“I Lost Money – It Was Beautiful” – Brad Channer on Why You Should Fail at a Startup at Least Twice

In this episode, CJ sits down with Rob Paterson, CFO of Employment Hero, to talk about smart growth, why not all revenue is good revenue, and Australia's startup scene. They start by discussing when to turn down growth opportunities and which financial metrics are more distracting than helpful. Rob explains the challenges of holding people accountable when you are a growth CFO and how to be a Chief Reality Officer instead of a “CF-No”. He offers a view into the Australian startup ecosystem, highlighting what sets it apart, the challenges local founders face, and why global expansion from day one is a must. Rob also outlines his approach to forecasting and cost control, including how he applies the 80/20 rule to revenue, before sharing a wild fraud story from his auditing days.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company’s spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:18) Sponsor – Vanta | Tropic | NetSuite(07:06) Not All Revenue Is Good Revenue(14:09) Metrics: Overrated and Underrated(16:14) Sponsor – Planful | Subscript | Rippling Spend(20:18) Lifetime Value (LTV)(20:11) Vertical and Horizontal P&L(21:27) Chief Reality Officer: Holding People Accountable(24:37) Staying Approachable as a CFO(26:04) The Australian Startup Ecosystem(27:28) What Sets Australian Startups Apart(29:39) Going Global on Day One(31:47) The Remote-First Superpower(32:52) Competitiveness and Tall Poppy Syndrome(35:24) Mastering the 80/20 Rule(39:17) Building Strong Management(41:32) Long-Ass Lightning Round: The Fraud Story(46:10) Finance Software Stack(47:06) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Rick Smith, multi-time CFO, founder of Bonfire Advisory, and author, joins CJ to discuss the complexities and nuances of the CFO role in venture-backed companies. They delve into the dynamics of the CEO-CFO relationship and examine the qualities CEOs think they want in a CFO versus what they need. Rick introduces the concept of “The triangle of doom” that exists between the CEO, the CFO, and the board, and how to navigate situations when forced to pick sides. Having been a CFO of five different organizations across industries and stages, Rick then explains how he categorizes company stages relating to CFO needs. As the founder of Bonfire Advisory, Rick talks about how founders can set themselves up for financial success before they need a full-time CFO and breaks down some of the most common mistakes early-stage companies make.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company’s spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)LINKS:Demystifying the Role of the CFO in Venture and Growth Stage Companies - https://www.amazon.com/Demystifying-Role-CFO-Venture-Companies/dp/B0DS9KF2C8Rick Smith on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-906939/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:13) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | Planful(06:49) The Challenges of the CFO-CEO Relationship(12:59) What CEOs Think They Want in a CFO Versus What They Need(17:46) Sponsor – Subscript | Rippling Spend | Vanta(21:21) Hatred of Failure and Personal Accountability(24:38) Establishing Trust With a New CEO(28:21) Navigating Ethics When the CEO Is Dishonest(32:54) Picking Sides Between the Board & CEO(36:42) How To Exit When You Disagree With the CEO(38:19) Categorizing Company Stages(41:21) Why Early-Stage Companies Should Have Fractional CFOs(43:51) Common Mistakes for Early-Stage Companies(48:49) The Types of CFOs You Need at Different Stages(53:14) What Rick Likes About Working With Series A and B(54:54) Rick’s Book(57:15) Anecdotes From Rick’s Career(01:00:47) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Leases(01:04:49) Advice to Younger Self(01:05:38) Rick’s Recommended Tech Stack(01:08:54) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Run the Numbers. Now that I’m full time, I promised that I’d let you all in on the Business of Mostly Metrics. And chapter of that story is the my own failed startup - Bubba Booking.On this episode we’ll cover ten lessons I learned, how I lost over $200K, and what came of this face plant.Check out our sponsor Gelt, who makes this podcast possible.You can get 10% off year one - https://go.joingelt.com/mostlymetricsAt Gelt, they work with CFOs who aren’t just looking to stay compliant—they’re looking to unlock strategic value from their tax position. Think: optimized entity structures, real-time visibility across complex ownership, and proactive tax planning that actually moves the needle on cash flow.And here’s the thing: the tax landscape is changing fast—especially for high-growth businesses, alternative investors, and companies navigating multi-entity complexity. Whether it’s preparing for a capital event, evaluating