CFO Bookshelf

Many in the magazine industry will tell you on the mountaintops that print is not dead. Try telling that to the writers who used to produce those beautiful glossy annual reports that are now published in the form of PDF documents.Robert Roth is making his first-ever appearance on a podcast to discuss how an annual report writer secures gigs, the time commitment required, and other fascinating insights into the behind-the-scenes process of conceptualizing and creating annual reports.Robert is also the author of The Writer’s Guide to Annual Reports,published in 2009.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Every financial executive should either have the book Valuation or have it on their physical or digital bookshelf in their antilibrary.CFO Bookshelf is thrilled and honored to have the lead author of all eight editions of this foundational book on valuation, which is used in many financial curricula around the nation on college campuses.In this conversation, we hit on ROIC, growth, economic profit, long-term thinking, and the best way to read this book.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In CFO Bookshelf's 250th episode, we feature a book that embodies the heart and soul of what this show stands for. The book is Lead by Greatness by our guest, David Lapin.During this conversation, David addresses eight vital leadership traits, defining a spiritual fingerprint and why it matters, the reason the Siberian prisoner perished and what it means for both leaders and staff, and the reason behind burnout and fatigue.David also recommends that we read more fiction and novels, sharing some of his favorite authors and titles.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Kary Oberbrunner, an entrepreneur, CEO, public speaker, and author of 'You Are an IP Company', discusses the importance of intellectual property in today's world. He draws parallels between individuals and Taylor Swift's trademark strategies. The conversation dives into innovative IP solutions like blockchain and the emotional toll of protecting creative ideas. Kary emphasizes the necessity of education in IP, the value of being first in the marketplace, and how businesses can evolve as essential IP companies in the digital age.

We have read many stories about the magical growth of Starbucks. However, did you know that one of its first presidents had a background in furniture sales and did not hold a college degree?Our guest is the author of It's Not About the Coffee, and Howard Behar saw store units grow from a small handful to more than 15,000 during his two stints as one of its presidents.In this conversation, we'll learn why Mark's favorite line is, "If you grow people, the people grow the business. That’s it. That’s the number-one priority." Howard discusses the Monday night meetings, dealing with crises, and why he had to stop wearing his feelings on his sleeve.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

As my consulting practice started taking off about twenty years ago, I started reading everything I could by Fred Nickols, who blogged regularly for the software vendor, SmartDraw.Fred's articles were short, to the point, and always included a simple visual framework that was easy to comprehend. I ultimately read every post on that blog.Fred is a long-time consultant who calls himself a solutions engineer. In this conversation, we talk about his favorite frameworks and the origins of those mental models.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

We live in a small business world where the Chief Fractional Officer is becoming indispensable.Before even considering hiring the Fractional Sales Manager, the Fractional Marketing Officer, or even the Fractional CFO, I'd start one hundred percent of the time with the Fractional Chief People Officer.Susannah Robinson has worked in big-company HR for more than twenty years. Now, as the head of a fractional people agency called Partnership for Talent, she has written a simple and pragmatic guide on organizational design for small businesses. In this conversation, we discuss her new book, Beyond the Boxes and Lines.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

I'm betting that over half the CFO Bookshelf listenership participate in an NCAA tournament basketball pool at the office. Accordingly, I thought I'd share a story from a basketball legend I don't think I've ever heard retold from a leadership expert during a speaking event.I end this special episode on my three favorite basketball movies. What are yours?

Before I start reading a book on Warren Buffett, and there are many, I want to know if this book has been written before—the ones where the narratives essentially state the same thing about Buffett's investing style.In the case of Brett Gardner's new book on Buffett, he checks all the boxes of a fascinating investment book. It's informative, inspiring, and even entertaining. More importantly, the book Buffett's Early Investments is not a rehash of Buffett material you've read before.Instead, Brett takes us on a journey involving several of Buffett's early stock acquisitions, how they shaped and molded his later investment style, and how these deals inspired the Berkshire Hathaway business model as we know it today.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

When I first experienced the Cynefin Framework in an HBR article many years ago, I never tried to adapt it to my work until I interviewed Bryce Hoffman, author of American Icon and Red Teaming, a few years ago. While Bryce made the Cynefin Framework seem more understandable and accessible, Kevin Eikenberry has gone further to show leaders how to act when surrounded by varying problems they are trying to navigate with this sensemaking framework.Kevin has written nearly 20 books, and his newest title is Flexible Leadership which includes a better approach to holistic thinking, the Cynefin Framework and the use of flexors.A Case Study In Corporate Fear"A Case Study in Corporate Fear" deconstructs how fear transforms successful...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify