In many companies, the CFO is more important than the CEO. And the majority of private equity-backed CFOs are actually not up to par. In this episode, CJ is joined by Scott Engler, of LinkedIn fame, to explain why he believes these bold statements to be true. Scott is the CEO and co-founder of Sync Executive Partners and the co-founder of PE-Xcelerate. He has decades of experience studying, recruiting, and coaching CFOs. He shares insights on the evolving role of the CFO, the many hats they wear, and which they should prioritise. He gives advice on how to navigate your relationship with your CEO, your PE sponsor, and other stakeholders, and provides some social profiling hacks that can help. The conversation covers the benefits of upside-down reviews and why not having a recommendation can be the smartest move, before examining the best way to get a CFO job at a PE-backed company, and how to negotiate equity packages.
—
LINKS:
Scott Engler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottengler/
Sync Executive Partners:
https://www.syncexecutivepartners.com/
PE-Xcelerate:
https://www.pexcelerate.com/
CJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222
Mostly metrics:
http://mostlymetrics.com
Looking for Leverage:
RELATED EPISODES:
So You’re Looking for a “Strategic” CFO? Bloomerang’s Steve Isom on What That Really Means -
CFO of FloQast on Why Finance Teams are Data Curators:
“What’s in It for Me?” The Art of Storytelling in an IPO - with Monday.com CFO Eliran Glazer:
Inside the "Triangle of Doom”: How Great CFOs Navigate CEO and Board Dynamics:
—
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview and Intro
(02:20 ) Sponsor – Brex | Aleph | RightRev
(07:12) How the CFO Role Has Changed Over the Last Decade
(12:08) Why the CFO Needs To Drive the Pace
(14:49) Why Most Private Equity-Backed CFOs Aren’t up to Par
(16:36) Sponsor – Navan | NetSuite | Pulley
(20:07) The PE-Backed CFO Versus Hypergrowth VC CFO
(21:54) How Senior Leaders Are Incented To Play It Safe
(26:04) The Operational CFO: The CFO Becoming More of a COO
(28:41) Why the CFO Is More Important Than the CEO
(32:16) How a CFO Should Prioritize Their Many Roles
(34:46) The Importance of Being a Good Storyteller
(38:49) What an Upside-Down Review Is
(43:46) Why Not Having a Recommendation Can Be the Smartest Move
(49:50) The Hardest CFOs Are the Easiest To Influence
(55:37) The Art and Science of Managing Your CEO
(57:48) Social Styles Hack
(1:00:47) Working With Your CEO and PE Sponsor
(1:04:08) The Best Way To Get a CFO Job at a PE-Backed Company
(1:11:54) The State of Comp for PE-Backed CFOs in This Market
(1:13:16) Negotiating Equity Packages
(1:15:39) The Biggest Challenge for PE-Backed CFOs Today
—
SPONSORS:
Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus, they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Find out more at brex.com/metrics
Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at getaleph.com/run
RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.
Navan is the all-in-one travel and expense solution that helps finance teams streamline reconciliation, enforce policies automatically, and gain real-time visibility. It connects to your existing cards and makes closing the books faster and smarter. Visit navan.com/Runthenumbers for your demo.
NetSuite is an AI-powered business management suite, encompassing ERP/Financials, CRM, and ecommerce for more than 41,000 customers. If you're looking for an ERP, head to https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.
Pulley is the cap table management platform built for CFOs and finance leaders who need reliable, audit-ready data and intuitive workflows, without the hidden fees or unreliable support. Switch in as little as 5 days and get 25% off your first year: pulley.com/mostlymetrics.
#CFO #CEOversusCFO #ChiefFinancialOfficer #PrivateEquity #ScottEngler
Get full access to Mostly metrics at
www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe
