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Financial data alone can’t drive a company’s success; it’s the CFO’s ability to turn that data into a compelling narrative that moves the needle. Whether engaging investors, rallying the board, or inspiring internal teams, the power lies in transforming raw data into stories that align with the company’s vision and steer it through both challenges and opportunities.
In this episode, Stephen Bates, Chief Financial Officer of Canford Healthcare Ltd. shares his more than 20 years of experience in finance roles across a wide range of industries in the UK. Stephen discusses the crucial role CFOs play in transforming financial data into engaging stories that drive business outcomes, especially during uncertain times.
Learn how effective narratives and storytelling can propel companies toward their strategic goals.
Discussed in This Episode:
The importance of transparency and clarity in financial storytellingWeaving your strategic vision into the financial stories you tellSelecting the right metrics and KPIs that align with your story, and communicating them through data visualization.Techniques for connecting financial data with emotional appeals to inspire and motivate stakeholders.The key components of an effective change narrative: setting the stage, identifying the drivers of change, outlining the journey, and envisioning the future. -
Filmed at Vena’s Excelerate Finance 2024 Summit, this episode features insights from FP&A and accounting leaders about the demands and rewards of their work. Join us as we dive into the importance of cross-functional collaboration, the art of balancing strategic vision with daily tasks, and the leadership skills that make a difference. Discover how teamwork and a purpose-driven mindset are shaping the future of finance.
Featured Guests in Order of Appearance:[00:00], [01:03] Blake Dunaway, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Corcentric[00:46] Eugene Fedorinov, MBA, CFA,Sr. Manager, Finance Database & Budget Analysis, Arizona Cardinals [02:43] Pat Jones, SVP, Corporate Controller, PetIQ[04:15] Sultan Akif, Unicorn Account Executive, Microsoft[06:02] Harjot Ghai, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Delbridge Solutions, Inc.[06:48] Christine Harms, Vice President and Controller, The Tuscon Roadrunners[07:26] Brian Krause, Chief Financial Officer, Community First Solutions[07:34] Jesse Funes, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, New Horizons[11:07] Dan Crumb, Chief Financial Officer, Kansas City Chiefs[13:04] Carrie Self, Senior Director of Business Intelligence, Tacala Companies
Discussed in This Episode:What finance leaders enjoy most about their jobs, from working with so many other teams to being at the center of every major business decision.How finance leaders feel they could be even more impactful with the help of their team and colleagues,What finance leaders wish other colleagues understood about their jobs, and what it takes to be successful.How FP&A roles have changed over time, and why it’s so important to have a bridge between strategic and tactical work, -
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The CEO-CFO partnership is arguably the cornerstone of an organization’s success, shaping not only its financial health but its strategic trajectory. This relationship is a delicate balance of mutual respect, candid dialogue, and aligned vision. A thriving CEO-CFO dynamic goes beyond simple collaboration; it involves a continuous cycle of challenging each other’s perspectives, reinforcing financial discipline, and driving innovative strategies.
Our host and CFO of Vena, Melissa Howatson, shares such a dynamic relationship with Vena CEO Hunter Madeley. Together, they explore the unique perspectives of their respective roles and how aligning them is key to ensuring that the business is healthy today and positioned for sustainable growth.
Learn how the CEO and CFO partnership can be a strategic catalyst for success and discover how this strategic alliance is more than just a business necessity—it’s the key to unlocking the full potential of an organization, ensuring its resilience today and its growth well into the future.
Discussed In This Episode:
What’s top of mind for today’s CEOs and how finance leaders can support them through uncertain economic timesThe evolving role of CFOs, and whether they should be perceived as order-takers or strategic sparring partners in shaping the future of the businessHow CFOs can use their unique vantage points to help other functional leaders be more future-centricThe horizons of investments, and how CFOs can help CEOs commit to short and long-term goals -
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in effect since 2018, reshaping how businesses handle personal data across the globe. While many view GDPR as solely a legal or IT challenge, its impact ripples far beyond those departments—it touches every aspect of an organization.
