Episodes

  • A CEO in "Permanent Beta" (how Lauren Maillian made Reid Hoffman's advice her mantra)

    A CEO in "Permanent Beta" (how Lauren Maillian made Reid Hoffman's advice her mantra)
    Dec 2 2025
    Join breakout leader, entrepreneur and investor Lauren Maillian as she takes listeners through a remarkable journey defined by curiosity, reinvention and the courage to push past expectations.

    In this episode, Lauren opens up about her early ambitions, personal challenges and the pivotal moments that shaped her 20-year career across wine, venture capital, tech, media and board leadership.

    Lauren shares:
    • Becoming a winery owner as a teenager and developing a high tolerance for risk (2:28)
    • The influence of her self-made parents and learning resourcefulness at all costs (7:51)
    • Her passion for helping Black and Latina women and their businesses become for-profit enterprises (20:49)
    • Writing a love letter to every ambitious woman who wants to get to the top on her own terms through her book, The Path Redefined (27:17)
    • Why staying in "permanent beta" is essential for sustained success (30:07)
    • What she learned leading an all-women SPAC through a volatile market (33:44)
    • "Bud Break:" Solving an existential problem in out-of-the-box ways (53:04)

    Through her candid storytelling and wisdom, Lauren offers a blueprint for anyone looking for breakthrough, whether you're building a company, navigating change or considering your next step.
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • How detours, a diagnosis, and improv classes led to the C-suite (from a Silicon Valley CFO)

    How detours, a diagnosis, and improv classes led to the C-suite (from a Silicon Valley CFO)
    Oct 21 2025
    Join us as Shannon Nash, Silicon Valley CFO and public company board member, shares her remarkable journey through:

    - The courage to leave comfort for California's unknown opportunities (4:35)
    - A life-changing pivot when her son was diagnosed with autism (11:33)
    - How working with Debbie Allen revolutionized her leadership approach (15:18)
    - The power of improv classes in transforming finance teams (21:01)
    - Navigating the shift from hands-on CFO to strategic board member (41:41)
    - Managing household finances as a CFO power couple (30:58)
    - The evolving landscape of the CPA profession and AI's impact (46:20)


    Drawing from her rich experiences across biotech, tech, and entertainment, Shannon offers profound insights on embracing non-linear career paths, the importance of soft
    skills in finance leadership, and why giving yourself grace is essential for long-term success.

    This isn't just a career conversation – it's a masterclass in resilience, authenticity, and the power of saying "yes, and" to life's unexpected turns.
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Fast and furious at Uber to thriving in AI (a playbook from Scale AI's CAO)

    Fast and furious at Uber to thriving in AI (a playbook from Scale AI's CAO)
    Oct 1 2025
    Join us as Josh Waldron, Chief Accounting Officer at Scale AI, takes listeners on an enlightening journey through:

    • The surprising skills from Big 4 accounting that are crucial in tech unicorns (2:20)
    • Inside the chaotic world of finance in hypergrowth startups (10:15)
    • How he weathered the storm by staying at Uber when others jumped ship—and how it
    propelled his career (15:46)
    • AI isn't just the product - how Scale AI's finance team is revolutionizing their own
    processes (32:35)
    • A candid look at the AI industry's future from an insider (50:05)
    • The heartbreaking moment that changed his approach to work-life balance (51:35)

    Drawing from his experiences at PwC, Twitter, Uber, and now Scale AI, Josh offers unique insights on blending traditional finance skills with cutting-edge technology. He shares candid thoughts on leadership, adaptability, and maintaining composure in high-pressure environments.

    This episode is a must-listen for finance professionals, tech enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersection of AI and business operations.
    ----------
    Send your breakthrough guest and topic ideas, and your feedback,to: shelby.solberg@connorgp.com
    ----------
    Sponsored by Connor Group. To get in touch with us, visit https://connorgp.com and click CONNECT.

    Connor Group is built for breakthroughs. We’re a professional services firm focused on the most critical challenges for ambitious companies and their opportunities to shatter the status quo.

    We serve the offices of the CFO, CIO/CTO, and CHRO as leaders in:

    - Accounting Advisory
    - Digital Solutions for Finance, Operations, and HR
    - Financial Close & Reporting
    - IPO Services
    - Transformation & Risk
    - M&A Transaction Services
    - We’re trusted by over 2,000 of the most exciting brands on earth to deliver results that last.

    Trusted because we’re different.

    Founded in 2006, Connor Group quickly became the leading IPO advisory firm. Helping over 250 companies go public built our pragmatic, delivery-oriented approach and $3.3 trillion (and counting) in client valuation.

    It also created elite-level pattern recognition and listening skills to identify problems quickly and solve them efficiently.

    The majority of Connor Group has industry experience. We know how to get things done. Expect tailored solutions, creative real-world problem solving, and sleeves rolled up.

    Our expert teams are fluent in function, technology, and world-class communication.

    Unlike others, we’re independently owned. We never compromise on quality.

    Neither should you.
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
  • How women’s sports finally broke through (from League One Volleyball’s CFO)

    How women’s sports finally broke through (from League One Volleyball’s CFO)
    Aug 26 2025
    Join us as Mike Bufano, CFO and Youth Club President of League One Volleyball, takes listeners on an exhilarating journey through:


    • The thrilling world of sports business (2:48)



    • A career-defining piece of advice that landed him the CFO role (7:45)

    • Raw truths about conquering mental health challenges in high-stakes environments (10:22)

    • Insider secrets to navigating the IPO rollercoaster (17:08)

    • The unstoppable rise and bright future of women's sports (26:30)

    • Revolutionizing the largest sport for young women in the US (37:07)

    • The seismic impact of the NIL on college athletics (45:00)

    • A paradigm-shifting lesson for analytical minds (48:09)


    Drawing from his rich experiences at League One Volleyball, Allbirds, Panera Bread and PepsiCo, Mike ofers a unique perspective on blending passion, leadership and analytical prowess to drive meaningful change.

