• How Fractional CFOs Turn £3M into £20M Wins
    2025/10/09

    In this episode of The New F*Word, host Colin Hewitt is joined by Peter Turner, CEO of ConnexionCFO, to share his unique approach to fractional CFO services, why traditional CFO models are being disrupted, and how his innovative equity-sharing model attracts world-class CFOs.

    What You’ll Learn:

    * How world-class CFOs differentiate themselves through storytelling and strategic repositioning

    * Why the best fractional CFOs focus on business opportunities rather than just solving current problems

    * The game-changing equity-sharing model that enables CFO collaboration and long-term engagement

    * How to structure a high-performing finance function beyond just the CFO role

    * Why market opportunity, product strategy, and go-to-market approach are crucial focus areas for modern CFOs

    * The transformative impact of having the right CFO

    * How to effectively work with ADHD founders through structured financial leadership

    Peter Turner is the CEO of ConnexionCFO, a pioneering fractional CFO firm that’s revolutionizing how high-caliber financial leadership is delivered to scaling businesses. With 17 years of industry experience and a background as a qualified accountant and CFO, Peter has facilitated the placement of CFOs in over 700 scaling businesses. He’s known for developing an innovative equity-sharing model that allows top-tier CFOs to collaborate and share in their clients’ success. Having founded and successfully sold his own technology company to Experian in 2021, Peter brings unique insights into the evolving role of fractional CFOs, particularly in helping ambitious founders achieve significant growth and successful exits.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    32 分
  • Greatest Hits: Redefining the Fractional CFO, with Elliott Gaspar
    2025/09/25

    In this Greatest Hits episode of The New F*Word Podcast, I revisit my conversation with Elliott Gaspar, Founder of Ox Consult and a hands-on advocate for redefining what it means to be a Fractional CFO.

    Elliott shares how his journey, from scaling startups to raising $600M in funding, shaped his perspective on finance as a true value driver rather than just a cost center. We dive into the different types of fractional CFOs emerging in the market, why the industry is still in its early days, and how he’s pioneering a model rooted in problem-solving, practical systems, and trusted founder relationships.

    From navigating the “edge of chaos” in high-growth startups to leveraging AI for smarter bookkeeping, Elliott gives a candid look at the challenges and opportunities shaping this fast-growing field.

    🔑 You’ll discover:

    * The three types of Fractional CFOs and why the hands-on builder stands apart

    * Why finance should be seen as a value driver, not a cost center

    * Common mistakes founders make when approaching startup finance

    * How AI is transforming bookkeeping and decision-making

    * The power of community and collaboration in scaling a fractional practice

    * Elliott’s personal journey from dyslexia to redefining success in both finance and family life

    Elliott’s story shines a light on the future of fractional finance: flexible, tech-enabled, and deeply human.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    40 分
  • Why the Future of Finance Isn’t About the Ledger
    2025/09/11

    In this episode of The New F*Word, host Colin Hewitt is joined by Madeline Reeves, Founder and CEO of Fearless Foundry, for a wide-ranging conversation about building resilient businesses, the messy reality of advisory services, and why the finance industry needs fewer shiny tools and more strategy.

    What You’ll Learn:

    * How to navigate the AI hype cycle while maintaining focus on genuine business value

    * Why the traditional General Ledger model is becoming obsolete and what's replacing it

    * The critical difference between operational finance leadership and true CFO strategic guidance

    * How to build a successful fractional CFO practice while choosing between boutique and scaled models

    * Why community building and peer support are essential for modern accounting firm growth

    Madeline Reeves is the Founder and CEO of Fearless Foundry, an 8-year-old strategic consultancy specializing in go-to-market strategy and business development. With vast experience as a global business development leader for leading tech companies, she helps organizations from solo founders to billion-dollar enterprises optimize their market presence and growth strategies. Additionally, Madeline is the Founder of We Talk Money, the first-ever online network designed to connect underrepresented leaders in finance to industry opportunities and each other.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    52 分
  • AI is Not Gonna Take Your Job, but a Bookkeeper Using AI Will
    2025/08/28

    In this episode of The New F*Word, host Colin Hewitt speaks with Jo Wood, Co-founder of The 6 Figure Bookkeeper and Hey Monika, about the evolving role of bookkeepers in modern business. Jo shares how she grew The 6 Figure Bookkeeper from 60 Facebook members to 28000, sold her multi-six-figure practice to prove bookkeeping businesses can be valuable assets, and co-founder Hey Monika, an AI-driven training platform giving bookkeepers real-world experience in a safe space.

