What metrics do you consider before joining a company? I recently inquired with a VP of Finance who highlighted 3 key pillars they evaluate when looking at a start-up tech firm that is at Series A or B: 1. Founder background: Success in past exits or a strong corporate track record. 2. Caliber of Board: Impressive investors and industry-relevant Board members. 3. Runway: At least a 12-month runway. Would you align with these criteria when assessing a potential company to join? What else do you consider as an important metric?

Your team can make or destroy an IPO. Let me explain…   The executive team, your board of directors, and your employees are such a vital part of the IPO process.   In chapter 4 of my book, The Entrepreneur’s IPO I delve into creating the dream team.   If you think the CEO can carry the brunt of the work.   You’re wrong.   You need the right combination of skills, experience, and different ways of thinking will be needed to IPO successfully.   Not to mention the finance team, the legal team, and filling any gaps in the company with key hires.   Don’t be fooled into thinking the team doesn’t matter.   It’s THE most important part.

🌟 Monday Motivation for Growth-Minded Founders! 🌟 New week, fresh opportunities! Monday is the best day to get serious about your financial strategy. At Wake Solutions, we’re not just here for the basics—we’re diving deep into the numbers, your business goals, and every growth hurdle along the way. Think of us as your in-house CFO, bringing the financial expertise to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s milestones. If your startup’s ready to level up, let’s connect and start building something remarkable. 🚀 #WakeSolutions #StartupCFO #MondayMotivation #ScaleSmart

Successful scaleups maintain consistent growth through consistent drive. There is no room for complacency. Maintaining high-performance teams is key and seen as a critical component of thriving scaleups, which must include financial expertise. A fractional CFO is paramount, contributing to the strategy and offering additional expertise for the acquisition of the right funding.

Yesterday we had the privilege of ringing the New York Stock Exchange closing bell to celebrate our first year of trading. Here are four things I’ve learned from my first year as a public company CFO: 1. Being able to pivot strategy quickly is crucial. Being publicly traded has not hampered our team's ability to stay lean, remove any red tape creep, and keep the speedboat (rather than cruise ship) mindset. Also, sacred cows have no place in a high-growth organization. 2. CFOs are generalists. As we've built out our finance/accounting department, my role has continually evolved. I need to know a little about a lot, and surround myself with experts (IR, FP&A, technical Accounting) who are laser focused on one area. 3. Acquisitions are time consuming and costly, but can be worth it. Similar to construction, acquisitions will likely cost double as much and take twice the time as planned. This doesn't mean they should be avoided (Credova - A PublicSquare Company was a MASSIVE win for us), just be sure to count the cost beforehand. Also lawyers are expensive (but we all knew that). 4. Greed kills. When we went public, true colors started to show and we had to weed out those who were in it for the money rather than the mission. At PublicSquare, we hire and fire based on three qualities (humble, hungry, smart)... and greed can cloud all three of these. I'm excited for the next year of growth, stay tuned!

Successful scaleups maintain consistent growth through consistent drive. There is no room for complacency. Maintaining high-performance teams is key and seen as a critical component of thriving scaleups, which must include financial expertise. A fractional CFO is paramount, contributing to the strategy and offering additional expertise for the acquisition of the right funding.

🌟 **So, your company is going public! What’s next?** 🚀 Taking the leap into an IPO is a massive milestone, but it’s just the beginning of a new journey. Here’s what to expect as you transition into life as a public company: 1. **Increased Transparency**: Get ready to open your books—shareholders and regulators want to see those quarterly reports! Clear communication is key. 2. **Accountability Goes Up**: Your decisions now affect public shareholders, not just your internal team. Expect more scrutiny, but use it as fuel to stay sharp and focused. 3. **New Growth Opportunities**: With public funding, you can scale faster—but make sure you have a solid growth strategy in place to keep things on track. 4. **Cultural Shift**: The transition will impact your company culture—stay true to your values and keep your team aligned through this new chapter. 🔑 **The best advice?** Plan ahead and surround yourself with experienced advisors to help navigate this new terrain. Going public is just the beginning—stay grounded and focus on sustainable growth! #IPOJourney #BusinessGrowth #NewBeginnings

Successful scaleups maintain consistent growth through consistent drive. There is no room for complacency. Maintaining high-performance teams is key and seen as a critical component of thriving scaleups, which must include financial expertise. A fractional CFO is paramount, contributing to the strategy and offering additional expertise for the acquisition of the right funding.

Successful scaleups maintain consistent growth through consistent drive. There is no room for complacency. Maintaining high-performance teams is key and seen as a critical component of thriving scaleups, which must include financial expertise. A fractional CFO is paramount, contributing to the strategy and offering additional expertise for the acquisition of the right funding.

I keep meeting founders who can’t justify the amount they’re raising. And no, I’m not talking about fancy 5-year projections—those aren’t necessary early on (and perhaps not even later). However, it is essential to align your funding needs with at least these three key aspects: **How much runway will this buy you?** ↳ This refers to how long the funding will last before you need to raise more. In stable markets you should plan for at least 12-18 months. **What specific expenses will it cover?** ↳ Think salaries, product development, tools and platforms, marketing, and operational costs—anything essential to running your business. **What milestones will this help you achieve?** ↳ Consider customer acquisition, product launches, certifications, or revenue growth—whatever moves your business forward. Sure, that’s simplistic, start from there and build on it. What else would you add?