    This isn't just a conversation, it's an approachable masterclass that will leave you inspired and enlightened.

    ----------------
    Send your breakthrough guest, topic ideas and your feedback to:
    shelby.solberg@connorgp.com
    ----------------

    Sponsored by Connor Group. To get in touch with us, visit https://connorgp.com and click CONNECT.

    Connor Group is build for breakthroughs. We're a professional services firm focused on the most critical challenges for ambitious companies and their opportunities to shatter the status quo.

    We serve offices of the CFO, CIO/CTO and CHRO as leaders in:


    • Accounting Advisory

    • Digital Solutions for Finance, Operations and HR

    • Financial Close & Reporting

    • IPO Services

    • Transformation & Risk

    • M&A Transaction Services


    We're trusted by over 2,000 of the most exciting brands on earth to deliver results that last.

    Trusted because we're different.

    Founded in 2006, Connor Group quickly became the leading IPO advisory firm. Helping over 250 companies go public built out our pragmatic, delivery-oriented approach and $3.3 trillion (and counting) in client valuation.

    It also created elite-level pattern recognition and listening skills to identify problems quickly and solve them efficiently.

    The majority of Connor Group has industry experience. We know how to get things done. Expect tailored solutions, creative real-world problem solving and sleeves rolled up.

    Our expert Teams are fluient in function, technology and world-class communication.

    Unlike others, we're independently owned. We never compromise on quality.

    Neither should you.
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • How things really work at OpenAI (from their VP of Finance)

    How things really work at OpenAI (from their VP of Finance)
    Jul 23 2025
    Go inside OpenAI with VP of Finance Janine Korovesis for a rare look at the finance engine powering the fastest-growing company in history. Janine reveals and discusses:
    • Scaling a finance team during hypergrowth (29:03)
    • Balancing internal expertise with external resources (35:08)
    • The importance of "healthy fear" in financial leadership (30:59)
    • Why every finance leader should do hackathons with their team (42:53)
    • Leveraging ChatGPT for finance (including asking it how to process a dataset with 10 million rows!) (44:06)
    • The future at OpenAI (53:15)


    Janine's impressive background (OpenAI, Google [X], Google, EY, Board Advisor, Investor) provides a unique perspective on building and scaling finance to provide strategic support that enables breakthroughs for world-changing opportunities. Don't miss our conversation with one of the key figures shaping the future of AI finance.
    ------
    Send breakthrough guest and topic ideas, and your feedback,
    to: shelby.solberg@connorgp.com

    Sponsored by Connor Group. To get in touch with us, visit https://connorgp.com and click CONNECT.
    ------
    Connor Group is built for breakthroughs. We’re a professional services firm focused on the most critical challenges for ambitious companies and their opportunities to shatter the status quo.

    We serve the offices of the CFO, CIO/CTO, and CHRO as leaders in:
    • Accounting Advisory
    • Digital Solutions for Finance, Operations, and HR
    • Financial Close & Reporting
    • IPO Services

    • Transformation & Risk
    • Mergers & Acquisitions


    We’re trusted by over 2,000 of the most exciting brands on earth to deliver results that last.

    Trusted because we’re different.

    Founded in 2006, Connor Group quickly became the leading IPO advisory firm. Helping over 250 companies go public built our pragmatic, delivery-oriented approach and $3.3 trillion (and counting) in client valuation.

    It also created elite-level pattern recognition and listening skills to identify problems quickly and solve them efficiently.

    The majority of Connor Group has industry experience. We know how to get things done. Expect tailored solutions, creative real-world problem solving, and sleeves rolled up.

    Our expert teams are fluent in function, technology, and world-class communication.

    Unlike others, we’re independently owned. We never compromise on quality.

    Neither should you.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • How to go from CFO to CEO (and actually change the world)

    How to go from CFO to CEO (and actually change the world)
    Jun 17 2025
    Introducing Breakthrough Work, the show that lets leaders and companies who shattered the status quo tell their stories about getting to the other side. Our guest is Chris Lowe, CEO at Nusano, the most exciting high-tech company you may have never heard of, but will probably have a life-changing impact on you and those you love.

    Chris’s experience includes:
    • 4x CFO and 2x CEO
    • Raising over $500M in private and public financing
    • Completing over $1.0B in M&A transactions
    • Negotiating over $300M in debt instruments
    • Overseeing three SOX-404 implementations

    He and Nusano are doing big things. In their own words: “We believe in the power of innovation to enhance lives and strengthen the communities we serve. We are more than a physics company; we are pioneers in the production of both medical and industrial isotopes. Our mission is to ensure that high-quality radioisotopes are readily available for critical applications ranging from cancer treatment and advancing space exploration, to reducing nuclear waste and enabling alternative energy applications.

    Ravi and Chris cover:
    • How Chris went from being CFO to leading Nusano as their CEO
    • How Nusano technology is changing pharma, energy, and other verticals forever
    • Why Chris was invited to the White House recently
    • How he uses role models to shape his leadership and build his career
    • Chris's secret to finding legendary employees and building a rockstar team
    • Tips on how to get a CFO job when you've never been one before
    • What it takes to go for big funding for an idea that really can change the world
    • A technology that requires over 100 tons of concrete and a state-of-the-art facility
    • How to balance progress with perfection in innovation

    Please enjoy the conversation with Chris Lowe.

    Send breakthrough guest and topic ideas, and your feedback, to:
    shelby.solberg@connorgp.com

    Sponsored by Connor Group. To get in touch with us, visit
    https://connorgp.com and click CONNECT.
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins