CFO by 40, SaaS Experience, and Free-time

👋Hey there,

History repeats itself—even in FP&A careers.

How do you get a history lesson in FP&A?

Listen to other FP&A enthusiasts’ career stories and questions.

We're tapping into the +25k members of the FPandA subreddit for FP&A career stories and questions.

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Learn From the Stories of Others

What do you want to be when you grow up?

That’s easy—an FP&A professional.

Regardless of your answer—what’s the best way to figure out how to get to your desired career destination?

Find others who got to your desired career destination.

OR, find others in your shoes marching down the same path you are.

Those people will have stories to tell.

And relevant info that can help you succeed on your career journey.

Show Notes

• 00:19 - Mailbag episode—FPandA subreddit here we come

• 00:41 - How someone went from AR/AP to CFO before age 40 🤔

• 03:01 - Braggadocious is a word—and it’s ok to share your career story

• 03:45 - Be intentional—and bust your a$$ to accelerate your FP&A career

• 05:02 - This CFO story is similar to Drew’s—weird how history repeats itself

• 06:00 - Learn how to do EVERY job—that’s how great chefs are born too

• 07:51 - How to spend the little free time you have in FP&A❓

• 09:00 - Balance learning with downtime to recharge—we’re partial to podcasts

• 10:15 - How do you get a SaaS job with no experience—chicken or egg first 🐣

• 10:55 - Use the chip on our shoulder—and highlight interchangeable skills

• 12:20 - Show hustle and curiosity—those types of people are rock stars

• 14:58 - Keep asking questions—people want to help

How to Become a CFO by Age 40

How do we know history repeats itself?

An FPandA subreddit contributor became CFO by age 40.

Drew did the same thing.

And how both got there were eerily similar:

✔️Went to non-target school for undergrad

✔️Worked as a full-time intern while in school

✔️Started out doing work in accounts payable/accounts receivable

✔️Spent a high number of hours working early on

✔️Did not get CPA

✔️Took jobs intentionally to maximize learning and balance earnings

✔️Recognize luck is involved—and making your own luck helps too

This is not the only path to CFO.

But this path is a proven way to get there (because 2 people did it).

Steal things that may work for you.

And avoid things that you don’t enjoy or believe in.

Here’s a longer version of Drew’s career journey story for more things to steal and avoid.

🔥TIP: Here’s how role rotation can help accelerate your career.

What To Do When You Have Downtime

FP&A is synonymous with free time.

Free time is precious.

And it doesn’t come too often in FP&A careers.

How should you spend that time?

Here are some ideas:

💡Get better at Excel by learning shortcuts and new features

💡Listen to podcasts to get perspective and ideas

💡Meet with people at your job you don’t typically work with

Or just chill

Start later, leave earlier, take a longer lunch, go to the gym—find something that helps you recharge.

Whatever you do, don’t waste your free time by avoiding it.

🔥TIP: Here’s why shortcuts are vital to saving you time.

What Comes First, SaaS Experience or Job

It’s the old chicken before the egg discussion.

You need experience to get a job, but how do you get experience if you can’t get a job to begin with?

This happens a lot in SaaS companies.

We landed a job at a SaaS company with Consumer Product experience.

How?

Focus on your interchangeable skills.

For example—understanding revenue performance is required in ALL companies.

We used our volume, mix, and price (VMaP) chops to demonstrate our ability to analyze revenue, regardless of the industry that revenue was in.

Learn about SaaS by reading 10Ks.

And learn about the company your interviewing by spending time on their website.

And overlay all that knowledge with your ability to:

1. Do analysis

2. Learn new things

3. Hustle

🔥TIP: Here’s a guide to help you crush your next FP&A interview.

Conclusion: You Can’t Replace Hustle

Luck is always a factor in success.

But you can make your own luck by hustling constantly.

Keep learning.

Keep finding things you enjoy.

And don’t be afraid to ask others to share their experiences.

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What has helped you navigate your FP&A career?

Share your experiences by replying to this. We read and reply to every email.

Now go have fun making an impact on your business and your career!

See you next week 👊

Cheers,
Drew & Yarty
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Disclaimer: This content is not investment advice or financial advice. The views expressed and stories told are our own. We may be investors in the companies discussed. Do your due diligence when considering applying what you learn.