Turning Points and Trust

This chapter reflects on a pivotal phone call that altered the speaker's career trajectory and highlights the crucial role of mentorship in professional development. It encourages trusting intuition, building early relationships, and embracing calculated risks to unlock potential in one's career journey.

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In this episode, CJ interviews Adam Berg, CFO of Zero Hash, about the evolution of financial services infrastructure and the role of crypto in accelerating this change. With Zero Hash’s clients including the likes of Stripe, Interactive Brokers, Franklin Templeton, Shift4, and BlackRock, Adam discusses the importance of blockchain, not just as an asset class but as a fundamental technology that enhances value transfer and settlement processes. He highlights the differences in business models within the fintech ecosystem and the critical need for balance sheet evaluation and liquidity management. Adam talks about the complexities of a B2B2C business model, the challenges and strategies of managing macroeconomic conditions as a CFO, and the importance of a resilient tech stack. He shares insights on the build versus partner framework and explains why he believes that margin compression and price optimization can actually hurt end users in the long run. You’ll also hear advice for anyone pursuing a career in finance as Adam reflects on pivotal career decisions.

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SPONSORS:

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 40,000 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 ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.

Operators Guild is where the best CEOs, CFOs, VPs of finance, and BizOps leaders in the business connect, network, and grow together. Built by operators for operators, this members-only community is home to more than 1000 of the most elite high-growth operators in the world. Experience connection and knowledge share with professionals who understand you like no one else does. Learn more and apply at operators-guild.com.

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@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:08) Sponsor – Mercury | NetSuite

(04:59) The Evolution of Financial Services Infrastructure over the Last 10 Years

(08:03) The Role of Blockchain Technology in This Infrastructure

(11:04) Investing in Web3 out of Belief in Future Versus Fear of Missing Out

(13:44) How Value Is Stored and Moved: Web3 or Inevitable Progress

(17:31) Sponsor – Operators Guild | Maxio | Leapfin

(21:01) The Dynamics of Operating a B2B2C Business Model