The document provides strategic financial leadership advice for CFOs and executives during crisis events like the COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses the need to (1) create scenario plans and contingency plans with timelines and cash requirements, (2) focus on agile operations and communication, and (3) realign priorities around relationships, cash, and recovery once the crisis subsides. The advice emphasizes the importance of transparency, aligning the management team, and focusing on cash conservation and liquidity above all else during uncertain times.
Leadership Best Practices for Recession RecoveryLeilaBT
January 2010 webinar for SHRM
While better times for your organization and team may not yet be the reality, several signs point to an improved 2010.
To prepare for a healthier economy, managers will have to dust off some old management practices while embracing some new ones. Rushing to hire and curtailing 1:1 time and group discussions are two "don\'t you dare" practices. Emphasizing innovation for everyone\'s sake is a "must do."
This is a summary from John Kotter\'s book. I love this book so much that I make this ppt.
I got the book from my CEO, first intention is to have my CEO reading kotter\'s idea without dedicating so much time to read. You know, he\'s a busy man
It All Starts With A Sense of Urgency (a ChangeThis Manifesto by John Kotter)Samuli Pahkala
In a turbulent era, when new competitors or political problems might emerge at any time, when technology is changing everything, both the business-as-usual behavior associated with complacency and the running-in-circles behavior associated with a false sense of urgency are increasingly dangerous.
In bold contrast, a true sense of urgency is becoming immeasurably important. Real urgency is an essential asset that must be created, and re-created, and it can be.
How to Set Goals? E-Book by Armaan TNM PodcastCrowd Dora
In this special session, participants are taken through exactly how to set highly effective goals and plan their time to execute on them. After dozens of interviews with people who are doing incredible things such as Nir Eyal (Author of Hooked), Rand Fishkin (Founder of Moz), Captain Raghu Raman (Distinguished Army Vet & Influencer) and many more, Armaan has put together exhaustive an summary of how successful people manage and prioritize their time. If one's looking to streamline their productivity, they do not want to miss these learnings.
A Growth Mindset. Your Job is Selling Change. Sell the problem, not the Solution. Marketing Today Becomes Sales Tomorrow. What Great Salespeople Do Differently. Closing with Confidence: Personal Sales Skills Action Plan
Leadership Best Practices for Recession RecoveryLeilaBT
January 2010 webinar for SHRM
While better times for your organization and team may not yet be the reality, several signs point to an improved 2010.
To prepare for a healthier economy, managers will have to dust off some old management practices while embracing some new ones. Rushing to hire and curtailing 1:1 time and group discussions are two "don\'t you dare" practices. Emphasizing innovation for everyone\'s sake is a "must do."
This is a summary from John Kotter\'s book. I love this book so much that I make this ppt.
I got the book from my CEO, first intention is to have my CEO reading kotter\'s idea without dedicating so much time to read. You know, he\'s a busy man
It All Starts With A Sense of Urgency (a ChangeThis Manifesto by John Kotter)Samuli Pahkala
In a turbulent era, when new competitors or political problems might emerge at any time, when technology is changing everything, both the business-as-usual behavior associated with complacency and the running-in-circles behavior associated with a false sense of urgency are increasingly dangerous.
In bold contrast, a true sense of urgency is becoming immeasurably important. Real urgency is an essential asset that must be created, and re-created, and it can be.
How to Set Goals? E-Book by Armaan TNM PodcastCrowd Dora
In this special session, participants are taken through exactly how to set highly effective goals and plan their time to execute on them. After dozens of interviews with people who are doing incredible things such as Nir Eyal (Author of Hooked), Rand Fishkin (Founder of Moz), Captain Raghu Raman (Distinguished Army Vet & Influencer) and many more, Armaan has put together exhaustive an summary of how successful people manage and prioritize their time. If one's looking to streamline their productivity, they do not want to miss these learnings.
