October 3, 2024

Purchasing Hacks for SMBs

In this episode of The Gross Profit Podcast, entitled “Purchasing Hacks for SMBs “, host James Kennedy speaks with Ben de la Cretaz. As a Partner and CFO at TechCXO, Ben works with founding teams and growth-stage companies in all aspects of finance, fundraising, and operations. We hear about how Ben helps entrepreneurs fresh from the bubble of academia realize their business dreams. Ben also shares how his dream of owning a restaurant changed to teaching clients how the cash in their business works.
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Gross Profit Podcast
Purchasing Hacks for SMBs
Loading
/

Show Notes

In this episode James Kennedy sits down with Ben de la Cretaz, Partner and CFO at TechCXO. Ben brings a wealth of experience working with startups and growth-stage companies, particularly in the tech and biotech industries. As a fractional CFO and COO, Ben helps businesses set up the systems they need to scale successfully, all while focusing on finance, fundraising, and operations.

In this episode, James and Ben explore the challenges small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face when it comes to purchasing and finance management. Ben shares invaluable hacks and strategies to help entrepreneurs make smarter purchasing decisions, optimize cash flow, and avoid common financial pitfalls.

Episode Highlights:

  • From Academia to Entrepreneurship: Ben shares how he helps entrepreneurs fresh out of academia transition into the business world and turn their dreams into reality.
  • Cash Flow Mastery: Ben talks about the importance of understanding how cash moves through a business, and how teaching this concept became his passion after stepping away from his dream of owning a restaurant.
  • Strategic Purchasing for SMBs: Learn about the purchasing hacks Ben recommends for SMBs to save money and manage their cash flow more effectively.
  • Fundraising and Growth: Ben discusses his role in guiding startups through fundraising and equity rounds, and the systems he puts in place to support rapid growth.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Optimizing Purchasing for SMBs: Ben’s top tips for small businesses to manage purchasing, reduce costs, and boost profitability.
  • Understanding Cash Flow: How SMBs can get a better handle on their cash flow and avoid running out of funds during crucial growth stages.
  • Setting Up for Success: The systems and processes Ben helps startups implement to ensure long-term financial and operational success.
  • Fundraising and Scaling: Insights into how Ben helps startups navigate fundraising rounds, equity deals, and strategic planning for growth.

Ben’s diverse experience allows him to share practical, industry-specific advice for business owners in these fields, covering everything from platform implementation and business intelligence to M&A and international operations.

This podcast is tagged under:

The Gross Profit Podcast

More Episodes

Merushka Chetty

Tiffany Vogel – The 3-Year Plan to Build and SELL a CFO Empire!

This week James sits down with Tiffany Vogel, founder of Insight CFO Services, to explore what it means to build a scalable, values-driven fractional CFO firm from the ground up. Tiffany shares her unconventional decision to take on debt and build a team from day one – defying the typical solo CFO path.
They dive into her background in healthcare analytics, her real estate investing success, and how those experiences shaped her approach to financial leadership. Tiffany also talks candidly about setting boundaries, managing burnout, and keeping her mission at the center of everything she builds.
Stick around to the end to hear how she’s planning retreats for founder transformation – and why every CFO should be thinking about their exit, too.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Kyle Smith – The Balance Sheet Red Flag That Could Bankrupt You

This week James sits down with Kyle Smith, founder of Strata Advisory and seasoned fractional CFO, to explore what it takes to help fast-growing service businesses thrive. With a background in management consulting and a knack for navigating complex financial waters, Kyle breaks down the strategies he uses to guide his clients toward clarity, confidence, and profitable decision-making.

They discuss building financial infrastructure from scratch, the difference between being busy and being successful, and why most business owners need to stop trying to do it all.
Stick around to the end to hear Kyle’s take on how fractional CFOs can make themselves indispensable to the CEOs they serve.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Jason Andrews – One Cold Email Changed His Career Forever

This week James sits down with Jason Andrews from FloQast to unpack the unexpected journey from accounting to marketing – and the lessons learned scaling a finance function through hypergrowth. Jason opens up about his time at Twilio, where he helped guide the company from $650M to over $4B in revenue, led a massive ERP migration, and managed a global team across five time zones. He also shares why he made the surprising leap into marketing at FloQast and how his accounting DNA continues to drive his impact.
Whether you’re navigating messy month-end closes, leading through explosive growth, or considering a career pivot, this episode is full of wisdom on process, people, and perspective.

Listen Now »