For CFOs, GDPR isn’t just about compliance; it’s about safeguarding the financial health of the company, managing operational risks, and ensuring long-term sustainability. CFOs must be at the forefront of creating a GDPR-compliant organization, not only to avoid costly penalties but to protect the organization's reputation.
Greet Gemels is the Chief Financial and Operating Officer at Advantage Group International, where she oversees the Finance, Human Resources, and Operations functions of a global market research company. In this episode, Greet and host Melissa Howatson discuss the critical implications of GDPR for CFOs and analyze the financial and operational risks involved.
Discover how CFOs can effectively navigate current and evolving GDPR requirements to mitigate data security risks, ensure regulatory compliance, and safeguard their organization's financial and operational integrity.
Discussed in This EpisodeHow GDPR data privacy laws have transformed data handling practices and regulatory compliance across organizations.The tangible and intangible costs of achieving GDPR compliance, along with the serious repercussions of non-compliance.The risks and implications of working with third-party vendors for tasks such as human resources and payroll.The critical need for strategic resource allocation, cross-functional collaboration, and robust metrics to assess the financial impact of GDPR compliance efforts. -
Filmed at Vena’s Excelerate Finance 2024 Summit, we had the opportunity to engage with a range of FP&A leaders, discussing the current state of business operations and their financial priorities as they strategize for 2025 and beyond.
Learn what’s top of mind for CFOs, finance leaders and Microsoft, and how they plan to support business growth in the year ahead.
Featured Guests in Order of Appearance:
[00:00], [01:53] Dan Crumb, Chief Financial Officer, Kansas City Chiefs[00:48], [11:40] Harjot Ghai, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Delbridge Solutions, Inc.[03:05] Jesse Funes, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, New Horizons[03:53], [09:05] Eugene Fedorinov, MBA, CFA, Sr. Manager, Finance Database & Budget Analysis, Arizona Cardinals[04:13] Pat Jones, SVP, Corporate Controller, PetIQ[04:51] Sultan Akif, Unicorn Account Executive, Microsoft[06:34] Carrie Self, Senior Director of Business Intelligence, Tacala Companies[07:26] Brian Krause, Chief Financial Officer, Community First Solutions
Discussed In This Episode:
The state of business operations at various organizations, including recent process improvements and investments, as well as ongoing challengesHow CFOs plan to adapt their financial strategies in the second half of the year to navigate potential economic shifts or market volatilityStrategies CFOs and other finance leaders are implementing to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of financial reporting processes and prepare their organizations for growthWhere CFOs feel they need to make continued investments in the year ahead, including AI and other technologies -
Today's CFOs must excel at both driving organizational productivity while ensuring operational efficiency.
Brian Krause is CFO at Community First Solutions, and has over 20 years of experience building and leading financial teams, a VP of Finance, Controller, and three-time CFO. Brian joins host Melissa Howatson to delve into the distinction between productivity and efficiency, exploring how CFOs can strike the perfect balance between to drive optimal results.
Learn how to maximize productivity on your finance team without sacrificing efficiency, and vice versa.
Discussed In This Episode:Distinguishing productivity from efficiency, and the critical importance of ensuring all team members grasp this fundamental differenceThe potential pitfalls of emphasizing either productivity or efficiencyHow to leverage technology and streamline processes to build lean, agile finance teamsActionable insights to help CFOs become ultra-efficient leaders in today's dynamic business environmentStrategies for finance leaders to cultivate an organizational culture that prioritizes both productivity and efficiency -
The ability to transform raw complex financial data into a compelling narrative has become a critical skill. Mastering the art of finance data storytelling enables finance professionals to distill complex information into strategic insights, driving pivotal boardroom decisions and shaping business strategy.
Akash Kapoor is the CFO at ColdBlock Technologies and has been advising finance leaders on operations and strategy for the last 25 years. Host Melissa Howatson welcomes Akash to explore the transformative power of financial storytelling. Together, they delve into how mastering this critical skill can revolutionize organizational decision-making and propel finance professionals to new heights in their careers. As new technologies give us access to swaths of data, it’s more important than ever to have a finance department that can interpret data and turn numbers into clear business narratives.
