Beyond Heroism: Building Operational Leverage with AI

Beyond Heroism: Building Operational Leverage with AI

Tom is joined by Marc Friend, CEO of Sift, a machine learning-powered fraud prevention platform that recently crossed $100M in revenue. Marc shares how he's restructuring the business to move from individual acts of heroism to true operational leverage — and what that requires at the organizational level. He breaks down how Sift thinks about fraud as a revenue enablement problem, not just a defensive one, and why agentic commerce is the next frontier no one has fully figured out yet. Marc reflects on how his background as an MIT systems engineer and 13-year VC shaped the way he architects companies and spots patterns worth replicating.    Guest quotes:  "You have to turn best practices into processes that are written down, so that when I say them and someone hears them, they're the same. Then you have to build a cadence around which you operate." "When I come back to a merchant and say, I didn't authorize my agent to do that — that's a kind of fraud that we don't think about so much. Who's gonna take the risk of that is not decided." "People are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for, and we are able to drive people much harder and further than they think they can go. People want to be challenged."   Links & Resources: Connect with Tom Gavaghan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgavaghan?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAFICVABMajwvVzf54d-oOnRYOU2t1IsNj4&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BZVtfRMnVQHSGJyCgA10spw%3D%3D] Connect with Marc Friend [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcfriend/] Learn more about Kyriba [https://www.kyriba.com/] Learn more about Gen [https://www.linkedin.com/company/gendigitalinc/]   YouTube Timestamps: 00:00 Show Intro and Guest Overview 00:25 Marc Friend Background: MIT to VC to CEO 01:51 Scaling Past $100M: Heroism vs. Systems 02:35 Re-Engineering the Org at Sift 03:25 Operational Leverage in SaaS 04:47 Competitive Landscape and Differentiation 05:46 Fraud as a Revenue Enabler 08:45 What Is Agentic Commerce? 09:23 Who Bears Risk When Agents Transact? 13:01 Sift's Data Advantage and ML Signals 13:45 Using AI as an Internal Challenger 16:37 Explainability and Feedback Loops in ML 21:15 Career Arc: Engineer to VC to CEO 23:10 Re-Architecting the Business at Each Growth Stage 25:14 Process, Documentation, and Cadence at Scale 26:25 Different Teams, Different Cadences 30:37 Leadership Lessons from the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” 33:04 Advice for Hiring or Becoming a CFO 34:00 CFO as Thought Partner and Business Architect 35:23 Wrap Up and Where to Find Sift Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What Happens When the CFO Runs Finance, HR, and Legal

Tom is joined by Trent York, CFO of Furnished Finder, a fast-growing marketplace connecting traveling professionals with furnished monthly rentals across the U.S. Trent explains how the company is capitalizing on the rapid growth of the midterm rental market. He also discusses the operating advantages of leading finance, HR, and legal under one organization, what he calls the “execution economy.”    Guest quotes:  “Mobility doesn’t stop just because the housing market freezes.” “A CFO today needs to know a lot about a lot, not just finance.” “If you can understand how every part of the business connects, you can move faster.”   Links & Resources: Connect with Tom Gavaghan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgavaghan?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAFICVABMajwvVzf54d-oOnRYOU2t1IsNj4&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BZVtfRMnVQHSGJyCgA10spw%3D%3D] Connect with Trent York [https://www.linkedin.com/in/trent-york-1ba4239/] Learn more about Kyriba [https://www.kyriba.com/] Learn more about Furnished Finder [https://www.linkedin.com/company/furnished-finder/]   YouTube Timestamps: 00:00 Show Intro and Guest 01:07 Trent York Background 02:18 What Furnished Finder Does 02:44 Why Midterm Rentals Boom 04:13 Subscription Not Payments 05:22 Control and Simplicity 07:40 Housing Freeze and Renters 10:45 New Demand Segments 13:32 Modeling Mobility Trends 15:34 Marketplace Data Strategy 17:36 Proptech What Comes Next 19:51 International Expansion Plans 20:43 CFO Also HR and Legal 23:20 AI Pushback Framework 23:58 Trust but Verify Leadership 25:50 Upskill vs Hire Talent 28:59 Tech Stack Pitfalls 32:02 Career Growth Advice 34:25 Big vs Small Companies 36:04 Remote Travel Picks 37:27 Travel Rule and Family 38:47 Wrap Up and Book Picks Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Exelon: How the CFO Balances Growth, Affordability, and Reliability