compensation structures, or just avoiding costly surprises, your tax strategy should be as agile as the rest of your business.They give you quarterly strategy check-ins and proactive estimates designed to lower your effective tax rate, protect equity value, and drive long-term efficiency—all delivered through clear communication with your Gelt CPA and a powerful, modern platform.You can get 10% off year one - https://go.joingelt.com/mostlymetrics Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ Gustafson sits down with Brad Channer, the CFO of UBIO and possibly the world's most interesting CFO and accountant. He describes his unconventional career path from acting to accounting and the he lessons learned from some entrepreneurial failures along the way. Brad also discusses communication and leadership, including how his acting background shaped his style in the boardroom. He breaks down the biggest mistakes CFOs make when explaining financials and why some accountants struggle to reach the C-suite even if they’re brilliant on paper. He shares insights on neurodiversity in the workplace and how to unlock its advantages before unpacking why the UK has produced fewer tech giants than the US and the one regulatory shift that could potentially supercharge the industry.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company’s spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:32) Sponsor - NetSuite | Planful | Subscript(05:39) From Actor to Management Accountant(10:25) Brad’s Bold Move to the UK(13:02) His Journey into Entrepreneurship and Accounting(16:07) Sponsor - Rippling Spend | Vanta | Tropic(20:08) Reclaiming the F Word: Failure(23:37) Communicating Like a Human(25:42) Acting Lessons for Accountants(29:49) How to Understand Your Audience(35:36) Navigating Neurodiversity in Business(36:35) How to Adapt Your Communication for Founders(38:30) Why Some Accountants Don’t Make it to the C-Suite(40:38) Learning to Ask Questions(43:29) Leadership in Large Companies Versus SMEs or Scale-Ups(45:24) The UK Versus US Tech Scene(47:10) Tall Poppy Syndrome in the UK(51:38) Long-ass lightning round: Do Your Research(55:14) Advice to Younger Self(56:15) Finance Software Stack(56:58) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Sanjay Datta, CFO of Upstart and former senior finance exec at Google, joins CJ to discuss leadership, scaling, and the future of lending with AI. Sanjay spent 12 years at Google, helping grow it into an $80B global ads business. He sheds light on Google’s monetization model, the simplicity of its forecasting, and the power of centralized analytics. He also reflects on scaling Upstart from $10M to $500M, going public, managing investor and employee expectations, and staying agile through macroeconomic shifts.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company’s spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.MUFG is the largest bank in Japan and a global banking powerhouse with a focus on empowering Growth and Middle Market stage companies in North America and Europe. MUFG provides comprehensive banking services for VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies with revenues starting at $40M. The bank combines its global capabilities with deep operational understanding to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory. Contact Bob Blee at [email protected] to find out more.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:17) Sponsor – Planful | Subscript | Rippling Spend(05:39) Sanjay’s Unconventional Career Path(07:55) Lessons From Google on Being a Leader(10:11) Managing an $80 Billion Revenue Ad Business(12:24) The Evolution of Google’s Monetization Model(15:06) Sponsor – MUFG | Vanta | Tropic | NetSuite(21:04) Scaling Google Ads to $80 Billion(23:18) Google’s Forecasting Model(24:48) Complexity and Scale at Google(28:03) The Science of Analytics in a Digital Company(31:06) Upstart’s IPO(33:00) Managing Internal Expectations in Good and Bad Times(37:10) Why You Should Work Yourself Out of a Job Each Year(41:23) Things That Get Easier As You Scale(42:18) How Metrics Shift With Scale(43:35) Contingency Planning at Upstart(47:13) Why the Lending System Is Broken(49:44) How Upstart Keeps Its Credit Models Accurate and Ethical(54:31) Predictions on the Lending Market for the Next Year(58:35) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Wine Corking Business(1:01:17) Advice to Younger Self(1:02:26) Finance Software Stack(01:02:57) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Stubhub has filed for it’s upcoming IPO.In this podcast I dive into the meaty details you need to know before one of the most valuable privately held marketplaces makes it’s NYSE debut.We cover:* Business model* Key metrics* Market opportunity* 12 Key themes* 3 Red Flags* Bull / Bear caseNone of this is investment advice. If you want the full breakdown go to