Joe S.

Most CFOs stepping into a PE-backed company quickly realize: it's a different job than the title suggests. The board isn't watching your audit readiness or your ERP migration. They're watching for momentum against the value creation plan. Today, FinQore is hosting a candid conversation with Steve Isom (COO & CFO, Bloomerang) on exactly this tension — and how the best PE-backed CFOs navigate it. 💻 "Inside the PE Boardroom: How CFOs Win (or Lose)" — LIVE TODAY at 12:00 pm ET | 9:00 am PT Steve will share hard-won perspective on: → What PE firms actually expect from your first 90–180 days → How to hold conviction with investors without losing operational credibility → Why translating investor priorities, not just repeating them, is what keeps you in the seat If you're in a PE-backed finance leadership role (or heading into one), we'd love to have you join us. Comment "Attend" below to save your spot 👇

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The quiet reason fractional CFO work often disappoints is rooted in differing expectations. Many fractional CFO engagements lose momentum—not due to talent or a lack of commitment from the business, but because stakeholders enter with varying assumptions about the role. Companies often believe a CFO's primary value lies in tidier financials, such as: - Organized books - Polished dashboards - Cleaner historical data - Sharper monthly reports While these elements are useful, they are not transformative. When the focus is on fixing the past, the CFO often becomes an extension of the accounting team, engaged in untangling entries and rebuilding models to make imperfect data work. This is important work, but it is not strategic. A CFO's real impact is seen in the decisions leadership makes about the future. Key questions include: - What’s the smartest place to deploy capital? - How much volatility can we absorb? - What scenarios threaten our runway? - Are we scaling profitably or just scaling activity? Fractional CFO relationships that truly succeed share a common trait: a solid foundation. Accounting owns accuracy, while finance owns direction. When these lanes are clear, the CFO is not stuck repairing yesterday; they are helping to design tomorrow.

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No CFO wants to be caught between evolving audit requirements & rising payment fraud risk. A new blog explores how gaps in accounts payable controls can lead to audit issues and fraud exposure and what modern, audit-ready AP systems need to look like.

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Wearing my technical accounting nerd hat today 😊 Occasionally, I see accountants book expense accruals/liabilities when I don’t believe they should be booking them, so here is my interpretation of the rules: Example: It’s Q4 2025. You’ve just signed your tax engagement letter for the 2025 tax year and your tax advisor has quoted you a fee for their work. No work will be performed by your tax advisor until Q1 2026. You are closing the books for 2025 and you book an accrual for the service fee in Q4 (to “match" the expense to the period it benefits). Seems logical and the correct thing to do, right? Well, here is the catch - Under US GAAP accrual basis accounting, expenses for services are recognized when they are incurred, which is when the services have been rendered or performed by the provider. FASB’s Concepts Statement 6 (CON 6) states that "liabilities are probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of a particular entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future as a result of past transactions or events". In this example, since the past event (performing the services) has not occurred as of December 31, 2025, there is no expense to be booked and no liability to be recognized as of the balance sheet date. Perhaps a footnote disclosure for the commitment to pay if they do the work but not a booked liability. The obligation to pay for the services will be created in 2026 when the work is performed and that’s when the expense will be recognized. I know I have many seasoned CPAs and auditors in my network so do let me know please if you have a different view on this.

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Moving from controller to CFO isn’t just about having the right experience—it’s about stepping into a bigger leadership role and staying open to growth. This article is a great reminder that being a strong financial leader means always learning, thinking strategically, and being ready to take on more. It’s a great read for anyone looking to take that next step.

