Andrew Waters’ Post

How to hire the right CFO for your scaleup: ❌ Avoid: A bureaucratic CFO from a mature company. Hire: An agile and ambitious CFO who thrives on uncertainty ❌ Avoid: An aloof, poor communicator who stays on the sidelines. Hire: An active and curious team player and leader ❌ Avoid: A diffident CFO who leans too heavily on a CEO. Hire: A savvy, self-assured CFO who inspires confidence and trust ❌ Avoid: A CFO who thrives on details and processes over analytics. Hire: A CFO with strong analytical skills and a numbers mindset ❌ Avoid: A CFO who thinks they (must) know it all. Hire: A CFO who knows their strengths and understands their limits  ❌ Avoid: A CFO who sees compliance as a waste of time. Hire: A CFO who prioritises compliance  https://lnkd.in/eaHJcZwG

There's one recurring theme in startup exec recruitment. It's an ongoing debate, with different conclusions based on the business, the decision-makers and the market for available C-level talent. Let's call it the Fractional Debate: 💡Whether (and when) to hire a part-time vs full-time CXO❔ (usually the CFO role, but the arguments are similar across the C-suite). I heard both sides of the debate in two calls last week: One guy was convinced you can outsource the key CFO functions until a startup has meaningful, secure revenue. He thought that hiring someone short-term, who will learn the business in 1-2 days a week (often while working remote), was impractical and even disruptive. He added that fractional CFOs need to 'manage their portfolio' and so are always passively looking for their next role. Liable to move on at any time. The other guy was equally clear on the advantages: ✔Having CFO-calibre insight into the business very early on is key for forward-planning. ✔For a fraction of the cost of a full-time CFO, you can bring on someone who adds real strategic value. But not every exec is cut out for a flexible, plural career. They need to be a quick learner, very adaptable, with the ability to build relationships quickly, both in and outside the company. Relevant sector and stage experience can really help. There are also two other 'ideal' options to consider: ▶You find a less experienced, high potential Head of Finance who costs much less and who will grow with the business; or ▶You bring on a fractional CFO who ultimately wants to be full-time when the business can afford it. Both parties then get to try before they buy. The reality is, you won't necessarily have all of these options available to you when you go into the market. So keep a flexible approach until you have to commit to one, for the short, medium or long term [Needless to say, I can help with all of the above. Just ask 🙂📞] #CFOhiring #CXOtalent #executiverecruitment #startups

Ever wondered why your top talent picks seem just out of reach? It's not just about the allure of your tech or the buzz around your startup. Let's dive into how a CFO can be a game-changer. I'm not kidding! If you are struggling to get a great candidate across the line, there are ways a CFO can help: - working with your HR team, a CFO can design compensation packages balancing immediate rewards with long term incentives - work the budget so you have the flexibility to push for a particular hire while still staying in the black - create an appealing equity story through structured ESOP plans giving your startup a unique proposition - provide more clarity around your financial health and projections which establishes confidence - a CFO's insights help adapt your talent strategy to market conditions, ensuring stability and attractiveness. Taking a step back, a CFO can ensure financial strategies support not just current, but future talent requirements. After all, your staff are your most important assets. Don't simply rely on your CFO as a number cruncher. If you do, you're wasting a resource. A keen CFO will be in your face in any case! In summary, work with your CFO for: + compensation packages + budget flexibility + ESOP plans + financial transparency + talent strategy adaptation You will have an ally in building the dream team you need to thrive! +++++ P.S. I'm creating a Road to Profitability program for Founders! Book a chat with me to find out more! P.P.S. Follow me for daily insights on finance, entrepreneurship, SaaS, leadership, and random thoughts #finance #financematters #SaaS #entrepreneurship #startups #CFO #talent #hiring

Attention recruiters! The startup world is witnessing a seismic shift in hiring priorities. Here's why CFOs are now the hottest commodity in the job market: • Over 40% of recent CFO searches were for startups and new-age companies • 40% increase in CFO searches in the last 18 months • Compensation packages soaring to 2.5-5X previous levels, reaching Rs 2.5-4.5 crore annually Why the surge? ✅ Startups aim for profitability and IPO readiness ✅ Investors demand stronger financial oversight ✅ CFOs now play a crucial role in value creation and strategy The ideal CFO for startups is more than a financial expert. They're: • A devil's advocate • A strategic partner • A value extractor • A trusted advisor Are you a finance professional looking to make an impact? Or a startup searching for that perfect CFO? If so, then let us help you! Drop a comment or DM to learn more! #StartupCFO #FinanceLeadership #TechStartups #CareerGrowth