A Growth Mindset. Your Job is Selling Change. Sell the problem, not the Solution. Marketing Today Becomes Sales Tomorrow. What Great Salespeople Do Differently. Closing with Confidence: Personal Sales Skills Action Plan
Team 4 (vezetes) final ppt 1st step assignmentSree Harsha
This PPT gives you a glance of the 1st step from the book of Heart of Change which explains the leadership and change management. It also includes theoretical explanation of complacence and Urgency levels from the book leading change
MPs grant MAS 'stay of execution' but say service is 'not fit for purpose' http://www.fundweb.co.uk/2003860.article?cmpid=fwnews_59206
In other news: In order to improve public understanding of public finance The Open University Business School, in co-operation with True Potential, is producing three interactive, freely accessible, self-teaching modules. These modules will help you develop financial management skills and gain an understanding of the financial services industry, the first of which will be available in Spring 2014. http://www.open.ac.uk/business-school-research/pufin/course-modules
True potential Art of Investing as found on the OU website http://www.open.ac.uk/business-school-research/pufin/course-modules
To make money online many people jump right in before they are properly prepared. You know that to be a rocket scientist, a doctor, a brick layer, a construction worker, an office worker, a teacher there are prerequisites, things you must learn, before you can be successful, you don't just jump right in unprepared.
The same applies to the Internet marketing industry even though there are unsavory people out there who'd have you believe it's a "Walk in the Park" and requires no more than the belief that you can just do it.
And I'll have to admit, it is a walk in the park compared to what you have to put up with in the working world punching a clock being a subordinate to someone who does not have your interests in mind, but there are still rules you have to follow and pitfalls you must avoid to actually make Internet marketing work for you.
Most people will not make a dime online and...
Sage Summit 2012: Nerd, Geek and Gear HerdingGrant M Howe
Managing technology and "techies" that we don't completely understand is often a part of the job for a business manager. We will discuss the unique challenges that make managing technical projects, employees, and contractors sometimes feel like herding cats.
Effective strategies and tactics to change counter-productive corporate behaviors. Stop multitasking to achieve the desired individual & team results from multitasking...
Time can’t be managed—it just is. So time management is really about managing our attention. And that's not and easy thing to do with so many competing needs vying for it all the time. Here's a useful prioritization structure that just might help improve your time management by helping you control what gets your attention.
As founder/president/chief-bottle washer - What questions should you be answering about your small business in these uncertain times to keep your eye on the horizon? Going back to business plan 101 – but this time with COVID!
Norma Walton discusses how much money is enough, rolling through your basic needs then covering five objectives thereafter to help you plan your financial life.
Personal Financial planning the ties that bindMODRIKA
Do you have clear financial goals? Do you know if you have enough money to buy a car or house, if you can afford to take a cut in pay in order to go back to school, if you will have enough money to retire? Do you know how much tax you will be expected to pay this year and next, or what you might be able to do right now that will lower your tax long into the future? Do you have enough insurance? Have you developed a household budget and are you sticking to it?
Team 4 (vezetes) final ppt 1st step assignmentSree Harsha
This PPT gives you a glance of the 1st step from the book of Heart of Change which explains the leadership and change management. It also includes theoretical explanation of complacence and Urgency levels from the book leading change
MPs grant MAS 'stay of execution' but say service is 'not fit for purpose' http://www.fundweb.co.uk/2003860.article?cmpid=fwnews_59206
In other news: In order to improve public understanding of public finance The Open University Business School, in co-operation with True Potential, is producing three interactive, freely accessible, self-teaching modules. These modules will help you develop financial management skills and gain an understanding of the financial services industry, the first of which will be available in Spring 2014. http://www.open.ac.uk/business-school-research/pufin/course-modules
True potential Art of Investing as found on the OU website http://www.open.ac.uk/business-school-research/pufin/course-modules
To make money online many people jump right in before they are properly prepared. You know that to be a rocket scientist, a doctor, a brick layer, a construction worker, an office worker, a teacher there are prerequisites, things you must learn, before you can be successful, you don't just jump right in unprepared.
The same applies to the Internet marketing industry even though there are unsavory people out there who'd have you believe it's a "Walk in the Park" and requires no more than the belief that you can just do it.
And I'll have to admit, it is a walk in the park compared to what you have to put up with in the working world punching a clock being a subordinate to someone who does not have your interests in mind, but there are still rules you have to follow and pitfalls you must avoid to actually make Internet marketing work for you.
Most people will not make a dime online and...
