In this episode, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Chris Ortega, the CEO and founder of Fresh FP&A. Chris shares his inspiring career journey, from his early passion for finance to roles at Ernst & Young and leadership positions in fast growing software and pharmaceutical companies. He discusses the foundation and philosophy behind Fresh FP&A, highlighting its focus on being Financial Partners and Advisors - and why all internal finance teams should position themselves the same way! The conversation delves into the necessity of thinking like a business person for success in finance leadership, and why a collaborative approach that builds strong business partnerships with other departments is key. Chris also emphasizes the role of emotional intelligence, authenticity, and learning from failure as key components of effective leadership. This episode is rich with personal anecdotes and professional insights, illustrating how CFOs can inspire and empower their organizations beyond traditional financial metrics. We hope you enjoy the episode! 00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction 00:22 Chris Ortega's Background and Career Journey 02:12 The Role of CFOs and CEOs 06:56 Transitioning to CEO and Fresh FP&A 14:43 Building Collaborative Finance Teams 18:41 The Consultative Approach in Finance 19:38 The Power of Empathy in Finance 20:55 The Concept of First Team 22:11 Balancing IQ and EQ 25:39 Embracing Failure as a CFO 30:24 Inspiring Leadership and Authenticity 33:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freshcfo/ Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/ Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenepearl/ Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at [email protected]