Leaving FP&A at billion dollar companies to become a top Fractional CFO: Rosemary Linden ‘s amazing career journey
Mar 19, 2024
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Learn about Rosemary Linden's transition from corporate finance to fractional CFO, dealing with small businesses. Discover why FP&A is a great training ground for CFOs, and get insights on storytelling and cash flow management. Hear about seasonal variances, starting your own business, and the difference between strategic planning and financial planning. Plus, dive into a deep sea story, team Excel, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg!
Transitioning from corporate FP&A to fractional CFO requires unique mindset and skills.
FP&A provides valuable training for future CFO roles due to its analytical nature.
Becoming a fractional CFO involves storytelling, managing cash flows, and embracing challenges.
Deep dives
Favorite Excel features
Flexibility is the favorite aspect of Excel for its multiple functionalities like word processing. Commonly used functions include lookups, index match, and data validation, ensuring clean data input, especially in small business settings.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg admiration
Professionally admires Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her significant contributions to gender equality and women's rights, appreciating her iconic status that extended beyond her role as a Supreme Court justice.
Scuba diving with sharks
Engages in scuba diving with sharks, recounting a harrowing experience in Rangaroa where strong currents separated her from the group, resulting in gripping onto coral to stay anchored and losing a fin, illustrating a thrilling yet risky adventure.
Career advice in FP&A
Suggests seeking mentorship, leveraging resources like Association for Financial Professionals and Corporate Finance Institute, engaging with FP&A professionals on LinkedIn, and aiming for continuous learning and skill development to excel in the FP&A field.
Contact Information
Connect with Rosemary Linden on LinkedIn or visit MomentumCFO.com to reach out for further inquiries or discussions, ensuring prompt responses to any queries or professional engagements.
Rosemary Linden more than earned her stripes in FP&A over twenty years. Her roles included VP FP&A at Alliant Insurance Services. Director of Global FP&A at WD-40 Company and at Solera.
But after two decades in corporate finance she moved to being a fractional CFO serving small businesses (typical annual revenue of around $10million) managing an assortment of responsibilities.
This episode is for anyone in finance who may be looking to escape the corporate grind and set up as a Fractional CFO.
But Linden warns it is not for everyone.
“One of the first things I’d say to think about is, do you really want to be a fractional CFO? Because that’s different from being a full-time CFO at one particular company and comes with its own challenges.”
In this episode:
Moving from corporate finance after 20 years to dealing with “astute” small business owners as a fractional CFO in San Diego
Why FP&A is an ideal training ground to become a CFO
Secrets for telling a good story
Getting to what you want the people in a room to “walk away knowing”
Cash flows at small companies, opportunities and challenges
Dealing with seasonal variances at small businesses
Advice for starting your own business as a fractional CFO
Moving to a more analytical mindset
Difference between, strategic planning and financial planning (Case Study San Diego Civic Youth Ballet)
My most dangerous deep sea dive, being team Excel and Ruth Bader Ginsburg