    What You’ll Learn:

    * How to leverage AI and automation while maintaining valuable human insights in bookkeeping

    * Why building a tech stack is crucial for modern bookkeeping

    * How bookkeepers can transition from traditional services to higher-value advisory roles

    * Why confidence, not just technical knowledge, is key to successful financial advisory

    * How to create effective partnerships between bookkeepers, accountants, and fractional CFOs

    * Why embracing technology education and practical experience platforms like Hey Monica are reshaping professional development

    Jo Wood is a pioneering figure in modern bookkeeping and financial education, known for co-founding The 6 Figure Bookkeeper. With a background in auditing and virtual FD services, she has grown a community of over 28000 bookkeepers and accountants while successfully building and selling her own multi-six-figure bookkeeping practice, Jo Wood Virtual FD Ltd. Jo is transforming the bookkeeping industry through innovative solutions, like HeyMonica, an AI-powered platform that provides practical experience for aspiring financial professionals.

    Episode Resources:

    * Jo Wood on LinkedIn

    * The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Website

    * Hey Monika Website

    * Bookkeeping Business From Home Podcast

    * The Bookkeeper Rises Book

    * Colin Hewitt on LinkedIn

    * Float Cash Flow Forecasting Website



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    40 分
  • Modular Finance That Works for Multi-Entity CFOs with Michael Wood
    2025/08/14
    The Founder Who Learned the Hard WayWood built Receipt Bank from a startup to a £500 million exit to IRIS Software Group in 2024. During that journey, Receipt Bank eventually migrated to NetSuite as they scaled. Wood now says if today's technology had been available then, they would have stayed on their modular stack rather than making that expensive, complex transition.As someone who's lived through a painful ERP transition, Wood sees the opportunity to help businesses avoid this pain. The idea for Translucent centres around the fact that the general ledger is essentially an API layer, and works well for many businesses. There is a constantly evolving app ecosystem marketplace that enables businesses to plug in ones to fit their unique use cases. By providing this multi-entity system, businesses can have multiple Xero entities in the UK and Australia, a QuickBooks setup in the US, and a Pennylane in France. Businesses can use the tools that they know, yet create reports in one place, avoiding or delaying the ERP migration until a much more significant scale than would have been possible before.Translucent's core capabilities include automated group reporting with real-time FX conversion, intercompany reconciliation, treasury consolidation across currencies, and unified search across all entities. The platform operates as a data warehouse that syncs and harmonises information from Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and Pennylane, enabling enterprise-level consolidation without forcing companies to abandon familiar SMB accounting tools.The market response has been favourable. Translucent achieved 1,000 Xero entities in just 168 days - claimed to be the fastest any Xero app has reached this milestone. The company has raised £7.7 million across pre-seed and seed rounds, attracting notable investors including Craig Walker (Xero co-founder/former CTO) and Gary Turner (Xero co-founder/former UK MD) as board members.The Fractional CFO Movement Is Accelerating This ShiftThe fractional CFO movement is driving a fundamental change in how growing companies approach their finance stack. These strategic partners bring experience from their time at multi-entity organisations, and they're proving that modular finance stacks are not just viable–they're smarter.“Our experience of the market is most people do not want to leave Xero. They want to stay, but they have a problem. That problem may be forecasting, it may be intercompany automation, prepayments, consolidated reporting, working at AP groups, across the group. It can be all sorts of different things, but normally they are running this, you know, these multiple zeros, this multi entity setup, and they have a burning problem. And what we try to do is to help them with that first problem”Unlike permanent CFOs who might default to familiar enterprise solutions, fractional CFOs see the same problems across dozens of clients. They watch companies struggle with ERP implementations, and they are starting to see alternative paths becoming viable, bringing both significant time and cost savings.This positions them perfectly to challenge the old orthodoxy. When a fractional CFO with experience across 20+ implementations says, "you don't need NetSuite yet," that carries weight that transforms boardroom conversations.The Hidden Reality: ERPs Are Failing at ScaleThe statistics behind ERP implementations tell a sobering story that fractional CFOs are increasingly aware of. According to Gartner research, 55-75% of ERP projects either fail outright or don't meet their intended objectives. Only 23% of all implementations are considered successful by organisations' own standards.Major companies are reversing course on massive ERP investments. Lidl scrapped its €500 million SAP implementation after seven years, reverting to legacy systems. Avon's $125 million SAP failure saw 33% of sales representatives quit rather than struggle with the complex interface. Mission Produce lost $22.2 million in gross profit when their ERP implementation left them unable to track basic inventory operations.Cost overruns represent perhaps the most shocking revelation. Organisations experience an average 189% budget overrun, meaning ERP projects typically cost nearly three times the initial estimates. Timeline delays compound the financial pain, with failed projects experiencing schedule overruns averaging 230%.Notably, only 33% of companies report satisfaction with their ERP systems, and 56% of organisations have a "high degree of purchase regret" over their largest technology purchases, with ERPs frequently topping the list.The Rise of ERP Fatigue Drives SimplificationA significant shift is underway as companies experience "ERP fatigue" - exhaustion with monolithic systems' rigidity, costs, and complexity. By 2027, IDC forecasts that 75% of global businesses will begin replacing monolithic systems with modular, API-driven solutions.The symptoms of ERP fatigue are consistent: inability to adapt quickly...
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    44 分
  • Minimum Viable Marketing That Works for fCFOs
    2025/07/31

