Stories and lessons from an unexpected journey in finance.

CFOs trade in precision. CEOs trade in possibility.

I recently witnessed an exchange that perfectly captures the gap between the two.

CEO: “Why should the market bet on us right now?” 
CFO: “Because our EBITDA margins are top quartile.” 
CEO: “That’s a result, not a reason.”

This is the trap. We get so good at the mechanics, we forget the magic.

We believe excellence lives in the spreadsheets. It doesn’t.

To move from CFO to the CEO seat, you have to stop reporting the news and start making it.  Here is the exact operating system update you need:

1. The Language Shift

• The CFO says: “Revenue grew 20% YoY.”
• The CEO says: “We are suffocating the competition and controlling the profit pool.”
• The Lesson: Speak in advantage, not just activity.

2. The Capital Shift

• The CFO says: “Here is our current cash balance.”
• The CEO says: “Here is the ammunition we are deploying to widen our moat.”
• The Lesson: Capital isn’t a safety net; it’s a weapon.

3. The Decision Shift

• The CFO says: “Here are five neutral scenarios for Q4.”
• The CEO says: “Data suggests Scenario B is our only path to winning. Here is how we execute.”
• The Lesson: Leadership isn’t providing options. It’s providing conviction.

4. The Metric Shift

• The CFO says: “We need to hit these efficiency targets.”
• The CEO says: “We are obsessing over the three metrics that actually expand our market power.”
• The Lesson: Measurement must create momentum.

5. The Influence Shift

• The CFO says: “I’ll present the results after the quarter closes.”
• The CEO says: “I’m aligning the board on the vision before the results come in.”
• The Lesson: Influence precedes title.

The Bottom Line

Technical mastery gets you into the room. Narrative mastery gets you the keys.

Every number tells a story. Every story shapes belief. And belief is the only thing that actually moves a market.

Question for you:

Look at your last board deck. Does it look like a status report, or does it read like a revolution?

#TheAccidentalCFO #CFOtoCEO #Strategy #Leadership #inersec