Inside the CFO Office – Episode 22 with Brenda Williams Johnson

Podcast Page – https://finfloh.com/podcast

How do you modernize order-to-cash, automate high-volume AR workflows, and move from delayed, manual processes to real-time operations?In this episode of Inside the CFO Office, I speak with Brenda Williams Johnson, Vice President of Invoice-to-Cash at Marketing.com, a marketing technology firm executing multi-touch campaigns from design to tracking. Brenda brings deep expertise in tech transformation and O2C architecture across Koch Industries, Georgia Pacific, Miller Environmental Group, and several private-equity-backed companies.Brenda shares her journey from supporting Georgia Pacific to becoming a solutions architect for AR transformation — and how automation, process discipline, and real-time systems have reshaped O2C over the last two decades.

Here’s what we unpacked in this episode:

👉 AR, billing, cash app, and collections once needed large teams due to manual work.

👉 Before teams were always behind—kickbacks, rejections, and mailbox delays slowed customer responses.

👉 Shifting from mailed invoices to digital workflows improved O2C speed and accuracy.

👉 Transformation happens through incremental wins, small automations, and steady process improvements.

👉 Early automations cut repetitive tasks and freed teams for higher-value work.

👉 Legacy processes—paper invoicing, envelope stuffing, printers—blocked remote and efficient operations.

👉 Platforms like Billtrust sped invoice delivery and improved communication with timestamp visibility.

👉 Brenda’s team built a self-sustaining O2C system independent of ERP constraints.

👉 Integrating data into one environment improved accuracy and reduced human error risk.

👉 Automation ensured numbers were trusted by eliminating manual miscalculations and inconsistencies.

👉 Automation enabled smooth COVID operations by removing dependence on physical processes.

👉 AI enables real-time O2C—scanning mailboxes, interpreting responses, and speeding cash application.

Chapters

00:00 – Teaser
03:10 – Introduction
04:24 – Brenda’s 20-year journey across Koch, Georgia Pacific & other firms
05:32 – Overall Transformation of A/R as a Solutions Architect
10:25 – Businesses being behind the curve of automation
14:11 – Transformation projects
14:34 - Small change - Automating invoice delivery and building a self-serving O2C
17:31 – Big Change - Connecting the systems for data centralization
24:43 – Projects and Learnings at Georgia Pacific
26:32 – Take on applications of AI in O2C
28:30 - Advice to finance professionals
30:34 – Closing reflections

You can also watch the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon.

#insidethecfopodcast #cfodiaries #order2cash #arautomation #techtransformation #podcast

Inside the CFO Podcast Episode 21 with Swarn Kamal

Podcast Page - https://finfloh.com/podcast

How do you scale finance across countries, build trust-driven global teams, and transform cashflow performance using process, technology, and leadership mindset?In this episode of Inside the CFO Office, I speak with Swarn Kamal, Vice President of Finance at Akraya Inc., where he leads finance teams across the US, Canada, the Philippines, and India. With nearly two decades across E&Y, Deloitte, Thomson Reuters, and US Tech Solutions, Swarn brings deep operational and strategic insight into building modern finance organizations at scale.Swarn shares his journey from audit and controllership to driving value creation, finance transformation, global team leadership, and cashflow excellence — including reducing DSO from 78 days → 42 days in under six months.

Here’s what we unpacked in this episode:

👉 Scaling finance across geographies and building culture-driven teams

👉 Technology transformation

👉 Combining cash + process + technology to drive transformation

👉 Weekly team sync as a leadership ritual for alignment and ownership

👉 Why trust is the core of leading global teams

👉 His framework: The 3 I’s of ERP — Integration, Intelligence & Insight

👉 Why ERP systems lack predictive intelligence and how AI fills the gap

👉 Leadership principles — manage mindsets, not geographies

👉 Advice for future finance leaders to think beyond accounting and stay curiousOne insight that stands out:

🗣️ “Once you start leading a team, it’s not about managing geography — it’s about managing mindsets.”If you’re scaling global finance teams, optimizing cashflows, or exploring how automation and AI reshape the CFO office, this episode is packed with practical learning.

