Business Acumen
Do Things That Don’t Scale
Changing the Approach to Work with the Advent of AI Tools “You do not want to compete, you want to be a market of one.” “Spend your time doing only…
Read MoreRevisiting Your Professional Vision for 2023 and Beyond
Have you been forced to find a new job due to downsizing? Are you unsatisfied in your current role? Is your work not intellectually challenging and rewarding? Do you have…
Read MoreManaging Upwards: Standing Up to Your Boss
I recently had conversations about the CEO <> CFO relationship with two clients (at very different stages in their scale and growth.) The common thread was that CFOs need to…
Read MoreTell the Financial Story with Greater Impact
Great leaders are skilled communicators. They ensure that their audience leaves a meeting being able to succinctly recite the important learnings. Skilled communicators reinforce a few key points — ideally…
Read MoreThe Role of the Finance Leader in Start-Ups
“Grow faster (than you have forecast) and burn less cash.” This is my one-liner on the key take-away from every start-up board meeting. The role of the finance leader can…
Read MoreHow to Analyze Financial Statements: Part 2
How to analyze financial statements and make sense of the data “Data! data! data!” he cried impatiently. “I can’t make bricks without clay.” — Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of…
Read MoreHow to Understand Financial Statements: Part 1
How to understand financial statements. An introduction for those not trained in finance or accounting. All organizations (for-profit businesses and non-profit entities) undertake two primary activities: Raise capital from investors;…
Read MoreHow to Extend Runway in a Difficult Market Environment
Start-Up Founders Know the Destination but Not the Path to Get There Specific Steps That Will Help Extend Runway in a Difficult Market Environment “If current revenue growth trends…
Read MoreWhy Efficiency Based Goals Are Good For Business
Efficiency based goals is how we tend to run our personal financial lives, and today I’ll share why I recommend them for business as well. ‘Do more with less.’ These…
Read MoreCharacteristics of a Great Finance Leader
Given the environment today, I thought it a good time to revisit and discuss the characteristics of a great finance leader. Revenue growth and employee growth are much less sexy…
Read MoreA Guide for Finance Leaders Managing Businesses in the Current Economic Environment
Learnings from my Interactions with Entrepreneurs and Investors A year ago (mid-2021) investors and founders/CEOs were focused on the first five items on the timeline above. Today (mid-2022) the three…
Read MoreEnhancing Business Acumen
Business Acumen, sometimes called being “Strategic” or displaying “Executive-Level Thinking,” is a phrase found in many job descriptions for managers and leaders. Business Acumen: The under-appreciated skill in business that…
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