CFO Bookshelf Blog

One of Mark’s favorite books in 2021 has been Mind Over Matter by Ron Baker, a best-selling author and the co-host of The Soul of Enterprise weekly radio show. In this show, we discuss why studying intellectual capital is important along with its three primary components – human, structural, and social. As Ron says, there’s nothing more pragmatic than a good theory. Accordingly, our chat is far from conceptual or abstract.

[Read more…] about Ron Baker on the Value of Intellectual Property

Gary Harpst should need no introduction within the accounting and finance world. Gary is one of three co-founders of Solomon Software which was ultimately acquired by Great Plains (and Microsoft later acquired Great Plains). Gary then did a deep dive into the success traits of small businesses. His research turned into a consulting firm and two books centered around Six Disciplines. During this show, we talk about VFOs, strategy, limited resources, and much more.

[Read more…] about Gary Harpst on Strategy and Execution

According to Mark Jacobsen, he had been steeped in books about failing fast, failing forward, resilience, grit, and moonshots as a startup founder. But what happens to the founder when that world comes crashing down on the hopes and dreams who started that journey? While there are numerous books about epic business collapses, few exist on dealing with personal failure where Mark shares his inner battles in his book, Eating Glass.

[Read more…] about An Inner Journey Through Failure and Renewal

I enjoyed reading about Guy Spier’s lunch with Warren Buffett in his book, The Education of a Value Investor. That gave me an idea. What if I could pull off a virtual dinner with this deep-thinking value investor? With a huge thank you to Adam Mead, author of The Complete History of Berkshire Hathaway, that satisfying conversation became a reality. Grab a sandwich and your favorite beverage, and be prepared to learn from this gifted value investor.

[Read more…] about A Virtual Dinner with Guy Spier

I have read many investment books over the past 30 years, and one of the titles easily in my Top 5 is The Education of a Value Investor by Guy Spier. In the world of value investing, Guy needs no introduction. He’s been interviewed hundreds of times and he’s also been a Talks at Google presenter. With thanks to another author, Guy gladly said he’d join the show, and he certainly delivered.

[Read more…] about The Education of a Value Investor

Steve Wexler is one of my favorite teachers in the data visualization space because he’s easy to understand and doesn’t speak over our heads. He’s the co-author of The Big Book of Dashboards, and his newest book is The Big Picture. Our topics include preattentive attributes, the love affair with stoplight colors, dead-end dashboards, and important tips when building visualizations. We also talk about the so-what of three different chart types.

[Read more…] about Data Visualization for Financial and Business Leaders

Once upon a time, I was all business. I was overly analytical and a bit too direct on every project I worked on. I was never mean-spirited, at least I didn’t think I was. I just thought everyone should be like me when working on critical projects. Four years into my career, some people who cared about me said, “Mark, you’re smart, but you need to go to charm school.” That was a transformational experience.

[Read more…] about People Skills for Analytical Thinkers

Several months ago, a web search brought me to the 2Y3X website. I devoured every single page. I watched the videos on the website. I was so captivated by the content that I wanted to interview the creative genius behind that firm. A follow-up email from a team member revealed Felix Velarde was releasing his book soon. I waited, got the book, and was still hooked. My interview with this engaging business leader and executive coach did not disappoint.

[Read more…] about 3X Revenue in 2 Years with Felix Velarde

At the end of 2020, I invited Jane Thier to the show to talk about last year’s big stories – most were related to COVID. With the first half of 2021 in our rearview mirror, I wanted to touch base with Jane again to get her perspective on the headlines that mattered the most. I also quizzed her about the stories we’ll be reading about in the near future and beyond. Out of curiosity, we got to hear the names of three CFOs Jane would like to interview.

[Read more…] about The Top Financial News Stories in the First Half of 2021