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"Work ethic—you can't teach that. They either have it or they don't." Meet Bo Ellison, CPA who turned his EY auditing expertise into financial leadership of an $11 billion RIA with a business model that's reshaping wealth management. Now as CFO of Concurrent Investment Advisors, Bo combines the structural discipline of big firms with the agility required in high-growth environments. At EY, he mastered the fundamentals of financial services, becoming a CPA and manager. At Creative Planning, he expanded into M&A, learning "about due diligence, multiples, valuations, and what makes companies a good fit." Now at Concurrent, he's helping build a distinctive model where advisors maintain independence while accessing the power of scale. "We've created a 'common currency' methodology where we buy minority equity stakes in RIAs or advisors. In exchange, they get cash and equity in our business." Check out his full interview at the link in the comments to learn how Bo mapped his entire career path from college, why he believes work relationships shouldn't be transactional, and how advisors in Concurrent's ecosystem can potentially "punch above their weight" to achieve 15-20x multiples in future monetization events. #wealthmanagement #RIA #leadership #financialservices #privateequity #CFO

"Sometimes being in the background and truly listening pays even more dividends than being the loudest person in the room." Meet Evan Horowitz, whose unconventional journey to CFO spans funeral home business plans, billion-dollar airport projects, and now leading finance for both a sand mining operation and metal recycling facility. His diverse background proves there's no single path to the C-suite. At Black & Veatch, he developed crucial financial foundations in management consulting. On the KCI airport project, he mastered complex compliance and reporting systems that streamlined efforts that would normally take three people. Now as CFO of Kaw Valley Companies and Rivers Edge Scrap, he balances the capital-intensive demands of construction with strategic growth planning. "I've developed what I call 'honey holes'—stashing away money when it comes in so you can access it when needed." Check out his full interview at the link in the comments to learn why construction is experiencing a technology gold rush, how he navigates seasonal cash flow challenges, and why sometimes being the quietest person in the room pays the biggest dividends. #CFO #construction #finance #leadership #familybusiness #riskmanagement #riskmanagement

"In a relationship business, your word and judgment are of utmost importance." Meet Isaac Oberlin, who brings a rare perspective from both sides of the deal table in his unconventional finance journey from investment banking to private equity and back again. Now in the Financial Sponsors Group at Houlihan Lokey, Isaac's path reveals how different roles provide complementary strengths. At Piper Jaffray, he mastered the art of distressed asset storytelling. At VantEdge Partners LP, he learned what makes management teams truly investable. As an E5 Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves, he developed "the ability to connect with people from completely different backgrounds" – a skill that now powers his relationship-focused role with private equity sponsors across the Midwest. His advice on the industry's biggest pitfall? "The killer mistake is overpromising and underdelivering on valuation just to win a mandate." Check out his full interview at the link in the comments to learn why deal timelines are stretching, what makes "wildcard" executives worth the investment, and how his military service created unexpected doors in finance. #investmentbanking #privateequity #finance #leadership #dealmaking #militaryexperience

"When you do hard things, it builds character." Meet Eric Stephenson, whose 20-year finance journey from East Coast corporate finance to tech leadership offers valuable lessons for finance professionals at every career stage. At Domo, he experienced the full evolution from early-stage startup to public company, scaling from $20M to $300M and navigating the IPO process. Now as a tech finance executive, he shares what truly matters when building exceptional finance teams: personality traits like being assertive, proactive, and a go-getter over technical skills. His advice for accelerating your career? "Find out what keeps your boss up at night and solve it before they ask." Check out his full interview in the comments to learn why early tech experience is invaluable for finance careers and how AI will transform finance roles—enhancing our work rather than replacing it.

"We're not in the food industry serving people; we're in the people industry serving food." Meet David Cable, who carried this restaurant wisdom into finance leadership at a billion-dollar company. His journey from restaurant manager to SVP of Finance at SelectQuote demonstrates how leadership principles transcend industries. In restaurants, he mastered fast-paced operations and people management. At SelectQuote Insurance Services, he translated this expertise into growing a finance team through explosive company growth, pioneering a first-of-its-kind $100 million asset-backed securitization, and navigating the challenges of an all-virtual IPO during COVID. His approach to leadership? "Your team members are people first and employees second – and the same goes for your relationship with your boss." Check out his full interview in the comments to learn how he's redefining work-life balance after corporate leadership and why the most valuable business insights often come from unexpected places.

"Just making the leap to entrepreneurship – nothing actually prepares you for having everything on your shoulders." Meet JB Mason, who discovered this truth firsthand on his path from Deloitte consultant to DoorDash operator to leading O'Keeffe & O'Malley. His journey shows how each role's intensity prepared him for the next evolution. At Deloitte, he learned excellence. At DoorDash, he embraced the "bias for action" – even signing up as a competitor's delivery driver to solve operational challenges. Now, he helps local business owners navigate their most important transitions, drawing on lessons from both worlds. His advice? "The earlier you can start, the better. It's going to take longer and be harder than you think." Check out his full interview at the link in the comments to learn why your twenties are a superpower and what really matters when timing the market for business sales. #entrepreneurship #leadership #smallbusiness #consulting #MandA

"Diamonds aren't made on sandy beaches." COVID canceled his CFA exam twice. Now he's analyzing 30+ acquisitions at HeartLand, LLC. Brandon Hinds, CFA, MBA on persistence, financial modeling, and why due diligence isn't what you see in the movies.

Fun interview with the CFO of the KC Chiefs by CFOBrew in which the CFO was asked... "Does your financial plan (budget) include a potential Super Bowl win?" While fun to model out these types of overperformance scenarios, a CFO can't drive contingent organizational plans on outcomes like this. And... these types of overperformance scenarios are dependent upon an assumption that can't live in a spreadsheet... where real value is created... amazing people executing at historically elite levels. #Go Chiefs! Dan Crumb https://lnkd.in/gWNDVKfn

"While everyone dreams of winning the lottery, sustained achievement comes from consistent effort and willingness to tackle challenges others avoid." Meet Rebecca Hill, Kansas City's 'Chief Fixer' in real estate. After taking a 16-year career break, she built herself into one of KC's most sought-after real estate CFOs by positioning herself where expertise gaps exist. Her story is testimony to the power of embracing complex challenges and proving that career breaks don't define your potential. Check out her full interview at the link in the comments! #RealEstate #Finance #Leadership #WomenInFinance #KansasCity

Meet Peter Fields, a Portfolio Director at VantEdge Partners LP whose path from pre-med to private equity shows how unconventional routes can lead to success. Learn how to evaluate investment opportunities, build trust with management teams, and why sometimes the best professional connections happen in unexpected places (like a corporate bowling challenge). Check out his interview! (linked in the comments) #PrivateEquity #Leadership #ValueCreation