Paul Deeley

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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The quote-to-cash process has always been incredibly fragmented and disconnected. Companies stitch together CRM, CPQ, and ERPs with point solutions and humans in between to cover billing, collections, and revenue recognition. Even after painful implementations and huge spend, finance teams are still left with endless manual workflows. LLMs have changed the game. LLMs are incredibly good at reading contracts and pulling out billable logic. Being able to automate invoice creation and the downstream billing workflows has suddenly become possible. In our last demo day, Tabs demonstrated the potential for a true end-to-end revenue automation platform. No more stitching together disconnected tools. No more armies of humans handling manual workflows. Just clean, automated, end-to-end revenue operations. Huge thanks to Ali Hussain, Rebecca Schwartz, and the Tabs team for a thoughtful session and showing what the future of Q2C looks like. And special appreciation to our finance leaders whose tough questions and candid feedback make these events so valuable. Next month: Parker Gilbert at Numeric on how AI and automation are reshaping Close Management. We’re headed towards an agentic world in finance. If you’re building in this space, we want to hear from you. If you’re a finance leader who wants to join our CFO community, go here: https://lnkd.in/ghrznRdw

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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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As a CFO, I’ve participated in board meetings that meaningfully moved the company forward and others that fell short of their potential. The difference is rarely the quality of the board itself; it’s how management prepares for and uses the meeting. In this article, I outline practical ways leadership teams at venture-backed companies can turn board meetings into a real operating advantage accelerating decision making, sharpening strategic alignment, and elevating the overall board experience.

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CFOs are cutting costs – just not where you think. CFO Brew recently covered how finance leaders are prioritizing tech investments while scaling back in other areas, citing insights from our 2025 CFO Perspectives Report. It’s part of a broader shift of reallocating spend toward modernization and transformation. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eaVpVqS6 See our full findings: https://lnkd.in/er5pkVta #CFOPerspectives #DigitalTransformation

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I recently joined Colin Hewitt for his podcast, The New F*Word, which explores how Fractional CFOs are reshaping cash flow, financial strategy, and business growth. A Fractional CFO doesn’t need to have all the answers on day one. As I mentioned to Colin, "The biggest mistake I see is jumping straight to solutions before fully understanding the business. The approach I rely on is simple: listen first, create alignment, then deliver. That means understanding the people, the numbers, and the real problems before trying to fix anything. Once there’s alignment on what matters, execution becomes much easier." In this episode, we touch on a variety of other topics, including: * How to decide between a fractional CFO and a full-time hire * Why a company's financial narrative must pass the one-sentence test * The importance of alignment across every stakeholder * How to balance long-term vision with tactical flexibility * Why scenario analysis is a critical complement to point forecasts Please see the links below for the full podcast. I value your insights and look forward to your feedback... Apple: https://bit.ly/4aH65e0 Spotify: https://bit.ly/4qNfozk YouTube: https://lnkd.in/egaZEuFu #TheNewF*Word #FractionalCFO #CFOResponsibilities

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ROI is not just for assessing certain projects or investments. You should be using it to assess your partners and the value they bring to your business as well. #unipacproducts #ROI #distribution #meat&poultry #value

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Private equity isn’t always about squeezing EBITDA—sometimes, it’s about giving the business room to grow. In Episode 218 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Matt Blumberg (CEO of Markup AI) shares a powerful lesson from operating in PE-backed environments: you can unintentionally starve a company by forcing profitability too early. Mid-market PE is a different game entirely—and knowing when to break the paradigm and invest more to expand the pie can be the difference between stagnation and real scale. A great discussion on growth mindset, capital strategy, and the nuances of PE ownership. Episode 218 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gz2i558r Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #SaaSFinance #PrivateEquity #SaaSLeadership #SaaSPodcast #FounderInsights

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Private equity isn’t always about squeezing EBITDA—sometimes, it’s about giving the business room to grow. In Episode 218 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Matt Blumberg (CEO of Markup AI) shares a powerful lesson from operating in PE-backed environments: you can unintentionally starve a company by forcing profitability too early. Mid-market PE is a different game entirely—and knowing when to break the paradigm and invest more to expand the pie can be the difference between stagnation and real scale. A great discussion on growth mindset, capital strategy, and the nuances of PE ownership. Episode 218 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gz2i558r Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #SaaSFinance #PrivateEquity #SaaSLeadership #SaaSPodcast #FounderInsights

