Divide & Conquer An excerpt from the book The Transition Game, written by CFOLC member Greg Olney. For more information on Olney, scroll down. The “Divide & Conquer” strategy can be a good thing if you’re talking about an algorithm set in recursion to divide a problem into sub-problems. A big problem can be answered in an expeditious fashion this way. But when the “Divide & Conquer” approach is used on right relationships, it’s seldom good. Most of the time, people in positions of power will use this technique to stay in power by using: Meaninglessness – When people in

Coming up on December 11th in our NYC chapter, we are holding a discussion that I know will be quite interesting – the topic is on The Indispensable CFO.  This title made me think to myself, what does a CFO ( or financial executive headed toward this position) have to do to be recognized as indispensable; how does one develop h/herself to be Indispensable in this current culture? While CFO’s across all organizations demonstrate strong financial acumen and functional expertise, the most successful CFO’s acknowledge the need to leverage competencies beyond financial oversight that align with the tenets of their organization’s strategy,

“It wasn’t so many years ago that pre-acquisition assessments of a company’s technology were limited to check-the-box activities”, reflected Patrick Moroney, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Central States Funds and previously CIO of several private equity-backed industrial and healthcare companies.  “Meantime, the level of connected-ness among a company’s operations, financial results, and its information systems has completely changed that.  Acquirers must consider the increasing dependency of all organizational functions on technology as digitization and a globally-pervasive internet raising competitive standards.  The thoughtfulness of a target’s technology strategy (or its absence) can provide leading indicators of post-closing surprises that could make-or-break

Some companies pursue growth through acquisitions by initiating a search for potential targets suited to their strategy.  Other firms may be prompted to consider acquisition by seeing potential in a company they already do business with (or compete against). Whether a potential acquisition surfaces through deliberate efforts or opportunistically, there are several important ways that a CFO can contribute to an acquirer’s success in the early days of identifying and engaging with potential sellers: A network that provides connections to potential sellers Informed speculation about a seller’s financial expectations and requirements for a deal Early assessment of a seller’s preparedness

Mindy Barker of Barker Associates and Co-Chair for The CFO Leadership Council's Jacksonville chapter, has announced the release of her new book Pitching to Win: Strategies for Success. Drawing on Barker’s extensive experience working in private equity and financial management, the book offers practical advice for pitching a business to investors, including how to get a company infrastructure-ready and how to create pitch materials.  Barker recently hosted a webcast for CFOLC members, sharing her expertise on the subject. Barker developed the idea for the book after seeing the need for a broader understanding of the process of selling a business and

Being a leader is a commitment. You are charged with guiding and supporting your team through the good times and the bad. Creative leaders can make enormous contributions through a focus on concentration and self development. So what does this mean exactly? During a recent webcast with Steve Wolff, a CFO for healthcare, technology & SaaS companies, as well as co-chair of our Chicago chapter, breaks down why it’s so important for leaders to commit, contribute and concentrate. He also shares top tips for improving your leadership skills in today’s current climate. Pro tip: Leaders provide one another calculated and