONSORS:
NETSUITE: More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102
METAVIEW is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
BRAVE: Get first-party targeting with Brave’s private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “Turpentine” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
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LINKS:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillericketts/
XYZ: https://www.xyz.vc/
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X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@camillericketts
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode Preview
(00:58) Conversation with Camille Ricketts
(02:11) Camille's journey at Notion
(04:34) Content as a measurable growth strategy
(12:00) Effective use of testimonials and case studies
(15:45) Case studies and emotional engagement
(17:54) Sponsors: Netsuite | Metaview
(19:41) Measuring content success
(24:25) Tactical tips for effective call to action
(26:08) Figma and Stripe
(27:37) Founding story of First Round Review
(30:30) Sponsors: Brave | Omneky
(31:52) Iterating content formats and overcoming fear
(37:04) Role of AI in content creation
(42:57) Insights from Tesla and preparing for the unexpected
(47:24) Wrap -
When Y Combinator's Paul Graham released his viral essay "Founder Mode," it sparked a firestorm in the tech world. Based on a private talk by Airbnb's Brian Chesky and endorsed by the likes of Elon Musk and Patrick Collison, the piece garnered over 20 million views. Enter Jim Cook, legendary Silicon Valley CFO (Netflix, Intuit, Mozilla) who just wrote a counterargument to set the record straight. Cook challenges the simplistic notion of founder supremacy — where only 10% succeed — and offers a different Leadership Mode framework for building high-performance, generational companies.
🔥Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
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SPONSORS:
NETSUITE: More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102
METAVIEW is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
BRAVE: Get first-party targeting with Brave’s private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “Turpentine” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
--
LINKS:
Cook’s Playbooks https://jcookflix.substack.com/
Founder Mode PG https://paulgraham.com/foundermode.html
Lenny’s Podcast episode with Brian Chesky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ef0juAMqoE
Product-CEO Paradox by Ben Horowitz https://a16z.com/why-founders-fail-the-product-ceo-paradox/
Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz https://a16z.com/books/the-hard-thing-about-hard-things/
Scaling People with Claire Hughes Johnson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63063173-scaling-people
--
X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@cookflix
--
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode preview
(00:26) Intro
(00:51) Founder Mode essay
(04:13) Challenges of polarized arguments
(07:44) Importance of leadership mode
(10:59) Balancing founder and scaling modes
(15:01) Sponsors: Netsuite | Metaview
(16:49) Trust and transparency in leadership
(20:41) Importance of creating a culture
(24:57) Leading with values and behaviors
(29:48) Sponsors: Brave | Omneky
(31:13) Importance of documentation
(36:45) Balancing founder and manager roles
(39:06) Structuring ownership and accountability
(43:06) Founders as Coaches and Captains
(48:12) Specialized operators in finance
(50:41) Scaling company to public
(53:50) Wrap -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff is joined by Chris Sands, Head of Jobs at The F Suite, to discuss the landscape of finance leadership and career advancement in 2024. Sands unpacks the changing role of CFOs and how to navigate compensation from the vantage point of CFOs (and the CEOs hiring for the role). This episode offers invaluable insights on how to stay relevant, adaptable, and ahead of the curve in your finance career.
🔥Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
--
SPONSORS:
NETSUITE: More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102
METAVIEW is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
BRAVE: Get first-party targeting with Brave’s private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “Turpentine” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
--
LINKS:
http://fsuite.co
https://www.fsuite.co/compensation-survey
http://lsuite.co
http://www.thesuite.com
--
X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@chris_sands_
--
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode preview
(01:16) Intro
(01:40) Meet Chris Sands: Head of Jobs at The F Suite
(03:06) Evolving role of the CFO
(09:11) Strategies for aspiring CFOs
(12:29) Candidate-first approach in recruitment
(13:56) Then vs Now: Hiring CFOs
(19:14) Preparing candidate for interviews
(22:53) Sponsors: Netsuite | Metaview
(24:40) Best practices in recruiting finance teams
(26:19) Role of CFO in the hiring process
(27:28) Advice for recruiting CFOs
(29:28) Sponsors: Brave | Omneky
(30:56) Key traits of a great CFO
(32:52) Evolution of CFO roles
(34:10) Misconceptions on job search
(37:56) CFO compensation insights
(44:49) Negotiation strategies for CFOs
(48:04) Non-negotiable compensation offers
(48:59) F Suite: Building a community for CFOs
(52:39) Wrap -
In this episode, Sasha Orloff is joined by Valerie Burman, CFO of Sugar Bowl Resort in Lake Tahoe and former VP at Workday and SAP, shares her unique journey from being an executive at Silicon Valley tech companies to becoming the CFO of a ski resort. Valerie talks about her philosophy on building the dream team, the importance of understanding business acumen in a CFO role, and strategies for achieving long-term liquidity. She also reflects on hard won lessons from multiple M&As and corpdev.