    Most finance professionals (e.g. accountants and fCFOs) are still relying on outdated marketing tactics: generic websites, vague messaging, and a hope that referrals will carry the business.

    However, as Karen Reyburn shares, that approach no longer works.

    In this episode of The New F*Word, I sit down with Karen to chat about what really works when it comes to marketing for accountants and fractional CFOs. Karen shares practical insights on defining your audience, crafting compelling stories, and evolving your marketing as services change.

    Here are the main takeaways from this episode:

    * Boring marketing is bad for business. If your firm sounds like every other one, clients can't choose you. Make it human. Make it real.

    * Talk less. Listen more. Ask therapist-style questions: "How are things really?" Then build your messaging around what people actually say.

    * Get specific. The narrower your niche, the stronger your pull. Broad messaging attracts no one. Great marketing divides.

    * Done is better than perfect. You don’t need the perfect brand before you start showing up. Just start.

    * Creativity isn’t optional anymore. Whether you’re a fractional CFO or firm owner, your creative mindset is now a business asset.

    Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

    This episode is brought to you by Float, the cash flow forecasting software trusted by thousands of Modern Finance Leaders and businesses. Whether you're a growing company or a fractional CFO, Float is a cash flow forecasting tool that provides finance professionals with daily cash visibility for the businesses they serve and helps them manage and plan cash flow for any scenario they might face.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    1 時間 6 分
  • Exit-Readiness Starts with Cash Flow
    2025/06/12

    Laura Linden, founder of Feisty FD, shares her journey from accidental finance expert to guiding female entrepreneurs to multimillion-pound exits. With 12 years of experience, she reveals key insights on avoiding valuation pitfalls, the critical role of historical cash flows, and why due diligence matters. She also highlights the value of corporate finance advisors and how gender influences risk-taking, aiming to empower women in business.

    Inspired by her daughter’s fearless spirit, Laura is dedicated to making finance accessible. She’s working on a book and app to boost women’s confidence with numbers. As AI transforms the industry, Laura stays ahead, offering practical advice on adapting and thriving. This episode is a clear, no-nonsense guide to mastering your business’s finances and unlocking its full potential.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    49 分
  • Tariffs, Churn, and the CFO You Needed Yesterday
    2025/05/29

    Adam Sher, CFO at Vero Capital, shares his journey from Big Four accounting to scaling tech ventures. He empowers Series Seed to Series A startups by streamlining financial operations and investor communications. His insights on SaaS metrics and valuations are invaluable for CFOs helping founders navigating growth.

    We explore small business challenges, from tariffs to global supply chain disruptions. Adam’s candid reflections on his own startup failures, paired with actionable strategies for managing churn and rising costs, offer founders clear, practical guidance to thrive in turbulent times.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newfword.substack.com
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    37 分