Aarish Shah’s Post

CFOs at high-growth companies often struggle to manage tech costs while still supporting innovation and growth. We're teaming up with Pleo for a practical webinar where our experienced CFO panel will share how they've successfully tackled this challenge. Aarish Shah: Founder of EmergeOne fractional CFO consultancy, two decades of CFO experience, achieved $500m in exits. Alison Rose: CFO of the fast-growing Ebuyer and former leader at SharkNinja, bringing expertise in navigating growth while optimizing costs. Philip Watson: Former finance leader at ZoomInfo, current CFO at Paddle (175% average growth over 4 years). Here’s what’s on the agenda: • How to balance daily tasks with tech management • Identifying and preventing tech overspend • Tips for conducting tech audits • How to decide on tech contracts June 27 | 10AM BST | 11AM CEST | 3PM EST Register here to watch live or receive the recording if you can’t make it: https://vrtc.io/3xhu4Rx

Last week I had the pleasure of spending two days in Stockholm with my fellow finance professionals from Verdane’s portfolio. I set out with the goal of learning as much as possible and I’m happy to come back to Papirfly with new insights and have identified some immediate improvements. Personally I led a workshop on M&A and had the same goal: to learn as much as possible about other companies’ approaches to and learnings from M&A. 💡As always, it’s the practical tips and tricks rather than the glossy presentations that generate the most engagement! 💡 In short: ➡️ Make sure you have a proper M&A strategy, so that there is a clear way to make M&A related decisions ➡️ M&A can either boost or break a company. Programmatic M&A - where there is a clear strategy being executed consistently has a higher change of increasing business value ➡️ Culture is the number one integration risk! Don’t underestimate the sheer amount of communication needed ➡️ Get the deal structure right and don’t save on critical due diligence topics such as commercial contracts ➡️ Start planning for post-merger integration before the deal is closed, ready to execute 100-day plan on Day 1 ➡️ Once deal is finally closed - exhausted though we CFOs may be - it’s time to really roll up our sleeves as that is when the work really begins Thank you so much Ellen Katharina Köhler Jutta Paasi Jonathan Bui and team for organising this insightful event.

Here is why the CEO and CFO relationship is so important: The CEO-CFO working relationship has a direct impact on the success of a company. When CEOs and CFOs work well together, they harness each other’s strengths to make better-informed business decisions. The CFO comes from a financial background and although reports to the CEO, that doesn't mean they both share the same level of financial understanding. Trust sets the foundation; 98% of CFOs with solid CEO relationships comfortably tackle tough issues with them. Both parties must speak freely and address company matters with mutual trust. But job titles alone won't build trust. CFOs must earn it through open, honest dialogue, demonstrating their understanding of the business and its financial health. -- P.S. I'm Wouter Born, a CFOTech entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. I'm also the co-founder of CXO Software (exit 2018) and former head of M&A at insightsoftware. I share daily CFOTech insights, business lessons, and personal learnings to help you get better at life and business.

🚀 Series: Your First 90 Days as a CFO 🚀 💰 This week we will delve into the journey and strategies a new CFO can adopt to ensure a successful transition! Whether you are a seasoned finance professional or you are stepping into your first C-suite role, these insights are for you! 💸 Starting the week off is CFO Jochen Küst at Earlybird Venture Capital who lays out his best practices when starting a new CFO position. Stay tuned all week as we share other CFO's tips for your next role!

We have now partnered with 100's of Startups as they look to build "best in class" finance functions in the UK, US and across Europe. 🥳 Sometimes we work directly with the Founder, sometimes we work directly with the Investor, sometimes we work directly with the CFO. ✅ Sometimes it is best to introduce them to a third-party provider. ✅ Sometimes we identify their first finance leader. ✅ Sometimes we identify their first or second CFO. ✅ Sometimes we provide an interim or fractional solution. ✅ Sometimes we help with talent below the CFO. But we always want to help, and we always want to build long term relationships and we always love feedback like this. 🙂 Feedback from a recent CFO search in Q4 2023. 🤝👍

