Retained Learnings Float

We kick off Season 2 with a very special guest - Float's own Head of Finance, Brendan White. In this epsiode Brendan shares his career journey, how finance teams have changed over the last 10 years, and what he learned working for hypergrowth company Ada.

Taking a company public is one of the biggest moments in a company’s existence. The CFO is a key leader in making it happen. The preparations are extensive and the process can be intense. Ryan Levenberg was the CFO of Q4 when the company went public in October 2021. It was his first time going through a public offering. In this episode, you’ll learn how Ryan and Q4 worked through the preparations, how the finance team was involved and some of the helpful investments in systems, staff and processes that Ryan made prior to the IPO. You’ll also hear Ryan’s advice on how important it is to be a part of a community of experienced professionals.


This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

Being acquired is a pivotal milestone in a company’s existence. The process can take months or even years. When an initial agreement is made, the CFO and the finance team play an integral role in closing the deal. Due diligence can be demanding, intense and give a sense of what it will look like for companies to work together. Louise Hucal, CFO of Inkbox was a key team member during the acquisition of Inkbox by BIC in January 2022. Learn how Louise worked through thousands of due diligence questions to help close the 65 million dollar deal, the processes Inkbox already had in place to help make the acquisition go smoothly and some valuable advice for finance leaders who expect to go through an acquisition in the future.


Learn more about Inkbox by visiting https://inkbox.com/ . 


This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

As Canada’s tech industry continues to grow so does the need for experienced finance professionals to help lead these emerging businesses. As a result, seasoned finance professionals are making the leap from traditional industries like agriculture, manufacturing or natural resources. Marjorie Junio-Read made that leap, leaving Canadian Natural Resources Limited in 2019 after almost 12 years. In 2019 Marjorie became the CFO of Helcim, a tech company that is trying to create a better payments experience for merchants. Learn about the differences of working in a traditional industry like natural resources vs. tech, why it was the right time for Marjorie to make a career change, and how finance is taking a strategic leadership role in tech companies. 


This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

The CFO of a growing franchise business wears many hats, including a few that other CFOs might never try on. Laura Wittholz, the CFO of The Ten Spot, has worn many of them over 15 years at the spa beauty bar company. The company was one of the fastest growing in Canada, ready to expand into the U.S. right before the pandemic hit in 2020. Laura had to quickly pivot her role from scaling and strategy to assisting the franchisees make it through the most challenging two years of the company’s existence. Learn how a CFO participates in the franchising process, how Laura and The Ten Spot survived months of closures, and what Laura believes can help make you a better finance leader based on her years of experience. 

Learn more about The Ten Spot by visiting https://www.thetenspot.com/

This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

Not all pathways to the CFO chair are identical and there is no step-by-step guide to get there. And in the case of Paritosh Gupta, his first role as a CFO was thrust upon him when he admittedly didn’t even want the job. His experience was probably more uncommon than most CFOs but this gave him a unique perspective and helped him learn important lessons along the way. When he moved from a CFO position in the mining industry to a CFO position in a tech company, there was an entirely different set of lessons he had to learn. Learn how experience in different industries and positions can make you a stronger CFO, and how the path to this role can take many different forms.

Learn more about Felix Health by visiting https://www.felixforyou.ca/ .

This podcast episode was produced by Quill.