Elevate with Robert Glazer Zillah Byng-Thorne on Resurrecting A Billion Dollar Business
Dec 4, 2025
Zillah Byng-Thorne, a publishing and media executive, transformed Future PLC from a struggling entity to a billion-dollar success story. She shares insights from her journey, including her humble beginnings and how she became a CFO by age 30. Zillah discusses the drastic measures taken to save Future from bankruptcy, such as workforce reductions and shifting to subscriptions. She emphasizes the importance of culture, open communication, and strategic acquisitions, highlighting her belief in continual learning and balance, both personally and professionally.
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From Part-Time CFO To Emergency CEO
- Zillah accepted a part-time CFO role at Future to balance family life but quickly found the company near bankruptcy.
- She shifted to full-time and even took IOUs as cash ran dangerously low while stabilizing the business.
Stabilize By Generating Cash First
- Prioritize cash generation first to buy strategic breathing room for hard decisions.
- Sell non-core profitable assets and renegotiate cost structures to avoid insolvency and restore stability.
Content As The Last-Click Intent Channel
- Niche review and how-to content sits at the end of the purchase funnel and signals buyer intent.
- Monetizing that intent with price-comparison and affiliate links creates a new, incremental revenue stream.