Happy Friday, Linkedin. 🎙 Excited to share my latest podcast featuring Josh Rappoport FP&A leader and VP at Acumatica. Join me as Josh shares his wisdom gleaned from years at Microsoft, BillGO and now driving growth and efficiency at Accumatica. Dive into his knack for simplifying complexities and nurturing top-tier teams. Tune in for invaluable leadership insights! #Finance #Leadership #PodcastGuests #headcountpeople

Finance leaders, join us for the latest episode of For the Love of Finance. Our guest is Tanja Fischer, Head of Finance at Lindus Health, a biotech startup revolutionizing clinical trials. Lindus Health were featured on Sifted's B2B SaaS Rising Stars list (alongside Vertice!) and are scaling rapidly, with funding coming from Spotify-backer Creandum and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. Here's what you'll get: • Practical financial strategies for growth • How to build an effective finance function • Collaboration hacks for finance & other departments • Advice for overcoming common start-up & scale-up finance challenges Watch the first 10 minutes below, link to the full episode is in the comments 💜

🚀 Exciting Announcement: Introducing the "Fractional CFO Challenge" 🚀 I’m thrilled to share something I’ve been passionately working on—a unique opportunity for seasoned CFOs looking to reshape their careers and embrace the entrepreneurial spirit that’s been calling them. 🌟 Event Name: The Noble CFO Challenge 🗓 Dates: May 13-17, 2024 📍 Hosted Online: Join from Anywhere! 🔗 Sign Up: challenge.thenoblecfo.com After years of navigating the highs and lows of corporate finance, I found myself craving more—more autonomy, more impact, and certainly more personal satisfaction. That’s why I created the "The Noble CFO Challenge," a five-day deep dive designed to equip you with everything you need to launch and scale your own CFO practice. What you can expect: Day-to-Day Learning covering everything from identifying your niche to effective pricing strategies. Live Sessions with hands-on exercises to help you apply what you learn in real-time. Networking Opportunities with like-minded professionals. Whether you're feeling the pinch of the corporate ceiling or just yearning for a change that aligns more closely with your lifestyle goals, this challenge is your gateway to a brighter, more fulfilling future. I’m inviting you to join me on this journey to transform your career and redefine what it means to be a CFO. Spots are limited, so if you're ready to take control of your career trajectory, click the link above to register or reach out to me directly here on LinkedIn. Let’s make it happen, together!

I provide fractional CFO work to companies, particularly those fundraising and doing M&A. If you’d like to hear more, let me know.  One document that companies don’t pay enough attention to in a VC backed company is the board deck. Your board deck is a sales document for your current investors and future potential investors; treat it like that. The number of companies I see just putting everything in the board deck without thought or consideration of the story it tells, is high. The latest board deck is normally included in the data room; it’s a form of due diligence, and it’s an opportunity to showcase your business to new investors. Showcase the forward momentum - what are you building, establishing, evolving or showcasing? Call this out in bullet points. Don’t hide bad news, and don’t hide historical information; be transparent and call it out with these bullet points but give space to where the business is going. This also gives your current investors the opportunity to input and add value; throwing up all your information in a board deck makes it difficult for investors to determine what you need help with. Use the board deck to ask your current investors for specific introductions: - To customers in: > a new market you are looking to expand into  > new industry vertical  > new product suite you are bringing to market - To investors when kicking off a fundraise and who can your investor base make intros to - To potential candidates when you are hiring someone in the C Suite or management role - investors normally have talent teams and pools of potential candidates.

Discover why Virtual CFOs are the secret ingredient to startup success in 2024! 🚀 Problems - - Many startups struggle with financial management, often leading to costly mistakes and missed opportunities. - A lack of strategic financial planning can stifle growth and deter investors. Solutions- - Expertise on Demand: Virtual CFOs bring expert financial management to your team without the full-time cost. - Strategic Growth: They help navigate funding rounds, manage cash flow, and plan for scalable growth. - Investor Confidence: A Virtual CFO can be key to securing investment, by presenting a solid financial strategy and demonstrating fiscal responsibility. - Success Stories: Startups embracing Virtual CFO services in 2023 saw a 30% higher growth rate and improved investor relations. Ready to transform your startup's financial future? Let's chat about how a Virtual CFO can catapult your business into its next growth phase. DM me or drop a comment below! 🌟