The Role Forward - SoundSage

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, host Joe Michalowski welcomes CJ Gustafson, CFO of PartsTech and the mind behind Mostly Metrics. They dive into the intricaciesof annual planning, a critical period for finance professionals. CJ shares his unique journey from M&A consulting to private equity and finally to his current role, emphasizing the importance of understanding business models and resource allocation.

The conversation shifts to the practical steps of strategic planning. CJ outlines a three-month timeline for annual planning, stressing the collaboration between CEOs and CFOs. He breaks down the process into digestible stages, focusing on setting realistic goals for revenue, productivity, and profitability. His approach demystifies the complexities of financial forecasting in the startup ecosystem.

Joe and CJ also tackle the challenges of planning with incomplete data, advocating for a proactive start and the ability to adapt. CJ's insights offer valuable lessons on balancing ambition with the realities of startup finance, providing a blueprint for listeners navigating their own annual planning. Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Guest: CJ Gustafson

💡 What he does: CFO / Writer

💡Company: PartsTech / Mostly Metrics

💡Noteworthy: CJ Gustafson: M&A consultant turned CFO, private equity expert, startup growth driver.

💡Where to find CJ: LinkedIn

View Details

In the latest episode of The Role Forward podcast, host Joe Michalowski sits down with Kristian Marquez, founder of FinStrat Management. Kristian shares his diverse journey in the finance sector, highlighting his experiences from being part of a billion-dollar IPO to the challenges faced in a telemedicine startup.

The duo dives deep into the evolving landscape of startup profitability, especially for VC-backed ventures. They discuss the shifting paradigms from a growth-centric mindset to a more balanced approach that emphasizes cash preservation. Kristian introduces the "Rule of 40," a pivotal metric combining growth percentage with EBITDA margin, suggesting its significance in today's startup world.

Towards the end, the conversation shifts to the potential of artificial intelligence. Kristian draws parallels between the dot-com era and the current AI wave, emphasizing its transformative power in boosting productivity and redefining the future of businesses.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Kristian Marquez

💡 What he does: President and CEO

💡 Company: FinStrat Management

💡Noteworthy: Kristian Marquez: From billion-dollar IPO participant to telemedicine startup co-founder.

💡Where to find Kristian: LinkedIn

View Details

In the latest episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski welcomes Todd Spartz, the CFO at LinkLive. Todd dives deep into his rich background in the tech world. From semiconductor equipment manufacturing to networking, and from web analytics to web advertising, Todd's journey is vast. As he transitioned to enterprise SaaS, he shares the insights and challenges faced, especially around the newest hottest topic - AI.

For anyone keen on understanding the intricacies of the tech world and the journey of a seasoned professional like Todd, this episode is a must-listen. Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Todd Spartz

💡 What he does: CFO

💡Company: LinkLive

💡Noteworthy: Todd Spartz: 30 years in Silicon Valley, from semiconductor manufacturing to enterprise SaaS.

💡Where to find Todd: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe and Scot dive into the world of fractional CFO services and the transition to in-house teams. They discuss the inflection points where companies outgrow fractional CFO services and the economic factors that drive the decision to hire in-house. The complexity of business activities and the need for a 24/7 finance team are key considerations.

The conversation shifts to data infrastructure and the challenges early-stage companies face in building and tracking plans. They emphasize the importance of clean data and the role of systems and automation. Joe and Scot also explore the difficulties in integrating various systems and the value of data analysis in deriving meaningful insights.

Scot shares his journey from startups to consulting and back, highlighting the growth and collaboration experiences. He explains the engagement process with companies, emphasizing the strategic value of starting with accounting before moving to more complex financial planning and analysis (FP&A). The episode concludes with insights into strategic projects and the path to growth. Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Scot Mollot 💡What they do: CFO 💡Company: Attivo Partners 💡Noteworthy: Expert in fractional CFO services, with a background in startups and consulting. 💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski hosts Zack McCarty, Director of FP&A at Qwick. McCarty shares insights on the importance of collaborative planning and stakeholder buy-in in the food and beverage industry. He emphasizes the transformative power of basic financial information in driving valuable change within a company.

McCarty discusses the challenges and strategies of planning for Qwick, a two-sided marketplace for on-demand staffing. He highlights the necessity of balancing the onboarding of workers and businesses, and the seasonal nature of their business. He also delves into the complexities of managing expenses across different departments, including marketing, sales, and engineering.

Lastly, McCarty underscores the importance of transparency in financial information. However, he also cautions against the potential for misunderstanding or panic when context is not provided. The episode concludes with McCarty expressing excitement about the future as stakeholders seek deeper analytics and understanding of the fundamentals.

Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Zack McCarty
💡What they do: Director of FP&A
💡Company: Qwick
💡Noteworthy: McCarty is an early member of Qwick, having served in various roles including Director of Marketing. He brings a unique perspective on the importance of financial transparency and collaborative planning in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski hosts a deep dive into strategic finance with Bijan Moallemi and Joe Garafalo, co-founders of Mosaic. The trio unpacks the evolving landscape of business and the increasing complexity that demands more from finance professionals.

Joe emphasizes the importance of investing in finance functions, especially in today's economy. He illustrates how strategic finance operates in real time, allowing businesses to know exactly where they stand and where they're heading. This proactive approach enables teams to assess ROI on significant expenditures and make informed decisions.

Bijan and Joe also discuss the shift in planning from a structured, periodic process to a continuous one. They liken traditional finance to driving with the headlights off, while strategic finance provides clear visibility and direction. The conversation concludes with insights on the value of AI in finance and its potential to save time and drive progress.

Tune in to The Role Forward for a comprehensive understanding of strategic finance and its role in shaping successful businesses.

