What I Got Right (and Wrong) in My First 90 Days as a CFO

The first 90 days in any new leadership role are pivotal, but stepping into the CFO seat adds an extra layer of pressure. You’re not just proving your technical skills—you’re building relationships, setting the tone for the team, and learning how to balance the weight of the role.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what I did right, what I wish I’d done differently, and the lessons that might help you if you’re taking on a new leadership role.

Let's dive in!

This Week’s Entry

Here are a few lessons from my journey:

• Start Before Day One: Meeting with my mentor ( Carol Naughton )and executive coach ( Jeannine K Brown ) before I started gave me clarity on what to focus on. From asking tough questions to setting boundaries, those conversations helped me go in prepared.
• Protect Your Time: Blocking focus time on my calendar was a game-changer. If you don’t schedule time to actually work or think, meetings will take over your day.
• Build Relationships Early: During my first week, I scheduled 1:1 meetings with every team member and key stakeholder. I came prepared with questions and a focus on building trust, which laid the groundwork for collaboration.
• Learn Through Systems: Recording training sessions and documenting processes allowed me to become more independent quickly. It’s a simple strategy that paid off when key team members were unavailable.

But it wasn’t all perfect. I could have leveraged my executive assistant earlier, built a better system for handling stress, and been a little kinder to myself along the way.

Listen to the full episode to learn more ??

The Bottom Line

Starting a new role isn’t about doing it all—it’s about doing what matters most.

Build trust, focus on relationships, and set the tone for your team. The rest will follow.

My Biggest Takeaway

My first 90 days as a CFO reminded me of something crucial: we don’t have enough programs to prepare finance leaders for these transitions. There’s plenty of advice on what great CFOs do, but almost nothing on how to get the role and thrive in those early days.

That’s why I had started working on The Office of the CFO Bootcamp—a program to help leaders see their blind spots, develop executive presence, and learn how to lead at the highest levels of finance.

Of course, I had no time to work on it these past few months, but hope to get it done for next year with the help of other leaders. So, stay tuned for more updates on that :)

Notes to Younger Self

Dear Younger Me,

You don’t have to have everything figured out on day one. So, please, don’t be so hard on yourself—it’s okay to not know everything right away.

With love,

Me

Now, Your Turn!

What’s one habit or system you’ve established that helps you lead more effectively? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear them!

Hi, I'm Wassia (pronounced Wa-see-ya)

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I'm a Finance Executive, Keynote Speaker, and Strategic Influence Expert with 15+ years of experience in Corporate Accounting and FP&A. I'm on a mission to help make better leaders and help leaders be better at life.

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