CJ Gustafson

CJ Gustafson

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I tweet about financial metrics and business models | Startup CFO | Opinions are my own, not investment advice

Cerebras IPO Targets $33B Valuation Amid Rapid Growth
SocialMay 12, 2026

Cerebras IPO Targets $33B Valuation Amid Rapid Growth

Cerebras will IPO on the NASDAQ this week, targeting a valuation of $33 billion. In 2025 the company grew 76% to $510M in revenue, produces AI chips the size of a dinner plate, and 86% of their business comes from...

By CJ Gustafson
Simplify CFO Expense Allocation with Matt Cheung’s Ceviche
SocialMay 5, 2026

Simplify CFO Expense Allocation with Matt Cheung’s Ceviche

Supporting Matt Cheung and Ceviche was a total no brainer. I make content for CFOs, many of whom are operating PE and VC firms. And their current expense allocation processes are a nightmare. If you’re suffering under the weight of...

By CJ Gustafson
Disney's Pricing Mastery: Meet Customers at Peak Willingness
SocialApr 29, 2026

Disney's Pricing Mastery: Meet Customers at Peak Willingness

What a Disney Vacation Taught me About Pricing and Packaging 🎢 Who needs McKinsey to craft a pricing strategy when you can just take three kids under four to Disney World? After 70,000 steps, two turkey legs, and approximately $x,000...

By CJ Gustafson
CFOs Meet AI: Rooftop Revenue Happy Hour
SocialApr 28, 2026

CFOs Meet AI: Rooftop Revenue Happy Hour

Only thing better than a friend with a boat is a friend with a SoHo roof top The dog days of summer will be here before we know it, so I begged Ali Hussain to open up his new HQ's...

By CJ Gustafson
SaaS Branding Crisis: The Term Is Fading
SocialApr 22, 2026

SaaS Branding Crisis: The Term Is Fading

SaaS has a branding problem... Conferences don't even want the 4 letter acronym in their name anymore When did 'SaaS' become a dirty word? Me and Kyle Poyar explore the death of SaaS our latest episode of Mostly Growth https://lnkd.in/e5V-Canp

By CJ Gustafson
Strategic CFO: Allocate Resources Using Unit Economics
SocialApr 15, 2026

Strategic CFO: Allocate Resources Using Unit Economics

What does it actually mean to be a (throws up in mouth) "Strategic" CFO? The word “strategic” has become lip service. Jargon. As Shakespeare would say: Full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing. My working definition of what strategic...

By CJ Gustafson
CFOs Must Plan Their Exit Before M&A Closes
SocialMar 30, 2026

CFOs Must Plan Their Exit Before M&A Closes

Congrats, a sale is imminent. While it ain't real until the check clears, as Mozart used to say, let's talk about what happens to you personally when the deal goes through. In 8 out of 10 acquisitions, the CFO gets...

By CJ Gustafson
Boston FP&A Managers Wanted for Top Tech CFO Projects
SocialMar 26, 2026

Boston FP&A Managers Wanted for Top Tech CFO Projects

🚨 Attention Boston network Mostly Talent is working on retained searches for BOSTON based FP&A Managers / Senior Managers These are roles where you get to collaborate directly with top tech CFOs and shape the direction of the org. Passively...

By CJ Gustafson
Navan, Perk, Ramp Overt
SocialMar 20, 2026

Navan, Perk, Ramp Overt

It's the wild west when it comes to travel. So many companies, regardless of size and stage, still let employees book directly on the web. But when it comes to travel management systems, Ramp has made massive strides for companies...

By CJ Gustafson
Build Free Net Retention Cohort Model with Claude & Excel
SocialMar 12, 2026

Build Free Net Retention Cohort Model with Claude & Excel

How to Build a Net Retention Cohort Model Using Claude + Excel 👀 I took a messy revenue export - 80 customers, three years of data, segment labels that look like five different people entered them - and built a...

By CJ Gustafson
Finance Lessons From Disney+ Launch: Forecast, Retention, Board Clarity
SocialMar 11, 2026

Finance Lessons From Disney+ Launch: Forecast, Retention, Board Clarity

The surprisingly true story of launching Disney+ (as told by their finance team) 👇 Here are 5 lessons that stuck with me. 1. Even a beloved brand doesn't make the forecast easier 2. A good launch number can hide a...

By CJ Gustafson
CFO Guide: Guardrails for Secondary Tender Offers
SocialFeb 25, 2026

CFO Guide: Guardrails for Secondary Tender Offers

How much money is too much money for employees to take out in a secondary? What are the appropriate guard rails to run a tender offer as a CFO? And is the rise of SPVs helping or hurting the reputation...

By CJ Gustafson
Spot the #1 Sign Management Lacks Business Command
SocialFeb 13, 2026

Spot the #1 Sign Management Lacks Business Command

What’s the #1 tell that a management team doesn’t actually have command of their business? I spoke with Paul Stansik , an operating partner at ParkerGale Capital , about the relationship between boards and their portfolio companies. Paul works on...

By CJ Gustafson
Mid‑Size SaaS Growth Re‑Accelerates, Rule‑40 Slips, NDR Returns
SocialFeb 13, 2026

Mid‑Size SaaS Growth Re‑Accelerates, Rule‑40 Slips, NDR Returns

The latest Private Company SaaS Benchmarks are here. How did 2025 finish? TL;DR: 1) Growth is (somewhat) re-accelerating between $5M–$50M ARR 2) Rule of 40 is sad between $5M–$25M ARR 3) NDR is making a quiet comeback For the full...

By CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson | Pulse