**Guests-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Bijan Moallemi / Joe Garafalo 💡What they do: Co-Founder and CEO / Co-Founder and COO 💡Company: Mosaic 💡Noteworthy:** Joe is an experienced finance professional and the COO of Mosaic, a strategic finance platform. He has a deep understanding of the finance industry and is passionate about leveraging AI to enhance financial operations and decision-making.

As the CEO of Mosaic, Bijan is a strong advocate for strategic finance. He believes in the power of storytelling in finance and emphasizes the importance of translating complex financial data into understandable information to drive strategic decision-making.

💡 Where to find them:

Bijan: LinkedIn
Joe: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski hosts a deep dive into the world of venture funding. The guests — Joe Garafalo, Marissa Moore, and Eugene Lee — share their insights and experiences.

The conversation revolves around the importance of good financial modeling practices, the current state of venture funding, and the future outlook. The guests also discuss the importance of understanding the customer base, assessing risks, and the role of metrics in investor conversations.

The episode concludes with advice for companies planning to raise funds in the future. The key takeaways include the need to build relationships with investors, the importance of adaptability, and the value of clearly understanding future expectations. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in venture funding and financial modeling. Guests-at-a-Glance
💡 Names: Joe Garafalo / Marissa Moore / Eugene Lee 💡What they do: Co-Founder and COO / Investor / Principal 💡Company: Mosaic / OMERS Ventures / OMERS Ventures 💡Noteworthy: Joe is a seasoned entrepreneur with a strong background in strategic finance. He's known for his deep understanding of financial modeling and venture funding. Marissa is a self-proclaimed numbers nerd with a passion for financial models. She started her career on Wall Street and has since worked in equity research and private market research. She's known for her project, the Green Room, a platform for founders to practice their pitches in front of real VC investors. Eugene started his career in M&A banking and has since worked in various roles in startups, including being part of two founding teams. He's known for his expertise in analyzing key drivers and metrics to help scale businesses. 💡 Where to find them:

Joe: LinkedIn
Marissa: LinkedIn(and check out The Green Room, a safe space for founders to practice their pitch, risk free, in front of current investors and subject matter experts.
Eugene: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, host Joe Michalowski brings together a panel of industry leaders for a Q&A-style discussion. The guests include Bijan Moallemi, Co-Founder and CEO at Mosaic, Chauncey Kerr Hamilton, Partner at XYZ, and Jeron Paul, CEO of Spiff. The conversation revolves around board management, investor communications, and effective strategies for keeping the board up to speed.

The panelists delve into the intricacies of board meetings, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and understanding the 'why' behind business numbers. They also discuss the CFO's role in maintaining great attention to detail and the need to elevate conversations to a digestible level for the board. The discussion further explores the importance of building relationships with board members and the value of regular communication outside of board meetings.

The episode concludes with a lively discussion on the format of board reports and the benefits of using templates like the one provided by Mosaic. The panelists share their experiences and insights, providing valuable advice for businesses at different stages. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their board management and investor communication strategies.

Guests-at-a-Glance💡 Name: Bijan Moallemi, Chauncey Kerr Hamilton, and Jeron Paul
💡What they do: Co-Founder and CEO / Partner / CEO
💡Company: Mosaic / XYZ Venture Capital / Spiff
💡Noteworthy: Bijan is a former CFO with a knack for understanding the timing of cash and its relation to forecasts. Chauncey is a former Wired employee with strong relationships in PR and editorial, making her a strategic asset when these topics arise. Jeron is a proponent of healthy competition among board members and has seen the benefits of board members rolling up their sleeves to have a direct, tangible impact.
💡 Where to find them: Bijan: LinkedIn / Chauncey: LinkedIn / Jeron: LinkedIn

View Details

Guests-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Bijan Moallemi, Chauncey Kerr Hamilton, and Jeron Paul

💡What they do: Co-Founder and CEO / Partner / CEO

💡Company: Mosaic / XYZ Venture Capital / Spiff

💡Noteworthy: Bijan is a former CFO with a knack for understanding the timing of cash and its relation to forecasts. Chauncey is a former Wired employee with strong relationships in PR and editorial, making her a strategic asset when these topics arise. Jeron is a proponent of healthy competition among board members and has seen the benefits of board members rolling up their sleeves to have a direct, tangible impact.

💡 Where to find them: Bijan: LinkedIn / Chauncey: LinkedIn / Jeron: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski hosts Brian Campbell, the co-founder at Mosaic. The two delve deep into the world of strategic finance, discussing the challenges and solutions of handling high-volume data.

Brian shares his experience working with Stripe, a platform often used by B2C and product-led growth companies. He highlights the rigidity of billing systems and the difficulty of changing historical data. The conversation then shifts to the importance of data cleanliness and setting up efficient processes to make sense of billing data.

The podcast wraps up with Brian emphasizing that data will never be perfect. He encourages listeners to accept this reality and focus on setting up processes that ensure the best possible data quality. This episode is a must-listen for anyone dealing with high-volume data and looking to embrace strategic finance.

Guest-at-a-Glance💡 Name: Brian Campbell
💡What he does: Co-Founder
💡Company: Mosaic
💡Noteworthy: Brian brings a wealth of experience in dealing with high-volume data as a strategic finance leader and product leader at Mosaic.
💡 Where to find Brian: LinkedIn

View Details

In this episode, our host Joe Michalowski speaks with Jervis Williams, the CFO of Second Front Systems. Jervis shares his experiences and lessons learned from his journey as a finance professional, particularly during his first 90 days as Second Front's new CFO. He highlights the importance of establishing a solid finance team early on and engaging with stakeholders, including the board, to ensure a smooth onboarding process.

Jervis also discusses the benefits of hiring finance professionals early in a startup's lifecycle. He emphasizes the significance of financial discipline and good hygiene within the organization, along with the external benefits of having a dedicated finance person to build confidence with investors and the board. By sharing his own career path, Jervis sheds light on the value of fluidity and adaptability in the world of finance.

