GrowCFO Show

Nicolas Boucher joins Kevin Appleby on the GrowCFO show and shares his experience implementing AI in finance. Nicolas teaches people how to get started with AI in finance, and this is the focus of the conversation. He discussed many ways of using ChatGPT as an assistant rather than just a search engine. Nicolas discussed how to structure prompts to get the most value from ChatGPT, and gave some great examples, such as drafting letters, writing procedures, and generating training content. ChatGPT can also be used for data analysis, problem solving, and exploring automation opportunities using Python. Kevin and Nicolas discussed the rise of AI-powered assistants like Copilot, more natural language interactions, and increased automation of finance tasks. They emphasized experimenting with AI tools, identifying automatable tasks, and staying up-to-date on new capabilities through communities and courses. Nicolas has 15 years of experience working in finance, first as an auditor at PwC and then at a large French multinational company, Thales, similar to Boeing. He is passionate about helping people grow both personally and professionally. This led him to coaching and training others throughout his career. He now runs his own coaching and training business. Nicolas started sharing his insights on LinkedIn which helped grow his audience and career. He now works as a trainer and consultant focused on teaching AI and ChatGPT for finance professionals. His goal is to help as many people as possible learn how to implement useful AI tools in their work. He has developed practical and advanced courses on the topic. https://youtu.be/uamDikynzgE Links Nicolas Boucher on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn Join the AI Finance Club GrowCFO FP&A Boot camp GrowCFO Automation Accelerator Timestamps Implementing AI in finance with Nicolas Boucher. (0:11) Using AI language model GPT for writing tasks. (4:16) Using AI tools for training and problem-solving in finance. (11:06) Using AI tools for data analysis and automation. (15:10) Automating finance tasks with Python and AI. (21:48) Finance technology trends and the role of CFOs. (26:21) Using AI tools for productivity and automation in business. (33:37) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Adam Shilton, a leading voice on Linkedin and founder/host of Tech for Finance, discusses the current state of AI in finance, including advancements in AI tools, automating tasks, and improving workflows. He highlights tools like Notion AI, GPT for Sheets, and Microsoft CoPilot. Kevin shares his experience using AI tools for podcasting and building learning materials. They predict greater AI autonomy in 2024 and emphasize the importance of process optimization before implementing AI.

Kevin Appleby interviews Thomas Zweifel about his career as an author and consultant. Thomas explains that he writes books based on mistakes he has made working with clients in different cultures and industries so that others can learn from his experiences. Thomas is an award-winning author. Some of the books he mentioned writing include Culture Clash, about mistakes made working in different cultures, and Strategy into Action. His most recent book, Gorilla in the Cockpit, discusses how biases at the start of projects can lead them to fail. Their discussion touches on the importance of culture when executing strategy. Thomas talks about discovering the "bottle" of underlying assumptions that guide an organization's thinking. He also emphasizes that the CFO has a key role to play in determining what activities are still relevant to the strategy and saying no to things that are obsolete. When discussing strategy in an uncertain world, Thomas advocates for his "Strategy and Action" approach of focusing on catalytic 100-day projects rather than multi-year plans. This allows organizations to test ideas quickly and adjust course if needed. Other topics covered include biases that can derail projects from the start, focusing each day on meaningful accomplishments, and using displays and routines to keep teams oriented towards strategic goals. Throughout, Thomas emphasizes examining assumptions and standing in the future as keys to strategic execution. Links Dr Thomas D Zweifel on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Best Practice Accelerator - Deliver Your Business Growth Plan Free video training with Thomas: 4 Secrets for Realizing All Your Commitments (Professional, Financial, Personal) with Freedom, Power and Peace of Mind. Thomas' Books on Amazon UK and USA Timestamps Introducing Thomas Zweifel (0:11) Strategy execution and leadership challenges. (0:20) Project failures and biases in decision-making. (4:02) Unconscious biases in decision-making in business. (8:18) Strategy execution and cultural analysis. (12:09) Strategy and decision-making in a rapidly changing world. (17:02) Productivity tips for putting strategy into action. (24:14) Time management and productivity strategies for leaders. (28:28) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Tom Ricca-McCarthy, CO-Founder and CEO of Lucidity joins Kevin Appleby to talk about how to execute your business strategy. Kevin and Tom discuss executing business strategy and the challenges involved. Tom explained that while formulating strategy is relatively easy, execution is the difficult part where a strategy needs to be translated into clear activities and goals. They discussed how communication is key to ensure everyone understands the strategy and their role. A common pitfall is strategies end up as documents sitting on shelves gathering dust rather than being implemented. Kevin and Tom agreed the starting point is identifying what to stop, start, and continue from the strategy. They stressed the importance of measurement and reviewing progress regularly. Tom is GrowCFO's guest at the February Best Practice Accelerator "Deliver your business growth plan". The accelerator gives GrowCFO members a two-week practical challenge, and the podcast provides a flavour of the tools and techniques Tom and Kevin will share during the accelerator. Tom looked forward to helping participants in the accelerator focus on putting strategies into action using the right tools for planning, communication, and monitoring. https://youtu.be/IJPFGD8dGpY Links Tom Ricca-McCarthy on Linkedin Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Best Practice Accelerator - Deliver Your Business Growth Plan Timestamps Executing business strategies with a focus on CFO's role. (0:11) Strategy execution challenges and mitigation strategies. (7:34) Communication and strategy alignment in organizations. (13:56) Strategy execution and planning. (19:50) Strategy, execution, and review frequency. (26:10) CFOs' role in data-driven decision-making. (31:15) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Isaac Heller, CEO of Trullion, discusses the impact of AI on the CFO role. Trullion automates accounting workflows, while other AI applications include customer support, marketing, and financial planning. Early adoption may have high costs, but they are expected to decrease over time. CFOs should avoid vendor lock-in and be aware of emerging AI costs.