Sage Summit 2012: Nerd, Geek and Gear HerdingGrant M Howe
Managing technology and "techies" that we don't completely understand is often a part of the job for a business manager. We will discuss the unique challenges that make managing technical projects, employees, and contractors sometimes feel like herding cats.
Effective strategies and tactics to change counter-productive corporate behaviors. Stop multitasking to achieve the desired individual & team results from multitasking...
Time can’t be managed—it just is. So time management is really about managing our attention. And that's not and easy thing to do with so many competing needs vying for it all the time. Here's a useful prioritization structure that just might help improve your time management by helping you control what gets your attention.
As founder/president/chief-bottle washer - What questions should you be answering about your small business in these uncertain times to keep your eye on the horizon? Going back to business plan 101 – but this time with COVID!
Norma Walton discusses how much money is enough, rolling through your basic needs then covering five objectives thereafter to help you plan your financial life.
Personal Financial planning the ties that bindMODRIKA
Do you have clear financial goals? Do you know if you have enough money to buy a car or house, if you can afford to take a cut in pay in order to go back to school, if you will have enough money to retire? Do you know how much tax you will be expected to pay this year and next, or what you might be able to do right now that will lower your tax long into the future? Do you have enough insurance? Have you developed a household budget and are you sticking to it?
The UpWest Playbook for Breaking into the US MarketGil Ben-Artzy
After investing in dozens of Israeli startups that launched, scaled and set up their headquarters in the US, we have seen first-hand how founders planned and executed their US market strategy. Join us as we share the best practices and lessons learned from six years of helping Israeli founders break into the US market and raise over $500M.
This session will cover what works, what to avoid, and what American customers, partners, and investors actually care about. (Hint: it's not your military background...)
Topics include:
- How and when to find US-based customers and partners while still operating out of Israel
- How Israeli startups should go about raising capital from US-based investors. Do you even need to?
- Should you set up a US office? And if so, when and where?
- Mistakes you can avoid if splitting your team between Israel and the US
Play Your Cards Right: The Israeli Playbook for Breaking Into the US MarketGil Ben-Artzy
After investing in dozens of Israeli startups that launched, scaled and set up their headquarters in the US, we have seen first-hand how founders planned and executed their US market strategy. Join us as we share the best practices and lessons learned from six years of helping Israeli founders break into the US market and raise over $400M.
This session will cover what works, what to avoid, and what American customers, partners, and investors actually care about. (Hint: it's not your military background...)
Topics will include:
- How and when to find US-based customers and partners while still operating out of Israel
- How Israeli startups should go about raising capital from US-based investors. Do you even need to?
- Should you set up a US office? And If so, when and where?
- Mistakes you can avoid if splitting your team between Israel and the US
* About Gil Ben-Artzy
Gil co-founded UpWest Labs in 2012, opening up the firm’s Silicon Valley Office. Previously, Gil was the VP of Operations Management at Yahoo! for two years after working with the Corporate Development group for four years. He also served as a consultant advising Fortune 500 companies for the Boston Consulting Group in New York. He holds a BA in Economics & Business Administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an MBA with Honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
* About UpWest Labs
UpWest invests in Israel’s most promising entrepreneurs. Based in Silicon Valley, we have backed dozens of companies and helped them grow through our hands-on approach. UpWest Labs provides the essential ingredients for success: seed funding, proximity and access to markets and capital, a supportive community of talented peers, and a workspace conducive to rapid development and deployment.
Learn how to create predictable, stable growth in your business. In this webinar Luke Aulin will guide you through some of the key principles he has used to grow successful businesses, including our own (RTOWN).
Specific ServPoints should be tailored for restaurants in all food service segments. Your ServPoints should be the centerpiece of brand delivery training (guest service) and align with your brand position and marketing initiatives, especially in high-labor-cost conditions.
408-784-7371
Foodservice Consulting + Design
The Team Member and Guest Experience - Lead and Take Care of your restaurant team. They are the people closest to and delivering Hospitality to your paying Guests!
Make the call, and we can assist you.
408-784-7371
Foodservice Consulting + Design
Integrity in leadership builds trust by ensuring consistency between words an...Ram V Chary
Integrity in leadership builds trust by ensuring consistency between words and actions, making leaders reliable and credible. It also ensures ethical decision-making, which fosters a positive organizational culture and promotes long-term success. #RamVChary
Org Design is a core skill to be mastered by management for any successful org change.
