How to Become a CFO: What Research and CFOs Say Works
The complete guide about the career paths most CFOs take, the myths to ignore, and the skills that set future CFOs apart, whether they come ...
Resources for Aspiring CFOs
How to become a CFO can feel confusing.
Do you need more years of experience? Another degree? Or something else?
This page brings together tools and real stories to help you figure that out. You’ll find the free CFO Readiness Assessment and curated podcast episodes with former controllers and FP&A leaders who became CFOs.
CFO Readiness Assessment
Am I ready to be a CFO?
If you’ve ever asked yourself this, you’re not alone.
The reality is almost nobody feels ready before stepping into the CFO seat.
Credentials help. Years of relevant experience help. But they aren’t the deciding factor.
What matters most is whether you are seen as “executive material” by the people who make who make the call: the CEO, the board, executive recruiters, your future C-suite peers, and even employees who need to believe you can lead them.
If you’ve ever wondered how you measure up in their eyes, the CFO Readiness Assessment can give you that perspective. It highlights the strengths that make you stand out and points to the gaps that may keep you from being chosen.
The Diary of a CFO Podcast
Lessons from leaders who made the leap
Hear how controllers, FP&A leaders, and other finance professionals navigated the leap into the CFO seat, and what they learned once they got there.
Exclusive Deep Dives
How Do You Become a CFO?
If you’re wondering how to become a CFO, you’re probably getting conflicting advice, as the CFO role has evolved so much over the last decade. These guides covers the qualifications that actually matter. It shows the strategic moves that set future finance executives apart.
Controller vs Head of FP&A: Which Path Leads to CFO Faster?
Controllers are seen as the safe hands. FP&A professionals, the strategic business partners. But which path actually gets you closer to the ...
How to Do Strategic Work When You're Swamped
3 Simple Ways You Can Do More Strategic Work in Finance, Despite a Packed Schedule Practical methods to add value without adding hours If yo...
The Controller to CFO Path
Can a controller become a CFO?
Yes. Many CFOs started in accounting or controllership. That background brings a big advantage: accuracy.
But the same strength can also create the hardest hurdle.
Controllers are trained to protect the system, to make sure nothing breaks, every account ties out, and the company stays compliant.
Under pressure, the natural instinct is to dig deeper into the weeds or fix process gaps. That makes you dependable, but it can also make others see you as tactical and too focused on “keeping the books” instead of shaping the bigger picture.
The controllers who become CFOs are the ones who learn to step out of that operator mindset at the right moments. They had to learn how to bring judgment to strategy conversations, how to lead people effectively, and how guide decisions even when the numbers aren’t perfectly tied out.
Here are few episodes from controllers who became CFOs. Check out the full article on Controller vs FP&A: Which Path Leads to CFO Faster>
Building a Finance Function That Drives Growth: Lessons from Liberty Bank’s CFO, Paul Young
What does it take to turn a traditional finance team into a true strategic business partner? In this episode, Paul Young, CFO of Liberty Bank, shares how he connected strategy, budgeting, and talent development to create a finance function built for impact.
Leading Through Market Cycles, with Real Estate and Construction CFO, Bona Allen
Bona Allen has led finance at both public and private companies, navigated the savings and loan crisis, the 2008 crash, and COVID, and built strategies that kept projects and people moving through uncertainty. In this episode, he shares what it takes to lead finance through real estate booms, construction slowdowns, and global crises.
Moving From Big 4 Auditor to Controller to CFO, with Andrea Hecht
Andrea Hecht went from audit to controller to the CFO seat at CSAA Insurance Group. In this episode she shares what actually changes at each step, how to link finance to strategy, and how to get Accounting and FP&A rowing in the same direction. We talk about the role allies play, why culture makes an industry move stick, and how to adopt AI with real ROI.
Accounting vs FP&A: Which Path Gets You to CFO Faster?
Wassia Kamon has done both. In this solo episode, she reveals why neither route guarantees success on its own and what truly sets future CFOs apart.
The FP&A Professional to CFO Path
Can someone in FP&A become a CFO?
Absolutely! In fact, more CFOs are coming from FP&A backgrounds as the role evolves.
That background brings a big advantage: business partnering.
FP&A leaders work closely with executives, explain performance, and shape how the business sees its future through forecasts and scenarios.
But that same strength can also become the biggest hurdle.
FP&A leaders are trained to analyze, advise, and refine the numbers. Under pressure, the natural instinct is to run another model, explain another variance, or provide more options. That makes you valuable as a partner, but it can also leave others seeing you as an advisor rather than a decision-maker.
The FP&A leaders who become CFOs are the ones who show they can move beyond analysis, lead accounting teams, and drive positive outcomes for the entire company, not just the P&L of a business unit.
Here are a few episodes from FP&A leaders who became CFOs. Check out the full article on Controller vs FP&A: Which Path Leads to CFO Faster>
The CFO Playbook for Handling Crises and Building FP&A Functions, with Mike High
Mike High (CFO, NAIT; ex-Shell Deep Water CFO) shares leadership lessons from the Army to corporate finance: why the “platinum rule” beats one-size-fits-all leadership, what truly changes when you move from FP&A to the CFO seat, and how to carry a portfolio of crises without burning out.
Accounting vs FP&A: Which Path Gets You to CFO Faster?
Wassia Kamon has done both. In this solo episode, she reveals why neither route guarantees success on its own and what truly sets future CFOs apart.
How to Get on High-Impact Projects and Lead Major Change, with Sindy Wilson
In this episode of 'The Diary of a CFO' podcast, host Wassia Kamon converses with Sindy Wilson, a seasoned finance executive with over two decades of experience, including roles at Kickstarter, Lyft, Autotrader, and EY. The discussion covers Sindy's career journey, the unexpected pivots she took, and the lessons learned along the way. Key topics include the importance of building a strong team, leading transformation...
Making Bold Moves, with Brenda Hodo-Iddris
Here’s what Brenda’s bold moves can teach us about leadership: Be Seen and Heard: Strategic influence starts with being in the room where decisions are made. Brenda emphasizes showing up, speaking up, and stepping beyond the numbers to offer broader solutions. Build Trust at All Levels: Trust isn’t just earned with peers or executives; it starts with the frontlines. Listening to employees at every level allows you t...
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