The Fractional CFO Show with Adam Cooper

In this one I had the pleasure of chatting with Dave Parry, the Managing Director at Wellmeadow Ltd, a consultancy that helps businesses that need non-exec support, process transformation or support with lead generation. Dave and I had a wide ranging discussion, looking at how small businesses set their vision and strategies, how they live up to those and ensure the entire organisation stays on track.  We looked at some of the specific challenges of hybrid working, with Dave’s experience of chairing thousands of Board Meetings providing interesting insight to the In Office vs. Remote discussion many of us are having.  Dave then shares some excellent rules around hosting an effective meeting as well as a well thought through marketing workflow that they support their clients with at Wellmeadow. If you are looking for clarity around Operations, Corporate Governance and Marketing, Dave’s clear thinking and straightforward approach to business is refreshing and this episode is a must for you.Business Book Bonus: Harvard Business Review  -  https://hbr.org/Management Today  - https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/ SME Growth Podcast - https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/

In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by @David Adderson, the co-founder of @Youtopia, a premium cloud accounting service that helps simplify your finance department.. In this conversation, David and I explore how we can integrate technology into your client's workflows as an accountant and how to help make their finance operations simpler and more streamlined. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ How David’s holistic early career experience outside of accounts helped his view of using tech efficiently;✅ How AI is shaping the accounting landscape not currently as Artificial intelligence but more as Automation Intelligence✅ The shiny toy syndrome and the need to ensure you are fully utilising existing software rather than just bringing in more toys;✅ How it is mindset management with the Finance Department or Business Owner that is the hardest part of introducing new technologies;✅ How David trials new tools to ensure that any new tech is rolled out only if it makes life markedly better either on the Client or Youtopia’s workflows. Business Book Bonus Section:·       Eat That Frog - Brian Tracy - https://amzn.eu/d/aFbR8UF·       The Diary of a CEO Podcast - https://stevenbartlett.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-podcast/·       Lewis Morgan Podcast - https://www.lewismorganpodcast.com/·       The ups and downs of a small business owner Podcast - https://www.youtopia.co.uk/podcast

In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by @Rachael Ager, the Client Services Director at Brunswick Creative, the creative arm of Brunswick group, where Rachael leads the account management team working across offices in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Gulf.  In this conversation, Rachael and I explore how agency finance teams can best empower and support account management and in turn their clients. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ How Rachael sees the role of finance as a vital second pair of eyes within the business;✅ The challenges of working in a Creative agency and managing overspends to ensure client satisfaction;✅ The management of projects and ensuring that as a global agency international clients are supported in a consistent way;✅ How Brunswick Creative use regular finance surgeries as ways to provide visibility to Account Management on project progress;✅ How education of the team on the direct link between timesheets, estimates and invoicing improves timesheet completion rates.Business Book Bonus - Belonging: The Ancient Code of Togetherness by Owen Eastwood -  https://amzn.eu/d/cLr4TFZ

In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by Richard Hadler, an Angel Investor, experienced executive and Co-Founder of Founders Capital, an investment community dedicated to helping founders raise investment from other founders and start up experts.In this conversation, Rich and I explore the world of finance for founders – and understand what investors are looking for in the companies that they invest in. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ The financial and non-financial metrics that Rich as an Investor considers before investing;✅ The role that Founders Capital and its community play in the companies they invest in;✅ How Angel Investors are evaluating the potential exit strategies in the current market;✅ Rich talking through how he evaluates the businesses and founders that he invests in;✅ How best to evaluate a business model and potential at the pre-revenue stage.Business Book recommendation - Allan Leighton - Tough Calls: Making the right decisions in challenging times - https://amzn.eu/d/5XEsG9c

