CFO Weekly
Why So Many Startups Fail at $1M with Rich Zhou, Founder and CEO of Aquifer Growth
Apr 15, 2025
37:38
In this episode of CFO Weekly, Rich Zhou, Founder and CEO of Aquifer Growth, joins Megan Weis to discuss the evolving role of CFO and how that evolution necessitates a trifecta of finance, strategy, and leadership. They also touch upon financial planning in an ever-changing world and the adoption of cloud across the F&A function.
With over a decade of experience in capital markets, corporate finance, and fintech, Rich has developed deep expertise in helping companies navigate financial complexities during crucial growth phases. His background includes serving as one of the first financial hires at a successful Toronto-based fintech company that grew from 5 to 300 employees.
What You’ll Learn:
- How the CFO role has evolved from traditional accounting to become a critical strategic partner for growth and scalability
- Why the $1 million revenue mark is the crucial turning point for businesses to implement professional financial management
- The essential framework for building accurate financial forecasts beyond simple revenue projections
- How cloud adoption is transforming financial operations through improved accessibility, control, and real-time insights
- The emerging impact of AI and cloud technologies on reducing monthly closing times and improving financial decision-making
Learn more about Rich
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Previous guests include: Tom McDermott, CFO at Career Certified, Claire Bramley, CFO at Teradata, Chris Miles, Founder of Money Ripples, Ranil DeSilva, CFO & COO at CARE, Jordan Grumet, Financial Independence Expert & Host of Earn & Invest & William Washington, Global CFO at Baker McKenzie
Check out some of our most recent episodes:
- Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermott
- Why CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire Bramley
- Why Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris Miles
- NGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilva
- What Lights You Up? with Jordan Grumet
- Become a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William Washington
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