Podcasts · Business

The Growth-Minded CFO

Upflow

41 episodes

Today's financial leader is more than a number cruncher - they're a growth architect and a strategic partner in the organization’s success.

More about the show

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 support high-performing organizations.

Episodes

  1. From S-1 Deep Dives to the CFO Seat: What IPOs Teach Every Finance Leader, with CJ Gustafson

    · 40 min · S3 E20

    Here's the version for Spotify and Apple Podcasts: An S-1 is written for investors. But for CFOs at any stage, it can be one of the best playbooks available for learning what good looks like. In this episode of The…

  2. Why "AR Automation" Was Never the Right Name: Alex Louisy on Building Financial Relationship Management

    · 53 min · S3 E19

    For three seasons, Alex Louisy has sat on one side of the mic, asking CFOs about the decisions that shaped their careers. In this episode, he switches seats. Lauren Pearl interviews her own co-host about the company…

  3. Inside the CFO-Sales Partnership: How Real-Time Data Changes the Game, with Christina Liu

    · 30 min · S3 E18

    Most CFOs can see the final sales numbers. Far fewer have a clear view of what is happening inside the pipeline before those numbers land. As CFO of Sigma Computing, Christina Liu works closely with sales to create…

  4. From GE’s $100B Transformation to Klarna and DeepL: Lessons in Scaling, with Martino Cadoni

    · 47 min · S3 E17

    Martino Cadoni has had a front-row seat to some extraordinary moments throughout his career so far. At GE Capital, he was selected to help transform a business with more than $100 billion in assets, working across…

  5. Revisiting: Wall Street to SaaS CFO with Carla Cooper (CFO @ Contentful)

    · 44 min

    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…

  6. The CFO’s AI Playbook: How to Roll Out AI Across Your Company, with Ryan Roccon (CFO at Zapier)

    · 42 min · S3 E15

    AI is no longer just an experiment. For many companies, it is quickly becoming an expectation. But rolling it out across a business is a very different challenge from giving a few people access to a few tools. So…

  7. Revisiting: Chris Ortega on What Makes a Great CFO (Hint: They're Not Just a 'Human Calculator')

    · 38 min · S3 E15

    In this episode, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Chris Ortega, the CEO and founder of Fresh FP&A. Chris shares his inspiring career journey, from his early passion for finance to roles at Ernst & Young and…

  8. Why Every CFO Needs a Personal Brand (And How to Build One), with Wassia Kamon

    · 39 min · S3 E13

    Most CFOs don’t think about personal brand until they need something: a new role, a board seat, a stronger network, or a way to stand out. But by then, it might already be too late. In this episode of The…

  9. Revisiting: Ilana Esterrich (CFO @ Planned Parenthood) On Leading Beyond The Numbers

    · 40 min · S3 E10

    If your role as CFO stops at the numbers, you’re already behind. Ilana Esterrich, CFO at Planned Parenthood, breaks down what it actually means to lead in today’s environment—from building resilient teams to operating…

  10. Revisiting: Rita Kale (CFO @ Valo Health) On Why The Best CFOs Think Like Owners

    · 41 min · S11 E3

    In this special re-release of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex and Lauren revisit the very first episode of the podcast - featuring Rita Kale, now CFO at Valo Health. At the time, we didn’t know what this show would…

  11. How a Former Pro Musician Became the CFO of a $1B Marketplace, with Kevin Drost

    · 49 min · S3 E10

    How does someone go from jazz musician to CFO of a $1B marketplace? In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Kevin Drost, former CFO of Reverb — the musical instrument…

  12. Revisiting: What Makes a Great CFO? Expert CFO Recruiter, Dav Masaon, Tell Us

    · 39 min · S3 E9

    When is the right time to hire your first CFO? And what actually separates a great one from an expensive mistake? In this re-released standout episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, we revisit our conversation with Dav…

  13. How Nonprofit Finance Sharpens Decision-Making for Any CFO, with Darien Wright

    · 34 min · S3 E8

    What can nonprofit finance teach CFOs about decision-making In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Darien Wright, CFO and COO of the National Geographic Society. After a…

  14. Revisiting: Charly Kevers (CFO @ Carta) On The Role Of The Finance Team In Scaling

    · 45 min

    What does it really take to scale finance through the stages that break most teams? In this re-released standout episode, we revisit our conversation with Charly Kevers, CFO of Carta - who helped guide the company…