Org Topologies™ in its essence is a two-dimensional space with 16 distinctive boxes - atomic organizational archetypes. That space helps you to plot your current operating model by positioning individuals, departments, and teams on the map. This will give a profound understanding of the performance of your value-creating organizational ecosystem.
Employment PracticesRegulation and Multinational CorporationsRoopaTemkar
Employment PracticesRegulation and Multinational Corporations
Strategic decision making within MNCs constrained or determined by the implementation of laws and codes of practice and by pressure from political actors. Managers in MNCs have to make choices that are shaped by gvmt. intervention and the local economy.
Enriching engagement with ethical review processesstrikingabalance
New ethics review processes at the University of Bath. Presented at the 8th World Conference on Research Integrity by Filipa Vance, Head of Research Governance and Compliance at the University of Bath. June 2024, Athens
Public Speaking Tips to Help You Be A Strong Leader.pdfPinta Partners
In the realm of effective leadership, a multitude of skills come into play, but one stands out as both crucial and challenging: public speaking.
Public speaking transcends mere eloquence; it serves as the medium through which leaders articulate their vision, inspire action, and foster engagement. For leaders, refining public speaking skills is essential, elevating their ability to influence, persuade, and lead with resolute conviction. Here are some key tips to consider: https://joellandau.com/the-public-speaking-tips-to-help-you-be-a-stronger-leader/
The case study discusses the potential of drone delivery and the challenges that need to be addressed before it becomes widespread.
Key takeaways:
Drone delivery is in its early stages: Amazon's trial in the UK demonstrates the potential for faster deliveries, but it's still limited by regulations and technology.
Regulations are a major hurdle: Safety concerns around drone collisions with airplanes and people have led to restrictions on flight height and location.
Other challenges exist: Who will use drone delivery the most? Is it cost-effective compared to traditional delivery trucks?
Discussion questions:
Managerial challenges: Integrating drones requires planning for new infrastructure, training staff, and navigating regulations. There are also marketing and recruitment considerations specific to this technology.
External forces vary by country: Regulations, consumer acceptance, and infrastructure all differ between countries.
Demographics matter: Younger generations might be more receptive to drone delivery, while older populations might have concerns.
Stakeholders for Amazon: Customers, regulators, aviation authorities, and competitors are all stakeholders. Regulators likely hold the greatest influence as they determine the feasibility of drone delivery.
Comparing Stability and Sustainability in Agile SystemsRob Healy
Copy of the presentation given at XP2024 based on a research paper.
In this paper we explain wat overwork is and the physical and mental health risks associated with it.
We then explore how overwork relates to system stability and inventory.
Finally there is a call to action for Team Leads / Scrum Masters / Managers to measure and monitor excess work for individual teams.
Senior Project and Engineering Leader Jim Smith.pdfJim Smith
I am a Project and Engineering Leader with extensive experience as a Business Operations Leader, Technical Project Manager, Engineering Manager and Operations Experience for Domestic and International companies such as Electrolux, Carrier, and Deutz. I have developed new products using Stage Gate development/MS Project/JIRA, for the pro-duction of Medical Equipment, Large Commercial Refrigeration Systems, Appliances, HVAC, and Diesel engines.
My experience includes:
Managed customized engineered refrigeration system projects with high voltage power panels from quote to ship, coordinating actions between electrical engineering, mechanical design and application engineering, purchasing, production, test, quality assurance and field installation. Managed projects $25k to $1M per project; 4-8 per month. (Hussmann refrigeration)
Successfully developed the $15-20M yearly corporate capital strategy for manufacturing, with the Executive Team and key stakeholders. Created project scope and specifications, business case, ROI, managed project plans with key personnel for nine consumer product manufacturing and distribution sites; to support the company’s strategic sales plan.
Over 15 years of experience managing and developing cost improvement projects with key Stakeholders, site Manufacturing Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Maintenance, and facility support personnel to optimize pro-duction operations, safety, EHS, and new product development. (BioLab, Deutz, Caire)
Experience working as a Technical Manager developing new products with chemical engineers and packaging engineers to enhance and reduce the cost of retail products. I have led the activities of multiple engineering groups with diverse backgrounds.