mostlymetrics.comThis podcast is sponsored by Gelt. You already know tax season isn’t just a deadline—it's a lever.At Gelt, they work with CFOs who aren’t just looking to stay compliant—they’re looking to unlock strategic value from their tax position. Think: optimized entity structures, real-time visibility across complex ownership, and proactive tax planning that actually moves the needle on cash flow.And here’s the thing: the tax landscape is changing fast—especially for high-growth businesses, alternative investors, and companies navigating multi-entity complexity. Whether it’s preparing for a capital event, evaluating compensation structures, or just avoiding costly surprises, your tax strategy should be as agile as the rest of your business.They give you quarterly strategy check-ins and proactive estimates designed to lower your effective tax rate, protect equity value, and drive long-term efficiency—all delivered through clear communication with your Gelt CPA and a powerful, modern platform.10% off year one - https://go.joingelt.com/mostlymetrics Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ sits down with John Connolly, Managing Director at Spectrum Equity, to explore the evolution of consumer investing. They discuss how investor sentiment toward consumer companies has shifted over the past 15 years and why traditional SaaS metrics like net dollar retention (NDR) don’t always apply in this space. John explains what signals indicate a strong consumer business, whether brand or product wins in the long run, and how consumer companies have adapted their monetization strategies over the last decade. Plus, John shares the story behind Spectrum Equity’s investment in Teachers Pay Teachers and the craziest thing he’s ever done to land a deal.If you're looking for an ERP, head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Subscript is a modern billing and revenue recognition platform designed for SaaS finance teams that need flexibility and accuracy. From automated invoicing and dunning to compliant, transparent revenue recognition and real-time analytics, Subscript eliminates manual work, reduces errors, and gives you a single source of truth for all your financial data. Book a free demo at subscript.com.Rippling Spend is a spend management solution that handles your entire company’s spending in one unified system. It enables you to bring your corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and more into one place to achieve real-time visibility and uniquely granular control with automated policy controls across every type of spend. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:32) Sponsor – Subscript | Rippling Spend | Vanta(06:04) The Evolution of Investing and Defensibility(08:50) Cooling Investor Appetite for Consumer Businesses(10:13) Efficiency Metrics for Consumer Businesses(12:24) How To Navigate Retention and Churn(14:12) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | Planful(17:47) When Churn Is Necessary(19:15) Increasing TAM in Consumer Businesses(21:13) The Most Important Metric: Funnel Health(24:08) Celebrity Partnerships as a Competitive Mode(25:05) Why Brand Is Even More Important in B2C Than B2B(26:25) The Strongest Brands John Has Invested In(28:23) Changes in How Companies Monetize Over the Past Decade(29:52) Using the Supply Side To Bring You Demand(34:02) How COVID-19 Wreaked Havoc on Consumer Trends(38:11) Evaluating Consumer Businesses(39:04) The Craziest Thing John Has Done To Win a Deal(40:56) How To Pitch to Bootstrapped Founders(43:00) The Revolutionary Teachers Pay Teachers Marketplace(46:18) Wrap Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

On this episode of Run the Numbers we’ll cover the state of the private tech markets.* Did Google overpay for Wiz?* Stripe’s valuation is (nearly) back up to their COVID high water mark* Plaid shares fall in secondary market* Figma is growing into it’s valuation* The Rippling and Deel (hilarious) controversyYou can get this in written form at mostlymetrics.com Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

While few plan for the demise of their startup, it’s something that many face. In this episode, CJ is joined by Dori Yona, co-founder and CEO of SimpleClosure, to unpack the financial, legal, and emotional complexities of shutting down a company. Dori explains the options available when a company is running out of cash, what bankruptcy actually means, and the importance of budgeting for the end. The conversation covers acqui-hires, dissolution, returning capital to investors, hidden liabilities, legal pitfalls, tax implications, and more. Dori breaks down the differences between shutting down corporations versus LLCs and the timelines involved. They also discuss how to break the news to investors and why perseverance is sometimes overrated.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.