Finance teams are changing rapidly. AI and digital transformation are removing many traditional accounting roles, and the modern finance team needs to learn new skills. But how do you upskill your finance team? Award-winning author, executive coach and HR professional Marlo Lyons joins Kevin Appleby on the GrowCFO Show to specifically answer the question, "How do you upskill your finance team?" Marlo discussed with Kevin how finance leaders can develop talent within their teams. Some of the key points discussed included: Developing a workforce plan: This involves forecasting how finance functions and jobs may change with automation/AI, determining the appropriate size of the finance team, and identifying any new skills that will be required. Spotting talent: Marlo recommended looking at soft skills like learning agility when evaluating current staff who may be ready for more strategic roles. These types of skills are important for developing leadership potential. Using 360 feedback and succession planning: 360s provide insights from colleagues while succession planning involves creating profiles for future roles to determine what skills individuals need to develop to be ready for promotion or new opportunities. Aligning values with skills and career path: Understanding one's values helps identify fulfilling career paths aligned with both individual interests and company needs. This improves engagement and retention. Prioritizing learning agility in recruiting: Given talent shortages, companies don't need to find candidates ticking every box but rather those with the flexibility to learn new skills, especially when onboarding support can be provided. Marlo Lyons is the author of Wanted - A New Career, which was awarded best self-help book of 2022. https://youtu.be/Bc7QhV5yZhI Links Marlo Lyons on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Finance Team Skills Assessment Wanted -> A New Career: The Definitive Playbook for Transitioning to a New Career or Finding Your Dream Job on Amazon Timestamps Introducing Marlo Lyons (0:12) How to upskill your finance team (1:28) Workforce planning, talent spotting, and soft skills. (4:54) Leadership, development programs, and finance team collaboration. (9:45) Leadership development tools and techniques. (14:09) Career coaching and identifying values for job satisfaction. (18:17) Values, culture, and diversity in the workplace. (23:10) Evaluating talent and workforce planning. (28:24) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Christian Wattig joins Kevin Appleby on the GrowCFO Show. Christian runs the FP&A boot camp in the USA and is the founder of FP&A Prep. FP&A skills are in greater demand than ever. Kevin and Christian explored how to improve your FP&A skills. Christian discussed his background growing up in Germany and working for large consumer goods companies like P&G and Unilever. He talked about moving to the US and then transitioning to work in tech at Squarespace. Christian explained how he started teaching FP&A courses, which led him to found his own training company. Some key topics discussed included the importance of understanding both the numbers and the business, the role of AI in forecasting and analysis, and how accuracy needs to be balanced with enabling decision-making. Christian sees continued opportunities in teaching and public speaking going forward. What FP&A skills do you need? Christian discussed how understanding the business is as important for FP&A professionals as understanding the numbers. He talked about how forecasting and analysis require solving puzzles with the numbers but also understanding people and psychology when it comes to business partnering, influencing stakeholders, and communicating the company's financial story. Christian emphasized that having an impact goes beyond just creating models and reports - FP&A professionals need to convince others to take their recommendations and implement changes. He stressed the importance of asking the right questions to understand what really matters to business partners beyond just dollar impacts. The impact of AI in FP&A Christian shared his experience implementing a machine learning model for forecasting at Unilever. He found that it initially provided more accurate forecasts than their previous methods. However, he realized it was difficult to explain variances in leadership used to traditional forecasting approaches. This led Christian to understand that the focus of AI should be on experimenting with different input metrics and data granularity rather than adjusting individual forecasts. He also noted that working with AI requires viewing past data as if it hasn't happened yet to train models continuously. Christian believes AI can help with tasks like summarization and storytelling for FP&A professionals, but humans still need to apply judgment and address uncertainty. https://youtu.be/fzsEkDA1kzA Links Christian Wattig on Linkedin Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO FP&A Boot camp FP&A Competency Framework Timestamps Introducing Christian Wattig (0:11) Career progression and FP&A experience in various industries. (0:20) FPGA training program and its impact on finance teams. (3:36) Implementing zero-based budgeting and managing stakeholder expectations. (10:19) Forecast accuracy and decision-making in finance. (14:36) Using AI in financial analysis and decision-making. (20:48) AI use in podcast production and storytelling. (29.05) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Catherine Marks, former VP of Finance at Depop, discusses her 5-step process for evaluating finance teams, including understanding business strategy, benchmarking team size, mapping roles and responsibilities, and assessing team members. She emphasizes the importance of planning for the future of the finance function and aligning the team with evolving systems and processes. They also explore factors contributing to finance function complexity and the impact of working with investors. Additionally, they discuss considerations and potential problems when merging finance teams.