Learn how financial professionals can break down data silos and guide strategic decisions through compelling, data-driven narratives.
Discussed in This Episode:
Discover techniques to transform complex financial data into engaging stories that inform and inspire action.The importance of tailoring presentations to various stakeholders, including C-suites, employees, and investors, depending on their financial acumen and objectives.Learn how to leverage storytelling techniques, narrative structures, and data visualization tools to bring your financial data to life and make your insights impossible to ignore.Understand why emerging technologies are elevating the role of finance professionals within organizations. -
In today's customer-centric business landscape, a leadership team that truly understands its customers is crucial. Everyone on the C-Suite should be learning from one another, and challenging one another to be more customer-focused.
April Oman, the Chief Customer Officer at Resilinc, brings a unique perspective to the leadership team. While her primary role is championing customer success, she's gained invaluable insights about her customers from unexpected sources—including the company's CFO. April is an accomplished customer success executive with 20 years of experience. She is known for driving results and revenue and transforming organizations to be customer-centric in a wide variety of industries and company sizes
In this installment of our "Better Business Partnering" series, April joins host Melissa Howatson to explore the powerful synergy between Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Chief Customer Officers (CCOs). They delve into April's collaborative experiences with CFOs, examining how this partnership drives innovation across the organization, improves operational efficiency through cross-functional teamwork, and fosters sustainable growth.
Discover how breaking down silos between finance and customer success can lead to transformative outcomes and customer satisfaction.
Discussed In This Episode:Strategies to nurture a strong partnership between the finance and customer teamsHow to align financial strategies with customer-centric initiativesThe number one trait April values in a CFO, and how a CFO can help a CCO be more effectiveThe value a CCO offers to CFOs and the broader C-suitePoints of friction between CFOs and CCOs, and how to overcome them -
Agile isn't just a buzzword—it's the key to unlocking your finance team's full potential in a changing market.
While annual budgeting and planning can be daunting, adopting Agile methodologies can transform this process into a dynamic, collaborative effort that propels your business forward, replacing rigid forecasts with flexible, data-driven strategies that adapt to market shifts in real-time.
Dominic DiBernardo is a Partner at Citrin Cooperman, where he helps middle-market businesses optimize their finance and business operations. In this episode, Dominic shares how to incorporate agile strategies into a finance team’s annual budgeting and planning cycle. These methodologies, he argues, will make finance teams more efficient and collaborative, so that they can withstand changes in market conditions and foster growth.
Discover how finance leaders are revolutionizing their teams by cultivating nimble cultures and leveraging agile methodologies to enhance precision in strategic planning and dynamic budgeting processes.
Discussed in This Episode:
Practical tips for finance leaders who are looking to pivot more quickly in response to emerging trends, shifting market conditions and changing business needsHow to leverage real-time data, cultivate a budget-conscious culture emphasizing accountability and shared objectives, along with adopting budgeting practices that adeptly adjust to market shiftsHow finance leaders can foster an agile culture, as well as a collaborative and negotiation-focused approach to agile planning and budgetingThe importance of having the right technology in place to accommodate change and speed up processes, as well as the role AI will play in advancing FP&A -
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 tasksTips for Incorporating AI into the Finance FunctionHow to address security concerns, find internal champions, and securely leverage AI technologyAdvanced use cases of generative AI and the broader implications of this technology for the Office of FinanceHow 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 learningThe effectiveness of micro-learning and its application at critical momentsAnalyzing the return on investment (ROI) of continuous education and strategies to counteract the inclination to cut educational expensesThe benefits of cross-functional learning in all stages of a finance professional’s careerIndicators that finance professionals should consider when selecting an employer that supports continuous learning -
Finance teams that want to be more data-driven need both technology that can consolidate mountains of data, and skilled professionals who can interpret what it all means.
Thomas Ho serves as the Vice President at ProLytics Consulting Group, guiding clients through the digital transformation in finance. In a discussion with Melissa Howatson,
Thomas discusses how data gathering methods are revolutionizing finance roles, necessitating new skills that finance professionals need to master to keep pace with rapid change.