Lastly, Jervis extends an invitation for fellow finance professionals to connect with him on LinkedIn and offers his insights as a personal advisor. He encourages building a strong network, seeking best practices, and obtaining second and third opinions to enhance one's career in finance. This episode is packed with valuable advice for both aspiring and seasoned finance professionals.

Guest at a Glance

💡 Name: Jervis Williams
💡 Title: CFO
💡 Company: Second Front Systems
💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Additional Resources

Contact The Jackson Hole Group to request access or distribution rights to "The First 100 Days"
The First 90 Days is a book by Michael Watkins available on Amazon.

The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded

View Details

Many of today's most innovative companies rely on debt capital to reach their full potential, and debt capital can be the difference between hypergrowth and stagnation.

But capital providers and borrowers are stuck with legacy systems, which means slow transactions, disjointed processes, and limited visibility.

In this episode of The Role Forward, Jeremy Tsui, the Co-Founder and CEO of Finley, a company that offers software to accelerate the pace of capital, gets into the importance of capital strategy and managing capital. Jeremy and our host Joe Michalowski discuss raising debt versus equity, the process of raising debt, and how you can find a lender.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Jeremy Tsui

💡 What he does: Jeremy is the co-founder and CEO of Finley.

💡 Company: Finley

💡 Noteworthy: Jeremy is a Co-Founder and CEO at Finley. He was previously in the Merchant Banking Division at Goldman Sachs, where he made investments in software, real estate, and other companies. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Jeremy was at Oliver Wyman, where he specialized in financial analysis, scenario modeling, and stress testing for major banks. Jeremy also loves side hustles: he has launched a secondhand bike shop, a chain of escape rooms, and an Instagram museum. He graduated from the University of Texas.

💡 Where to find Jeremy: LinkedIn l Website

View Details

In times when a growth-at-all-costs mentality, companies funneled as much money as possible into customer acquisition. Retention was always important, but not the primary focus.

But now, as companies get more cautious with their capital, there's a brighter spotlight on customer success and retention. Great customer retention is key to efficient, sustainable growth.

In this episode of The Role Forward, Nick Tarnoff, the VP of Finance at SupportLogic, gets into the importance of customer retention and how to improve it. Nick and our host Joe Michalowski discuss the metrics for retention analysis and some of the challenges with retention.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Nick Tarnoff

💡 What he does: Nick is the VP of Finance at SupportLogic

💡 Company: SupportLogic

💡 Noteworthy: Nick brings over 15 years of financial leadership experience across technology, e-commerce, and financial services industries, focusing on financial planning and analysis (FP&A), strategic planning, and capital allocation. Most recently, Nick led finance for SAP SuccessFactors, directly supporting C-Suite leaders. He brings a highly collaborative approach to SupportLogic, focusing on designing a streamlined and efficient finance function.

💡 Where to find Nick: LinkedIn l Website

##
Additional Resources from SupportLogicSXLive conference:

https://www.sxlive.com/

SXLive conference & City Tour

https://www.sxlive.com/#rec538138947

Sell to the CFO Webinar:

https://www.supportlogic.com/resources/webinars/how-to-sell-to-your-cfo/

View Details

Ad hoc analysis is a type of analysis that is performed on an as-needed basis without a predefined plan or structure. Ad hoc analysis is often used when there is a need to investigate a particular issue or answer a specific question, and it can be a powerful tool for gaining insights into data quickly and efficiently.

But ad hoc analysis can be time-consuming and challenging without automation, especially if you are dealing with large datasets.

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joel Blachman, an operations and finance lead at Amper Technologies, gets into the importance of automation tools while doing ad hoc analysis and answering ad hoc requests. Joel and our host Joe Michalowski discuss the ad hoc analysis treadmill, the challenges of responding to last-minute requests, and how Amper Technologies raised their Series A.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Joel Blachman

💡 What he does: Joel is an operations and finance lead at Amper Technologies.

💡 Company: Amper Technologies

💡 Noteworthy: Joel has been working as an operations and finance lead at Amper Technologies for four years. While studying industrial engineering at Northwestern University, Joel was part of their startup incubator, The Garage, and worked at different manufacturing technology startups. During a research project, Joel came across Amper Technologies, founded out of The Garage in 2016. He started interning there one summer, stuck around throughout school, and upon graduation, joined full-time in a finance and operations role.

💡 Where to find Joel: LinkedIn l Website

View Details

Episode Summary

No matter your industry, clean data results in well-informed decisions. By keeping your data clean and accurate, you save time from searching for answers and reconciliations and can spend more time diving into the “why” behind your numbers and making actionable insights.

But for companies who experience hypergrowth or need to make a switch to a new source system, how do you effectively clean your company’s data?

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Parker Gilbert, the CEO and co-founder of Numeric. They discuss the importance of data cleansing, why data cleaning is a timely but worthwhile process, and the benefits of a strong relationship between finance and accounting.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Parker Gilbert

💡 What he does: He's a Co-Founder and the CEO of Numeric, a SaaS company transforming accounting workflows to modernize the month-end close and other processes.

💡 Company: Numeric

💡 Noteworthy: Parker was the first finance hire at Hearth, a fintech company helping home improvement contractors grow and manage their business. Parker also met his fellow Numeric co-founders early in his career.

💡 Where to find Parker: LinkedIn

View Details

Investors provide vital funds so that companies can achieve their next level of growth, whether it’s making the next important version of a product or a key hire that will unlock the company’s potential even further.

But in a time of economic uncertainty, where we see layoffs, budget freezes, and falling tech industry stock prices, venture capital investors are putting the brakes on aggressive funding for early-stage growth companies. According to a Crunchbase report, in the last quarter of 2022, investments in startup companies in North America fell by 63% compared to the same period a year earlier.

