Author: inersec

  • The Accidental CFO — A Lesson I Learned the Hard Way

    “Stories and lessons from an unexpected journey in finance.” Most of us prefer to share our wins. The big deals closed, the funding raised, the transformation pulled off. But the truth is, the lessons that stick with us longest usually come from failure. I know mine did. Early in my career, I was running point…

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  • The Accidental CFO — The 80/20 of CFO Life

    “Stories and lessons from an unexpected journey in finance.” Early in my career, I thought a great CFO knew every detail down to the penny. I buried myself in variance reports and reconciliations. It felt important. But over time — and through a few tough lessons — I realized much of that activity was noise.…

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  • The Accidental CFO — Lost in Translation (Corporate Acronym Edition)

    “Stories and lessons from an unexpected journey in finance.” Behind the buzzwords: what leaders actually need to know. Early in my career, I sat in a meeting where someone enthusiastically declared:“We’ll increase ARR with better NRR, driven by a strong PMO, and of course, we’ll need tight SOX controls.” I nodded like I understood. Inside,…

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  • The Accidental CFO — What Does Success Look Like for a CFO?

    “Stories and lessons from an unexpected journey in finance.” When I first stepped into a CFO role, I thought success would be easy to define: hit the numbers, keep the books clean, and make sure everyone got paid on time. Simple, right? Not quite. Over the years, I’ve learned that a CFO’s success is far…

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  • The Accidental CFO: Leading When It Matters Most

    “Stories and lessons from an unexpected journey in finance.” 💡 “In moments of crisis, leadership is not about the numbers—it’s about the people.” Sometimes as a CFO, you find yourself carrying responsibilities you never imagined. In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Astound Commerce had 650 employees and their families based across the country. Overnight, my role…

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