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Is your CAS practice being slowed down by manual processes, reporting delays, and lack of collaboration? Join our webinar, Stop the Drains on Your CAS Practice (1.0 CPE credit available), to learn how Martus helps outsourced accountants modernize FP&A and scale profitably. 👉 Register here: https://hubs.li/Q03HnZTP0

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If the multi-owners in your accounting firm are not aligned, growth will stall before it starts. True alignment goes beyond agreeing on financial targets. It means having a shared vision, clearly defined roles, and a consistent rhythm for strategic planning. As Lera shares, “Align on philosophy first and metrics second.” It’s about creating space for candid conversations, setting responsibilities that match each partner’s strengths, and keeping everyone moving toward the same destination. Alignment is never accidental. It’s built through intentional actions that strengthen trust, streamline decisions, and keep strategy on track. There is a TON more that Lera Kooper dives into and you are going to want to read all about it on our blog linked in the comments. What is your firm doing to stay aligned? 👇🏼 #BusinessGrowth #TeamAlignment #LeadershipDevelopment #StrategicPlanning #FirmSuccess #CollaborativeCulture #TrustBuilding #EffectiveCommunication #AccountabilityMatters #Accounting

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🚀 Big things are here. Capital Currency, LLC was built on one belief: every finance team has hidden potential waiting to be unlocked. What started as a simple idea has grown into C.A.P.E.. Our Codified Accounting Procedures Engine embeds CPA expertise, multiplies your team’s capabilities, and solves the scaling challenges businesses face. Tomorrow we reveal the next chapter. Stay tuned for a conversation on where this vision began and what we are solving, in our CEO Alan Abadie Jr.,’s discussion with Vince of Acorn to Oak Strategies on their "Beyond the Linear" YouTube channel🔗. 🌐 Explore more: https://lnkd.in/g-USntwF 📅 Book time with us: calendly.com/cpa323 #FinanceTransformation #CAPE #CapitalCurrency #FutureOfWork 🔗 https://lnkd.in/guRVWHCv

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💼 Your CFO or controller isn’t just a “numbers person.” They could be your biggest untapped asset for business growth, innovation, and smarter decision-making. In our latest article, we break down how strategic finance leaders can help you: 🔹 Build smarter business plans 🔹 Streamline outdated practices 🔹 Drive innovation with data-backed confidence The modern CFO is no longer stuck in the back office — they’re at the core of operational agility and growth strategy. If you're still using finance leadership only for compliance and budgeting, you’re missing a critical opportunity. ➡️ Read now: https://lnkd.in/eZxWQtgF 📊 CFOs and controllers aren't just bookkeepers — they're business builders. #CFOservices #FractionalCFO #FinanceStrategy #BusinessGrowth #ControllerSupport #Innovation #StrategicPlanning #ProcurisConsulting

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Manual workflows steal what SMBs can't afford to lose: time. Ariege Misherghi, SVP & GM of AP, AR, & AC at BILL, points out that 90% of finance leaders call W-9 collection their biggest tax compliance headache. Time on manual coding and compliance is time not spent serving customers or building your business. The shift isn't just digital. It's strategic. 💡 Watch the full Hiline podcast hosted by Matt Gardner: https://bit.ly/44Y04b1

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🚀 New from our CFO Bytes series! In today’s episode, John Silverstein, VP of FP&A, XR Extreme Reach, highlights critical mistakes accountants often make with accrued revenue and expense accounts. 📈 Improper alignment or breakdown of accruals complicates margin analysis and reduces its accuracy 📄 Excessive detail in accrual accounts causes misclassification and burdens the finance team Clarity and efficiency of accruals start with smart structuring! #CFObytes #FinanceAutomation #Hyperbots #ChartofAccounts #Accruals #Expenses #MarginAnalysis #FinanceTeams