In this episode of The Role Forward, Scott Stouffer, the CEO and founder of scaleMatters, gets into fundraising during a recession and why people are hesitant to invest in new companies. Scott and our host Joe Michalowski discuss what makes a company investible and what companies can do to become more efficient with their go-to-market motions.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Scott Stouffer

💡 What he does: Scott is the CEO and founder of scaleMatters.

💡 Company: scaleMatters

💡 Noteworthy: Scott Stouffer is a serial tech entrepreneur, 5x CEO, and 3x founder. He took his first company (Visual Networks) public in 2001 and grew it to a peak market cap of $3 billion. Since 2011, Scott has focused on early and growth-stage tech companies, building quantitative data and process models that uncover waste, inefficiency, and friction in the customer acquisition function.

💡 Where to find Scott: LinkedIn

View Details

Episode Summary

NetSuite implementation is a large, challenging project, as it includes many different phases and complex steps. But an experienced implementation partner can make all the difference.

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Edwine Alphonse, a controller at Ramp. They talk about the biggest challenges with NetSuite implementation, tips for tackling some common issues, and the importance of cleaning your data before you start the process.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Edwine Alphonse

💡 What she does: She's a controller at Ramp.

💡 Company: Ramp

💡 Noteworthy: Edwine has a proven record in accounting and auditing. Before Ramp, she worked at several startups as director of accounting and financial controller. At Ramp, she's the first financial controller, where she's responsible for accounting, financial reporting, tax compliance, and other accounting processes.

💡 Where to find Edwine: LinkedIn

View Details

The finance team is essential for any business — especially as the company grows. And while in recent years the role of the finance team has evolved from a stereotypical back-office scorekeeping function toward a forward-thinking strategic partner, the process of financial transformation and implementation within the business is complex — and sometimes, it can fail.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Chris Ortega, the CEO of Fresh FP&A, which provides fractional CFO and advisory services that support the strategies, tactics, and tools a business needs to transform and grow its finance function. Chris describes the Fresh FP&A approach, what it means to be fresh in finance, and how to become a strategic partner for department and executive leaders. Joe and Chris also discuss how to scale your finance team, improve the month-end close process, and finance trends to keep in mind for 2023.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Chris Ortega

💡 What he does: Chris is the CEO of Fresh FP&A.

💡 Company: Fresh FP&A

💡 Noteworthy: Chris has over 17 years of experience in accounting, finance, FP&A, and fractional CFO leadership around finance transformation and scale for seed to enterprise companies. In 2022, Chris became the CEO of Fresh FP&A, which provides fractional CFO and advisory services for businesses that allow them to transform and scale their finance organization.

💡 Where to find Chris: LinkedIn

View Details

There's something special about a career in finance. Because you sit at the intersection of all data in the organization and collaborate with so many different functions, your job in finance can become the perfect stepping stone to a wide variety of career paths. But how do you maneuver your way from day one to where you want to take your career?

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Peter Nesbitt, an early-stage startup advisor, investor, and founder who previously rose through the ranks of finance to an executive seat. They talk about Peter's unique career path, tips for taking your own career to the next level, and why empowerment is a superpower.

Guest-at-a-Glance💡 Name: Peter Nesbitt
💡 What he does: He's an early-stage startup advisor and investor.
💡 Company: N/A
💡 Noteworthy: Peter was a full-time COO at Teampay before becoming an independent community founder, angel investor, and operationally-focused executive.
💡 Where to find Peter: LinkedIn

View Details

Times are tough right now. World events have affected the macro environment, and a market downturn looms on the horizon as the Federal Reserve Board raises interest rates and the CPI continues to go up each month.

Companies have to be extra careful about their finances. That’s why it’s important for finance teams to feel enabled to embrace the spotlight and be a more strategic partner to the business.

This episode of The Role Forward podcast revisits Ramp’s Head of Finance and Capital Markets, Alex Song, and Mosaic Co-Founder and COO Joe Garafalo’s conversation on Ramp’s podcast, FinOps Today. Alex and Joe discuss Joe’s career journey and how it benefits prospects and customers, the key financial hires for a new company, and how to leverage software to get the deepest insights.

Learn More About Ramp’s podcast, FinOps Today .

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Joe Garafalo

💡 What he does: He's the co-founder and COO of Mosaic.

💡 Company: Mosaic

💡 Noteworthy: Joe is Co-Founder and COO of Mosaic, a technology company building the first Strategic Finance Platform. Joe began his career in the Big 4 with KPMG. After completing his master’s degree at St. John’s University, he went on to hold multiple leadership positions in finance at Palantir, Axoni, and Barkbox.

💡 Where to find Joe: LinkedIn

View Details

Finance can be a strategic partner and growth catalyst for department and executive leaders. But many organizations still see finance teams as a back-office department, simply delivering financial reports.

If companies really want sustainable growth, that mindset needs to change.

This episode of The Role Forward revisits the presentation Mosaic CEO and co-founder, Bijan Moallemi, gave at SaaS Metrics Palooza in October 2022. Bijan and our host Joe Michalowski discuss how you can get the most out of financial storytelling vs. financial reporting. They also cover how to take your storytelling to the next level by embracing a customer service mindset across the organization, and understanding and presenting specific metrics that impact the company’s growth at the right time.

Learn more about SaaS Metrics Palooza

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Bijan Moallemi

💡 What he does: Bijan is the CEO and co-founder of Mosaic.

💡 Company: Mosaic

💡 Noteworthy: Bijan Moallemi has nearly a decade of experience building and leading finance functions at companies like Qualcomm and Palantir. He knew CFOs deserved access to better tools, so he co-founded Mosaic Finance to build the next generation of finance software for CFOs and their teams. Born out of their own experiences in finance, Bijan and his co-founders have built the Mosaic platform as a tool that combines big data and machine learning to provide powerful predictive reporting capabilities.