--
Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
--
SPONSORS:
More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102
Metaview is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
BRAVE: Get first-party targeting with Brave’s private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “Turpentine” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
--
X/SOCIAL:
Sasha on X: @sashaorloff
Valerie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/burmanval/
--
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:45) Valerie Berman: From tech to Tahoe
(03:00) Transitioning to Sugar Bowl
(05:21) Day one as CFO: Skiing and listening
(07:02) Unique aspects of Sugar Bowl
(08:13) Balancing fun and financials
(13:05) Sponsors: Netsuite | Metaview
(14:54) Measuring success and setting goals
(24:27) Navigating seasonal business challenges
(30:00) Building a dream team at Sugar Bowl
(32:24) Sponsors: Brave | Omneky
(33:46) Insights on M&A and corporate development
(36:24) Decision making in private companies
(42:02) Significant role of cultural alignment
(46:07) Advice for aspiring CFOs
(48:06) Closing remarks and outro -
In this episode, Rishi Garg, former Head of Corporate Development at Twitter and Square, shares insider knowledge on tech acquisitions. He explains when companies should start considering M&A and the three key approaches: tops down, bottoms up, and strategy influence. Rishi reveals how he managed up to 15 deals in 12 months and why integration is crucial for M&A success. He debunks common M&A misconceptions and discusses the "sins of omission" - deals he regrets not making. The conversation shifts to his current role as a VC at Mayfield Fund, offering a unique perspective on both sides of acquisitions.
LINKS:
https://www.twitter.com/rishigarg
https://www.mayfield.com/
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
SPONSORS:
More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102
Metaview is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics
The Brave search API can be used to assemble a data set to train your AI models and help with retrieval augmentation at the time of inference. All while remaining affordable with developer first pricing, integrating the Brave search API into your workflow translates to more ethical data sourcing and more human representative data sets. Try the Brave search API for free for up to 2000 queries per month at https://brave.com/api
Omneky:
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@rishigarg (Rishi)
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:02:53) How companies should think about M&A and corp dev
(00:06:58) Signs that a company is ready to consider M&A
(00:11:37) Different approaches to M&A: tops down, bottoms up, and strategy influencing
(00:16:52) How to start building an M&A team
(00:18:16) Sponsors: Netsuite | Metaview
(00:22:15) Misconceptions about M&A in Silicon Valley
(00:26:53) Valuation considerations in M&A deals
(00:34:31) Current state of M&A market and opportunities
(00:38:24) Sponsors: Omneky | Brave
(00:39:47) How M&A deals happen and relationship building
(00:45:55) Reasons why M&A deals don't work out
(00:51:50) Transition to Rishi's experience as a venture capitalist
(00:57:50) Advice for founders considering M&A
(01:02:09) Rishi's current interests in investing, particularly in AI and new platforms -
In this episode of Turpentine Finance, Sasha sits down with Eric Ries, author of "The Lean Startup" and founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE). Ries shares the challenging journey of creating a new national securities exchange designed to promote long-term thinking in public companies. He discusses the obstacles faced in gaining SEC approval, the misconceptions about corporate governance, and why many companies struggle with balancing short-term pressures and long-term vision. Ries offers valuable insights for CEOs and CFOs considering going public or dual-listing, emphasizing the importance of aligning investors with a company's long-term mission. This conversation explores how rethinking capital allocation and corporate structure can lead to more sustainable, successful businesses.
LINKS:
The LTSE: https://ltse.com/
The Lean Startup: https://theleanstartup.com/
Listen here at: https://www.ericriesshow.com/
RECOMMENDED PODCAST
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
SPONSORS:
RIPPLING SPEND:
Imagine total control over your company's spending with Rippling Spend, the all-in-one platform for expense reports, corporate cards, and bill pay. Control spend, set custom approval chains, and close your books 3x faster. Visit rippling.com/spend for a free demo and one month free trial.
NETSUITE
More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102
BRAVE:
The Brave search API can be used to assemble a data set to train your AI models and help with retrieval augmentation at the time of inference. All while remaining affordable with developer first pricing, integrating the Brave search API into your workflow translates to more ethical data sourcing and more human representative data sets. Try the Brave search API for free for up to 2000 queries per month at https://brave.com/api
X/SOCIAL:
@sashaorloff
@ericries (Eric)
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00:00) - Introduction and opening quote from Eric Ries
(00:02:18) - Explanation of what the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE) is
(00:07:11) - Eric's background and journey to founding LTSE
(00:14:29) - The challenge of convincing investors to fund LTSE
(00:16:03) - Sponsors: Netsuite | Rippling Spend
(00:21:47) - Eric's experience navigating the SEC approval process
(00:29:38) - Sponsor: Omneky
(00:31:30) - Discussion on how companies are notified of SEC approval
(00:42:36) - Challenges and questions companies ask behind the scenes
(00:50:36) - Brief mention of companies listed on LTSE
(00:58:36) - The importance of allocating shares to long-term investors
(01:01:21) - What's next for LTSE and Eric Ries
(01:02:49) - Closing remarks and outro -
In this episode, Sasha sits down with Jody Padar, the Radical CPA, 3x author, to discuss the incentive misalignment in accounting firms, and how radical pricing can solve it. Jody shares her insights on the evolving landscape of accounting, discussing the need for firms to adapt to new technologies, embrace value-based pricing, and shift from traditional hourly billing models. She emphasizes the importance of redefining the accountant-client relationship in the digital age, advocating for a more advisory-focused approach. Jody also addresses the challenges facing the accounting profession, including talent shortages and the impact of automation, while offering her vision for the future of accounting firms.