Chapters

00:00 – Podcast Teaser

03:34 – Introduction

05:04 – Swarn’s two decades of journey into finance leadership

08:58 – Scaling Akraya post-COVID and driving margin improvement

13:11 – Technology transformation

16:11 – Weekly sync cadence & mindset-based leadership

22:46 – The 3 I’s of ERP: Integration, Intelligence & Insight

25:10 – AI as a strategic enabler for finance

29:10 – Advice for future CFOs & staying curious

31:28 – Closing reflectionsYou can also watch the podcast on Apple, Spotify and Amazon

#insidethecfopodcast #cfodiaries #podcast #erp #ai

How do you automate credit decisions, manage change across a growing organization, and build stronger partnerships between finance and sales?In this episode of Inside the CFO Office, I spoke with Deana Reynolds, Director of Credit at Edges Electrical Group, one of Northern California’s largest independent electrical distributors.Deana’s journey is remarkable — from flying jets in the U.S. Air Force to leading credit at a fast-growing company that successfully merged two businesses without a single layoff. With nearly two decades of experience in credit, she shares how she’s embraced technology, automation, and AI to transform credit operations.Here’s what we unpacked in this episode:👉 How Edges Electrical Group automated credit applications and transformed manual processes into fully digital workflows👉 Why change management and buy-in are the hardest (and most rewarding) parts of digital transformation👉 The human side of credit decisions — where data and tech meet judgment👉 How AI can flag low-risk and high-priority customers to speed up onboarding and improve cashflows👉 Why collaboration between credit and sales drives both revenue growth and risk controlOne insight from Deana that really stood out:🗣️ “Never stop learning. Embrace change, embrace technology, and always keep an open mind — that’s how finance leaders grow.”If you’re leading AR, credit & collections, or exploring how automation and AI are transforming finance operations, this episode is full of actionable insights from a practitioner who’s seen it all — from paper applications to AI-driven workflows.#podcast @#insidethecfooffice #cfotech

How do you transform Accounts Receivable into a strategic, customer-facing function while leveraging AI and technology to drive impact?

In this episode of Inside the CFO Office, I speak with Tracy Mitchell, Director of Accounts Receivable at Trinity Logistics, about exactly that.

Tracy’s career journey—from AP and billing roles to leading AR for a global logistics firm—gives her a unique perspective on building resilient AR teams that balance people, processes, and technology. She shares practical insights on driving efficiency, collaborating with Sales, and embracing AI in credit & collections.

Here’s what we unpacked in this episode:

1. Tracy’s journey from AP and billing to leading AR at Trinity Logistics
2. Why a strong AR–Sales partnership is essential for customer success
3. How AI is transforming credit & collections from spreadsheets to predictive insights
4. The future of ERP systems with AI layered on topLeadership in finance through emotional intelligence and people skills

One insight from Tracy that really stood out:“AR leadership isn’t just about numbers — it’s about building strong partnerships, embracing technology, and leading with emotional intelligence.”

If you’re leading AR, credit & collections, or exploring how AI and digital transformation are reshaping finance operations, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.

How do you lead global credit & collections teams across geographies, drive digital transformation, and prepare for the future of AI in finance?

This episode with Mark Beaubouef, Senior Global Director of Credit, Collections & AR at Trellix, dives into exactly that.

Mark’s career spans leading finance functions at Evoque, IBM, NEC Corporation, Rexel USA, Samsung Electronics & more — giving him a rich perspective on building resilient global AR organizations. He’s managed teams across the US, Ireland, and India, overseen large-scale ERP rollouts, and driven multiple transformation programs in credit & collections.

Here’s what we unpacked in this episode:

👉 The power of empathy when managing global teams across cultures and regions

👉 Mark’s journey and stories at Trellix and other firms 👉 Mark’s biggest transformation stories in credit & collections — and lessons learned 👉 How ERPs could evolve to better serve credit, collections & AR leaders 👉 The role of AI in credit & collections (including how Mark uses tools like ChatGPT to review financial statements in seconds for credit assessments) 👉 Why policies, technology, and people empathy together unlock the full value of A/R

One insight from Mark that really stood out: 🗣️ “Empathy isn’t just a leadership skill — it’s the glue that holds global teams together.”

