E16: CFO Dilemmas Decoded: Growth vs. Profit, VC vs. PE, and M&A Insights w/ Dan Fletcher, CFO of Planful

In this episode of Turpentine Finance, Sasha sits down with Dan Fletcher, CFO of Planful. They discuss how CFOs can build trust with the CEO and the board, balancing growth and profitability across different company stages, the nuances of working with VC versus PE investors, and more. Dan also shares his perspective of working at Planful, building infrastructure for CFOs. -- 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj This show is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://www.turpentine.co Get Turpentine Finance directly in your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://turpentine-finance.beehiiv.com/ and receive key takeaways from each episode -- RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️1 to 100 | Hypergrowth Companies Worth Joining Every week we sit down with the founder of a hyper-growth company you should consider joining. Our goal is to give you the inside story behind breakout, early stage companies potentially worth betting your career on. This season, discover how the founders of Modal Labs, Clay, Mercor, and more built their products, cultures, and companies. Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/70NOWtWDY995C8qDqojxGw Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1762756034 -- SPONSORS: NETSUITE 📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks. COMMANDBAR 🦾 Level up your ineffective website chatbot with CommandBar. CommandBar builds a new type of web assistant which delivers highly personalized responses, real time co-browsing, and can perform actions on behalf of the users. Learn how Hashicorp, Gusto, Freshworks and more use CommandBar at https://commandbar.com/moz BABBEL 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at https://babbel.com/torenberg -- LINKS: https://planful.com/ X/SOCIAL: Dan Fletcher on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danfletchersf/ @sashaorloff (Sasha's X) TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) The best advice for growth and profitability (02:13) Meet Dan Fletcher: Navigating CFO challenges (02:57) Stakeholder management for CFOs (04:22) Building trust with the CEO (08:30) Growth vs. profitability: A balanced approach (17:28) Navigating M&A discussions (20:43) Preparing for board meetings (25:08) Common questions CFOs face (25:45) The importance of knowing your business (26:24) The role of the CFO in board meetings (27:22) Differences between venture-backed and private equity-backed boards (29:00) Career path to CFO: CPA vs. corporate finance (33:53) Essential skills for aspiring CFOs (35:04) The role of the controller in strategic finance (37:07) Planful's success and CFO insights (43:02) Future of AI in financial planning (45:28) Conclusion and final thoughts