Great experience managing the product development of products which utilize complex electrical controls, high voltage power panels, product testing, and commissioning.
Created project scope, business case, ROI for multiple capital projects to support electrotechnical assembly and CPG goods. Identified project cost, risk, success criteria, and performed equipment qualifications. (Carrier, Electrolux, Biolab, Price, Hussmann)
Created detailed projects plans using MS Project, Gant charts in excel, and updated new product development in Jira for stakeholders and project team members including critical path.
Great knowledge of ISO9001, NFPA, OSHA regulations.
User level knowledge of MRP/SAP, MS Project, Powerpoint, Visio, Mastercontrol, JIRA, Power BI and Tableau.
I appreciate your consideration, and look forward to discussing this role with you, and how I can lead your company’s growth and profitability. I can be contacted via LinkedIn via phone or E Mail.
Jim Smith
678-993-7195
jimsmith30024@gmail.com
Senior Project and Engineering Leader Jim Smith.pdf
Financial leadership during_crisis
1. Strategic
Financial
Leadership
During Crisis Events
As Presented in Zoom Virtual Sessions to over 100 CFO’s and
Executives across several Key Group Networks
Thur, April 2ndFri, March 27, 2020
Mon, April 6thMon, March 30, 2020
2. 3 Goals For Today’s Discussion
1. Situational Context – 3+ Disruptive Cycles
1. “Best Of” Sharing: My perspective
1. Q&A: Sharing with Each Other
3. Situational Leadership
1. More Questions Than Answers
1. Original Plan and Forecasting is out the Window
• Exploring brand new territory few if any have seen before.
• We have gone “Off Road” without a 4x4.
• A new Game Plan is Required
1. No Clear Playbooks; But There Are “Plays”
• The Game is On
• Plays Need To Be Called;
• Sitting on Sidelines is Not an Option
1. Your Leadership is Required
• Everyone Is Looking Around Looking For You – to lead them through
• This is Your Time to Shine as a Financial Leader
• You Are in Best Position To Lead.
1. Decision Making Frameworks and Scenario Based Contingency Plans
• As CFO’s, we do this regularly…it’s called Scenario Planning. You Got This!
• This is the CFO Plan. Not a CPO’s New Product, CRO’s New Market or CTO’s New Technology.
• It’s about 3 things: People, Money, and Buying Time
SUPPORTIVEBEHAVIOR
DIRECTIVE BEHAVIORLow
High
High
How Will You Lead? - Which Style?
Hint - You need multiple styles at various times.
4. Investor
Psychology:
“Crashes Take The Elevator
Down and Recoveries Take Stairs
Back Up” (Doug Leone - Sequoia)
“The Market Can Remain
Irrational Longer Than You Can
Remain Solvent”
“Risk On Happens Slowly…..Risk
Off Happens Overnight”.
Bill Gurley Benchmark
5. RELATIONSHIPS
CASH
FOCUS & RE-ALIGN
AGILE
OPERATIONS &
COMMUNICATIONS
RECOVERY
2 AGILE OPERATIONS
1 RECOVERY
4 CASH
3 FOCUS & RE-ALIGN
5 RELATIONSHIPS
Start
Growing
Again
MY ATTEMPTED HIERARCHY OF NEEDS: FINANCIAL CRISIS (ode to Maslow)
• Take advantage of your new Operating Agility and Cadence
• Be just as brave “Recovering” by “Re-Investing” with the same Urgency
• Sr Mgt Stand Up Sessions (2-3x / week?
• Now is Time to Finally Create Monthly (or even Bi-Weekly Board Update and All Employee Updates
• Align All Sr Mgt
• Create Even More Focused Metrics and
KPI’s – find out what “really matters”
• Re-define Cash Needs
• Create Scenario Plans
• Create Contingency Plans
• Contact All Relationships with Plans
• Customers
• Employees
• Investors
• Network
Time
6. Your Health and Your
Families Health Always
Comes First:
“Your Health Is Essential
Business”
7. Best of Sharing: “past crisis personal learnings”
ON BEING HUMAN
1. Disruptive Events like this are all about investor psychology and managing fear
2. Human Beings don’t operate well with “fear of the unknown”
3. Enabling Humans to make choices (even very hard ones) and to control their destiny (even if it
involves pain) is better than not knowing if you are going to survive.
