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Hey there, CFOs! 💼

This week, we’re unpacking how Intuit’s CFO spotted a $75 frustration and turned it into a multi-million-dollar growth engine.

But that’s not all. AI is no longer just a buzzword in finance—it’s actively reshaping how companies operate, with Microsoft, SAP, and Oracle leading the charge. Meanwhile, tech CFOs are caught in a paradox: they’re investing heavily in culture and replacing jobs with AI at the same time.

The rules of business are shifting—let’s dive in.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

• How Intuit’s CFO Turned a $75 Problem into a $20,000 Opportunity 💡

• AI Agents Are Taking Over Finance—Here’s What You Need to Know 💼🤖

• Tech CFOs Are Doubling Down on Culture—While Replacing Jobs with AI 🤖

How Intuit’s CFO Turned a $75 Problem into a $20,000 Opportunity 💡 read the full 1,150-word article here

Article published: January 16, 2025

For years, QuickBooks was the go-to tool for small businesses—but the moment those businesses started scaling, they ditched QuickBooks for enterprise platforms costing 10X more. CFO Sandeep Aujla saw the pattern—and turned it into Intuit’s next big growth engine.

In How Intuit’s CFO helped take QuickBooks midmarket, CFO Brew reveals how Aujla’s obsession with customer data uncovered a major gap: QuickBooks lacked multi-entity support and role-based access—forcing businesses to log into multiple accounts just to allocate costs. Frustrated, they were jumping ship to ERPs costing $20K+ per year.

Intuit responded with QuickBooks Online Advanced, a solution designed to keep growing businesses in-house—and it’s paying off. Midmarket revenue shot up 42%, more than double the company’s overall online growth.

Now, with the launch of Intuit Enterprise Suite, the company isn’t just fixing pain points—it’s redefining itself as a platform powerhouse.

Key Takeaways:

• 🔍 Businesses were leaving QuickBooks at their peak: Growth-stage companies abandoned QuickBooks for costly ERPs, revealing a massive untapped market.

• 💸 From $75/month to $20K+/year—why Intuit had to act: Customers paid 10X more for enterprise platforms just to get basic multi-entity support.

• 🚀 QuickBooks’ midmarket pivot is fueling explosive growth: Revenue from midmarket products grew 42%, far outpacing Intuit’s overall growth.

• 🏢 Intuit is now more than just accounting software: The company is retraining staff, reshaping its brand, and becoming a full-scale business platform.

AI Agents Are Taking Over Finance—Here’s What You Need to Know 💼🤖 read the full 1,450-word article here

Article published: January 21, 2025

The AI hype cycle is over—now, it’s all about execution. In 6 big AI agent rollouts that impact finance teams, CFO Dive reveals how major tech players like Microsoft, SAP, and Oracle are deploying AI agents to transform corporate finance.

SAP’s AI agents now automate invoice processing, ledger updates, and error detection, while Microsoft’s new account reconciliation agent speeds up financial closes. Oracle has introduced role-based AI agents that predict revenue shortfalls before quarter-end.

And this is just the beginning. Over 51% of organizations are actively exploring AI agents, while another 37% are already piloting them.

The catch? AI hallucinations—where models generate convincing but false data—remain a risk. That’s why human oversight is still crucial.

With AI integration moving from experiments to execution, finance leaders must adapt—or get left behind.

Key Takeaways:

• 🚀 Microsoft, SAP, and Oracle are leading AI adoption in finance: AI agents now handle accounting, forecasting, and risk analysis with minimal human input.

• 📈 51% of companies are exploring AI agents—37% are piloting them: AI in finance is no longer experimental; it’s becoming standard practice across industries.

• ⚠️ AI hallucinations remain a major risk: Finance teams must balance automation with human oversight to avoid costly errors.

• 🔮 The AI shift is here—finance teams must evolve: Companies that fail to embrace AI agents risk inefficiency and falling behind competitors.

Tech CFOs Are Doubling Down on Culture—While Replacing Jobs with AI 🤖 read the full 750-word article here

Article published: January 22, 2025

Tech CFOs are making a big push for company culture in 2025—but they’re also ramping up AI investments that replace jobs. In More tech CFOs are prioritizing company culture this year, CFO Brew unpacks this contradiction at the heart of finance strategy.

A new Grant Thornton survey found that 58% of tech CFOs now rank company culture as their top human capital priority, up from just 45% last year. Meanwhile, the same percentage (58%) are investing in AI and automation—technologies that eliminate roles, including software engineers.

And it’s not just AI. To cut labor costs, nearly 70% of CFOs are automating workflows, while 68% are raising prices and 41% are outsourcing more work.

As finance leaders navigate talent retention and AI-driven disruption, one thing is clear: 2025 will test how culture and automation can truly coexist.

Key Takeaways:

• 🎭 58% of tech CFOs say culture is their top priority—but also AI replacing jobs: The same CFOs investing in employee engagement are also automating roles at record rates.

• 📉 AI is now threatening software engineering jobs: Developers, once thought immune to automation, are now at risk as GenAI advances.

• 💰 69% of CFOs are cutting labor costs with automation: Other strategies include raising prices (68%) and outsourcing work (41%).

• 🚀 Tech finance leaders face a delicate balance in 2025: Can they build strong company cultures while accelerating AI-driven job cuts?

Why It Matters

The best leaders aren’t just reacting to change; they’re shaping it. Intuit’s success proves that the right strategic pivot can unlock massive growth.

AI in finance is accelerating faster than ever, and companies that fail to adapt risk getting left behind. And as automation takes over, the balance between culture and cost-cutting is becoming more fragile than ever.

The question is: will you be ahead of the curve or scrambling to catch up? Stay sharp, stay informed, and see you next time. 🚀

Vanessa Carter
Editor-in-Chief
CFO Executive Insights