In the interviews below, we dove into the journeys of executives who had recently stepped into the CFO role for the first time, hearing about their experiences and lessons learned in their inaugural year helming finance.
These five CFOs from five industries shared how they were adapting to being C-suite leaders, embracing change inside and outside their companies, and making impactful decisions under pressure.
1. Mint House’s Samantha Greenberg: From Hedge Fund Founder to CFO
After 20 years on Wall Street, the founder of Margate Capital moved from investor to operator.
“I think operators who come from the investing world can bring uniquely valuable skills to the CFO role, in that we are expert forecasters and researchers of unit economics,” said Samantha Greenberg, who left Mint House earlier this year to become CFO of ID.me.
2. Wunderkind’s Tom Kaeding: Staying Put, Staying Focused
Kaeding talked about the value of sticking with one company, developing leadership skills on the fly, and critical traits associated with success.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to step into the lead finance role earlier than most. It meant I had to learn leadership skills on my feet, which was simultaneously overwhelming and extremely motivating.”
3. Hofman Hospitality’s Christopher Crawley: Finding the Recipe for Cost and Labor Management
The restaurant chain’s CFO described the cultural and financial challenges of helping an established, labor-intensive business become more efficient.
“The people I’ve known over the years who have done well in this field have been leaders inside and outside the organization. It’s the ability to embrace change.”
4. TS Imagine’s Kate Peachway: Leading Through Education and Hard Work
In her first year as a CFO, Peachway's experiences in higher education and as a buy-side investor paid off, she told CFO.
“An investor-minded CFO slices and dices the financials and uses the numbers as tools to drive strategic priorities and business insights.”
5. Greek Development CFO Masha Sherman: Real Estate Finance Pro
Sherman shared her journey to the CFO position, her career in real estate, and the importance of networking.
“I like that I can walk down the street and point out buildings I worked on and know how I contributed.”