Susana Serrano-Davey joins Kevin Appleby to discuss transforming doubt into achievement. Susana shares her experience overcoming self-doubt to write and publish a book. She outlines a 7-step methodology spelled by the letters in ACHIEVE: Aspire Fearlessly, Creatively Express, Hold Back and Wait, Innovatively Organize, Embrace Support, Validate Your Journey, and Evolve Beyond Limits. A - Aspire Fearlessly. This means to just get started on your goal or dream without worrying about success. Take the first step. C - Creatively Express. Let go of expectations and explore what you're truly passionate about through creative expression. H - Hold Back and Wait. Don't rush the process. Give things time to unfold naturally. I - Innovatively Organize. Take a fresh look at your situation and resources to find new ways to achieve your goal. E - Embrace Support. Don't try to do everything alone. Ask others for help and build a support network. V - Validate Your Journey. Spend time reflecting on whether you're moving in the right direction through self-observation. E - Evolve Beyond Limits. Break free of limiting beliefs about what you think you can or can't achieve. Susanna and Kevin discuss applying these steps to goals like writing a book, becoming a CFO, or any goal one doubts they can achieve. Susanna emphasises enjoying the process over fixating on outcomes and finding support from others. This provides practical advice for overcoming doubt and achieving one's goals and dreams. https://youtu.be/ZmTBeAwgYyg Links Join GrowCFO today GrowCFO Future CFO Program Susana’s Book “I Wish I Had Known” is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US Mentoring at GrowCFO with Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn View all podcast episodes. Timestamps Transforming doubt into achievement through goal-setting. (0:12) Overcoming self-doubt and pursuing creative passions. (2:58) Creativity, goal-setting, and seeking support. (7:54) Personal growth and self-awareness in leadership roles. (14:04) Embracing fearless aspirations and overcoming limits. (20:00) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net

Declan Tyrell, the CFO Whisperer, joins Kevin Appleby on the Grow CFO Show. Declan introduced himself as a former CFO and CFO Whisperer at both Google and Oracle. Someone who helps sales organizations understand finance leaders and position value propositions to inspire CFOs. He coaches sales professionals and runs deal clinics to help close deals. Declan is passionate about helping Salespeople understand the changing landscape of buying, in particular how to engage with their customers' economic buyer in times of financial uncertainty. Declan discussed how to approach CFOs by focusing on the business problem being solved and how the solution creates value. He emphasized clarity over complexity and focusing on "so what" and "who cares" factors. The conversation covered how to structure deals in a way that works for CFO incentives like EBITDA targets. Terrell shared examples of transformations he led at large organizations over months or years to transition finance functions. Declan shared insights from his time as Google's CFO Whisperer, helping close $2.3 billion in deals. He emphasized the importance of CFO buy-in for successful digital transformations and challenged presenters to identify accountability and measure projected benefits. At Google, he ran weekly deal clinics open for any team to book time and receive feedback on deals. Declan aimed to see 300 deals annually with a combined revenue value of over $2 billion. He challenged teams to clearly articulate the problems being solved and benefits to the business. Declan's deal clinics became popular training grounds for Google employees, and he found CFO involvement led to higher success rates on digital transformation projects. https://youtu.be/_LUVPCqzX-k Links Join GrowCFO today GrowCFO Future CFO Program Declan Tyrell on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn View all podcast episodes. Timestamps Introducing Declan Tyrell, The CFO Whisperer (0:11) Sales strategies for CFOs and salespeople. (1:27) Finance department automation and modernization. (6:01) Digital transformation and CFO role in project success. (11:14) Business growth and digital transformation. (16:22) Budgeting and strategic planning for business growth. (21:27) Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favourite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. You can join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars.  Premium members can also access our extensive training centre and CFO Digital Toolkit. Here, you can enrol in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programmes.  You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net