What does it really take to scale finance through the stages that break most teams?

In this re-released standout episode, we revisit our conversation with Charly Kevers, CFO of Carta - who helped guide the company from Series B to Series G over seven years of hypergrowth, complexity, and rising investor expectations.

This isn’t a theoretical discussion about what CFOs should do. It’s a practical look at what actually happens when growth accelerates, pressure mounts, and the role of finance fundamentally changes.

Charly makes a compelling case that modern CFOs no longer get to choose between growth and profitability. Today, you’re expected to drive aggressive expansion while proving a credible path to sustainable profits — at the same time. That tension is where the real leadership begins.

We also explore one of the most forward-thinking aspects of Carta’s finance function: it’s not just accountants and FP&A. Charly built a cross-functional organisation that includes engineers and works deeply alongside sales, marketing, and product. His philosophy? Use constraints to sharpen creativity — not to slow teams down.

If you’re building a finance team for scale, navigating the shift from high-growth to durable growth, or redefining what the CFO role looks like today, this episode is worth a (re)listen.

In this episode:

How the CFO role evolves from Series B to Series G
Why growth and profitability must coexist
Scaling finance teams through complexity
Embedding finance across the organisation
Using constraints to drive better decisions

Subscribe for more conversations with growth-minded finance leaders shaping the future of the CFO role.

The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.

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Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠joseph.sweeney@upflow.io⁠

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