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"𝑵𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒔." That's Kevin Appleby from GrowCFO talking about the CFO transition. His insight? The shift from finance director to CFO is far bigger than most people realize. New CFOs must quickly move from internal-facing technical work to external strategic partnerships with investors, boards, and cross-functional leaders. The finance leaders who structure their first hundred days intentionally gain credibility faster. 🎧 Discover how to navigate your CFO transition on CFO Weekly. Apple: https://hubs.la/Q03_tNwR0 Spotify: https://hubs.la/Q03_tLyV0 YouTube: https://hubs.la/Q03_tLYb0 #cfoweekly #cfotransition #financeleadership #newcfo #careeradvancement

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CFOs are cutting costs, but not when it comes to tech that delivers real value. In this latest piece from Alex Zank for CFO Brew, CFOs are doubling down on strategic tech investments while scaling back in other areas. It’s a clear signal that finance leaders aren’t chasing every shiny object; they’re investing where it counts, especially in tools that drive long-term efficiency and resilience. According to the Visual Lease Data Institute, while 100% of Finance Executives agree that AI will benefit the Office of Finance, 48% say a lack of strategy for using AI to drive efficiency is one of the top concerns facing the industry, highlighting a critical gap as CFOs reprioritize tech investments for long-term impact. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/ea4j_MTN #FinanceLeadership #TechInvestment #CFOInsights

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PE-backed CFOs mistakenly treat nailing their yearly budget as their north star. But for sponsors, the real priority is equity value: spending the (right kind of) money to make more money at eventual exit. ​ See how CFOs can take advantage of tariff-related deal delays and elongated hold periods to drive equity value for exit down the road: https://lnkd.in/eZFw_uPP

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Every decision counts in the first 100 days as a new CFO. This is the window for a CFO to position finance at the center of strategic decision-making. In a Forbes Q&A, Bryan Graiff (Griff) outlines how new CFOs can gain early momentum by building trust across leadership, shifting from backward-looking reporting to forward-looking strategy and optimizing the systems and tools that power the business. He calls out the growing role of AI and why CFOs are uniquely positioned to lead adoption from the top and drive real impact. Dive into the full interview: https://ow.ly/a4a950YhnOl

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📉 How do you protect your company from a bad acquisition? It starts with deal structure. We’ve seen founders obsess over valuation and ignore deal terms—until the earnout misses or post-close claims eat into their headline number. Let’s talk escrows—the unsung heroes (or villains) of M&A. 🔐 Typical Escrow Clauses – General reps & warranties: usually 10–15% of purchase price – Tax-specific escrows: carve-outs for known risks or indemnities – Litigation or regulatory escrows: situational, but material if they exist 📆 Timing? – Standard general escrow lasts 12–18 months – Tax escrows can run up to 3–5 years, especially with IRS/state exposure – Escrow holdbacks (vs. third-party escrows) are less secure—use sparingly 🎯 Negotiation tactics we use with clients: – Break out specific escrows to isolate risk, instead of bloating the general bucket – Push for cap limits and materiality thresholds – Ask for escrow releases in tranches (ex: 50% at 12 months, rest at 18) – Use insurance (RWI) to reduce escrow size while still protecting buyers Escrows aren’t sexy—but they protect millions. cfocloser.com #M&A #StrategicFinance #Negotiation