Learn what hard skills are essential to the modern Office of Finance and how finance leaders can upskill their teams to improve the accuracy and efficiency of financial forecasting and modeling.
Discussed In This Episode:
The transformative impact of technology on the Finance Department and the evolving requirements of finance occupationsThe critical importance of data literacy, data visualization, and data analytics for modern finance professionalsThe importance of learning SQL and other programming languages to perform needed data analysis and financial modelingHow micro-learning and cross-team training can allow finance professionals to acquire new skills on the job and level up in their rolesThe tools and tech stack finance teams need to support data collection and data interpretation -
AI is poised to revolutionize the way we work. Businesses across the globe are investing resources into the development needed to make AI an everyday reality. Leading the charge, Microsoft is pioneering the incorporation of AI into business and daily workflows.
In this episode, host Melissa Howatson sits down with Ahmed Adel, the Director of Data, Apps & AI Cloud Solution Architecture at Microsoft to discuss Microsoft’s continuous investments in AI, along with the implications these innovations could have for finance professionals and the potential impact of AI on the future of work.
Learn how Microsoft sees the ultimate future state of business operations for finance teams and beyond.
Discussed in This Episode:
Microsoft's ongoing investments in AI, the evolving interaction between people and technology, and the potential impact of AI on the future of workHow AI will elevate finance leadership by freeing up time for more strategic work, and improving the speed and accuracy of financial reportingHow Microsoft prioritizes investments and works with partners to ensure that their innovations have the greatest impactWhy organizations should be careful to implement AI in the right places, and how they can prepare their workforces for changes that AI will inevitably bringHow Microsoft ensures its AI products are used ethically and responsibly -
New technologies are changing finance roles, freeing up time for more analysis, strategy, and storytelling. As these roles evolve, so too do the soft skills financial professionals need to do their jobs well.
Meg Bear is a Controller at Turner Enterprises, and has more than 20 years of experience leading finance teams and redesigning business processes. In this episode, Meg talks to host Melissa Howatson about how CFOs and finance leaders can adapt their leadership styles and hiring standards to better fit the modern FP&A team.
Learn how finance leaders should prioritize soft skills as they build the future office of finance.
Discussed In This Episode:Cultivating a work setting where empowerment and meaningful tasks are the foundationStrategies for ensuring your team feels valued as you implement new systems and processesExploring the reasons behind the formation of siloes and how finance leaders can work to dismantle them for improved interdepartmental collaboration and integrated business strategy.The significance of possessing essential soft skills and maintaining transparency throughout the hiring processHow leaders can be a talent magnet, building and retaining teams that work well together -
Employee burnout is on the rise, fueled by shrinking budgets and mounting pressure for employees to achieve more with less. But how can CFOs and finance leaders gauge the breaking point for their teams?
Ruchi Kasliwal has been building and guiding finance and accounting teams for over 15 years. With a deep passion for optimizing human and system resources, Ruchi joins Melissa to share vital strategies to protect their employees from burnout. By proactively identifying signs of burnout and offering effective support, leaders can prevent the loss of valuable team members. And by acknowledging the stressors inherent in finance roles, leaders can proactively implement strategies to protect teams from burnout while ensuring their well-being and productivity. Join us as we discover the key techniques for tackling high-pressure finance environments and empowering teams to thrive.
Discussed In This Episode:
Understanding good stress vs. bad stressImplementing a buddy system to improve team communication around workloadBurnout warning signs that can help finance leaders identify when employees are struggling with prioritization or too much workPlanning for time off so that employees can truly unplug and unwind when they’re out of the officeWorking with your team to prioritize the most important tasks and automate tedious or unnecessary tasks -
If a CRO is expected to know the balance sheet, shouldn’t the CFO should know the sales playbook? After all, a strong partnership between these two roles is instrumental to a company’s financial health, and they need to be able to support one another.
In this installment of our better business partnering series, Puneet Arora, President at Yellow.ai, talks to Melissa Howatson about how CFOs can form strong partnerships with their CROs. Puneet was previously a CRO himself, and has over 25 years of experience working alongside CFOs while leading sales teams at high-growth SaaS organizations. In that time, he’s had a variety of strong CFO-CRO relationships and tells us about the ones that were the most effective.