In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by @Sarah Ropek, the Founder of @People Management Partners, an HR consultancy committed to delivering HR solutions to startup, small and medium sized businesses. In this conversation, Sarah and I explore the world of HR for Small Businesses – and how small business owners can best approach the people side of their businesses. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ Developing your team’s skills and using competency frameworks to do so;✅ Hiring for shared values amongst your management team as you scale;✅ Forecasting for staff fluctuations and seasonality in your business;✅ Rules of thumb around hiring full time vs. fractional staff;✅ The benefits of virtual co-working for hybrid teams.Business Book Bonus Recommendation – The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle - https://amzn.eu/d/1dZmjl3 

🌟 Kicking off our new series, I'm thrilled to be in conversation with @Ali Gray, the VP and Executive Creative Director at @Free Think Media. In this episode, we delve deep into the world of Creative businesses, exploring the commercial challenges of managing creative teams and nurturing their potential. Here are some highlights from our discussion:  ✅ Ali's unique blend of creativity and spreadsheet prowess. ✅ Strategies for motivating and empowering creative teams. ✅ Uncovering significant savings through questioning and innovation. ✅ The power of constraints in driving creative solutions. ✅ Embracing failure as a pathway to innovation. Business Book Bonus Recommendation –  Creative Act – Rick Rubin - https://amzn.eu/d/0YgZ1eqRobert Mayhew – TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrrobertmayhew?lang=en

In this episode, I am joined by Sam Lenox, the Head of Employee Incentives at Harper James, a modern law firm, purpose-built to support entrepreneurial businesses in their growth from startup to scale up and beyond. In this conversation, Sam and I explore the world of employee share options, looking at the structure, their implementation and an important insight for businesses who may be new to this world of incentives to better understand what is available. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ How to educate and manage expectations of young staff around share options;✅ Understanding the not insignificant tax benefits of the EMI scheme;✅ How an internal market typically works for these kinds of schemes;✅ Managing Share Option schemes with an International hat on;✅ Marrying long term ESOPs with shorter term bonus scheme. Business Book Bonus Recommendation –  Legacy – James Kerr - https://amzn.eu/d/5xTOA4B

In this episode, I'm delighted to be joined by Jason Miles, SVP Finance at Conde Nast, the global media company with a portfolio including brands such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Wired, among others.In this conversation, Jason and I dive into some of the complexities of multinational expansion and how businesses can effectively manage those challenges that come with that. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ Considerations around when a business is ready to enter a new market;✅ How to ensure the vision and values of your business are respected as you grow;✅ Maintaining control over your cash as you enter markets with different payment practices;✅ The benefits of a federated vs. centralised model to ensure consistent & accurate information;✅ In house vs. External – insights into setting up offices and the trade-offs around speed, cost and risks to compliance.Business Book Bonus Recommendation – The Culture Map – Erin Meyer - https://amzn.eu/d/0YWNcg5 

As we kick off the new year, I'm thrilled to be joined by Magda Dillon, the Owner-Director and Head of Consultancy at Pain Free IT, experts in leading and delivering best in class business solutions.  In this broad ranging conversation, Magda and I cover all that you need to know about selecting, implementing and launching a new agency finance and project management system. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:✅ Why and When Businesses should consider rolling out a new system;✅ How Magda views AI impacting the world of Finance and PM systems;✅ How to best avoid a garbage in / garbage out situation with data migration;✅ How to get the wider business teams involved in the project for optimum buy in;✅ The need for a bespoke, iterative approach to launching a successful product roll out.

In this, our fifth and final episode before we break for the holidays, I'm joined by Dan Kalms, an experienced Finance Leader, currently Financial Controller at Sullivan and Stanley, the award-winning specialist change consultancy. In this broad ranging conversation, Dan and I cover all that you need to know about good Corporate Governance in small and growing businesses. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:  ✅ The benefits of a limited company structure; ✅ How your company structure impacts and affects your access to finance;✅The challenge, importance and impact on behaviour of setting strong KPIs; ✅The roles, duties and benefits of having strong and diverse Board of Directors; ✅ The importance of Non Exec Directors and particularly of the diversity of that group. Business Book Bonus Recommendation – The Future Business Formula: How to change faster and accelerate business success -  https://amzn.eu/d/c3jMbAy