💡 Where to find Bijan: LinkedIn

View Details

Forecasting is essential for every team, and it involves tracking key performance indicators and financial metrics to measure each team's success. But many people don’t discuss best practices, especially when you begin to add headcount into the mix.

Our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Brian Weisberg, the CFO at Tidelift, back to The Role Forward podcast. While they work through departmental headcount planning, Joe and Brian also discuss the importance of understanding the business’s goals, why you need to be realistic with expectations, and why companies should invest early in a financial position.

Links Referenced in This Episode

Dave Kellogg’s Blog
Lauren Kelley and Tom Huntington on the R&D Magic Number

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Brian Weisberg

💡 What he does: He's the CFO at Tidelift.

💡 Company: Tidelift

💡 Noteworthy: Brian Weisberg is an experienced finance leader who enjoys working in startup cultures. Before joining Tidelift, he held VP of Finance roles at companies like Code Climate and Anchore.

💡 Where to find Brian: LinkedIn | Twitter

View Details

No one denies Excel’s contribution to the business world and how it took operations to the next level. However, it’s time to admit that there are use cases that have outgrown spreadsheets and can make the lives of finance professionals easier.

Whether spreadsheets will soon become part of the past is a burning topic among finance professionals across various industries. In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski chats with Lauren Bahr, the VP of finance at Occupier, a lease management solution that breaks down the silos between finance, real estate, and facilities departments. They discuss the destiny of spreadsheets and Excel, why people still use them despite technological advances, how to keep the finance and accounting professions alive, and why the future of finance lies in automation.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Lauren Bahr

💡 What she does: Lauren is the VP of finance at Occupier.

💡 Company: Occupier

💡 Noteworthy: Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the finance space, where she started her career in the audit practice at PWC. She then transitioned into a consulting role where she helped emerging growth companies with their month-end financial reporting requirements. Lauren served as the Director of Accounting & Finance at Neocova, and is now the VP of Finance at Occupier.

💡 Where to find Lauren: LinkedIn

View Details

Technology is always evolving, and over the last few years we’ve seen rapid advancement of third-gen tools.

But these third-gen tools are still evolving.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Paul Barnhurst, the founder of The FP&A Guy. They talk about the gaps in third-gen FP&A tools, why MS Excel is not going anywhere anytime soon, and the four pillars of FP&A tool evaluation that will help you scale your company.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Paul Barnhurst

💡 What he does: He's The FP&A Guy.

💡 Company: The FP&A Guy

💡 Noteworthy: Paul has more than 12 years of finance and FP&A experience across several industries, including U.S. government, cyber security, ecommerce, and more. As the FP&A Guy, Paul offers FP&A writing, training, and consulting services for small and mid-size companies, and is the host of the FP&A Today podcast.

💡 Where to find Paul: LinkedIn

View Details

For SaaS companies, headcount amounts to 70% of operating expenses. If finance dives straight into the numbers without keeping the company’s short- and long-term goals in mind when headcount planning, it spells imminent disaster with misforecasts and errors that can take months, if not years, to resolve.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Enrique Esclusa, co-founder of Assemble. Enrique and Joe get into headcount planning and compensation strategies, diving deep into the disadvantages of using spreadsheets and key pain points of workforce planning.
Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Enrique Esclusa

💡 What he does: Enrique is a co-founder of Assemble.

💡 Company: Assemble

💡 Noteworthy: Enrique was born in Venezuela, raised in Miami, Florida, and has been living between NYC and SF for the past 12+ years. After a 10-year career in finance, spanning investment banking and private equity, Enrique delved into his passion of making pay equity a reality by co-founding Assemble.

💡 Where to find Enrique: LinkedIn

View Details

Tax compliance is not everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s often underappreciated and overlooked — until it’s down to the wire for SaaS companies who have received warnings about being audited.

Tax compliance needs to be more top of mind for SaaS leaders who want to truly embrace strategic, sustainable growth and expansion.

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Daniëlle Keeven, the VP of finance at Paddle. They chat about the importance of tax compliance and subscription legislation for tech companies, how to perform audits effectively, and why collaboration between departments is vital.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Daniëlle Keeven

💡 What she does: Daniëlle is the VP of Finance at Paddle.

💡 Company: Paddle

💡 Noteworthy: Daniëlle is an accomplished global executive with 10+ years of experience in operations, people management, finance, accounting, audit, and compliance within hospitality, gaming, and the tech industry.

💡 Where to find Daniëlle: LinkedIn

View Details

Finance is often perceived as a back office function. But getting out of the back office to collaborate with other departments within an organization is a prerequisite for business success.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski chats with Jenny Jao, the head of finance at Sprig, to discuss what it takes to build a financial model collaboratively.

Jenny shares what it was like building an operating model from the bottom up and the steps involved in the process. Jenny and Joe also discuss headcount planning, why it’s such a tough part of any operational model, and how Jenny works through it at Sprig.

Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Jenny Jao

💡 What she does: Jenny is the head of finance at Sprig.

💡 Company: Sprig

💡 Noteworthy: Jenny is a finance professional with over five years of experience at public and private companies. She is on a mission to help businesses improve existing processes and drive better performance. And in 2022, Jenny was recognized as one of Mosaic’s Movers of Strategic Finance.

💡 Where to find Jenny: LinkedIn

View Details

Organizational transparency is one of many buzzwords in the business world, but it can be a game changer for any company that adopts it. Executive leaders shouldn’t be afraid of being transparent with employees because it can lead to greater motivation, more trust, and improved productivity.

However, it can be a struggle to find the sweet spot between sharing and oversharing. And finance leaders can help bridge the gap and make a strategic impact by helping executive and department leaders discover their common language around the numbers and people that make the company’s growth narrative come to life.

