CFO Whisperer CJ Gustafson On Critical HR Metrics And Getting Your HRIS Project Funded HRIS Careers podcast

CFO Whisperer CJ Gustafson On Critical HR Metrics and Getting Your HRIS Project Funded

1d ago 50:57

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In this episode, we sits down with CJ Gustafson — former Chief Financial Officer (CFO), creator of the Mostly Metrics newsletter, and host of the Run The Numbers podcast.

CJ shares his path from finance student at Boston College to CFO of a successful SaaS company, culminating in a high-stakes exit. He also dives into how he started building an audience of over 65,000 newsletter subscribers and offers practical insights for HRIS professionals looking to better communicate with and influence CFOs. From favorite HRIS systems like HiBob and BambooHR to key HR metrics like average revenue per employee and hiring velocity, CJ breaks it down with clarity and humor.

The episode blends Boston sports banter, tech insights, and actionable tips on aligning HR data with financial decision-making.

Highlights

🎧 We discuss:

CJ’s journey from Boston College to CFO to newsletter entrepreneur
Top HR metrics your CFO is watching 👀
His favorite HRIS systems (hint: HiBob & BambooHR)
Why hiring velocity and cost per employee matter 💼
The wild world of selling a company… and giving your dog 65+ ice creams 🍦

Don’t miss this mix of Boston humor, practical HR finance advice, and career inspiration.

Listen On:

Resources Mentioned

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 – Intro from Troy in Omaha

01:50 – Guest intro: CJ Gustafson’s background

05:10 – CJ’s journey from Boston College to CFO

08:12 – The Mostly Metrics newsletter and Walter’s ice cream bribes 🍦

10:30 – HR metrics your CFO cares about

14:00 – Hiring velocity, time-to-fill, and sales capacity

19:00 – The “GOAT” metric: Revenue per employee

22:00 – Unlimited PTO: Perk or accounting trick?

24:50 – Favorite HRIS systems (HiBob, BambooHR, Workday)

28:00 – How to build a business case for HR tech

32:00 – How CJ started Mostly Metrics

35:30 – Podcasting with Run The Numbers

37:40 – Selling a SaaS company – behind the scenes

40:40 – Transitioning into finance roles – CJ’s advice

43:00 – Lightning round: Google searches, OnlyFans, Boston sports

48:00 – Bonus: Behind the scenes, kids, pets, and ceiling disasters

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24 episodes