--
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
This show is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://www.turpentine.co
Get Turpentine Finance directly in your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://turpentine-finance.beehiiv.com/ and receive key takeaways from each episode
RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:
🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
--
LINKS:
Radical Pricing by Jody Padar: https://cpatrendlines.com/shop/jp24pri-jody-padar-radical-pricing-how-to-optimize-profits-delight-clients-and-build-a-top-value-firm-jp24pri/
Connect with Jody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jody-padar-18a9711
--
SPONSORS:
📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.
🦾 Level up your ineffective website chatbot with CommandBar. CommandBar builds a new type of web assistant which delivers highly personalized responses, real time co-browsing, and can perform actions on behalf of the users. Learn how Hashicorp, Gusto, Freshworks and more use CommandBar at https://commandbar.com/moz
🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at https://babbel.com/torenberg
--
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00:00) Episode preview
(00:01:05) Introduction to Turpentine Finance Podcast
(00:01:31) Meet Jody: The Radical CPA
(00:03:06) The disconnect in accounting firms
(00:05:53) Jody's journey into accounting
(00:07:23) Innovating in a firm with technology and cloud solutions
(00:12:58) Challenges in changing the pricing model
(00:18:04) The role of automation in accounting
(00:24:32) Innovative constraints in small firms
(00:25:33) Realizing pricing as the core problem
(00:27:20) Transitioning to value-based pricing
(00:36:01) The role of AI and technology in accounting
(00:37:41) The future of bookkeeping firms
(00:39:56) Reimagining the accounting profession
(00:43:04) Strengthening accountant-client relationships
(00:47:39) Training the next generation of accountants
(00:49:40) Conclusion and final thoughts -
In this episode, Sasha sits down with Seema Amble, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Seema shares her research on the transformation of the CFO’s office, and how generative AI is powering financial teams. She discusses how AI can empower CFOs and finance teams to focus on strategic rather manual tasks, increasing client communication through automation, the impact of AI on valuations in service businesses such as law and accounting, and the progression from “service as a software” vs “software as a service”. Seema also discusses investing cycles, and how AI adoption in enterprise might follow the trajectory of other technologies, beginning with consumer adoption first.
--
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
This show is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://www.turpentine.co
Get Turpentine Finance directly in your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://turpentine-finance.beehiiv.com/ and receive key takeaways from each episode
RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:
🎙️1 to 100 | Hypergrowth Companies Worth Joining
Every week we sit down with the founder of a hyper-growth company you should consider joining. Our goal is to give you the inside story behind breakout, early stage companies potentially worth betting your career on. This season, discover how the founders of Modal Labs, Clay, Mercor, and more built their products, cultures, and companies.
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/70NOWtWDY995C8qDqojxGw
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1762756034
--
SPONSORS:
NETSUITE
📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.
COMMANDBAR
🦾 Level up your ineffective website chatbot with CommandBar. CommandBar builds a new type of web assistant which delivers highly personalized responses, real time co-browsing, and can perform actions on behalf of the users. Learn how Hashicorp, Gusto, Freshworks and more use CommandBar at https://commandbar.com/moz
BABBEL
🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at https://babbel.com/torenberg
--
LINKS:
The CFO in Crisis: https://a16z.com/the-cfo-in-crisis-mode-modern-times-call-for-new-tools/
Death, Taxes, and Accounting: https://a16z.com/generative-ai-in-accounting/
X/SOCIAL
@seema_amble (Seema)
@sashaorloff (Sasha)
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00:00) Introduction to Turpentine Finance Podcast
(00:01:44) Discussing the CFO in Crisis Mode article
(00:02:10) Challenges faced by CFOs with legacy software
(00:06:35) The pyramid graph of finance team tasks and market insights
(00:15:10) Generative AI's impact on finance
(00:16:24) Emerging trends and changes in the market
(00:20:14) The rise of bundled solutions in finance
(00:22:49) Death, taxes, and AI: Transforming accounting
(00:24:33) The excitement of AI in accounting
(00:26:42) Challenges and opportunities in AI adoption
(00:29:29) Incentive alignment and talent development in service businesses
(00:32:36) The future of services as software
(00:34:14) AI's impact on business models and valuation
(00:38:17) Andreessen Horowitz's AI investment strategy
(00:40:07) Future trends and predictions in AI
(00:44:12) Engaging with Andreessen Horowitz
(00:45:18) Conclusion and call to action - Se mer
