Special Episode: Rethinking the ERP Upgrade Path
In this special episode, Intuit’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of Mid‑Market, Ashley Still, challenges the traditional belief that fast‑growing companies must abandon QuickBooks for a heavyweight ERP. She introduces Intuit Enterprise Suite, an ERP that retains QuickBooks‑like usability while delivering advanced, AI‑driven capabilities such as multi‑entity, role‑based access, and real‑time reporting, all with a rapid, low‑cost implementation. Still explains how AI is transforming the CFO role from a back‑office scorekeeper to a strategic growth driver, enabling finance teams to automate manual tasks and focus on insight generation. The discussion also highlights the shift toward industry‑specific, AI‑native finance platforms that empower mid‑market firms to re‑platform quickly and treat the CFO as a de‑facto CTO.
1167: CFO Leadership at Venture Inflection Points | Intekhab Nazeer, CFO, Lineaje
In this episode, CFO Indikab Nazir discusses how finance leaders can become strategic partners by immersing themselves in go‑to‑market operations and pipeline dynamics, especially during venture‑backed inflection points. He shares lessons from early mentorship, interim CFO roles, and scaling companies...
1166: Building Equity Value in a Capital-Intensive World | Derek Doyle, CFO, C Spire
In this episode, CFO Derek Doyle discusses how capital discipline, not just network assets, drives equity value at C Spire, a privately held telecom and technology company. He draws on his background in public accounting, international CFO roles, and transformation...
Foundations Before Acceleration - a Planning Aces Episode
In this Planning Aces episode, three CFOs—Kevin Rubin (Zscaler), Bruce Schumann (Universal Technical Institute), and Rizak Jalloh (Flowcast)—share how disciplined, foundation‑first approaches to planning and AI adoption drive growth and decision speed. Rubin emphasizes a centralized AI governance function that...
1164: From Boardroom Lens to Operator Reality | Alex Melamud, CFO, Engine
In this episode, CFO Alex Melamud of Engine discusses how he brings a boardroom and private‑equity perspective to day‑to‑day operations, starting his day by reading customer NPS feedback before any financial metrics. He explains the evolving CFO role—from traditional governance...
1163: The Discipline Behind Transformational AI | Sue Vestri, CFO, CRIO
In this episode, Sue Vestri, CFO of CRIO, shares her journey from learning the clinical‑trial lexicon at Greenphire to scaling multiple growth‑stage companies, emphasizing the importance of disciplined finance embedded in the business. She recounts how she helped Greenphire expand...
1159: Decision Velocity: The Hidden Advantage of Top-Performing Organizations | Dean Neese, CFO, Placer.ai
In this episode, Dean Neese, CFO of Placer.ai, discusses the concept of decision velocity—the ability of top‑performing organizations to make twice as many major decisions annually as their peers. He shares a pivotal moment early in his consulting career at...
CFO EQ: How Leadership Takes Shape
In this 31‑minute episode of CFO Thought Leader, hosts explore how CFOs develop true leadership not through authority or technical skill but through moments that demand emotional intelligence. Interviews with leaders like Shelagh Glaser, John McCauley, and Joe Euteneuer reveal...
1157: From Deal Advisory to Operator: Learning the Hard Parts | Toby Driver, CFO, Ideagen
Toby Driver shares his journey from an apprenticeship in accounting to becoming CFO of Ideagen, highlighting how early hands‑on experience in audit and deal advisory taught him to dissect businesses quickly but left a blind spot about integration complexity. Moving...
1155: Scaling Growth Without Sacrificing Outcomes | Bruce Schuman, CFO, Universal TechnicalInstitute
In this episode, Bruce Schuman, CFO of Universal Technical Institute, shares how his 27‑year finance career—shaped by Intel’s culture of "constructive confrontation"—taught him to frame decisions around customer impact and outcomes. He argues that FP&A should be an active player...