<p>On this week’s Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Steve Isom of Bloomerang to break down what a “strategic CFO” really is. They cover the shift from reporting to operating, why customer orgs drive SaaS value, and how AI is reshaping the finance role. </p><p>—</p><p>SPONSORS:</p><p>RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for teams that have outgrown spreadsheets and billing tool workarounds. It handles high-volume subscriptions, usage-based contracts, and mid-cycle upgrades, so you can scale without scrambling at month-end. For RevRec that keeps your books clean, visit <a href="https://www.rightrev.com/CJ" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.rightrev.com/CJ</a></p><p>Rillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you’re scaling on an ERP that wasn’t built in the 90s, book a demo at <a href="https://www.rillet.com/cj" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.rillet.com/cj</a></p><p>EY works with high-growth tech companies to navigate the messy realities of scaling—from regulatory requirements to IPO readiness. By helping teams get it right early and often, EY lets founders stay focused on building while reducing risk as they grow. Learn more at <a href="https://www.ey.com/techstartups" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.ey.com/techstartups</a></p><p>SpendHound is a SaaS spend management platform built for finance and procurement teams that want visibility and leverage in every deal. By tracking all your software, benchmarking pricing across thousands of vendors, and surfacing contracts and renewals, SpendHound helps you stop overpaying and negotiate with confidence. Trusted by teams at ZoomInfo and Hootsuite. Get started at <a href="https://www.spendhound.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.spendhound.com</a></p><p>Brex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at <a href="https://www.brex.com/metrics" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.brex.com/metrics</a></p><p>Aleph is a modern FP&amp;A platform built for teams that want more than another planning tool. By connecting your ERP, CRM, and other systems into one trusted data layer with AI workflows, Aleph helps you move faster with real-time insights. Get a personalized demo at <a href="https://www.getaleph.com/run" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.getaleph.com/run</a></p><p>—</p><p>LINKS: </p><p>Steve on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveisomjr/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">linkedin.com/in/steveisomjr</a></p><p>Company: https://bloomerang.com/</p><p>CJ on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/</a></p><p>Mostly metrics: <a href="https://www.mostlymetrics.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.mostlymetrics.com</a></p><p>—</p><p>TIMESTAMPS:</p><p>0:00 Preview</p><p>1:25 Intro</p><p>2:55 Welcome Steve Isom</p><p>3:13 CFO to COO promotion</p><p>5:02 Having a pulse on every function</p><p>6:51 Defining &quot;strategic CFO&quot;</p><p>7:19 Tying strategy to value creation</p><p>9:27 Being embedded in the rhythm of the business</p><p>10:55 Finance leaders as commentators vs. team captains</p><p>12:25 Sponsors — RightRev | Rillet | EY</p><p>15:33 Killing projects as a core skill</p><p>18:14 Activity doesn&#39;t equal impact</p><p>19:16 Project Steve killed</p><p>20:39 Taking over the customer org at Bloomerang</p><p>22:18 Why acquisition is a cash-losing exercise</p><p>23:07 LTV lives post-sale</p><p>24:39 Most vulnerable area: customer success</p><p>25:24 Ruthless CSM segmentation</p><p>26:30 Nonprofits don&#39;t think about your software</p><p>29:21 Sponsors — Spendhound | Brex | Aleph</p><p>32:43 CFO running ops</p><p>35:52 Metrics vs. humans</p><p>37:18 Skip levels and what they reveal</p><p>39:01 Incentives drive the wrong outcomes</p><p>40:22 Customer-introduced delays as a key sub-metric</p><p>40:27 Unit economics become tangible when you&#39;re accountable</p><p>42:17 Going deep on AI</p><p>45:13 Motivating your team to experiment with AI</p><p>46:02 AI for personal projects</p><p>47:05 Resource allocation in a vibe-coding world</p><p>48:42 Does AI efficiency just mean more work?</p><p>50:32 What excites Steve about the future of finance leadership</p><p>52:08 Finance leaders who don&#39;t use AI won&#39;t get hired</p><p>52:13 Credits</p><p>#RunTheNumbersPodcast #CFO #StrategicFinance #SaaSFinance #FinanceLeadership #CFOtoCOO</p>