The Power of Purpose-Built Software

In this episode, CJ interviews Anthony “Tony” Boor, Executive Vice President and CFO of Blackbaud, who shares the unique path he took from working at a motorcycle shop in New Mexico to becoming a CFO. Tony reflects on his first management experiences and the lessons learned as he navigated his early career. The conversation dives into the evolving role of CFOs, particularly as they take on more GM responsibilities. Tony offers insights into Blackbaud's business model, its revenue layer cake strategy, and their expansion into verticals like payments, which sees over $100 billion processed through their platform annually. He discusses how they monetize this and secure a competitive edge. Tony also introduces his approach to efficiency metrics, including ARR per OTE, and elaborates on key financial concepts like EVA and ROIC. The interview explores his consolidation philosophy focused on simplifying, standardizing, and automating, and how this has played out at Blackbaud. Tune in to hear Tony’s insights on building the right team to propel a career forward in the long-ass lightning round and a fascinating embezzlement story.

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SPONSORS:

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Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

Mercury is the fintech ambitious companies use for banking and all their financial workflows. With a powerful bank account at the center of their operations, companies can make better financial decisions and ensure that every dollar spent aligns with company priorities. That's why over 100K startups choose Mercury to confidently run all their financial operations with the precision, control, and focus they need to operate at their best. Learn more at mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.

NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 38,000 thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

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TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:05) Sponsor – Leapfin | Planful(04:05) Tony’s Early Career(08:49) The Changing Role of the CFO(13:32) The Evolution of Blackbaud’s Strategy(17:01) Sponsor – Mercury | NetSuite | Maxio(19:50) Blackbaud’s Customers(21:21) The Purpose-Built Nature of Blackbaud(24:45) Why Add Payments(32:02) Efficiency Metrics: ARR per OTE(35:41) Net Dollar Retention(37:34) Return on Invested Capital(39:40) Economic Value Added(40:42) Residual Cash Earnings(41:57) Consolidation and Blackbaud’s Pillar Model(45:16) Centralized Back Offices(51:07) Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Large Acquisition Mistake(52:53) Building the Right Team Underneath You(56:21) Craziest Embezzlement Story