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Matt Wolf, the CFO of ChartHop. They discuss the benefits of organizational transparency, some potential challenges, and why it ultimately benefits the company in terms of stronger employee retention.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Matt Wolf

💡 What he does: Matt is the CFO of ChartHop.

💡 Company: ChartHop

💡 Noteworthy: Matt Wolf is the CFO at ChartHop, a people analytics company that is creating more connected organizations. Wolf has over a decade’s worth of experience in financial leadership, from startups to global organizations. Prior to his career at ChartHop, Wolf served as an investment banker with Morgan Stanley and the CFO of Roadster.

💡 Where to find Matt: LinkedIn

View Details

Starting a company requires an idea and people to help bring it to reality. But a company requires more than a vision, even though it’s fundamental to its success — its needs a well-thought-out business model.

For early-stage SaaS startups, creating and implementing a financial model is challenging for a variety of reasons. Which is why Taylor Davidson founded Foresight, a company that offers an extensive library of financial model templates for entrepreneurs.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski chats with Taylor about the core building blocks of an early-stage SaaS financial model. They also discuss the challenges of implementing an operational model, which part of the model is critical for which stage of the business, and why flexibility and customization are vital elements of model creation as the business grows.
Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Taylor Davidson

💡 What he does: Taylor is the founder of Foresight.

💡 Company: Foresight

💡 Noteworthy: Taylor Davidson is the founder of Foresight, a strategic advisory service and financial model template provider for entrepreneurs and investors. Taylor has over two decades of experience, which spans lecturing at Carnegie Mellon University and the Founder Institute to his former directorship of kbs+ Ventures to co-curating Creative Entrepreneurship, a book for startup founders about venture capital and entrepreneurship. Taylor is an angel investor in nearly 100 companies.

💡 Where to find Taylor: taylordavidson.com

View Details

Building a finance team means investing in processes, tools, and people. But, making all three segments successful can be time-consuming and requires having a CFO ready to look outside the box and build partnerships with every department within an organization.

That's easier said than done, but fortunately, there are success stories that prove it is possible.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Russell Jones, the former CFO of Shopify. The two discuss what it was like growing a finance team in a company such as Shopify, the challenges and lessons learned, and the importance of developing a partnership between finance and other departments.

Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Russell Jones

💡 What he does: Russell was the CFO of Shopify.

💡 Company: Shopify

💡 Noteworthy: Throughout his 40-year career, Russell has been on a mission to help finance people evolve. Currently, he is on the advisory board of a prominent Canadian VC and is helping them build their finance community.

💡 Where to find Russell: LinkedIn

View Details

It is common for accounting and finance teams to work together. However, for a business to grow, it is important for executives to create a culture encouraging partnership between all the departments.

Although accountants are not perceived as the most creative people in an organization, their expertise and unique perspective can help other teams, including marketing, to build sustainable business models.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski chats with Amy Garefis, the Chief Accounting Officer at ZipRecruiter. The two discuss the role of an accountant in a startup, how Amy has scaled accounting at ZipRecruiter from Series A to a public listing, the ways to create a high-quality tech stack, and the value of internal partnerships.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Amy Garefis

💡 What she does: Amy is the Chief Accounting Officer at ZipRecruiter.

💡 Company: ZipRecruiter

💡 Noteworthy: Amy was the first hire of the ZipRecruiter accounting team, which now comprises around 40 employees.

💡 Where to find Amy: LinkedIn

View Details

In this era where there’s a better SaaS tool for every workflow, ERP solutions are ripe for innovation.

Many finance and accounting teams leverage a distributed EPR model that they’ve cobbled together using various point solutions coupled with spreadsheets to fill additional gaps between the systems. What they’re often lacking is a solution that ties all of these accounting workflows together.

One solution for this is Nixsheets, a workflow and automation platform for accounting teams that have outgrown ERPs like QuickBooks but don’t want the headache that comes with a more enterprise-focused system like NetSuite. This platform promises to reduce data integrity issues, support a super-fast month-end close, reduce manual work, and lower costs.

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski welcomes Sal Abdulla, the founder and CEO of Nixsheets. Joe and Sal get into the transformation of the finance industry and the ongoing challenges for accounting teams. They talk about common ERP limitations, how accounting workflows should be simplified, and new finance and accounting tools.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Sal Abdulla

💡 What he does: Sal is the founder and CEO of Nixsheets.

💡 Company: Nixsheets

💡 Noteworthy: Sal started his career working in politics and spent two years working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. In his mid-twenties, he got an opportunity to join a startup overseas, where he became the head of finance. Then he came back to the States, did a stint for a year at a nonprofit, and finally made his way into SaaS. Today Sal is the founder and CEO of Nixsheets, an accounting automation platform.

💡 Where to find Sal: LinkedIn | Website

View Details

CRM software is one of the most vital business tools today, and most companies nowadays use it to conduct sales, track finances, and manage customer relationships. However, CRMs can be complicated and difficult to set up and use.

But your CRM should work for you instead of the other way around.

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Jason Peretz, the Chief Business Officer (CBO) of Galley. They talk about the importance of getting your CRM in shape, how to build your CRM effectively from the beginning, and why RevOps can help bridge the gap between sales and finances.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Jason Peretz

💡 What he does: He's the Chief Business Officer (CBO) of Galley.

💡 Company: Galley

💡 Noteworthy: Before joining Galley, Jason was in corporate finance. He worked in real estate finance and corporate food cost budgeting.

💡 Where to find Jason: LinkedIn

View Details

SaaS companies have a lot of different efficiency metrics. And customer acquisition cost — the amount of money a company spends to get a new customer — is a ubiquitous SaaS metric.

How can SaaS companies achieve financial stability and transparency and calculate CAC correctly? What if we have basic calculations and our company matures? How are other metrics involved in the company's performance?