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Most AR automation doesn't fail because of the tech. It fails because teams try to sprint before they can walk. There’s a real gap in finance ops right now: lofty automation goals, shaky execution. In a new PYMNTS feature, our VP of Product Management Michael Younkie digs into what actually derails AR initiatives: starting tools before outcomes, skipping the hard process work, and underestimating how messy #AR really is inside most organizations. The teams that see lasting results don't chase “transformation.” They slow down first. What works in practice: - Start with a clear process assessment (bottlenecks, exceptions, manual work) - Roll out in phase tied to real KPIs like #DSO and straight-through processing - Fix data issues before configuring workflows - Clean data before configuration - Treat go-live as the starting line, not the finish line When execution matches ambition, measurable gains often show up in 30–90 days–without losing your sanity. Read the full article in PYMNTS here → https://bit.ly/4qbJfB8 #ARAutomation #FinanceOperations #PYMNTS

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🦻 Inside scoop: The automation used by the IRS is creating faster, broader screening so audit readiness now depends on clean data, clear reconciliations and defensible documentation across all your business return types. 😶 Meaning? You have to be much more focused and precise in what you're preparing now ... ensuring everything is absolutely crisp - despite working with vastly more data. That's a big lift for most organizations, whether small, medium or large. 📈 Do you have a solid plan of action? 👉Listen in on the details with the latest episode in our podcast series: Christe Sciacca, Parker Miller, Laura Berkobin, Karen McPhillips, Karolina Michalik, Joanne Clark #taxcompliance #TaxTech #DirectTax #corporatetax #WoltersKluwer #manufacturing #construction #realestate #tax #cch

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Most CFOs learn the business from the inside. CFO Alex Melamud of Engine learned it from both sides—years in investing, a dozen boards, then the leap into the CFO seat at Engine. In our full conversation, he gets specific about what changes when finance is measured by signal, not noise: why he checks NPS first, how a usage-based model forces better daily pacing, and why capital allocation is really about “the next dollar” and incrementality. And many more insights along the way LISTEN HERE: https://lnkd.in/eFqT9zQ6

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In accounts payable, paying your vendors on time isn’t just about being a good business partner — it’s about strategically positioning your company for long-term success. When payments are delayed or mishandled, it’s more than just an operational hiccup. It’s a missed opportunity to build trust and strengthen relationships with key suppliers. Timely payments show your vendors that you value their partnership, which can result in better payment terms, early-payment discounts, and improved service levels. At Tipalti, we’ve made paying vendors on time a cornerstone of our AP strategy. By leveraging automation, we’ve been able to streamline the process and reduce the risk of missed payments or errors. And the results speak for themselves — by maintaining strong, positive relationships with our vendors, we’ve been able to unlock better terms across the board and ensure a smoother, more efficient supply chain. So, if you’re a CFO or key decision-maker on the finance team, remember this: Accounts payable is no longer just a back-office function. When managed strategically, it plays a critical role in strengthening vendor relationships and positioning your business for continued growth. Timely payments are an investment in your company's long-term success.

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The accounting talent crunch isn’t over, it’s just shifting. According to Intuit, 80% of firms are still struggling to hire. It’s not just about entry-level gaps anymore. Securing juniors with just one year of experience is proving harder than expected. Add the need for tech fluency and burnout from long hours, and you’ve got a profession at a crossroads. The solution isn’t just changing licensure rules. It’s about reshaping perceptions of what a career in accounting can be - tech-forward, strategic, and flexible. We can’t hire our way out of this. We need to reimagine what we’re asking people to join. #Accounting #Hiring #FutureOfWork

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U.S. companies have $1.76 trillion locked in inefficient receivables — with DSO making its biggest jump since 2008. As inflation and uncertainty persist, strong Accounts Receivable (AR) performance is mission-critical to maintaining the cash companies need to operate and invest. Yet too many AR teams still rely on manual and inefficient processes that stall collections, inflate DSO, and squeeze cash flow. Read our latest blog to unlock 7 best practices for optimizing your AR department. From standardized workflows to AI and automation to metrics you should be tracking, get practical tips for speeding your AR process and boosting cash flow without damaging customer relationships. Read our new blog here: https://lnkd.in/eFKUFpt5 #accountsreceivable #AI #automation #finance #outsourcing Alexander Sandi Cascante

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