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The Jekyll and Hyde CFO: Paranoia and Optimism in One Role....A great CFO lives in constant tension. On one side, you’re a true believer in “only the paranoid survive.” You assume forecasts are wrong, risks are underestimated, and capital is never as available as it looks on a spreadsheet. You’re always running downside scenarios and asking, what breaks first? On the other side, you’re expected to project confidence. You stand next to the CEO and say the growth plan is real, the BAHGs are achievable, and the team should lean in. That contradiction isn’t a bug. It is the job. The mistake isn’t holding two opposing views. The mistake is sharing them poorly. Who Gets Which Message? C-suite: full realism. This is where paranoia belongs—scenario planning, tradeoffs, and hard constraints. Board: structured truth. Risks framed as managed, with clear decision points and options. Team and org: consistency and belief. Not blind optimism, but confidence grounded in reality. Different audiences, same facts. What changes is emphasis, not truth. The Balancing Rules 1️⃣ Be consistent with messaging. One reality. One narrative. If people hear different stories, trust evaporates. 2️⃣ Acknowledge the challenge, lean into the opportunity. Smart people know when things are hard. Say it out loud—then explain why it’s still worth pushing. 3️⃣ Make the offramps clear and precise. “If X doesn’t happen by Y, we adjust like this.” Clear offramps turn ambition into a managed bet instead of reckless hope. Paranoia should inform the plan, not paralyze it. Your role isn’t just to protect the downside—it’s to help the organization commit fully while staying ready to adapt. Listen to the data. Listen to the market. Listen to your people. Adjust when reality changes. People don’t follow perfect plans. They follow leaders they trust. That’s the Jekyll and Hyde of a great CFO.

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Many CFOs are freezing spend in response to market turbulence, but does it actually save money?   In CFO Dive, CEO of Oak Point Partners Eric Linn breaks down why budget cuts can cost your business more in the long run — and why monetizing your Remnant Assets might be a better alternative.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6XrpJpy

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THE OPERATIONAL CFO IMPERATIVE The PE-backed lower middle market has long valued a CFO who closes the books fast, maintains covenant compliance, and presents clean numbers to the board. That CFO served the playbook well for decades. That era is ending. After 30+ years at the intersection of PE-backed SaaS, M&A, and enterprise finance — including three NASDAQ CFO tenures and 40+ transactions across North America, EMEA, and APAC — I’ve watched this transition accelerate. The CFOs who create outsized value in the next cycle are not simply better accountants. They are operational architects. 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: ▪ Compressed hold periods leave no runway for a CFO who needs 18 months to understand the business. Operational fluency from day one is now table stakes. ▪ SaaS unit economics — ARR, NRR, CAC, LTV, expansion revenue — are not cosmetic metrics. They are the operating system of the business. Finance leaders who can’t translate between GAAP and SaaS performance language can’t partner effectively with the board or the operating team. ▪ AI is restructuring finance now. Automated reconciliation, AI-assisted forecasting, intelligent spend management — these are already deployed in well-run SaaS organizations. CFOs who can architect these systems compress close cycles, improve forecast accuracy, and elevate their teams. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗙𝗢 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁: 1. Process design with a bias toward automation — building finance infrastructure as if starting from scratch today 2. Systems fluency — ERP, CRM, billing, RevRec, FP&A platforms — with the judgment to manage implementation risk 3. Data-driven partnership — connecting pipeline, churn, and expansion data to financial outcomes in real time 4. Cycle-tested judgment — the one thing no technology replicates. Having navigated rate shocks, credit contractions, and demand collapses, I know the difference between a structurally sound business and one riding a favorable macro. Boards learn this distinction the hard way when the cycle turns. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗘 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀: the CFO search criteria needs to expand beyond technical credentials. Operational track record, systems experience, and AI fluency belong in the profile. The Operational CFO isn’t a cost — it’s one of the highest-return investments in the value creation stack. The gap between companies that have made this transition and those that haven’t is already widening. → More at wolfepacks.com #CFO #PrivateEquity #SaaS #OperationalExcellence #AI #PEbackedSaaS #FinanceLeadership #ValueCreation

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BILL CFO John Rettig joined the CFO THOUGHT LEADER podcast to share how he’s redefining finance leadership—from capital allocator to growth strategist. Since joining BILL, John has helped scale the company from $13M to $1.5B in revenue, serve over 500K customers, and navigate IPO readiness all with a mindset shaped by decades of CFO experience. In this episode, he explains how today’s CFOs must connect strategy to execution, align cross-functional teams, and lead with the conviction of a CEO—especially as AI reshapes the industry. Hear how we're empowering the "Fortune 5 Million" SMBs. 🎙️ https://bit.ly/4kWSyDi

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From CFO Jonathan Apter: "Good PE-backed CFOs watch the bottom line—great CFOs look beyond it, investing money where it really counts: driving equity value." For CFOs looking to align with sponsor expectations, Jon Apter breaks down how to drive value for sustainable business success. https://lnkd.in/e79D2AmC

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