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PODCAST

The Growth-Minded CFO

Today"s financial leader is more than a number cruncher - they"re a growth architect and a strategic partner in the organization’s success. The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status-quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (FinTech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) speak with inspiring finance and business leaders who’ll share what great CFOs are doing to

business careers

All Episodes

00:42:06

From Steward to Orchestrator: CFO Leadership Lessons...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/11/11

What happens when a CFO stops acting as a financial steward and starts leading as an orchestrator - aligning rhythm, trust, and strategy across the entire business?In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Xavier Castellana, former CFO of Typeform, TravelPerk, and Amenitiz, and now Managing Partner at LeaderNess.Xavi shares lessons from scaling some of Europe’s fastest-growing SaaS companies - and how today’s CFO must go beyond reporting to become the

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00:38:40

Profitability vs Growth: A CFO’s Balancing Act (&...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/10/28

What happens when a finance leader who learned discipline in the consumer goods industry steps into the fast, unpredictable worlds of SaaS and AI?In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Cameron Kinloch, an advisor to boards, CFOs and CEOs through her company True Vantage Partners. Cameron shares lessons from her journey — from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — and what it takes to lead finance across radically different industries.She explains how each

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00:43:15

Season 2 Recap — What Today’s Best CFOs Actually Do

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/10/15

Hosts Alex Louisy (CEO, Upflow) and Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO) unpack the sharpest insights from Season 2 of The Growth-Minded CFO - from AI (without the hype) and executional finance to storytelling, EQ, and when to hire fractional vs. full-time. It’s your highlight reel to operate smarter, lead better, and move faster.What you’ll learn1. Clean data before clever AI — hygiene first; tools and agents second2. Storytelling that moves decisions — narratives that align teams and unlock action3. The

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00:44:32

Fundraising, AI, and Starting Smart in 2025, with...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/07/23

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, we sit down with Jeff Fidelman—Founder and Managing Partner at Fidelman & Co.—to talk about how startup fundraising has shifted, what VCs actually want to hear, and why today’s CFOs need more than spreadsheets to lead.Chapters:02:00 - Why Fidelman & Co. Was Born from a Market Gap06:00 - Broken Incentives in Startup Fundraising09:00 - How the Fundraising Game Changed Since 202113:00 - Why Founders Must Talk Like Operators16:00 - The Role of Financial

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00:39:33

From Banker to Builder: Hands-On CFO Lessons for...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/06/24

Startups don’t need spreadsheet CFOs—they need operators who can think like owners.That’s the core message in this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO as hosts Alex Louisy (CEO, Upflow) and Lauren Pearl sit down with Jon Gross, CFO of RepeatMD.In this conversation you’ll learn:👉 “Three-level CFO” playbook – how Jon shifts from board-level strategy to ground-floor execution without missing a beat.👉 Why empathy for sales, product & customers is a super-power for finance leaders.👉 The art of

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00:42:23

Rewiring Finance: AI, ERP, and the Rise of the...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/06/10

Finance is evolving—and so is the CFO. In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Rillet CEO Nicolas Kopp joins hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl to talk about what’s next for finance leaders. Fresh off a $25M Series A, Nicolas shares why Rillet is rebuilding the general ledger from the ground up with AI at the core.00:19 Meet Nicolas Kopp: CEO of Rillet01:23 The Vision Behind Rillet03:19 Challenges and Opportunities in ERP03:48 Building a Better General Ledger05:01 Understanding ERP and Its

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00:37:58

Spreadsheets to Storytelling: Communication & EQ Tips...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/05/27

Being great with numbers may open the door—but it’s your emotional intelligence that keeps you in the room.In this episode, Erik Nakamura—CFO of Journal Technologies—joins hosts Lauren Pearl and Alex Louisy to explore how emotional intelligence (EQ) is transforming the modern CFO role from number cruncher to strategic business partner.With 25+ years of experience across startups, public companies, IPOs, and CFO consulting, Erik shares real-world insights on how today’s finance leaders can lead with

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00:47:46

Rise of the Fractional CFO - Your Next Career Move?...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/05/14

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, we’re joined by Anne Samak de la Cerda, Partner at FLG Partners, for a deep dive into the rise of fractional CFOs.With two seasoned fractional CFOs on the mic (our co-host Lauren Pearl included) we explore how the role has evolved, when it makes sense to hire one, and what early vs late-stage companies actually need from finance leadership.You’ll learn:Why not every company needs a full-time CFOHow fractional CFOs deliver fast, strategic impactThe difference

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00:38:22

What Makes a Great CFO in 2025? Insights from the...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/04/29

Bringing on a CFO is one of the most critical decisions a startup can make—but how do you know when it’s the right time? And more importantly, how do you find someone with the right skills to drive growth, manage complexity, and scale alongside your company?In this episode of The Growth Minded CFO, hosts Alex and Lauren sit down with Dav Masaon, Co-Founder of executive search firm Zanda, to explore what it really takes to hire the right CFO in today’s fast-changing startup landscape.Together, they

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00:40:34

AI in Finance: From Buzz to Business Value, with...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/04/15

