Episode Archive - ProcurementExpress.com

Patrick McCarthy – How This Fractional CFO Navigated a $111M Acquisition

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Patrick McCarthy, founder of My Startup Consulting, to explore what it really takes to be a fractional CFO for early-stage startups – where chaos is constant and clarity is priceless. Patrick shares how his love of metal music and the “rules of the mosh pit” mirror startup leadership, why he left M&A for the unpredictable world of startups, and what founders must do to operationalize budgets so forecasts become reality. They also dig into fundraising realities, making tough cost-cutting decisions, EOS Rocks alignment, and Patrick’s firsthand experience helping guide a major acquisition exit.

Vincent Biscaye – Why Food Startups Fail (Finance Secrets)

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Vincent Biscaye, founder of Two Step Advisors and former commodities trader who walked away from a high-flying career to help entrepreneurs build real, sustainable businesses in CPG (especially food & beverage). Vincent shares how growing up across multiple countries shaped his leadership style, why finance in CPG is uniquely brutal (and why so many brands get blindsided), and what founders must understand about working capital, distributor deductions, promotions, and inventory accounting. They also unpack the fundraising reality for beverage brands, the pivot Vincent made from building a cold-pressed juice brand to launching his advisory firm, and the exact stage where fractional finance support becomes a game-changer.

Rachel Phillips – Lawyer Turns CEO: Building a 52-Person Accounting Firm

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Rachel Phillips of Fully Accountable – a trained M&A attorney who now helps lead a 52-person outsourced accounting and CFO services firm. Rachel shares how a background in competitive Irish dancing shaped her endurance and consistency as an operator, why she chose entrepreneurship over a traditional law career, and how Fully Accountable evolved into a metrics-driven, values-led team built for modern businesses. They also dig into 13-week cash-flow forecasting, budget discipline (without rigidity), purchase orders as a control mechanism, and what founders should know when preparing to sell a business.

Phil Trowler – The $1M Surprise Invoice Crisis

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Phil Trowler, financial strategist and early finance leader at Olipop, to unpack the realities of scaling a high-growth CPG brand and why storytelling, cash-flow foresight, and purchase-order discipline can make or break a business. From Phil’s unconventional journey through EY, government finance, and Silicon Valley startups, to hard-earned lessons from hypergrowth, inventory risk, and sales forecasting, this episode is a masterclass in strategic finance for founders navigating rapid expansion.

Susanne IJkema – How to Exit When Your Back’s Against the Wall

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Susanne IJkema-Hilgenkamp, Regional Director at The CFO Centre / CFO Center and a fractional CFO based in the Netherlands, to unpack what great stakeholder management really looks like – especially when the stakes are high. From boardrooms that include government and global corporates (including a joint venture where the CEO of the board was the Crown Prince of Brunei) to fast-moving SMEs, Susanne shares how to avoid surprises, align shareholders, and guide major decisions. They also dive into a compelling exit story: helping a 79-year-old founder sell urgently due to health reasons – without selling from a position of panic.

Neil Geary – The $67M Real Estate Turnaround

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Neil Geary, fractional CFO and partner at SeatonHill Partners, to unpack what happens when big entrepreneurial vision meets real-world financial reality. Drawing on a career that started as a Coast Guard – licensed boat captain and evolved through family offices, hospitality, and large-scale real estate development, Neil shares how “captain’s thinking” – planning, diligence, and safety – translates into better decisions for founders and investors.

From rescuing a beloved but loss-making New England “trophy” hotel and restaurant, to helping a Midwestern multifamily developer level up into a $67M ground-up project, Neil shows how the right CFO can turn chaos into a clear course – without killing the entrepreneurial spark that made the business work in the first place.

Neeti Chauhan – Why 90% of SaaS Companies Are Selling at a Loss

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with California-based fractional CFO and CPA Neeti Chauhan to trace her remarkable journey from Mumbai and Bangalore to the US tech scene and what that global experience means for SaaS and startup founders today. Neeti shares how yoga and meditation underpin her discipline and clarity as a finance leader, what it was really like working at Lehman Brothers during its collapse, and how she went from knowing no one in Bangalore to building a thriving consulting firm serving fast-growth startups.

Rush Shah – Stop Competing on Price (Service Business Fix)

In this episode, James Kennedy welcomes Rush Shah, founder of Modern CFO Services and fractional CFO based in California. Together they dive into the realities of building and guiding service-based businesses and healthcare organizations (like memory-care facilities and local hospitals). Rush shares lessons from 20+ years in FP&A and leadership roles and how owning his own firm reshaped his view of risk, resilience, and decision-making. They unpack pricing strategy, utilization, loan risk, and how one stressed healthcare operator transformed a dire outlook into a profitable, pay-the-bank-back-in-five-years plan.

Martin Mellor – The One Hire That Changes Everything

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with fractional CFO Martin Mellor to unpack what it really looks like to shepherd a customer through a live M&A journey – straight from the trenches (Q2 2025). Martin shares how a managed service provider (MSP) can shift from “comfortable lifestyle business” to a serious exit opportunity, what buyers care about (EBITDA multiples, recurring revenue, and quality of earnings), and how CFO-grade clarity turns a fuzzy growth plan into a focused value-creation roadmap. Along the way, they dig into target-setting (including Martin’s memorable “6-3-3” framework), leading vs lagging indicators, and how to translate finance-speak into operational decisions that actually move enterprise value.

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