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How Finance Shows Its Value Beyond Being the “No” Department | Maria Izurieta

In this episode, CJ interviews Maria Izurieta, CFO of Huntress, about redefining finance as a connective, people‑first function that unblocks growth rather than saying "no." Drawing on her experience across VC‑backed, PE‑owned, and public firms, Maria explains how she balances impact with perfection, builds trust through small wins, and shifts finance from transactional processing to insight‑driven decision making. Key topics include data transparency, centralized business intelligence, partnering with sales and marketing on revenue, and the CFO’s role as a data steward and revenue‑table participant. She also shares practical advice on navigating different ownership models, building advisory networks, and fostering work‑life integration.