1,019: The Rewards of Making an Early Exit | Josh Schenker, CFO, Aditude, Inc.

Jul 24, 2024

Meet Josh Schenker, the unconventional CFO who dropped out of high school to fast-track his academic career. From working at his father's wealth management company to pursuing a Master's degree at MIT, Schenker shares his unique journey in finance. He discusses his transition from consulting to startups, the success story of Aditude, a leading ad tech company, and the challenges of becoming a CFO at a small company. Schenker reflects on his personal background and shares his growth plans for Aditude, Inc., focusing on M&A activities and surpassing budget targets in the upcoming year.

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Intro

00:00 • 5min

Speaker's Career Journey from Consulting to Startups

05:27 • 14min

Aditude: Growing a Successful Ad Tech Company

19:29 • 15min

Navigating the Transition to CFO Role at a Small Company

34:49 • 3min

Reflecting on Personal Background and Podcast Recommendations

37:55 • 2min

Priorities and Growth Plans for Aditude, Inc.

39:56 • 3min

Josh Schenker may well be the only CFO we’ve interviewed who claims to have dropped out of high school—which he actually did, in order to accelerate his academic ascendance by passing the General Educational Development (GED) test, which in turn allowed him to enroll at college ahead of schedule.

“I never received a diploma from my high school, so, technically, I am a dropout,” explains Schenker, who logged many hours during his high school years at his father’s wealth management company. It was there, he tells us, that he first developed a keen understanding of finance.

Schenker relates that he would immerse himself in learning the intricacies of portfolio allocation and market optimization, which ultimately laid the foundation for his future career. With a strong interest in finance and business, Schenker pursued further studies in these fields, eventually earning a master’s in finance from MIT. This academic background, combined with his early hands-on experience, equipped him with the skills needed to navigate the complex world of finance.

Schenker began his career in strategy consulting at PwC, where he further developed his analytical skills by working across multiple industries to identify key business metrics and optimize performance.

His transition to AOL’s Corporate Development Group marked a significant step in his career. There, he participated in numerous M&A deals, including the high-profile acquisition of Yahoo by Verizon. Eager to gain deeper involvement in business operations, Schenker joined Yahoo Sports as head of business operations, a position that enabled him to hone his skills in budgeting and investment strategies.

Driven by a desire for hands-on experience in running a business, Schenker then moved into the start-up world, assuming roles at companies like clean.io and Cluster. In these CFO positions, he leveraged his M&A experience and strategic insights to drive business success, which would lead to his current role as CFO at Aditude, where he continues to apply his diverse expertise in finance and business management.