In this episode of The Role Forward, Joe Michalowski welcomes Ben Murray, the founder of The SaaS CFO. Joe and Ben get into SaaS, CAC calculations, and CAC profiles. They discuss the importance of having fully burdened cost centers to calculate CAC and describe LTV to CAC, CAC payback period, and CAC ratio metric calculating.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Ben Murray
💡 What he does: Ben is the founder of The SaaS CFO.
💡 Company: The SaaS CFO
💡 Noteworthy: Ben has worked in finance and accounting for 25+ years. He has been a SaaS CFO for 8+ years and began his career in the FP&A function. From debits and credits to financial forecasting and M&A, Ben's experience has not just been siloed in the accounting or finance track but on both sides of the desk. His operations background at several airlines has improved his ability to translate operational performance into improved financial understanding and foresight.
💡 Where to find Ben: LinkedIn | Website

View Details

Cryptocurrency is a hot topic not just in the finance or business world but also in our everyday interactions. But, with all the information available today, it's still challenging for most of us to understand what it is and how it has and will change the global monetary system.

Luckily, the number of subject matter experts is growing daily, and one of them is our guest, Alex Song, the Head of Finance and Capital Markets at Ramp.

At the beginning of the episode, Alex emphasized that he is not a cryptocurrency expert but is deeply involved in the subject for his current role at Ramp.

However, Alex added considerable value to our show by bringing the concept of one specific cryptocurrency closer to the audience. Alex and our host Joe Michalowski discussed stablecoins, why Ramp invested in them, and how they can benefit Ramp in the long term. Alex and Joe also touched upon the past, present, and future of crypto.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Alex Song

💡 What he does: Alex is the Head of Finance and Capital Markets at Ramp.

💡 Company: Ramp

💡 Noteworthy: Before joining Ramp, Alex spent almost 12 years on Wall Street as a FinTech investor.

💡 Where to find Alex: LinkedIn

View Details

The contemporary business world depends on in-depth and high-quality data analysis. But it seems like many departments don't have adequate time or tools to focus on data.

In a study conducted by Mosaic, only 14% of surveyed finance leaders said they used cohort analysis. Therefore, it is critical to determine the reasons behind this small percentage and offer solutions.

In this episode of The Role Forward, host Joe Michalowski welcomes Steve Groccia, the Head of Customer Operation at Mosaic. Steve and Joe discuss the reasons finance leaders don’t use cohort analysis. Steve also explains the difference between segment-based and time-based cohort analysis and the steps in the process.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Steve Groccia

💡 What he does: Steve is the Head of Customer Operations at Mosaic.

💡 Company: Mosaic

💡 Noteworthy: Prior to joining Mosaic, Steve was the Director of Finance at Fundbox.

💡 Where to find Steve: LinkedIn

View Details

A successful pitch deck is an informative presentation that includes all relevant details and critical metrics that SaaS investors want to see. And you should use that space wisely to get your message across.

But there's no one-size-fits-all pitch deck template. You need to tell your company's unique story.

In this episode of The Role Forward podcast, our host Joe Michalowski is joined by John Luttig, a Principal at Founders Fund and Mosaic Co-Founder and COO, Joe Garafalo. They chat about the building blocks of a SaaS pitch deck, the CAC Payback Period metric, and how to address investors' most significant concerns in your pitch. You'll also hear about why Founders Fund chose invest in the strategic finance space by leading Mosaic's, just announced, Series B round.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: John Luttig

💡 What he does: He's a Principal at Founders Fund.

💡 Company: Founders Fund

💡 Noteworthy: John’s worked on investments such as Scale AI, Rippling, Figma, Newfront Insurance, Flock Safety, Origin, The Org, Tagomi (acquired by Coinbase), Escher Reality (acquired by Niantic), Luko, Coder, DoNotPay, and a few other organizations in stealth.

💡 Where to find John: LinkedIn | Twitter

View Details

In every business, the goal is to protect cash and to build a product to get to market. And big companies, which earn tons of revenue, are successful at cash optimization.

But there is so much pressure in the economy — interest rate movement, inflation, rising prices — that needs to be overcome. And that could be difficult for companies that do not make a profit and do not have the money to invest.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Michalowski welcomes Brad Silicani, the Head of Finance and Operations at Anrok. They get into the state of the economy and cash management, how to kick your cash in the right direction to get to market, and the relationship between tax and cash optimization.

Guest-at-a-Glance
Name: Brad Silicani
What he does: He is the Head of Finance and Operations at Anrok.
Company: Anrok Noteworthy: Brad spent the first part of his career with Ernst and Young. After about four or five years, he moved to Dropbox in an accounting role and spent almost ten years in various roles such as Corporate Controller, Head of Tax, and Treasurer. Finally, about a year ago, he joined Anrok as the Head of Finance and Operations.
Where to find Brad: LinkedIn

View Details

There are lots of stereotypes around accounting teams, and one of them is that they're controlling and "no" people. Their stereotypical reputation arises from the fact that they live and die by their routine, spreadsheets, and statements, and they seem to like it that way.

But one of the goals of CFOs is to align finance and accounting with other teams within the company, including sales and marketing. By aligning teams and including accounting in other important matters inside the company, this department can become more strategic and forward-thinking.

In the new episode of The Role Forward, host Joe Michalowski welcomes Howard Katzenberg, the Founder and CEO of Glean. They get into the typical stereotypes around accounting, the best ways to make accounting more strategic, and the importance of building relationships and trust with other departments inside the company.

Name: Howard Katzenberg What he does: Howard is the Founder and CEO of Glean. Company: Glean Noteworthy: Before starting Glean, Howard was the CFO at Better Mortgage and OnDeck. Where to find Howard: LinkedIn | Glean Company

View Details

With data as one of the most valuable assets, most companies, regardless of their size, work on ways to better organize and leverage this information to drive their business growth. But becoming a data-driven company requires several technical and administrative changes.

