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Hey there, CFOs! 💼

In this issue we uncover why some CFOs are rethinking pay entirely, shifting from cost control to strategic investment.

The change is helping them attract elite talent in a tight market while sidestepping the high turnover trap that keeps rivals scrambling.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

• 💸 Compensation Isn’t a Cost Center

• 🏛️ What CEOs Really Want from You

• 💼 Accounting Software in 2025: What’s Next

📈 Trending news

• Real-Time Data Powers CFO Decisions

• CFOs Navigate AI-Driven Disruption

• AI Bookkeeping Crown Goes to QuickBooks

💸 Compensation Isn’t a Cost Center

Payscale’s CFO argues that treating pay as a strategic investment—backed by market data and clear priorities—beats boom-and-bust tactics in a loosening labor market.

Read the full article here »

Key Takeaways:

• 🎯 Invest Where It Counts: Prioritize top performers and use precise rewards over blunt freezes or layoffs to protect capability and morale.

• 🧭 Use Uncertainty to Hire: A softer market lets savvy CFOs scoop up high performers at better value while shoring up retention.

• 💸 Turnover Is Expensive: Replacing talent can cost multiple times salary, so targeted retention typically beats headcount cuts.

• 📊 Let Data Drive Pay: Close “data confidence” gaps with market intelligence and structured comp plans that align spend with outcomes.

🏛️ What CEOs Really Want from You

Healthcare CEOs want CFOs who are strategic partners with sector fluency and heart—able to steer transformation while keeping mission and margin aligned.

Read the full article here »

Key Takeaways:

• 🧭 Mission-First Strategist: Align finance with care access, quality, and long-term sustainability—including value-based care and rural lifelines like Medicare reimbursement, DSH, and 340B.

• 🧠 Sector Fluency + Fresh Thinking: Deep healthcare know-how matters, but CEOs also prize critical thinking and curiosity, supported by a strong team to handle technical complexities.

• 🤝 Visible Leadership & EQ: Great CFOs show up across the org, build trust with boards and clinicians, and deliver hard truths with clarity and empathy.

• 💡 Innovation Integrator: Modern CFOs co-lead digital and partnership agendas—EMR upgrades, payer collaborations, and population-health initiatives—so finance, operations, and care stay in sync.

💼 Accounting Software in 2025: What’s Next

AI, cloud, and real-time data are turning ledgers into live intelligence—pushing finance teams to automate workflows, tighten controls, and integrate across the stack.

Read the full article here »

Key Takeaways:

• 🤖 AI Everywhere: Autonomous reconciliations, anomaly detection, and natural-language queries shift accountants from manual tasks to oversight.

• ☁️ Cloud & API-First: Unified, multi-entity books with modern connectors replace spreadsheets and brittle point tools.

• 🔒 Security & Compliance: Built-in audit trails, granular access, and continuous compliance (including ESG/tax) reduce risk while speeding close.

• 📊 Real-Time Decisions: Embedded analytics and predictive forecasting bring rolling cash, revenue, and risk insights into daily operations.

Why It Matters

Compensation is more than a line item. Leaders who treat it as a lever for growth and retention are building teams that outperform even in uncertain times.

Vanessa Carter
Editor-in-Chief
CFO Executive Insights