RELATIONSHIPS > CASH > TIME
1. Buying Time is the Key Variable When Forecasting Event Timing is Broken
2. Cash Buys Time
3. Relationships Ultimately Provide the Cash
FINANCIAL OPERATIONS
1. During Disruptive Events: Financial Leadership is very different
• Quick, Decisive action is Required
• Following the lemings off the cliff or “herd mentality” is just as bad in crisis times as bubble times
2. Make Sure You Don’t Cut Into Muscle and Certainly Not Bone;
• All Disruptive Cycles are Time Bound. It’s your job to Forecast the “Time to Recovery” and “Replan the Route”
• You Need To Be Able to Recover and Start Growing / Accelerating Again
8. The Common Questions You May Be Hearing
1. Time (months) to Cash Out?
2. Revenue impact due to Disruption Event?
3. What does your Pipeline Look Like
4. When Should I Start Cutting Expenses
5. Should I raise money now and/or take down round earlier than planned
6. What About Debt? Should I Tap Our Existing Credit/Venture Debt Line?
7. How Long Will This Disruption Last?
8. Long Term Economic Impacts?
9. Is it Different This Time?
10. CARES Act? PPP?
11. Insert Your Question or Your Board’s Question Here >>
Yes, the Questions Go to “11”
9. Some Answers…..and Required Framing
1.Notice the Question Pattern:
• Mostly About Cash. And Access to it.
• It’s time to Re-Forecast
• Throw Your Current Annual Plan out the Window.
2. One Size Does Not Fit All; Define Your Positioning In the Crisis
Situation
• Series A with <10 people and just got funded?: “Pack the Car - New Roadtrip”
• Series B-C with <12 Months Runway before the Crisis? “Stop To Refuel”
• Series D with 100’s and large Op Ex Structure to Support 50+% Revenue Growth?
“Detour Ahead; Replan Your Route”
• YOU MUST FIRST DEFINE YOUR CURRENT STATE - 1 Scenario Does Not Fit All
• DEFINE SHORT TERM SCENARIO’S” and CORRESPONDING CONTINGENCY PLANS
1. The Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear. It’s Time to Act.
• How Fast Should You Act?
• If You Are in Travel, Cruise Line, Corp Conference Industries
• If you are an Enterprise SaaS Platform Company –
• If you are Zoom or Telehealth or Slack,
• Do you have rare ability to Play Offense right now? You Need 2 Teams to Win
• Your Action Plan depends on What You See In the Mirror.
10. What If’s, When, and How
Define Future Crisis Milestones (Scenarios)
When Will You Break the Glass
What Will You Do When You Break It?
Define Triggers Progressive Corrective Action:
• The “IF” RIF – If this Scenario, Then…
• Store Closures/Office Closures?
• 10% Base Salary Cut Across Board?
• No Merit/Annual Increases This year?
• Rent Furloughs?
• A/P Payment Plans?
• Zero-Base Budget Entire Business
• Take Opportunity to Re-Align Everything?
• No Ideas Are Too Extreme when you Need
to Break the Glass
11. In Case of Emergency:
You are now being asked to create a
“Financial Crisis Response Plan”
• What To Do
• When To Do It;
• Notice the Sequence Pattern….
• Oxygen first (Cash)
• Flotation device second
• Brace for Impact
• Know the Exit Route
• Specific Instructions On HOW to
Perform the Tasks
12. In Case of Emergency:KEY ACTIONS: Call These Plays
1. Align Sr Mgt Team With Wake Up Call –
this is Top Priority
1. Align Sr Mgt Team with Crisis Severity
Assumptions
• Worst Case; Best Case; Base Case
• Build Action Blueprints Together
2. Everything revolves around Cash
Conservation and Liquidity is #1
DO NOT Wait. You don’t need all the answers
You DO NEED Sr Mgt Team Engagement
13. COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL
1. Sr Mgt Team “Stand Up Sessions”
• Agile / “War Room” Leadership
• Zoom sessions: Ok. Sit Down Virtual Sessions
1. Create a Bi-Weekly Board / Investor
Update Template.
