What Makes an Operations Leader Successful in a Finance-Led Organization
Two candidates with the same title on their resumes. One thrives. One is gone in eighteen months. The difference is rarely skills — it’s fit with a finance-led environment. Here’s what actually predicts success when the CFO is running operations.
Before You Touch the Spreadsheet: Ashley Dafel on What Actually Decides a PE-Backed Turnaround
Ashley Dafel has been the person PE firms call when a portfolio company is in trouble — sometimes before they fully understand how much trouble. As a CFO-turned-CEO across multiple PE-backed organizations, he’s refinanced failing companies, fired half a customer base, shut down manufacturing facilities, and taken EBITDA up tenfold. None of it started with the numbers. It started with the questions he asked before he ever accepted the role.
The Executive Operations Leader and What the Role Actually Requires in 2026
The CFO’s mandate has expanded — into ops, HR, technology, and beyond. Here’s what that means for how you hire.
Hiring a VP of Operations: Why Reporting Structure Matters More Than the Job Description
The CFO’s mandate has expanded — into ops, HR, technology, and beyond. Here’s what that means for how you hire.
The CFO Hired an Ops Leader Last Quarter. Here’s Why That’s Not a Surprise.
The CFO’s mandate has expanded — into ops, HR, technology, and beyond. Here’s what that means for how you hire.
When Is It Time to Hire a CFO? The Signs Most Companies Miss
Most companies hire a CFO too late. Here are the signals that tell you the window is now — and what happens when you wait.
How CFOs Lead Through Risk and Constraint: Adam Kozak on Running Toward the Burning Building
A CFO, former COO, and transformation leader, Adam has built his career by stepping into situations where the path forward wasn’t obvious. From Deloitte to Loblaw’s $60B+ enterprise, into the uncertainty of the emerging cannabis industry, and now leading transformation within a private equity-backed organization, his trajectory isn’t linear—it’s deliberate. Fueled by curiosity and a willingness to engage with complexity, not avoid it.
From Bootstrapped to Global: How CFO Aaron Watson Built a Multi-Entity Powerhouse — and the Framework Any Founder Can Steal
On this episode of The Next Moves, host Joe Diubaldo talks with Aaron Watson, CFO of Crestless Group, about scaling a single business into a global powerhouse. Aaron shares practical strategies for founders and CFOs to grow effectively while staying bootstrapped.
Trish Saltys: Chaos to Clarity in Private Equity and Transitioning from CFO to COO
From stabilizing multi-million-dollar businesses on the brink of collapse to reimagining legacy systems in PE-backed firms, Trish Saltys has built her career on stepping into ambiguity and emerging with structure, strategy, and results. Currently the COO of Toronto Film School, she’s a seasoned operator with a finance lens, a builder’s mindset, and a strong bias toward action.
Hiring a CFO? Here’s How to Know What Kind of Leader You Really Need
Hiring a CFO is not one-size-fits-all search. A startup racing toward product-market fit has very different financial needs than a mature company managing quarterly earnings, regulatory compliance, and investor expectations. Hiring the wrong fit at the wrong stage can lead to frustration, inefficiencies, and costly missteps. So, what kind of leader do you really need?
The Next Moves: Interview with Shawn Wilson, CPA, the CFO at Simplicity Car Care
Joe Diubaldo, host of “Next Moves,” interviews Shawn Wilson, a seasoned CFO with a rich background in various industries such as renewable energy, construction, professional services, business process outsourcing, and technology. Joe introduces Shawn as a strategic thinker who has significantly impacted both small and large organizations, with a unique approach to building great teams and a strong focus on culture and strategic development.
The Next Moves: Interview with Craig Hudson, CPA, CA, CFA, the CFO of Tulip
In a recent conversation with Craig Hudson, CPA, CA, CFA, a seasoned CFO with experience in various sized organizations across various types of industries, we delved into the intricacies of his career and the lessons he’s learned along the way. As a recruitment firm specializing in finance, accounting, and data analytics placements, we know that Craig’s journey offers valuable insights for C-level executives aiming to grow their businesses and for anyone who is looking to make the right next move in their career.