Learn how to nurture a strong partnership between the Office of Finance and revenue operations by fostering not just rapport, but strategic alignment.
Discussed In This Episode:
The unique responsibilities of the CFO and CRO, and how a strong partnership leads to better business outcomesThe increasing importance of the revenue operations team in modern organizations and the layer of support they bring to the businessSome of the top challenges CROs are facing in today’s business landscape, and how CFOs can support them through these challengesCommon points of friction between the finance and revenue operations teams, and how they can work better together to uncover growth opportunities and get deals doneTraits CROs appreciate in a CFO, and tactics CFOs can use to facilitate a productive relationship with the revenue operations team -
FP&A professionals spend so much of their time gathering data, and only a small portion analyzing it. Integrating digital transformation in finance has the potential to shift this dynamic by automating data collection and allowing more time for in-depth analysis and interpretation.
Stacy Brown is VP at Marcum Technology and has more than 15 years of experience advising on ERP and CPM implementations. Stacy specializes in financial planning and analysis (FP&A), financial reporting, workforce planning, and financial forecasting, leveraging her extensive accounting and finance background to help organizations create efficiencies within their finance organizations.
In this episode, Stacy talks to host Melissa Howatson about the lessons she’s learned through these implementations and her advice for organizations beginning their digital transformation journeys.
Learn how finance can benefit from investing in digitization, and the role CFOs need to play in leading digital transformation within their organizations.
Discussed In This Episode:
Identifying opportunities for digitization, and how an outside consultant can help spot inefficienciesThe five steps of a digital transformation journey in finance, including the implementation of a modern ERPHow to build a lean, flexible, and cost-effective tech stackCommon pitfalls that slow down software implementations How to select the right vendor for your current and future needs -
CFOs are experts in growing a business, navigating volatile economic environments, and acting as leaders inside and outside the organization. But as they focus on these big-picture problems, they naturally become removed from many day-to-day operations. It can be a challenge to stay sharp on basic skills and informed on new trends and technologies.
Thomas Krolak, Director of FP&A at Vena, has a front-row seat to how our CFO and show host, Melissa Howatson, handles this challenge. In this episode, Thomas and Melissa flip the script, with Thomas interviewing Melissa about how to stay sharp as a CFO. Melissa discusses some best practices for continued learning, as well as some humbling moments in her leadership career.
Learn how CFOs keep their tactical skills sharp as they move a little farther away from the day-to-day action.
Discussed In This Episode:
How to stay up-to-date on trends as a busy CFOThe value of sharing information with your peers, mentors, and wider networkHow to get the most ROI out of conferences and other outside learning opportunitiesThe importance of brushing up on the basics from time-to-timeLearning from your rising stars -
What makes an exceptional, growth-driving CFO?
Vinny Prajka might know better than anyone. Vinny has worked with dozens of CFOs in his role at JMI Equity, where he helps portfolio companies accelerate growth and navigate operational challenges. Vinny also sits on multiple boards, and formerly held two CFO positions himself, at both SonaCare Medical and BlackBaud Inc.
In this episode, Vinny talks to host Melissa Howatson about the best CFOs he’s worked with, and the qualities these A-players all have in common.
Discover how, as a CFO, you can help drive growth in your organization, demonstrate exceptional leadership, effectively communicate with investors and become the driving force behind business performance.
Discussed In This Episode:
The delicate balance between growing an organization and managing costs, amidst economic uncertaintyThe importance of the CFO’s relationships, particularly with the CEO and the Board of DirectorsCreating and communicating alignment between the CEO and CFOWhy CFOs need to think with a zero-based budgeting mindset to assess and reassess the value of every position in their businessThe value of a long-range plan (LRP), and how often a CFO should update theirs -
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 cybersecurityProactive strategies for CFOs to safeguard their organizations and mitigate riskThe difference between privacy and security, and why understanding this difference is so important to protect financial data - Daha fazla göster