• Communication is Key
• Define Direction/Path
• Precise Steps Not Required
• You Will Be Course Correcting
1. Transparency is Critical; Accuracy is Not;
• More ?’s than Answers
• Create Team/Board/Investor Feedback Loops
• The Best Ideas Win
In Case of Emergency:
14. Notice the ”Framing” here is
1) Time (X-Axis)
2) Severity of Impact
3) Cash Runway (Color)
Note how Sequoia thinks with
their color coding
Your investors will signal their
desires to you as well. It’s time
to Listen. Be Yellow and
preferably Green. Don’t be Red.
Behind the Scenes I:
Sequoia Capital
16. Less than 12 Months Cash? This Is Your Financial Model
For Next 3-6 Months…THIS is Your Financial
Model
March 31,
2020
June 30, 2020
Beginning Cash Balance
+ A/R Collections Must communicate way more with your
customers and get 1st in line
- A/P Disbursed Get this to fixed – predictable – payment plans
as fast as you can
+ Add’l Cash Sources (Financings?) Contemplate Adding last round now; definitely
raising planned future round earlier than
planned.
Valuation is not a concern….getting cash is
Ending Cash Balance Set a Target; Figure out how to get there
17. RELATIONSHIPS
CASH
FOCUS & RE-ALIGN
AGILE
OPERATIONS &
COMMUNICATIONS
RECOVERY
2 AGILE OPERATIONS
1 RECOVERY
4 CASH
3 FOCUS & RE-ALIGN
5 RELATIONSHIPS
Start
Growing
Again
IN SUMMARY: Relationships - Cash - Time
• Take advantage of your new Operating Agility and Cadence
• Be just as brave “Recovering” by “Re-Investing” with the same Urgency
• Sr Mgt Stand Up Sessions (2-3x / week?
• Now is Time to Finally Create Monthly (or even Bi-Weekly Board Update and All Employee Updates
• Align All Sr Mgt
• Create Even More Focused Metrics and
KPI’s – find out what “really matters”
• Re-define Cash Needs
• Create Scenario Plans
• Create Contingency Plans
• Contact All Relationships with Plans
• Customers
• Employees
• Investors
• Network
Time
18. A Final Word on Operating Values – Trust - Transparency - “Safety”
1. People need ”Safety” during Crisis…both physical and mental
1. Transparency builds Trust. Trust creates Safety
2. True Character Show Up In Times of Crisis. People Don’t Forget. Your Reputation is Cemented During Crisis.
1. Listen intently; Don’t be Tone Deaf. People First.
1. When you have to take the Hard Decisions, Make Them With Dignity
1. Be as Generous as you can given the Constraints
“How you lead right now is likely to be a career defining moment/opportunity for many of you. Lean into the
uncertainty and fear and provide leadership”.
(Jim Cook – 2001 and 2008 and now 2020)
19. Key Takeaways
1. Create Decision Making Framework For Your Mgt Team and Your Board
• Narrow the Field of Vision (Time and Severity are Key Variables)
• Scenario Plan; Together With Your Extended Leadership Team
• Contingency Plan; Specific Actions You Will Take
1. It’s Your Time To Lead: Leadership Gaps are always quickly filled; Lead-Follow-Get Out of Way
• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
• Be Agile and Transparent. Communicate What You Know and Especially What You Don’t Know
• Create a Culture of Safety
• Create a Culture of “We Will Get Through This Together”
3. A Strategic Financial Leader is Required (note on Strategy; I try to always end on Strategy)
• Strategy is a clear set of planned choices
• Strategy always starts with Situational Analysis + Your Position in that Situation
• Strategy means knowing the End State (Your Goal)
• Define the Path to get there
• Keep Score, Learn, and by all means Course Correct...Often
20. 3 Goals of Today’s Discussion
1. Situational Context – 3+ Cycle Perspective
1. “Best Of” Sharing
1. Q&A: Sharing with Each Other (next 20-30 minutes)
21. Keep Engaging: Let’s Keep Conversation Going
Jim Cook
Founder, Managing Partner
BenchBoard
CFO, Orbital Insight
jcook@benchboard.com
Steve Abbott
Managing Director
Sapphire Ventures
Elizabeth Patterson
Vice President, Talent Network
Sapphire Ventures
BenchBoard
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