The Diary of a CFO

The Diary of a CFO

by Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA

Management Careers

Season 1

Solving Revenue Recognition Nightmares for SaaS Companies, with Apurv Bansal

If you’ve ever lost sleep over complex contracts, usage-based pricing, or revenue schedules that live in hundreds spreadsheet tabs, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Apurv Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Zenskar, to talk about how AI is helping SaaS companies automate billing and revenue recognition end-to-end. We unpack why legacy tools can’t keep up with modern pricing models, what finance teams really need from automation, and how to avoid the most common implementation mistakes. Special thanks to Zenskar for sponsoring this episode. Visit zenskar.com/upgrade to learn more.

Beyond Compliance: Kendra LaFleur on Becoming a Trusted Advisor

Audit Director at FORVIS Mazars and board treasurer for Girls on the Run Georgia, Kendra LaFleur opens up about her journey from intern to partner, how she grew into strategic leadership, and how she navigates the evolving role of finance in mission-driven organizations.

From Combat Zones to Corporate Finance: Stephen McLain on Leading in High-Stakes Environments

Stephen McLain led 250 soldiers as an Army Commander. He built internal controls in Iraq to fight fraud and misuse of funds. And, he defended military budgets in front of NATO. Now, he helps corporate finance and accounting teams fix problems with their internal processes, financial modeling, and strategy development. In this episode, he shares what finance professionals can learn from leading in high-stakes environments. We talk about strategic thinking, transitioning from military to corporate finance, and the leadership gaps most companies overlook.

Why Treasury is More Than Managing Cash, with Matthew Harlan

Treasury often works behind the scenes, but Matthew Harlan shows why it should be a key player at the table. We cover what treasury leaders bring to IPO readiness, how to rethink working capital, and how finance teams can collaborate better across functions.

Leading Finance with Curiosity and Cultural Intelligence, with Jenny Fuss

Jenny Fuss has led finance teams in Germany, China, and the United States. Each move meant learning a new way of working. In this episode, she shares how working and living in three different countries shaped her leadership style and helped her lead major transformations with clarity and confidence.

From School Teacher to CFO, with Atlanta Food Bank CFO, Tamica Williams

Tamica Williams went from relying on food pantries as a kid to leading the largest food bank in Georgia as CFO. She shares how she made the jump from teaching to accounting, built her career and why leadership is about showing up 100% no matter where you start.

Secrets of Rockstar CFOs: Jack McCullough on Developing the Next Generation of CFOs

Jack McCullough has spent decades in the CFO seat, but his biggest impact may be what he’s done for the next generation of CFOs. He’s the founder of the CFO Leadership Council, a global community of over 2,500 senior finance leaders, and the author of three books including Secrets of Rockstar CFOs and MBA for Lunch. In this conversation, Jack opens up about: What companies really look for in a CFO, Why some controllers get stuck (and what to do about it), How one rejection led him to create the CFO Leadership Council, The most underrated career move finance professionals can make. This is a must-listen for finance professionals at every stage.

Meet The CFO Who Went Viral on TikTok: Professor Bee Nance

What do you get when a CFO, CPA, and accounting professor starts teaching on TikTok? 42,000 followers and a new way to make accounting finally click. In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, I sit down with Professor Bee Nance to talk about her multi-hyphenate career, from leading a multimillion-dollar nonprofit to becoming a viral content creator and author of Sunny Gets Money, a financial literacy book for kids. We cover: What it takes to thrive as a nonprofit CFO Why even seasoned finance pros struggle with personal money How Bee’s classroom experience helped her go viral online The disconnect between accounting education and real-world finance How to make accounting relatable in the age of AI

Is the Climb to CFO Worth It?

In this solo episode, I answer 4 questions from my newsletter subscribers: Is the climb and reach to CFO worth it? Do you enjoy the work and people? Do you have work-life balance? What helped you get there? If you’ve got questions about leadership, your team, or growing in your role, the best way to ask is through my newsletter. Subscribe at thediaryofacfo.com.

The Critical Role of Accounting in Business Success, with Edwine Alphonse

In this episode of the Diary of a CFO podcast, Edwine Alphonse shares her journey from a work-study student in Canada to a senior controller at Ramp, discussing her experiences in startups, the importance of accounting, and how to build a high-performing finance team. She emphasizes the critical role of accounting in business operations and the necessity for finance leaders to advocate for adequate technology for their teams.

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