The 10x Finance Podcast - by Aleph

Finance roles are changing drastically - with Gabby Marasco

Finance roles are changing drastically, and the teams that aren't adapting are about to feel it. In this episode of The 10x Finance Podcast, Albert Gozzi sits down with Gabriella Marasco, Director of FP&A at Applause, to dig into what's actually different about running finance in 2025. The short version: finance is moving from buyer to builder. Spreadsheets aren't going anywhere (70% of businesses, including some $100B ARR ones, still live in them), but the layer on top is being rebuilt by finance teams themselves. Gabby walks through what that looks like in practice: running 20+ pricing scenarios in six hours instead of a month, querying the product database in natural language, and becoming the connective tissue between the ERP, CRM, and product data. She also makes the case that the traditional FP&A profile (task-oriented, historicals-first) is going to struggle. The people who thrive will be curious, creative, and willing to get into the weeds with messy data. If you're scaling a finance team right now, her advice is blunt: don't. Or at least, rethink what "scaling" means before you write the next job description. Chapters * 00:00 — Intro * 00:33 — Hot Take: Finance roles are changing drastically * 01:20 — What finance teams will build vs. buy * 02:44 — The "finance engineer" profile * 04:04 — How to get started if you're a curious finance person * 05:30 — The AI tools changing the day-to-day * 06:53 — 20 pricing models in 6 hours * 09:53 — Pushing the new mindset across the org * 11:42 — Rapid fire: The biggest mistake finance teams make * 12:32 — Advice for scaling finance teams * 13:12 — The trend that will define the next 5 years

Alignment is completely overrated - with Taylor Otstot

Most finance teams treat alignment as the finish line. Taylor Otstot, VP of Finance at Dashlane, argues it's the wrong goal entirely. In this episode, Taylor unpacks why "getting everyone to nod" is one of the most expensive mistakes finance teams make, how buried dissent surfaces right after the budget locks, and a simple technique he learned from a former CEO to force honest signal out of any room: the "no sevens allowed" confidence poll. Albert and Taylor dig into when to let a six stand, when to push for an eight, how finance leaders train stakeholders to speak up earlier, and why AI's biggest shift isn't the cost to produce analysis, it's the cost to consume it. If you run planning cycles, own a budget, or sit between execs and operators, this one is for you. Chapters: * 00:00 — Cold open: "Alignment is overrated" * 00:58 — Show intro * 01:07 — Welcome + guest intro: Taylor Otstot, VP Finance at Dashlane * 01:29 — The Hot Take: alignment vs. surfacing dissent * 03:17 — The "no sevens allowed" confidence poll * 05:40 — Do it blind or in the open? Training your stakeholders * 07:00 — When to accept a six, and when to push for an eight * 09:20 — Operationalizing: tracking confidence scores over time * 10:20 — Numbers over words: the HBR study on "never" and "always" * 11:20 — Rapid fire: the most common finance team mistake * 12:00 — Rapid fire: advice for finance leaders scaling their team * 13:10 — Rapid fire: the next five years in finance (AI and the cost to consume) * 14:10 — The power of subtraction * 14:30 — Close

Not all cash burn is created equal - with Diya Sagar

Every venture-backed startup burns cash. The question is whether that burn is an investment or a slow walk toward bankruptcy. In this episode of The 10x Finance Podcast, Albert Gozzi sits down with Diya Sagar, CFO at AWA Studios, to break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in startup finance: the difference between good cash burn and bad cash burn. Diya shares the framework she uses to evaluate spend, how to tell the two apart on a cash flow statement (spoiler: you can't, fully), where most teams go wrong on marketing budget, and how to coach non-finance budget owners on thinking in costs versus benefits without turning every conversation into a spreadsheet. If you're a finance leader, founder, or budget owner at a high-growth company, this one is 15 minutes well spent. Chapters * 00:00 — Cold open: Not all cash burn is created equal * 00:49 — Welcome to The 10x Finance Podcast * 01:07 — Introducing Diya Sagar, CFO at AWA Studios * 01:36 — The Hot Take: Good burn vs. bad burn * 02:54 — How to tell the good from the bad * 04:33 — Why cash flow statements don't give you the whole picture * 05:53 — The marketing spend trap: brand vs. growth * 07:39 — Brand spend vs. growth spend at different stages * 08:37 — Risk, reward, and long-term contracts * 10:48 — Coaching non-finance budget owners * 12:42 — Rapid fire: the one mistake finance teams repeat * 13:25 — Rapid fire: advice for scaling finance teams * 13:54 — Rapid fire: the trend that will shape the next five years * 14:21 — Wrap

AI's role in transforming finance - with Chris Mossa

In this episode of ⁠⁠⁠the 10x Finance Podcast⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.getaleph.com/podcasts], ⁠⁠⁠Albert Gozzi⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertgozzi/] and Chris Mossa [linkedin.com/in/chrismossa] discuss the evolving role of AI in finance, particularly its impact on financial modeling and the importance of human oversight. They explore the challenges of integrating AI into financial workflows, the significance of effective prompting, and the balance between learning and scaling in finance. The conversation also touches on the future of finance roles as storytelling becomes increasingly vital in the industry. Learn more about Aleph at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.getaleph.com/⁠ [https://www.getaleph.com/] Chapters * 00:00 Introduction to Graphite and AI in Finance * 01:11 The Impact of AI on Financial Services * 04:21 Challenges of AI in Financial Modeling * 06:10 The Importance of Prompts in AI * 09:12 Balancing Learning and Scaling in Finance * 11:56 Rapid Fire Questions and Key Takeaways

How SaaS pricing is about to change - with Johnnie Walker

In this episode of ⁠⁠the 10x Finance Podcast⁠⁠ [https://www.getaleph.com/podcasts], ⁠⁠Albert Gozzi⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertgozzi/] and Jonnie Walker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbcwalker/] discuss the evolving landscape of finance, particularly in relation to SaaS pricing models and the challenges of forecasting revenue in a usage-based world. They explore the complexities of financial projections, the role of finance teams as buyers, and the importance of change management in adopting new tools. The conversation highlights the exciting yet challenging times in finance, driven by technological advancements and shifting market dynamics. Chapters * 00:00 Introduction to Modern Finance Challenges * 02:52 The Evolution of SaaS Pricing Models * 05:45 Forecasting Revenue in a Usage-Based World * 09:04 The Complexity of Financial Modeling * 11:53 The Role of Finance Teams as Buyers * 14:42 Rapid Fire Insights on Finance Trends