—SPONSORS:Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn’t just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)@DoriYona https://x.com/doriyona (Dori)LINKS:SimpleClosure: SimpleClosure.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dori-yona-b8369877/Email [email protected]—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:44) Sponsor – Tropic | NetSuite | RightRev(05:32) The Inspiration Behind SimpleClosure(08:25) Three Scenarios When a Company Is Running Out of Cash(11:32) The Complications of Shutting Down a Business After Selling It(13:38) What Bankruptcy Actually Means and the Different Types(16:34) Sponsor – Planful | Brex | Vanta(20:16) Giving Money Back to Investors and the Pref Stack(24:31) How To Budget for a Shutdown(27:15) The Time It Takes To Shut Down a Business(29:24) SimpleClosure’s Business Model: Serving Customers That Churn(32:00) The Velocity of SimpleClosure’s Transactions(36:09) What “Piercing the Corporate Veil” Means(41:27) Shutting Down Corporations Versus LLCs(45:36) The Seasonal Nature of Startups Shutting Down(47:49) Communicating a Shutdown to Your Investors(54:35) Knowing When To Persevere and When To Move On(59:53) Wrap Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

In this episode, CJ is joined by Peter Benevides, CFO of Olo, a leading vertical SaaS company powering digital ordering, payments, and guest engagement solutions for popular restaurant brands. Peter explains how Olo successfully expanded into payments and used this as a strategic advantage. He breaks down how the company stacks S-curves through continued product expansion and adoption, and how this enables them to increase revenue without increasing the take-rate. The conversation also covers pricing strategy and how Olo balances subscription and consumption-based models. Peter also sheds light on what it's like selling into franchise businesses and lessons learned from other vertical SaaS companies like Veeva.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 40,000 companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅, head to NetSuite https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. Whether it's multi-element arrangements, subscription renewals, or complex usage-based contracts, RightRev takes care of it all. That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer errors, and more time for your team to focus on growth. For modern revenue recognition simplified, visit rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Brex offers the world's smartest corporate card on a full-stack global platform that is everything CFOs need to manage their finances on an elite level. Plus they offer modern banking and treasury as well as intuitive expenses and accounting automation, bill pay, and travel. Brex makes it easy to control spend before it happens, automate annoying tasks, and optimize your finances. Find out how Brex can help you make every dollar count at brex.com/metrics.Vanta's trust management platform takes the manual work out of your security and compliance process and replaces it with continuous automation. Over 9000 businesses use it to automate compliance needs across over 35 frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Centralize security workflows, complete questionnaires up to five times faster, and proactively manage vendor risk. For a limited time, get $1,000 off of Vanta at vanta.com/metrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. It doesn’t just show you where the problems are—it helps you solve them. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities, like duplicative spend, to automating those painful procurement workflows, to giving you the best market data that turns every vendor negotiation in your favor. Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how—FOLLOW US ON X:@cjgustafson222 (CJ)—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:53) Sponsor – NetSuite | RightRev | Planful(05:24) An Introduction to Olo(08:34) Reaching Larger and Smaller Enterprises(10:34) The Focus on Guest-Facing Technology(13:22) The Evolution of Payments at Olo(16:38) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta | Tropic(20:33) The Card-Not-Present Offering and Fraud(23:50) Knowing Who Your Guest Is and Olo’s Extended Value Prop(32:04) Stacking S-Curves(33:30) Increasing Revenue Without Increasing the Take-Rate(36:27) How the Payments Module Makes Other Products Stickier(37:39) Advice to CFOs Looking to Add Payments(39:11) Pricing Subscription and Consumption-Based Products(42:35) Forecasting and the Predictability of This Model(44:43) Vertical Software Company Case Study: Veeva(49:06) Working with Franchises(53:42) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Planning for the Future(56:16) Advice to Younger Self(58:48) Finance Software Stack(59:24) Craziest Expense Story Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe