ProcurementExpress.com Logo
Start Free Trial
ProcurementExpress.com Logo
Book a Demo
January 14, 2025

What CEOs Get Wrong About Finances—And How to Fix It

In the latest episode of the Gross Profit Podcast, host James Kennedy sits down with Elisabeth Sabin, Fractional CFO. Elisabeth flips the script on James, talking to him about his path to Procurement Express, and shares valuable insights into what it takes to be a great CFO.
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Gross Profit Podcast
What CEOs Get Wrong About Finances—And How to Fix It
Loading
/
Download File
Play in new window
  • 45 mins
  • 2025-01-14 10:26:37
Subscribe on

Show Notes

Welcome back to the Gross Profit Podcast! In this episode, host James Kennedy sits down with Elisabeth Sabin, a seasoned Fractional CFO who specializes in helping bootstrapped SaaS founders scale sustainably without sacrificing control or freedom. Elisabeth flips the script, interviewing James about his journey to founding ProcurementExpress.com, while also sharing actionable insights into the vital role of a CFO and the financial missteps CEOs often make—and how to fix them.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Common Financial Pitfalls: The mistakes many CEOs make when it comes to managing finances and how to avoid them.
  • What Makes a Great CFO: Elisabeth’s approach to blending financial strategy, planning, and auditing to help founders grow profitably.
  • The Importance of Clarity: How understanding your numbers can eliminate stress, improve decision-making, and create peace of mind.
  • Scaling Sustainably: Tips for bootstrapped founders to grow without giving up control or freedom.

Episode Highlights:

  • “You can’t drive your business without knowing what’s working and what’s not. Your numbers are trying to tell you a story.”
  • “Financial expertise isn’t a luxury—it’s the foundation for sustainable growth.”
  • “Great CFOs bring clarity, not jargon. When your finances are in order, it’s not just about numbers—it’s about confidence.”

About Elisabeth Sabin
Elisabeth Sabin brings over 15 years of financial expertise to fast-growing, impact-focused businesses. As a Fractional CFO, she specializes in turning financial chaos into clarity, empowering founders to make smarter decisions and grow sustainably.

Who She Works With:

  • Bootstrapped founders with at least $5M in revenue who need to understand and influence their numbers, boost profit, and plan for the future.

Results She’s Delivered:

  • Reduced operating costs by 26%.
  • Saved €60K annually by spotting fraud.
  • Doubled revenue in 8 months without outside investment.
  • Collected 56% more in cash owed by customers.
  • Helped clients confidently create budgets ranging from €25M to €108M.

About the Episode:
Whether you’re struggling to make sense of your finances or aiming to scale sustainably, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways. Learn why Elisabeth believes financial expertise should be accessible to all founders and how her tailored approach can transform your business.

Join us as we uncover the strategies CEOs need to succeed—and the mindset shifts that will help you get there.

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 »