ERPs, AI Fraud, And More - This Week In Finance Tech With Andrew Li From CloseCore This Week In Finance Tech podcast

47:11

This Week in Finance Tech

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Global Trade 101 in 2025 with Alexander Style 34:23

20 days ago34:23

34:23

This Week in Finance Tech

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Clay co-founder on finding PMF, 10x hyper-growth, commitment in life + career, & more 49:39

35 weeks ago49:39

49:39

Click here to watch a video of this episode. In this episode of the Operators Only podcast, we sat down with Varun Anand, co-founder and head of ops at Clay, to discuss: His unconventional journey from political campaigns to tech startups The story of how he joined Clay, from advisor to co-founder Building and scaling Clay's unique go-to-market strategy Creating tight feedback loops in product development and team structure Clay's approach to hiring and building a culture of creativity and focus Balancing a high-stress startup life with personal relationships The importance of commitment and specialization in business and life Insights on trust-building and conflict resolution in professional partnerships Varun shares his experiences working on Hillary Clinton's campaign, his instinct-driven approach to business, and how Clay is redefining B2B SaaS with its innovative product and culture. This episode offers valuable insights for founders, operators, and anyone interested in the inner workings of fast-growing tech startups. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:00:54) About the Episode (00:02:23) Introduction and Background (00:03:59) Working for Hillary Clinton (00:05:22) Joining Clay as Advisor (00:06:33) Early Days at Clay (00:08:45) Building Clay's Go-to-Market Strategy (00:15:04) Clay's Growth and Evolution (00:19:17) Becoming Co-Founder at Clay (00:37:07) Balancing Work and Personal Life (00:49:01) Sponsors: Outro SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://www.operatorsonly.fm/ Twitter (Host): https://twitter.com/andrew__rea Twitter (Co-Host): https://x.com/ramshe1000 LinkedIn (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewrea1996/ LinkedIn (Co-Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/rameel-sheikh-051246a3/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators_Only PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing…

This Week in Finance Tech

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VP of Finance @ Spellbook on succeeding as the first startup finance hire 46:18

37 weeks ago46:18

46:18

Click here to watch a video of this episode. We talked to Aman Samra about his career as a finance operator at venture-backed startups. He's now been the first finance hire / leader at 4 different companies and learned a lot in the process. We discussed: The journey from traditional accounting to startup finance Being a 4x first finance hire in startups What CEOs look for in their first finance hire The evolving structure of finance teams in startups When to bring finance in-house vs. using fractional CFOs How to evaluate and hire for finance roles in startups The impact of AI on software business models and gross margins Unsexy but crucial finance tasks like data cleansing Aman shared his take on transitioning from traditional accounting firms to early-stage startups, the importance of being a generalist in startup finance roles, and how AI is changing the financial margin profiles for software companies. Great episode for all the finance operators out there or if you're a founder figuring out your first full-time finance leader. For real-time updates on Spellbook and to follow Aman's work more closely, check out the links below: Spellbook: https://www.spellbook.legal/ Aman's Twitter : https://x.com/amansamraa Aman's LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/amansamra/ Aman's Podcast - Generation Hustle : https://www.generationhustlepod.com/podcast CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:01:03) About the Episode (00:01:43) Introduction and Background (00:03:41) First Finance Hire Expectations (00:06:39) Finance Background Requirements (00:09:38) Finance Team Structure (00:13:33) Hiring for Finance Roles (00:18:38) Balancing Ambition in Finance Teams (00:38:15) AI Impact on Gross Margins (00:44:27) Unsexy Tasks in Finance (00:45:41) Outro SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://www.operatorsonly.fm/ Twitter (Host): https://twitter.com/andrew__rea Twitter (Co-Host): https://x.com/ramshe1000 LinkedIn (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewrea1996/ LinkedIn (Co-Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/rameel-sheikh-051246a3/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators_Only PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing…

This Week in Finance Tech

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Why you should hire overseas talent with Somewhere.com COO Benjamin Surman 41:10

