The CFO Show

We made it to 2024, not unscathed, but with a new year and fresh outlook on the economy. Yet what created the uncertainties in the markets these past several years is still driving uncertainty. To run our business and our lives, most of us want to know: when will interest rates start to drop? Will employment rates stay strong? And a big question, with big impact: are wage increases on the horizon?...

How can CFOs escape the daily grind to focus on strategic initiatives that are increasingly being asked of them? Our day-to-day financial responsibilities are constantly competing with the pressing need for organizational innovation from financial leadership. In this episode, Nicolas Herman , CFO, Microsoft Americas Enterprise , sits down with Melissa to discuss strategies for building and guiding...

How can organizations keep up with constant change in the digital landscape? Your CTO is a big asset in staying agile in an ever-changing business landscape. No longer are they primarily focused on technological needs, but key in working together with the CFO to drive strategic initiatives. Hosts Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller sit down with Joel Dolisy , Chief Technology Officer at WellSky ,...

Have you ever been frustrated with your work, putting in so much effort, hitting every deadline, to then feel stuck in a never-ending cycle? Never have the time or energy to make the systematic changes needed for more efficient processes? There are many reasons why we feel stuck, but there are also solutions to break the cycle. Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller sit down to acknowledge the frustr...

When you hear “Gen-Z,” what are the first words or characteristics that come to mind? Perhaps it’s a motley mix of terms like TikTok, climate change, transparency, honesty, and social responsibility. Now, apply all of those qualities to a modern workforce. Generation Z is defined as anyone born between 1997 and 2012, putting the eldest of the group in their mid-twenties. They are the only generati...

An IPO is a major milestone in the history of any company. But what happens after the debut? A company’s life after an IPO can be a broad and significant shift from cultural transitions to systems and process changes that impact everyone from entry and mid-level employees to executives in the C-Suite, including the CFO. Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller sit down with Sukaran Mehta , former Chief...

The new year is quickly approaching, and after 2023 being the year of AI and economic uncertainty, who knows what 2024 will bring? With more uncertainty on the horizon, including inflation and interest rate fluctuations, predicting the financial landscape in 2024 is a tricky proposition. Nevertheless, preparing for the road ahead is a crucial component of a CFO’s role. Hosts Melissa Howatson and T...

Picture a football game: the quarterback drops back to scan the field, reads the defense, and fires a pass to an open receiver. Touchdown! Now picture a CFO: the quarterback of a finance team, reading the economic landscape, assessing risks, and making smart, decisive moves that score major wins for their organization. The parallels between finance and football run deep. Both professions involve t...

Businesses today spend an average of 52% of their budget on their workforce. Some go as high as 70%. The expense is worth it, of course, as the only way to true financial success is by having the right talent. But given this enormous cost, it’s worth asking: are the people metrics you’re tracking the ones that will make the biggest impact on your business? Or are you missing out on the full potent...

As each year draws to a close, CFOs are gearing up for one of the most critical tasks in their financial calendar: the year-end financial close. There are key areas to focus on and best practices to ensure this process goes smoothly… but what happens when it doesn’t? More importantly, what is it that trips finance teams up at the last minute? To explore the ins and outs of year-end close, hosts Me...

Agility and efficiency are more important than ever for finance teams, which places an outsized importance on the quality of an organization’s tech stack. A good finance tech stack can help you automate tasks, improve visibility into your data, and make better decisions. But with a plethora of options out there, building and implementing the right tech stack for your organization can be difficult....

In today’s business landscape, the relationship between the CFO, CEO, and Board of Directors is a pivotal axis that can either drive an organization to new heights or lead it astray. To better understand the intricacies of this relationship, Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller enlist the help of someone with a unique point of view: Kim Eaton , Operating Managing Director at Vista Equity Partners ....

Every career path is unique. For many CFOs, though, their paths share a common destination: the CEO’s office. What does the journey from CFO to CEO look like? This transition requires more than mastering the balance sheets. Being a CEO demands a unique blend of strategic vision, leadership finesse, and a fearless appetite for risk. To give us a firsthand perspective of this shift, host Melissa How...

2023 was a roller coaster for finance professionals, and with a potential recession looming, the storms don’t look to calm down anytime soon. This means annual budget planning takes on an added importance as they look ahead to 2024. Melissa Howatson and Tom Seegmiller discuss the issues that should be top of mind for CFOs and reinforce the importance of scenario planning. Harjot Ghai , Co-Founder...

There’s an underrated skill that seasoned CFOs have mastered: forging partnerships with other C-suites across the organization. One of the most vital partners for finance teams is the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Together, these teams can drive efficiency with technology, mitigate risks, and make strategic investments. To understand what a successful business partnership with the...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the finance industry, empowering CFOs and finance teams to drive innovation and adapt to new market conditions with speed and efficiency. But as widely discussed and debated as AI has been recently, best practices for adoption are hard to come by.    To assist those looking to jumpstart their digital transformation efforts wit...