Run the Numbers
CJ Gustafson
Run the Numbers is a twice-weekly podcast about financial metrics and business models, designed for ambitious people operating tech startups. It's a collection of things host CJ Gustafson (CFO at Partstech and writer of Mostly Metrics) has learned and thought about in the trenches as a tech CFO.
This show is meant to serve as a playbook of sorts for the stuff CJ wishes he knew earlier in his career, both from experience and from copying people smarter than himself.
Topics frequently touch upon Startup SaaS Metrics, Annual Budgeting, Financial Forecasting, Headcount, Equity, Dilution, and Fundraising – and how all of these drive business performance and growth.
This show is meant to serve as a playbook of sorts for the stuff CJ wishes he knew earlier in his career, both from experience and from copying people smarter than himself.
Topics frequently touch upon Startup SaaS Metrics, Annual Budgeting, Financial Forecasting, Headcount, Equity, Dilution, and Fundraising – and how all of these drive business performance and growth.
Episodes
Mentioned books
6 snips
Jun 3, 2024 • 57min
Managing a Hypergrowth Company With Bill Zerella, Former CFO of Fitbit
Former Fitbit CFO Bill Zerella discusses managing hypergrowth, tech debt, and company culture. He shares insights on forecasting R&D spend, achieving negative working capital, and competing with the Apple Watch. Learn from his journey in data-driven tech firms.
May 27, 2024 • 59min
Making the Complex Simple: Untying the Business Model of The Knot Worldwide With CFO Andy Ivanovich
CFO of The Knot, Andy Ivanovich, delves into the company's unique business model, focusing on transactions, ICP, and customer LTV. He shares M&A wisdom, revealing the Build, Buy, or Buddy framework for growth. Emphasizes the importance of challenging conventional wisdom and managing healthy friction within teams.
67 snips
May 23, 2024 • 55min
Ditch Your Budget: Unconventional Frameworks for Driving Results, With Guido Torrini of OneTrust
Guido Torrini, CFO of OneTrust and former CFO of Celonis, shares insights on managing finance teams like tech organizations, V2MOM framework, tying company priorities to budgeting, wartime vs. peacetime leadership, and making finance teams 'make the news' in this episode.
17 snips
May 20, 2024 • 46min
A Crash Course in Sales Compensation With CJ Gustafson
Sales expert CJ Gustafson provides a crash course in sales compensation, covering topics like designing sales rep comp plans, base vs. variable pay, accelerators, SPIFs, paying sales reps, commission rates, and benchmarks for account executives. He also discusses the flaws in comp plans, using Salesforce's early comp plans as a case study.
4 snips
May 16, 2024 • 55min
Selling Trust: Airbase CFO Aneal Vallurupalli on Risk Management
Airbase CFO Aneal Vallurupalli discusses risk management, fraud prevention, value metrics, and the role of the CFO. He emphasizes trust as a key product, the importance of a risk roadmap, and the qualities that separate good CFOs from great ones. Vallurupalli also shares insights on the people function in finance and the evolution of payments management at Airbase.
6 snips
May 13, 2024 • 55min
Venture Debt as a Strategic Lever for Growth With Ruslan Sergeyev of Hercules Capital
Ruslan Sergeyev from Hercules Capital gives insights into venture debt, types, benefits, and players. He discusses debt structure, covenants, rates, and success fees. Learn when to raise venture debt and how to leverage banking activities. Discover red flags in the process and capital stack strategies.
9 snips
May 9, 2024 • 54min
The Mindshare Advantage: Marketplace Success With Boris Wertz of Version One Ventures
Boris Wertz, Founding partner at Version One Ventures, talks about marketplace evolution, focusing on niche markets, solving chicken and egg problem, buyer mindshare, and long-tail models. They discuss the importance of understanding demand and supply matching in 'hotspots', liquidity in marketplaces, and pricing strategies. Boris also explores high-ticket collectibles, early-stage investing, and growth strategies for marketplaces.
33 snips
May 6, 2024 • 52min
Marketing as a Form of Capital Allocation With Carta's Head of Growth Angela Winegar
Angela Winegar, Head of Growth at Carta, discusses how marketing is a form of capital allocation, ROI for media budgets, and the value of brand, demand gen, and growth marketing. She highlights the need for ROI in marketing and collaboration between CMOs and CFOs. Angela also shares anecdotes from her unconventional career path.
5 snips
May 2, 2024 • 59min
Unpacking Spirit Airlines' Complex Financial Model with CFO Scott Haralson
CFO Scott Haralson of Spirit Airlines discusses the complexities of the airline business, including ultra-low-cost carrier models and operating costs per available seat mile. He touches on forecasting challenges, network planning, fuel price hedging, capital decisions, and the importance of dynamic pricing. Haralson also reveals Spirit's Ideal Customer Profile and the role of leisure travelers. The podcast delves into economic cycles, aircraft purchases, and lessons learned in financial planning.
37 snips
Apr 25, 2024 • 1h 1min
“Take a Risk”: Silicon Valley Veteran Molly Graham on How to Scale Yourself & Your Startup
Silicon Valley veteran Molly Graham discusses scaling startups, work grief, taking risks in career progression, mastering destruction in building a company, and the art of firing people. She shares insights on navigating emotional challenges during layoffs, embracing risks for growth, and making bold career moves despite fear.
