In this episode, CJ interviews Hanan Aharoni, CFO of Operative, who is an expert in operational excellence, particularly in private equity. Hanan shares insights on managing acquisitions and overcoming silos, inefficiencies, and decision paralysis in the process. He highlights the importance of having a clear org chart and a unified leadership team before discussing the critical role of culture in successful integrations. He breaks down how to spot inefficiencies, consolidate systems, and optimize costs without stifling innovation. He also sheds light on how the private equity model differs from the venture capital model in terms of allocating resources, managing debt, and being prepared for an exit or sale. This is a masterclass in private equity operations.
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SPONSORS:
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Preview and Intro
01:50 Sponsor – Tropic | Netsuite | RightRev
05:55 Hanan’s Impressive Career Rise to CFO
08:20 Overcoming Silos and Inefficiency When Scaling
10:46 Overcoming Inefficiency and Paralysis in M&A
15:50 Sponsor – Planful | Brex | Vanta
19:18 The Importance of Having a Clear Org Chart
22:07 “Vision Without Execution Is Just Hallucination”
25:33 Operational Excellence: Identifying Inefficiencies and Optimizing Costs
28:40 Acknowledging Biases
29:40 Using Industry Benchmarks
32:20 Balancing Optimizing Expenses and Preserving Innovation
35:16 Forming a Mitigation Plan
41:09 Areas Notorious for Inefficient Costs
42:56 Allocating Resources in a PE Model Versus a VC Model
45:57 How Debt Impacts How You Operate in PE
49:12 Tips for Finance Professionals Moving from VC to PE Models
50:48 Being Prepared for an Exit or Sale in a PE Environment
53:00 Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Massive Excel Spreadsheet Error
54:53 Advice to Younger Self: Fast Decisions
55:17 Finance Software Stack
55:55 Craziest Expense Story
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