  15. Stepping In Mid-Crisis: Trust, Pressure, and the CFO Role, with Niels Boon

    · 42 min · S3 E6

    What should a CFO prioritize when stepping into a business already under pressure? In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Niels Boon, CFO of Cint, a Stockholm-Nasdaq listed…

  16. How to Run Finance in a Creative, 'Hit-Driven' Business, with Diya Sagar

    · 36 min · S3 E5

    In creative businesses, the art drives the upside — but the numbers determine whether the art can exist at all. In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl sit down with Diya Sagar,…

  17. Leveraging Data Insights for Smarter Business Decision Making, with Jim Cook and Winnie Aoieong

    · 59 min · S3 E4

    This week on The Growth-Minded CFO, we’re sharing a special podswap with our friends at the FP&A Unlocked podcast (formerly FP&A Tomorrow). Host Paul Barnhurst sits down with two finance leaders who’ve shaped how…

  18. How to Communicate Financials to Executives, with Anders-Liu Lindberg

    · 42 min · S3 E3

    Every finance team wants a seat at the table - but too often, their message gets lost once they’re there. In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, we sit down with Anders Liu-Lindberg - Partner at the Business…

  19. From Steward to Orchestrator: CFO Leadership Lessons with Xavier Castellana

    · 42 min · S3 E2

    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…

  20. Profitability vs Growth: A CFO’s Balancing Act (& Lessons Across Industries), with Cameron Kinloch

    · 39 min · S3 E1

    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…

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

    · 43 min · S2 E12

    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…

  22. Fundraising, AI, and Starting Smart in 2025, with Jeffrey Fidelman

    · 45 min · S2 E11

    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…

  23. From Banker to Builder: Hands-On CFO Lessons for SaaS, with Jon Gross

    · 40 min · S2 E10

    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…

  24. Rewiring Finance: AI, ERP, and the Rise of the Executional CFO, with Nicolas Kopp (Rillet)

    · 42 min · S2 E9

    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…

  25. Spreadsheets to Storytelling: Communication & EQ Tips for CFOs, with Erik Nakamura

    · 38 min · S2 E9

    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…

  26. Rise of the Fractional CFO - Your Next Career Move? (& When and Why to Hire One)

    · 48 min · S2 E8

    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…

  27. What Makes a Great CFO in 2025? Insights from the Frontlines of CFO Hiring, with Dav Masaon

    · 38 min · S2 E7

    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…

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

    · 41 min · S2 E5

    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…

  29. The CFO Leading Talent, Operations & Corporate Communications (Kate Gulliver, CFO & CAO, Wayfair)

    · 39 min · S2 E4

    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…

  30. Wall Street to SaaS CFO: Lessons from IPOs, Acquisitions & Growth, with Carla Cooper

    · 42 min · S2 E3

    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…

  31. Clean data, clear insights: AI for finance and how to build the right foundation, with Gabi Steele

    · 31 min · S2 E2

    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…

  32. The CFO as manager: How to lead beyond the numbers, with Ilana Esterrich

    · 40 min · S2 E1

    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…

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

    · 44 min · S1 E4

    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…

  34. The skills finance teams need now & in the future, with Carl Seidman

    · 48 min · S1 E7

    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…

  35. Money in, money out: How the best finance teams are running AR & AP in 2025, with Howard Katzenberg

    · 37 min · S1 E7

    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…

  36. An alternative path to CFO and leading change at the MLBPA, with Tatia-Mays Russell

    · 46 min · S1 E5

    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…

  37. Series B to G: The role of the finance team in scaling, with Charly Kevers (CFO @ Carta)

    · 42 min · S1 E4

    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…

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

    · 40 min · S1 E3

    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…

  39. Business leader, not 'human calculator': The role of the CFO, with Chris Ortega

    · 37 min · S1 E2

    In this episode, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Chris Ortega, the CEO and founder of Fresh FP&A. Chris shares his inspiring career journey, from his early passion for finance to roles at Ernst & Young and…

  40. Acting like an owner and the value of international experience, with Rita Kale

    · 38 min · S1 E1

    In this episode of The Growth Minded CFO, hosts Lauren and Alex speak with Rita Kale, a seasoned CFO with experience in global firms like Roche and New York-based biotech startups. The conversation delves into the…

  41. Introduction to The Growth-Minded CFO

    · 4:14 · Trailer

    Get the lowdown on what our new podcast is about in this introductory episode. Forget the dusty stereotype of the CFO sitting in the corner, chained to a spreadsheet. Today's financial leader is a growth architect and…

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