Tom is joined by Jeanne Jones, CFO of Exelon, one of America’s largest energy delivery companies. Jeanne explains how Exelon creates long-term value in a highly regulated environment by focusing on operational excellence, disciplined capital allocation, and customer affordability. Jeanne also shares how she thinks about liquidity and balance sheet protection in a higher-for-longer interest rate environment, including why going long on debt and prioritizing certainty have helped Exelon weather volatility.    Guest Quote: “We deliver consistent long-term value for our investors by doing the basics exceptionally well.” “Affordability starts with controlling your own costs.” “If you have size and scale but don’t manage it as a portfolio, you’re not optimizing that size and scale.” Timestamps:  01:05 Exelon Investor Story 03:56 Regulated Revenue Engine 06:22 Data Centers and Fair Rates 10:56 Planning for Uncertain Load 12:30 Affordability in Practice 16:53 AI and Analytics Use Cases 19:37 Liquidity and Debt Strategy 23:58 Finance Tech That Matters 25:53 Portfolio Management Edge 26:54 Career Rotations at Exelon 30:20 Data Driven Leadership 32:03 Advice for Future Leaders 33:39 ERGs and Talent Pipelines 37:56 STEM Programs and Scholarships 40:03 Rapid Fire Questions Links & Resources: Connect with Tom Gavaghan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgavaghan?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAFICVABMajwvVzf54d-oOnRYOU2t1IsNj4&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BZVtfRMnVQHSGJyCgA10spw%3D%3D] Connect with Jeanne Jones [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanne-jones-193a1615/] Learn more about Kyriba [https://www.kyriba.com/] Learn more about Exelon [https://www.linkedin.com/company/exelon/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How PwC’s CFO Thinks About AI, Talent, and the Future of Finance

In this episode, Tom is joined by Colin Wittmer, CFO of PwC. Colin's 31-year journey at PwC has seen him transition from the audit practice to a leadership role in finance, with a significant focus on deals and transaction services. Unlike the typical technology-centric CFO, Colin emphasizes the importance of human skills in AI-driven transformations. He offers insights into the evolving role of finance leaders, the impact of AI, and how to cultivate leadership within the organization.  Guest Quote: “As a CFO, you see the whole picture… where a good CFO really excels is being able to connect the dots so everyone understands how something happening in one part of the business affects the rest.” “If you start managing the business like you have a lot of cash, you can easily go sideways when things get tough. It’s maintaining that discipline in good times and in bad times.” “Make the tough decisions early and stay the course. The companies that don’t come out of restructuring are the ones that defer making the hard decisions.” Timestamps: 01:07 Colin Wittmer's Career Journey 02:27 Insights on M&A and Finance Leadership 07:34 The Role of AI in Modern Finance 08:49 AI Implementation at PwC 12:58 Balancing Human Skills and Technology 14:44 Continuous Learning and Adaptation 25:43 Advice for Aspiring CFOs 26:50 Balancing Client and Firm Management 27:54 The Importance of Leadership 28:26 Evaluating Career Decisions 29:54 Market Trends in M&A 31:52 Red Flags in Finance Functions 34:58 Future of the CFO Role 41:30 Personal Insights and Hobbies 44:41 Recommended Reads and Conclusion   Links & Resources: Connect with Tom Gavaghan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgavaghan?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAFICVABMajwvVzf54d-oOnRYOU2t1IsNj4&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BZVtfRMnVQHSGJyCgA10spw%3D%3D] Connect with Colin Wittmer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-wittmer/] Learn more about Kyriba [https://www.kyriba.com/] Learn more about PwC [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pwc/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside the Mind of a CFO Who Connects the Entire Business

In this episode, Tom is joined by David Smith, CFO at RevSpring, for a wide-ranging conversation on what a true 360-degree finance leader looks like. David shares how his rare path, from private equity investor to CEO to CFO, shapes the way he connects strategy, operations, and value creation across the entire business. He also explains why discipline, transparency, and partnership are essential in both turnarounds and high-growth environments, and how he helps teams stay engaged by empowering them to think and act like owners. Guest Quote: “As a CFO, you see the whole picture… where a good CFO really excels is being able to connect the dots so everyone understands how something happening in one part of the business affects the rest.” “If you start managing the business like you have a lot of cash, you can easily go sideways when things get tough. It’s maintaining that discipline in good times and in bad times.” “Make the tough decisions early and stay the course. The companies that don’t come out of restructuring are the ones that defer making the hard decisions.” Timestamps: 00:50 David Smith's Unique CFO Perspective 04:48 Insights on Private Equity and Turnarounds 10:26 The Importance of Forecasting and Cash Flow Management 13:21 Balancing CFO Responsibilities and Team Motivation 20:52 Building Trust Through Small Wins 23:14 Leveraging AI in Finance 28:19 International Experience and Its Impact 33:35 Future of Finance Roles Links & Resources: Connect with Tom Gavaghan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgavaghan?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAFICVABMajwvVzf54d-oOnRYOU2t1IsNj4&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BZVtfRMnVQHSGJyCgA10spw%3D%3D] Connect with David Smith [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfsmith3/] Learn more about Kyriba [https://www.kyriba.com/] Learn more about RevSpring [https://www.linkedin.com/company/revspring/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.