37 weeks ago41:10

41:10

Click here to watch a video of this episode. Rameel and I chatted with our friend Benjamin Surman about hiring overseas talent. Ben's the COO at Somewhere.com, one of the leaders in the new wave of overseas talent firms that have popped up in the last few years. We went deep on: His journey from consultant to head of growth to COO The evolution of Somewhere.com, its recent rebranding, and acquisition under Nick Huber. The growing trend of international hiring and building a global workforce How to effectively integrate and manage remote teams across different cultures and time zones The importance of proper legal and compliance considerations when hiring internationally Tips for operators and founders looking to leverage global talent The future of executive hiring on a global scale How to choose the right partner when venturing into international hiring Benjamin shares insights on building trust with founders, proving your worth as an operator, and navigating ownership changes. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities of hiring internationally, including cultural differences, legal implications, and the importance of having proper systems in place. Good episode if you're trying to think through the pros and cons of hiring talent outside the US. For real-time updates on Somewhere and to follow Benjamin’s work more closely, check out the links below: Benjamin's Twitter : https://x.com/chiefcustodian Benjamin's LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminsurman/ CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:00:59) About the Episode (00:02:04) Introduction of Benjamin Thurman (00:02:39) Rise of overseas hiring in tech (00:05:53) Benjamin's journey to COO (00:09:16) Earning trust with founders (00:10:28) Navigating ownership changes (00:12:47) Rebranding to Somewhere.com (00:15:36) International hiring market trends (00:18:24) Global talent vs outsourcing (00:21:34) Somewhere's hiring process (00:24:48) Managing international employees (00:27:04) Challenges in global hiring (00:30:10) Hiring executives internationally (00:33:23) Advice for choosing hiring partners (00:39:01) Key takeaways and conclusion (00:40:32) Outro SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://www.operatorsonly.fm/ Twitter_Host : https://twitter.com/andrew__rea Twitter_Co-Host : https://x.com/ramshe1000 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewrea1996/ LinkedIn_Co-Host : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rameel-sheikh-051246a3/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators_Only PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing…

This Week in Finance Tech

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Lessons from inside Ramp, Instacart & Remote with Sophia Deng 1:35:19

38 weeks ago1:35:19

1:35:19

This episode is special for me. My friend Sophia Deng has had a hell of a run as a startup operator at several of the most iconic tech companies of the last decade. But what I especially love about her is how thoughtful, opinionated, and raw she is about all the things she's learned. She's inspiring and her takes will challenge your thinking. We covered a bunch of stuff in this episode including: Why Sophia chose investment banking before pivoting to tech Moving to SF with nothing lined up and fighting for an entry-level job at Instacart. Stories, lessons, and unsung heroes from Instacart. Operating experiences from Instacart, Ramp, Gigster, Remote, and beyond. What makes the Ramp founder's special. Why founders should be intentional about their company's cultural "Sun" Transitioning from startup operator to startup founder And much more. Here's the link to "The Sun" Blog Post discussed in the episode: https://sophdeng.github.io/2022/04/30/the-sun.html To follow Sophia’s work more closely, check out the links below: Sophia's Twitter: https://x.com/sophdeng Sophia's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soph-deng/ Sophia's Podcast: Game of Life Podcast Sophia's Website: https://sophdeng.github.io/ --- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Click here to watch a video of this episode. --- CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:01:06) About the Episode (00:02:01) Introduction and Background (00:03:21) Philosophy Major and Career Impact (00:06:29) Transition to Finance and Tech (00:09:03) Journey to Instacart (00:12:13) Early Role at Instacart (00:13:14) Career Transitions and Growth (00:16:22) Gigster Experience and Learnings (00:19:06) Joining Ramp and Company Culture (00:23:11) The 'It Factor' in Founders (00:25:43) Achievements at Ramp (00:29:36) Remote Work and Operational Challenges (00:33:02) Transitioning to Founder (00:35:41) The Idea Maze and Founder Journey (00:40:13) Confidence and Founder Experience (00:46:48) The Sun Theory in Startups (00:58:03) Reflections on Founding a Company (01:03:55) Lessons from Startup Experience (01:13:30) Founder Identity and Motivation (01:25:15) Closing Thoughts and Contact Info (01:34:42) Outro --- SOCIAL LINKS: Website : https://www.operatorsonly.fm/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrew__rea LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewrea1996/ Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzn92lHHiCAfg5RllEd-FAw -- - PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing…

This Week in Finance Tech

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Joining Beehiiv as employee #7 and getting promoted to COO 46:21

38 weeks ago46:21