If you’re leading AR, credit & collections, or exploring how AI and digital transformation are reshaping finance operations, this episode is packed with practical takeaways.

This episode features Josh Rappoport, VP of Finance at Acumatica – a finance leader with a career that spans private equity, venture capital, SaaS, fintech, and strategic advisory.

Josh brings a rare blend of investor mindset and operator experience – having worked with firms like Summit Partners, Microsoft, BillGO, and now leading FP&A at Acumatica, one of the top cloud ERP providers in the world.

In this episode, Finance Leadership at High-Growth SaaS Firms, we explore:

🔹 The 3 priorities for any finance leader in SaaS: GTM efficiency, resourcing, and the new cost dynamics of delivery

🔹 Why finance must move beyond reporting - and lead with storytelling, not just spreadsheets

🔹 Why finance needs to be the “Rosetta Stone” of the business - translating between teams and enabling strategic decisions

🔹 The evolving CFO tech stack, and why AI is only as powerful as the “shoulders” wielding it

🔹 Candid advice for aspiring finance leaders - from storytelling with data to embracing what you don’t know

This conversation is packed with real insight for anyone shaping the future of finance, especially in high-growth SaaS.

This episode features Jason Wooten, Head of Finance Operations at ClickUp - a finance leader who has truly lived the evolution of Finance Ops.

With a career that spans business development, procurement, collections, deal desk, and enterprise transformations, Jason brings a unique cross-functional view to finance that’s rooted in operational grit and strategic thinking.

In this episode, "Finance Ops Leadership in a Digital World", we unpack:

🔹 Jason’s unconventional journey from cold-calling sales rep to leading Finance Ops at one of the most innovative SaaS companies

🔹 What it really takes to scale cash collections and balance logo vs. cash retention

🔹How Jason led a high-stakes office relocation project - sourcing off-market real estate and negotiating government incentives, the hardest but most rewarding project of his career

🔹 The tech transformation that reshaped finance-customer collaboration

🔹 His take on why the CFO tech stack is outdated and how AI can bring the biggest transformation

🔹 Tactical career advice for anyone aspiring to lead finance operations in the modern age

If you're building or leading finance operations in 2025 and beyond - this one’s packed with real talk, hard-won lessons, and honest reflections.

#InsideTheCFOOffice #Podcast #FinFloh #FinanceOps #CFO #CFOTech #SaaSFinance #AIinFinance #FinanceLeadership #ClickUp

This episode features Alex MacGillivray, VP Finance at Clio - one of the leading cloud-based legal tech firms globally. With a career spanning Deloitte, Easy Markit, and Clio, Alex’s journey is a masterclass in evolving from compliance to strategic leadership.

Since joining Clio in 2018, Alex has helped scale the finance org from 5 to 60+ people, led multiple acquisitions, and played a pivotal role in Clio’s record-breaking $900M Series F funding - the largest private tech financing in Canadian history.In this episode, titled “Controllers as Finance Leaders,” we explore how modern Controllers are becoming architects of strategy, culture, and growth.

Key Highlights:

1️⃣ From Audit to Impact - How Alex went from auditing silver mines and tribal governments to leading billion-dollar SaaS finance

2️⃣ Redefining Controllership - Why modern Controllers must go beyond accuracy to influence, storytelling, and business partnership

3️⃣ Tech at Scale - The challenges of scaling finance in a hypergrowth SaaS environment (including posting 6M+ journal entries/year!)

4️⃣ ERP Pain & AI Potential - Why today’s ERP systems are stuck in the past — and where AI could finally bridge the CFO tech gap

5️⃣ Values Drive Culture - How excellence, integrity, and empathy became the backbone of Alex’s leadership philosophy

💡 One of my favorite insights from the episode: “Your numbers don’t speak for themselves. The best Controllers help the business understand itself through the stories those numbers tell.”

A huge thank you to Alex for an inspiring conversation — packed with practical advice, deep reflection, and a clear vision for what finance leadership should look like in 2025 and beyond.