Ever wondered why your top talent picks seem just out of reach? It's not just about the allure of your tech or the buzz around your startup. Let's dive into how a CFO can be a game-changer. I'm not kidding! If you are struggling to get a great candidate across the line, there are ways a CFO can help: - working with your HR team, a CFO can design compensation packages balancing immediate rewards with long term incentives - work the budget so you have the flexibility to push for a particular hire while still staying in the black - create an appealing equity story through structured ESOP plans giving your startup a unique proposition - provide more clarity around your financial health and projections which establishes confidence - a CFO's insights help adapt your talent strategy to market conditions, ensuring stability and attractiveness. Taking a step back, a CFO can ensure financial strategies support not just current, but future talent requirements. After all, your staff are your most important assets. Don't simply rely on your CFO as a number cruncher. If you do, you're wasting a resource. A keen CFO will be in your face in any case! In summary, work with your CFO for: + compensation packages + budget flexibility + ESOP plans + financial transparency + talent strategy adaptation You will have an ally in building the dream team you need to thrive! +++++ P.S. I'm creating a Road to Profitability program for Founders! Book a chat with me to find out more! P.P.S. Follow me for daily insights on finance, entrepreneurship, SaaS, leadership, and random thoughts #finance #financematters #SaaS #entrepreneurship #startups #CFO #talent #hiring

This is so true. I’ve worked with many startups to find their first in finance hire, and one of the main characteristics I look for aside from accounting expertise is the person’s ability to thrive within a fluid and at times, fairly unstructured, environment. They also need to have passion and be able to genuinely buy into the founder’s vision – they’re not delivering a service to the C-Suite, they’re front and centre of the business’s success.    But even in more mature businesses the role of CFO is no longer the rigid one it may have been in past decades. These days most finance leaders need that agility and willingness to adapt quickly in order to manage an ever-widening remit that ranges from supporting the C-Suite with strategic decision-making to managing their ESG agenda and reporting. So a start up mentality is always good to have.    Get in touch if you would like to find out how TalentEdge North can help you to take the next step in your finance career or if you would like to find out more about how we can support your business to meeting their finance hiring goals.    #startup #ceoinsights #founder #financerecruitment #CFOinsights

I’m humbled and excited to finally introduce SkynetCFO, a venture I’ve been passionately building over the past two years. With over 10 years of experience in tech and finance, I’ve focused on creating a productized offering that provides top-notch financial support at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time Controller or CFO. During this time, I’ve been dedicated to delivering the best possible care to my clients while refining our services to maximize value. SkynetCFO leverages cutting-edge AI and automation to offer expert financial guidance, from budgeting and forecasting to risk management and compliance. Our mission is to empower business owners to focus on their core operations while we handle their financial management. We believe in true business partnering, working closely with our clients to develop tailored solutions that drive their companies forward. I’ve truly found my passion in helping businesses thrive, and I’m excited to continue this journey. If you’d like to learn more, visit our website (link in the comments) or DM me directly. Let’s connect and explore how we can achieve success together! #Entrepreneurship #FinancialServices #Tech #Startups #AI #Innovation #CFO #Controllership

A quick reminder for Founders thinking about bringing in your first CFO or Finance Lead? Top 10 things to consider 👇 ✅ Realistic Growth Trajectory ✅ Founders Background ✅ Key Future Milestones ✅ Investors Expectations ✅ Budget ✅ Industry Sector ✅ Experience / Track Record ✅ Referencing ✅ Career Logic ✅ EQ / Emotional Intelligence This is the most important hiring decision for the vast majority of startups, so it is crucial to build a holistic picture of the business to help map out the ideal experience that you require. You will then have a clear cost-benefit analysis on the different options available to help make an educated decision on the individual that is best placed to take the business to the next level!!🚀

Great piece, Oana Labes, MBA, CPA. I feel like the “middle” section could be illustrative of the example of a growth stage PE acquisition, and the elements that come with that, much more professionalized than a startup, but far from mature, in my experience. Big fan of your content.