In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, co-hosts Lauren Pearl and Alex Louisy sit down with Nicolas Boucher, finance professional turned AI educator, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of corporate finance.When ChatGPT first launched, most attention went to marketing and content creation. But Nicolas saw something different. He became one of the earliest voices in applying AI to finance—eventually building a following of 1M+ on LinkedIn and publishing guides that have

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00:39:15

The CFO Leading Talent, Operations & Corporate...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/04/02

The path to becoming a CFO today is rarely a straight line. Finance leaders are increasingly coming from diverse backgrounds, bringing a broad range of skills to the role. After all, the best CFOs don’t just manage numbers; they shape strategy, foster talent, and drive innovation across an organization.In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Kate Gulliver, CFO and CAO of Wayfair.It's an insightful conversation about leadership, adaptability, and impact. Kate

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00:41:46

Wall Street to SaaS CFO: Lessons from IPOs,...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/03/19

What does it take to be a truly great CFO today? It’s not just about balancing the books—it’s about driving strategy, managing risks, and telling the financial story in a way that inspires confidence. In this episode, Carla Cooper, CFO of Contentful, shares her journey from Wall Street equity analyst to CFO, discussing her role in scaling Contentful, navigating IPOs and acquisitions, and offering valuable tips on transitioning into a CFO position. She emphasizes the importance of networking,

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00:31:05

Clean data, clear insights: AI for finance and how to...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/03/03

Finance teams are drowning in data—but turning it into clear, strategic insights is the real challenge.In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Gabi Steele, CEO and Co-founder of Preql (and formerly Head of Data Visualization Engineering at WeWork), to explore how CFOs can build a rock-solid data foundation, harness AI effectively, and lead with confidence in an AI-powered world.Gabi shares why AI is only as good as the data behind it, how multidisciplinary teams

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00:40:03

The CFO as manager: How to lead beyond the numbers,...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/02/21

Great CFOs do more than manage the numbers—they lead, adapt, and shape the future of their organizations. In this episode, Ilana Esterrich, CFO of Planned Parenthood, shares how she steers her team through uncertainty and change while keeping a sharp focus on strategy and leadership.With a background in the military, Ilana brings a unique perspective on building strong teams, fostering a growth mindset, and navigating the shifting financial and regulatory landscape.Tune in for a candid conversation

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00:44:08

Top 5 takeaways from season one—and what’s next!

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/02/03

In this episode, we reflect on the first season of the podcast. We discuss what we learned from the first 7 episodes featuring top CFOs and finance leaders. As you listen, feel free to pause this episode and jump into the earlier episodes we highlight - our aim here is to give you a good overview of the best bits from the podcast so far! Key highlights include the importance of getting out of the finance office, the value of startup experience, the need for patience in new CFO roles, the cultural

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00:47:37

The skills finance teams need now & in the future,...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/01/20

In this episode of the Growth Minded CFO podcast, hosts Lauren Pearl and Alex Louisy speak with Carl Seidman, an industry-leading finance educator and consultant. Carl talks through his professional journey from Big Four consulting to establishing his own successful practice focused on FP& A processes and upskilling teams. The discussion then focuses into the evolving role of finance professionals, emphasizing the importance of technical skills (but not only!), critical and strategic thinking,

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00:36:58

Money in, money out: How the best finance teams are...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2025/01/07

In this episode of 'The Growth Minded CFO,' hosts Lauren and Alex welcome Howard Katzenberg, CEO of Glean.ai. With our co-host Alex Louisy representing the world of Accounts Receivable, Howard brings the other side of the coin with Accounts Payable, as they both discuss what innovative approaches to these seemingly transactional processes can do for your business. Howard shares his transition from CFO to founder, the importance of changing mindsets in AP processes, and the development of

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00:45:47

An alternative path to CFO and leading change at the...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2024/12/10

In this episode of The Growth Minded CFO, we dive deep with Tatia Mays-Russell, the visionary CFO of the Major League Baseball Players Association.Discover how Tatia's unique journey from a material science engineer to a strategic finance leader has shaped her approach to business. Learn about her strategies for transforming the finance function into a strategic partner, empowering her team, and leveraging technology to drive innovation. Key Takeaways: The evolving role of the modern CFO The

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00:42:25

Series B to G: The role of the finance team in...

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2024/11/27

In this episode of 'The Growth Minded CFO,' hosts Lauren and Alex welcome Charly Kevers, CFO of Carta. Charly has served as CFO through some of the highest growth phases of Carta's journey - seeing them go from Series B to G in his 7 years there. Charly shares insights on the evolving role of the CFO, focusing on profitable growth, employee retention, and operational excellence. He also discusses Carta's strategic initiatives, including their recent acquisition of Tactyc, and the importance of

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00:39:59

A VC's perspective on the modern CFO, with Nick Wijnberg

The Growth-Minded CFO ·

2024/11/11

Lauren and Alex sit down with Nick Wijnberg, a former Wall Street banker turned CFO and partner at Lorimer Ventures. Nick shares his journey from high school investor to equity derivatives trader, structured credit specialist, commercial banker, and ultimately a company builder. He discusses the importance of understanding investments and the VC ecosystem, the return on investment (ROI) required in early-stage startups, and the evolving role of a CFO within a company. The conversation covers

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23 results

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