My CFO Tool Belt

I have been thinking about what makes me a great CFO and how I can help my clients and partners. The analogy of a tool belt came to me. What tools do I have at my disposal? What tools differentiate me from other consultants, advisors, accountants, and CFOs?

My business card.

What matters here are not the basics of how to email me or see my Linkedin profile. It shows the credentials I have attained - the top in finance (CFA) and accounting (CPA). I earned and grew into a Principal and C-level professional by doing $2B in M&A and capital transactions, starting and advising businesses, investing and managing a portfolio, and making challenging decisions. I am with ProCFO Partners, and while the name and brand are new, there are partners, experts, and resources alongside me to help my clients achieve their goals.

TI Business Analyst Calculator.

The math and analysis of the job are still fun and always will be to me. What this calculator represents (I do still keep it at my desk), and accounting software and spreadsheets help create, are understanding results and supporting plans. The most critical analysis and decisions are resource allocation. It is determining where the business should devote its time, advantages, and money to build the most value.

My Rolodex.

In twenty years, I have made some incredible friendships and fostered relationships that are an invaluable resource to my clients and me. Starting from my first year at UW-Madison, through my i-banking days, to my advisory and CFO work with mid-sized businesses, and most recently joining Provisors in 2020. Whether it is other accountants, business owners, senior executive operators, insurance brokers, sales consultants, real estate brokers, HR experts, attorneys, bankers, and investors - I can get answers and find the right person to involve.

A Fire Extinguisher.

The fire extinguisher is, of course, a symbol of my ability to solve problems. At my first investment bank, I worked for Greg Wong - he went on to do an unbelievable job growing Website Pros/Web.com. The best lesson I took from Greg - figure out what you want to achieve and work backward. It is incredibly rewarding to solve problems, think creatively, and step in when others cannot. To be a "firefighter," it is best to have seen a lot of businesses and problems, think strategically, and have the right mix of hard and soft skills. No one has "seen it all." It takes negotiation skills, understanding how to incentivize people, taking a hard stance, and the fortitude to take on a challenge you've never done before.

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These are the tools I rely on to shepherd clients through tough times, to set strategy, and achieve our primary goal - building value in the business.

Thank you for reading, and please get in touch if I can be of help to you or your business. Carlos Sava