The Surprising Truth: Most CEOs Get Cash Flow Wrong

The CEO Project Podcast

What is the significance of understanding the distinction between operating and strategic finance in hiring a CFO? Oana Labes, a seasoned CPA and MBA originally from Romania, has made significant strides in bridging the gap between controllers and CFOs through her innovative company focused on CFO brain technology. With her entrepreneurial spirit and extensive experience as a senior commercial lender in Ontario, Labes observed the frequent disconnect between company goals and financial reporting, prompting her to develop solutions that enable smooth transitions and informed decision-making. Labes emphasizes the distinction between a controller and a CFO, noting that while controllers focus on compliance and reporting, CFOs are tasked with interpretation, forecasting, and engaging with external stakeholders such as lenders and investors. She advises CEOs to carefully differentiate between operating finance, managed by controllers, and strategic finance, handled by CFOs, to ensure they hire the right individual who can truly drive the company's growth and success. Key Takeaways:

• Financial intelligence is essential for CEOs and executives to make informed decisions and drive growth in businesses.
• Aligning business strategy with financial strategy, especially in terms of capital planning and sourcing, is crucial to achieve long-term goals and maximize shareholder value creation.
• The importance of communication and alignment between CEOs and CFOs in driving business decisions and financial strategies forward is crucial.
• Misaligned objectives between CEOs and CFOs can lead to potential issues in decision-making.
• Jim Schleckser emphasizes the importance of Economic Value Added (EVA) analysis in assessing wealth creation and aligning incentives with long-term value creation.
• Understanding the different levels of financial expertise required when hiring a CFO is crucial.

More from Oana Labes Oana Labes is a CPA, financial strategist, and founder of Financiario, a groundbreaking platform that delivers CFO-level intelligence to mid-sized businesses through real-time forecasts, automated dashboards, and strategic planning tools. With over 15 years of experience managing hundreds of millions in commercial finance, Oana has helped scale companies from under $1 million to over $20 million in revenue. Her mission is to transform finance from a reactive function into a strategic growth engine—equipping both finance and non-finance professionals with the tools and insights to make confident, value-driven decisions. Through her consulting and work with Financiario, she enables businesses to overcome traditional financial limitations and unlock sustainable, data-powered growth. A global thought leader in strategic finance, Oana is also the creator of the CEO Financial Intelligence Program and The Finance Gem, a bi-weekly newsletter read by over 50,000 subscribers. Her content has reached over 130 million professionals worldwide, with more than 400,000 followers on LinkedIn. She has taught thousands through her best-selling masterclasses on cash flow and financial analysis, empowering leaders to improve performance, optimize capital, and dramatically increase enterprise value. As one of the most prominent finance educators and content creators today, Oana is redefining what it means to be financially intelligent in the modern business world. Website: https://oanalabes.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oanalabes/ If you are an experienced CEO looking to grow your company, visit https://www.TheCEOProject.com You can also reach Jim by email: [email protected] LinkedIn: @theceoproject Instagram: @the_ceoproject Twitter/X: @the_CEO_Project Facebook: @IncCEOproject