The success of such a venture depends on collaborative work between all the departments within your company. It also requires the help of a professional with a background in finance (mostly) or business analytics and consulting.

In this episode of The Role Forward, we are joined by Aneal Vallurupalli, the CFO of Airbase. Aneal shares what it is like to build a data-driven company, the importance of creating a data engineering infrastructure, and how a freemium model helps companies add value to their customers' experience.

Guest-at-a-Glance

Name: Aneal Vallurupalli
What he does: Aneal is the CFO of Airbase.
Company: Airbase
Where to find Aneal: Off the Ledger｜LinkedIn

View Details

Finance and accounting teams play a significant role in every organization. Their job is to provide relevant and dependable information that helps department heads make the best decisions. But, being an accountant or finance expert is more than a technical role; it is also a strategic role.

The success of these two teams depends on the quality of the workforce and the technology in use. In addition, having the right tools in your tech stack ensures efficiency, prevents repetitiveness, and mitigates mistakes.

In this episode of The Role Forward, Temi Vasco of Gem joins our hosts Joe Garafalo and Joe Michalowski to discuss why automation has been a game-changer in the accounting space. They also touch upon the importance of a healthy relationship between accounting and finance teams and emphasize that transparency is the key to every fruitful collaboration.

**Guest-at-a-Glance

Name: Temi Vasco What she does: Temi is the Controller at Gem.
Company: Gem (*LinkedIn)
Noteworthy: Temi has experience working with various industries, including Real Estate, Energy, and the Big Four. Since day one, her job has been to help business owners make the best decisions for their companies.
Where to find Temi: LinkedIn*

View Details

When someone even mentions the budgeting season, most business owners and their team members — especially the finance department — start feeling anxious. But it should not be like that, says our guest, Brian Weisberg, the Head of Finance and Business Operations at Tidelift.

The key to any fruitful budgeting process is a well-thought-out financial model. Therefore, each company needs a finance expert — someone ready to go beyond their role to get to know the business and its parts and "knit the whole thing together."

In this episode of The Role Forward, Brian and our host Joe Garafalo discuss the importance of mindful sales planning, the role of technology in the FP&A space, and why every company should perceive a finance expert as a team captain.

Guest-at-a-Glance

Name: Brian Weisberg
What he does: Brian is the Head of Finance and Business Operations at Tidelift
Company: Tidelift
Noteworthy: Before joining Tidelift, Brian spent a considerable number of years running finance for fast-growing startups in the enterprise B2B SaaS space.
Where to find Brian: LinkedIn｜Twitter

View Details

In this episode of The Role Forward, our guest is Andi Ruda, the founder and CEO of Rainbow CFO. Prior to starting her own business, Andi worked as the full-time CFO at three different companies.

The experience she gained during that period and the challenges and struggles she saw many companies face when determining their financial strategies, empowered her to dive into entrepreneurship. Her career is now dedicated to helping companies grow and to turning business owners' ideas into reality.

Andi and our host Joe Garafalo discuss the best cash flow reporting practices, the tools she uses, and the steps everyone starting a finance career or aspiring to become a CFO should take.

View Details

While departments like sales, marketing, and engineering have seen massive advancements in the technology they use every day, finance has been left behind. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools were supposed to centralize and streamline operations, but they never lived up to that promise.

That's why upgrading the CFO tech stack with a new wave of innovative solutions is of the utmost importance for companies aiming to improve operations and provide the best experience for its employees and customers.

In this episode of The Role Forward, our host Joe Garafalo talks with Graham Stanton, the co-founder of Avise. Before Avise, Graham co-founded Peloton, an exercise equipment and media company. Graham shares his experience with traditional finance technology and the challenges he faced while leading the finance function at Peloton. Joe and Graham also touch upon the ongoing software versus Excel debate and discuss the impact the right tools in the CFO tech stack can have on business growth.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Graham Stanton

💡 What he does: Graham is the Co-Founder of Avise and Co-Founder of Peloton.

💡 Company: Avise

💡 Noteworthy: Graham scaled Peloton from a startup to a household name. He's taken all that experience and co-founded Avise, a company aiming to unlock the power of accounting to help drive business forward.

💡 Where to find Graham: LinkedIn

View Details

In the cloud data space, people almost exclusively charge on the basis of data volume. Many companies switch to a consumption-based model to align their pricing with the value their customers are getting. But moving from a subscription-based to a consumption-based pricing model comes with many challenges.

Despite the industry they are operating in, when it comes to pricing, a responsible business must ensure a seamless customer experience, a certain level of predictability, and transparency.

In this episode of The Role Forward, we get to hear from Kalor Lewis, Vice President of Finance at Fivetran. Kalor and our host, Joe Garafalo, discuss why Fivetran moved to a consumption-based pricing model, the challenges and advantages of such a model, and the tools and processes they used to implement it.

View Details

The most successful companies disrupt their sector by innovating and changing the way business occurs. They make it streamlined, they forge new relationships, they collaborate.

Unfortunately, lack of technological investment has trapped the financial side of companies in a pattern of looking backward. Finance groups spend too much time finding data siloed in the tech stack, integrating data, interpreting data, and then finding and rectifying man-made errors in the data, leaving no time for proactive solutions. Moreover, the FinTech they use is primarily meant only for them, so even when they find solutions, it can be challenging for others to understand them, further complicating the push to improve and strategically disrupt continuously.

Ajay Vashee, a general partner at IVP and the former CFO at Dropbox, joins host Joe Garafalo on this episode of The Role Forward to discuss how FinTech can help businesses look forward and focus on what really matters to the bottom line: Business partnerships, continuous improvement, and strategic disruption.

The Role Forward: Recent Episodes

Mosaic Tech