Strategic CFO Series - Big Picture Skills

Overview

Strategic CFO is a four-part series that answers the “why” and “direction” our companies take and our role in thinking about this big picture to infuse into our everyday lives.

Strategic CFO – Strategic Financial Communications

Financial professionals are expected to do more than report numbers-they must explain them in ways others understand and trust. This session focuses on improving financial communication by addressing financial literacy gaps, simplifying complex accounting concepts, and building compelling narratives around data. Participants will learn how to use stories, visuals, and language effectively to communicate strategy, performance, and risk. Through examples and interactive discussion, this session helps CPAs and CFOs become clearer, more confident communicators in both live and virtual environments. Also, some video clips will be used to add to the learning materials and research. Don't worry, they are pretty entertaining.

Strategic CFO – Strategic Cash Management

Cash is the lifeblood of every organization, yet many leaders struggle to explain, manage, and plan for it effectively. This session focuses on strategic cash management, capital structure decisions, and financing options available to organizations at different stages of growth. Participants will explore how CFOs balance today's cash needs with long-term strategy, evaluate debt and equity decisions, and communicate cash flow concepts to non-financial stakeholders. The session emphasizes practical frameworks, real-world examples, and modeling approaches that support better cash decisions. A few negotiation videos will be displayed to bring humor and effectiveness to the key points.

Strategic CFO – Strategic Risk Management

Risk management is no longer a compliance exercise-it is a core strategic responsibility of today's CFO and CPA. This session demystifies Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) by walking through the COSO framework in clear, practical terms. Participants will learn how risk integrates with strategy and performance, how organizations identify and assess risk, and how leaders respond to uncertainty in a disciplined way. Using examples, polling, and case discussions, this session equips financial professionals to communicate risk effectively and help organizations protect and create value. Some funny video clips will be used to focus on the learning material.

Strategic CFO – Developing Strategy and the Why

Effective CFOs and CPAs play a critical role in shaping and executing organizational strategy. This session focuses on how strategy is developed, why many strategic plans fail, and how finance leaders can help organizations create focus in an increasingly complex and fast-changing environment. Participants will explore competitive advantage, the use of financial and non-financial metrics, and the importance of aligning strategy with mission, culture, and resources. Through discussion and real-world case examples, attendees will gain practical tools to evaluate, measure, and support successful strategies across for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Use of some video reels will add levity to some of the key points.

Highlights

Strategic CFO – Strategic Financial Communications

Financial literacy versus math literacy
Common financial terms that confuse non-accountants
Simplifying financial language without "dumbing it down"
Building narratives and stories around financial data
Using visuals and graphics effectively
Communicating strategy, risk, and performance together

Strategic CFO – Developing Strategy and the Why

Understanding capital structure and financing priorities
Debt capacity, leverage, and cost of capital considerations
Cash flow versus GAAP results
Financing options: debt, equity, crowdfunding, and alternative capital
Strategic cash policies and liquidity planning
Raising cash at different stages of an organization's life cycle
Communicating cash flow and financial health to stakeholders

Strategic CFO – Strategic Risk Management

Overview of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and COSO standards
Evolution of COSO and why it matters today
Governance, culture, and board oversight of risk
Defining risk appetite and linking it to strategy
Identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks
Risk responses: avoid, reduce, share, and accept
Black swan events and managing uncertainty
Communicating and reporting risk across the organization

Strategic CFO – Strategic Cash Management

What strategy really means and who is involved in developing it
Common reasons strategic plans fail and how to avoid them
Cost leadership, differentiation, and niche strategies
Using metrics, KPIs, and the Balanced Scorecard to measure success
The role of non-financial drivers in financial performance
Benchmarking and competitive analysis
Aligning mission, culture, and strategy
Case discussions on strategy execution and performance measurement

Prerequisites

A foundational understanding of organizational strategy and financial metrics

Designed For

CFOs and CPAs

Objectives

Strategic CFO – Strategic Financial Communications

Learn how to communicate effectively
Understanding audience demographics and communication styles

Strategic CFO – Strategic Cash Management

Explore how CFOs balance today's cash needs
Evaluate debt and equity decisions
Discuss how to communicate cash flow concepts

Strategic CFO – Strategic Risk Management

Learn how risk integrates with strategy and performance
Discuss how leaders respond to uncertainty

Strategic CFO – Developing Strategy and the Why

Explore competitive advantage
Hear about financial and non-financial metrics
Discuss the importance of aligning strategy

Preparation

None

Notice

This course is offered by a 3rd party vendor and will not be accessible in the My CPE Tracker section of the ISCPA website. Course access information will be emailed directly to you by Accounting Continuing Professional Education Network (ACPEN).