CFO Bookshelf

Have you ever wondered how Amazon, Netflix, and Starbucks started their customer personalization programs? What was the starting point? What were the costs? Who was involved?The co-authors answer these questions in the very readable Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI.Mark Abraham and David Edelman explain that personalization is not email or glorified loyalty rewards programs. Instead, this cross-functional activity starts with a few simple questions in their 5 Promises framework, a launching pad for creating a customer personalization journey. 

Adam Coffey, author of 'The Private Equity Playbook,' shares his insights as a former CEO in the private equity realm. He discusses the growth of private equity and introduces his intriguing 70-30 rule for success. With the release of his updated book, Adam highlights the importance of committed capital and offers a humorous locksmith story. The conversation also touches on investment returns, explaining key metrics like IRR and MOIC while emphasizing the need for innovation and strategic thinking in this ever-evolving landscape.

Laura Barnard, a global thought leader on Project Management Offices, discusses her book, The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy Delivery for PMO and Transformation Leaders. She emphasizes the shift from outputs to impactful outcomes and shares insights on the PMO mindset that drives organizational success. The conversation also covers MVPs versus prototypes, the importance of stakeholder engagement, and the significance of 30-90 day metrics for assessing project progress. Barnard's approach champions community, collaboration, and transformative leadership in project management.

Numerous financial blog articles and LinkedIn posts highlight the benefits of a small business owner hiring a portfolio CFO. However, I do not recall these writers commenting on why financial professionals step away from the W-2 world to serve multiple owners as clients instead of sticking to a steady paycheck.Sara Daw may be the first author to articulate why CFOs jump into the gig economy through her comprehensive research, which we can read about in Strategy and Leadership as Service. In this conversation, we hit on access vs. ownership, psychological ownership, career future-proofing, and liquid vs. solid consumption.

How did Charles Cowlam resort to a lifelong career in crime during the Gilded Age?During this fascinating interview, the author of A Wonderful Career Crime accidentally uncovers several fascinating nuggets of U.S. history that would otherwise remain undetected by well-known historians.Frank Garmon shares his favorite stories of Cowlam's life as a fraudster, bigamist, and swindler. He takes us to the origin of how this micro-history came to be in book form. We also learn how the wisdom of crowds revealed Cowlan's true identity in a world without LinkedIn and Facebook.

Charlie Hewlett, managing director at RCLCO and co-author of a book on strategy for real estate companies, shares valuable insights on integrating strategic planning into real estate. He discusses the critical yet overlooked role of strategic planning and its tailored approaches in managing the cyclical nature of real estate. Topics include the necessity of long-term vision, conducting thorough SWOT analyses, and the importance of core values in organizations. Charlie also addresses current trends and expectations shaping the real estate market as it approaches 2025.

What do you know about Jay Gould's life, and how does he compare to the other robber barons of his day? More importantly, is his life worth examining?Mark discusses Gould's upbringing in this book review, which influenced his desire to be rich. Learn about one of the most significant market corners on Wall Street and the man who helped to create America's economic expansion during the internet era of his day.

In this podcast, the host shares five inspiring books for financial leaders to read. The episode explores financial reporting processes and challenges leaders to prioritize the balance sheet. Additionally, it discusses the presentation order of financial statements, referencing Amazon's approach.

Learn about the three key roles of a fractional CFO: contractor, consultant, and coach. Dive into topics like adding value, evolving definitions of the CFO role, pricing strategies, and building trust with clients.

As I think about our next guest, Jody Grunden, he reminds me of the successful business leader who Mixergy's Andrew Warner should feature. Jody co-founded Summit CPA Group in the early 2000s and decided to focus on financial leadership instead of offering the conventional services many small firms provided.This discussion addresses the accounting shortage, effective accountants, and why accounting professionals have nothing to fear about AI technologies.