CFO Bookshelf

How did Charles Cowlam resort to a lifelong career in crime during the Gilded Age?During this fascinating interview, the author of A Wonderful Career Crime accidentally uncovers several fascinating nuggets of U.S. history that would otherwise remain undetected by well-known historians.Frank Garmon shares his favorite stories of Cowlam's life as a fraudster, bigamist, and swindler. He takes us to the origin of how this micro-history came to be in book form. We also learn how the wisdom of crowds revealed Cowlan's true identity in a world without LinkedIn and Facebook.

Charlie Hewlett, managing director at RCLCO and co-author of a book on strategy for real estate companies, shares valuable insights on integrating strategic planning into real estate. He discusses the critical yet overlooked role of strategic planning and its tailored approaches in managing the cyclical nature of real estate. Topics include the necessity of long-term vision, conducting thorough SWOT analyses, and the importance of core values in organizations. Charlie also addresses current trends and expectations shaping the real estate market as it approaches 2025.

What do you know about Jay Gould's life, and how does he compare to the other robber barons of his day? More importantly, is his life worth examining?Mark discusses Gould's upbringing in this book review, which influenced his desire to be rich. Learn about one of the most significant market corners on Wall Street and the man who helped to create America's economic expansion during the internet era of his day.

In this podcast, the host shares five inspiring books for financial leaders to read. The episode explores financial reporting processes and challenges leaders to prioritize the balance sheet. Additionally, it discusses the presentation order of financial statements, referencing Amazon's approach.

Learn about the three key roles of a fractional CFO: contractor, consultant, and coach. Dive into topics like adding value, evolving definitions of the CFO role, pricing strategies, and building trust with clients.

As I think about our next guest, Jody Grunden, he reminds me of the successful business leader who Mixergy's Andrew Warner should feature. Jody co-founded Summit CPA Group in the early 2000s and decided to focus on financial leadership instead of offering the conventional services many small firms provided.This discussion addresses the accounting shortage, effective accountants, and why accounting professionals have nothing to fear about AI technologies.

When did you start using Excel, and how did you learn it?Jeff Lenning is the founder of Excel University, and he joins us to discuss the biggest mistakes he sees in Excel workbooks, the differences between formal and informal training, and why both are critical.We also walked down memory lane, discussing when we started using Excel and some of our favorite functions inside this powerful application.Finally, we tip our cap to two very famous Excel MVPs and why we do so.

What would you be willing to do to feel alive in your work every day? Jack Craven asks executives from all walks of life this question.Jack is the author of Aliveness Mindset: Lead and Live with More Passion, Purpose, and Joy. His book includes more than a dozen tools and frameworks for starting the journey of aliveness.Some topics we hit in this conversation include where aliveness starts, David Robsen's expectation effect, the actual vs. the ideal self, anchoring mindsets, accelerance, and magic words.

I list the top business books I've read over the previous year each January. At the end of 2024, The Venture Mindset by Ilya Strebulaev and Alex Dang will easily be in my top three and possibly my overall favorite.The Venture Mindset reads fast and reminds me a little of Kahneman, Munger, and books about Buffett.Some of the big ideas we cover in this episode with both authors include roof shots vs. moonshots, betting on jockeys vs. the horses, winning at the piggy bank game, and what we can learn from student VC partnerships.This book is not just for those in the VC community. There are many takeaways for those working in and running small businesses.

Discover the remarkable life of banker Edmond Safra, known for his integrity and successful banking career. Learn about his unconventional banking methods and personal relationships in the industry. Explore the sale of his bank to HSBC and the tragic events that led to his untimely demise. Dive into a discussion on favorite books and upcoming book projects.