Run the Numbers

Andy Ellis: How to Lead Without Becoming the Hero, the Villain, or the Bottleneck

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with leadership coach and former Akamai executive Andy Ellis. They break down why being indispensable can actually hurt y

40 Years of IPOs with Jay Ritter: What the Data Actually Says

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Jay Ritter. They break down what Apple, Nvidia, the dot-com boom, and today’s AI giants can teach us about IPOs, why

How AI Is Rewriting Product-Market Fit, Pricing, and Go-to-Market

CJ sits down with Rebecca Schwartz of Tabs, Fred Havemeyer of Fleet AI, and Rahul Rekhi of Rogo for a live conversation about what it actually takes to build an AI-native

The Stripe Guide to Pricing, Billing, and Quote-to-Cash with Wisam Hirzalla

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Wisam Hirzalla, Head of Product at Stripe Billing, to trace the full journey of a dollar—from product packaging and

The CFO-COO Is Coming: Meredith Finn of Front on the Future of Finance

Front CFO & COO Meredith Finn joins CJ to explain why finance leaders are taking on more of the operator’s job. They break down the CFO-COO dual mandate, how Front funds

Xero’s CFO: Why Finance Is Taking On More of the Business

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson sits down with Xero CFO Claire Bramley to discuss how the CFO role is expanding beyond finance into strategy, operations,

A CFO Explains Private Jets

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ and Ben trace corporate private jets from Sam Walton’s scrappy two-seater to Alex Karp’s $17 million jet bill. They break down when

The Business of Saving Lives: Inside RapidSOS

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson sits down with Richard Haram, VP of Finance at RapidSOS, to unpack how finance supports a public safety AI platform that

Building an AI-Native Finance Team with Plaid CFO Seun Sodipo

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Plaid CFO Seun Sodipo. Seun explains how her team is using AI to improve speed, accuracy, and ambition; why finance

How to Tell a Demanding Founder They’re Wrong

On this special episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson revisits standout moments from past conversations with Alex Immerman, Curt Sigfstead, Daniel Kang, Adam Ante, and

The Four Stages of World-Class FP&A with Datadog’s AJ Ljubich

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Datadog SVP of FP&A AJ Ljubich to break down the four stages of a world-class finance team. — SPONSORS: Brex is a

Dave McClure and Aman Verjee on Angel Investing at Scale, 500 Startups, and Practical VC

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Dave McClure and Aman Verjee of Practical VC to talk about the evolution of startup investing — from the PayPal mafi

Cumberland Farms S-1 Breakdown: Fuel, Snacks, and Debt

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ breaks down Cumberland Farms’ IPO filing and the surprising business behind it. — SPONSORS: RightRev is an automated revenue rec

Token Economics, AI ROI, and the Future of Investment Banking with Rahul Rekhi

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Rogo president Rahul Rekhi to unpack what AI actually changes in investment banking and finance. They dig into token

Jersey Mike’s S-1 Breakdown: How a $4.2B Sandwich Machine Works

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ breaks down Jersey Mike’s S-1 and the franchise machine behind more than $4 billion in sandwich sales. He explains how an asset-lig

The CFO Who Was “Ill Equipped” to Save Lehman Brothers

What actually prepares someone to become a CFO? CJ revisits Erin Callan’s short, brutal run as Lehman Brothers CFO and pulls lessons from past guests on operational reps,

How Finance Teams Are Actually Using AI | Opendoor, Datadog, PwC

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ goes live from Rillet Recon with Dana Decker (VP of Finance at Opendoor), AJ Ljubich (SVP, FP&A at Datadog), and Micah Richard (Pri

Lime’s S-1 Breakdown: The $1.8B Scooter IPO

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ breaks down Lime’s S-1 as the scooter company heads toward the public markets. He gets into the $1.8B valuation, Wayne Ting’s turna

How Confluent’s CFO Runs Planning, Pricing, and Prioritization

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Confluent CFO Rohan Sivaram to talk goal setting, prioritization, consumption-based pricing, hybrid zero-based budge

Salesforce Paid $2.1 Billion for His Company: Meet the CFO Who Made it Happen

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Jake Kornreich, CFO of CoLab and former CFO of Own, live from the New York Stock Exchange. Jake breaks down the six-