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Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them.
Today, Epicor’s Sam Monti shares how he keeps the oxygen in his business meetings, how “the sweet science” plays a role in his life, and the powerful Leonardo da Vinci concept that inspires him.
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This case study of JonnyPops’ success highlights the unusual financial and operational strategies that enabled rapid expansion into a crowded and highly competitive frozen treat market.
EpicorEpicor is a partner to some of the world’s most essential businesses, building the digital foundation that powers the growth of the “make, move, and sell” economy.
Founded: 1972
Size: ~4300 employees
Weekday wake-up time and the first thing I like to do: I typically get up at 6 a.m. to get ready for work.
Around 6:30 I spend about an hour with my two daughters, either having breakfast or watching them at their early tennis practice, before I head to the office. I value the time in the morning to connect and spend quality time with the family.
Coffee, tea, or other morning beverage choice? I prefer a cold drink in the morning. My beverage of choice is a grape-flavored Amino Energy drink. No sugar, lots of vitamins, very healthy. At least, that’s what the manufacturer says!
Workday start time: I’m usually in the office between 7:45 a.m. and 8 a.m., but I’ve already been actively engaged with colleagues on email, Microsoft Teams, and other channels since the time I woke up.
How I usually spend the first hour of my day: Once I’m in the office, I like to give myself a little time to thoughtfully prioritize what I need to accomplish in the day to help us drive our company’s business strategy.
Time I send out my first email: 6:15 a.m., not long after I wake up.
Best advice for writing an effective email: Be clear and concise. Try not to leave room for interpretation. I try to get my message across in no more than four sentences.
Also, for those a little more comfortable with numbers than the written word, use helping technologies like Grammarly!
First dashboard I review: I spend time reviewing our executive business intelligence scorecard, which includes a variety of key indicators including bookings, pipeline, annual recurring revenue (ARR) retention, and margins. I’m most inquisitive about bookings progress and mix of bookings, along with pipeline health in the coming quarter.
There’s always a story behind the data, so I augment the dashboard information by talking with our functional business leaders to really understand the context and ensure we’re keeping a strong watch on the health of our business.
How I structure my morning meetings: First and foremost, clarity on meeting purpose is critical. Know why you’re meeting, and what you’re trying to solve. There are times when group conversations are needed, and others when a simple email or quick hallway chat will do.
When we do need to meet, I’m very conscientious about creating enough space for all voices in the room to share their views.
As a business leader, I try not to “Bogart” the meeting and take all the oxygen out of the discussion by tipping the scales with my point of view before everything’s been shared and considered.
Mid-morning snack of choice: I prefer either an apple or a red plum.
Favorite quote or mantra: I keep the following mantra top of mind: Great companies have two common traits — they are operationally efficient and effectively deploy capital.
As a business leader, I try not to “Bogart” the meeting and take all the oxygen out of the discussion by tipping the scales with my point of view before everything’s been shared and considered.
My favorite quote, or really concept, comes from Leonardo da Vinci which is “Ostinato Rigore,” which translates to “persistent rigor, tireless focus.”
Favorite leadership lesson: Always stay in the fight. Fortitude is the best asset you can have in any endeavor. You need to have the self-confidence to stand by a good idea even when the rest of the room seems opposed.
As Sean Connery’s character said in The Untouchables, “What are you prepared to do?”
Something important to know about me that you wouldn’t know from my business bio: Professionally, I spend most of my time on the science of financials, but outside of work I’m a passionate and knowledgeable fan of “the sweet science,” or boxing. I love the history of the sport, and some of my favorite fighters include Jack Dempsey, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Henry Armstrong.
I don’t just follow the sport — I’ve also trained and fought as a collegiate and amateur boxer, with 70 bouts under my belt. You could say I’ve always been a competitive guy, both inside and outside of the ring.
What was the last job you did at your company that fell outside your traditional scope of work: Here at Epicor, I’ve been involved in partnering with our customer support team to help build customer success processes and procedures.
Can you share one way in which you have learned to manage work-induced stress: There are a couple of things I do to manage stress.
First, find time to exercise. Physical health is interconnected with mental health, and you’d be surprised how a workout can help you blow off steam and put the challenges of the role in the right perspective.
Fortitude is the best asset you can have in any endeavor. You need to have the self-confidence to stand by a good idea even when the rest of the room seems opposed.
Second, put your cards on the table. What I mean by that is, do not be shy about clearly and directly communicating to colleagues your point-of-view on situations or issues that may be frustrating. It’s the most efficient way from point A to point B.
Beating around the bush and creating a passive-aggressive environment doesn’t help anyone come together to solve the challenges of the day.
Favorite number: 58 — the jersey number of Jack Lambert, NFL Hall of Fame linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the team’s dominating run in the 1970s. He was the ultimate competitor and one of the toughest players of all time.
Most noteworthy items in my workspace: I have a model of an F-1 race car from one of our customers and key partners Scuderia AlphaTauri, a Red Bull group racing team that uses Epicor technology to manage their entire manufacturing and production process.
I also have an autographed Mike Tyson boxing glove in a display case behind my desk. I was fortunate to meet Iron Mike years ago, and always loved his famous quote “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Do you have a pet sitting in your office right now: No pets here in my office, but my family does love our French bulldog Winnie and chihuahua Tucker.
Favorite app on my phone that is not related to business: Both of my daughters are wonderful tennis players. And in fact, my oldest is attending Villanova this next school year to play for the school’s Division I team. The girls are nationally ranked, and I love to stay updated on how they’re doing with a Universal Tennis Rating app.
When do you take time for learning/reading: Whenever I have downtime — whether that’s traveling for work, driving around town, or breaks on the weekends at tennis tournaments — I’m usually listening to audiobooks or podcasts.
