The CFO'S Perspective

Kurt Maass

Kurt Maass

Kurt Maass is a versatile and accomplished executive with 30+ years of experience in finance, accounting, and operations roles. He has worked extensively in the wireless, landline telecom, ecommerce, manufacturing and energy conservation sectors, including serving as divisional and public company VP-Finance and CFO, in addition to public accounting firm experience. He brings a unique perspective from working with both very large companies (managing operational and capital budgets in excess of $2B annually) as well as very small early-stage start-ups, where he has actively participated in multiple equity and debt financing rounds. He is experienced with the International Financial Reporting Standards, having converted a Canadian-GAAP reporting company to IFRS for stock exchange reporting purposes.

Recent Posts by Kurt Maass:

The Great Resignation – The Accelerated Evolution of Work

A prospective consultant told me that he loved what he did during a recent interview. He had been working up the ranks for a long time, continually added skills and experience, and was in a place of high trust and value to his organization. He shared with me that he loved his profession had excellent skills but was not interested in working 70 hours a week at this point in his life and career. He asked, "Were there other options?"

Topics: Trends Change Management

How and When to Communicate with Your Busy Business Bankers

Government-mandated closures. Supply chain disruptions. Customer nervousness. Public-safety protocols. Employee fear. PPP forgiveness. Union pressures. A national coin shortage. Enough already!

It’s all most businesses can do to survive these days, rather than thrive. In the midst of all of these challenges, there are relationships critical to our clients' businesses' short-term and long-term health.

One that keeps coming up, but isn’t addressed very often, is the relationship between business owners and their bankers. But how do you collaborate with your bankers during times of crisis and stress? How do you make this critical relationship work to your benefit over the long term?

Topics: Financing Banking

Effective Management & Leadership Approaches for CEOs with CFOs (and Vice Versa!)

CEOs and business owners often experience a disconnect between themselves and their finance departments. CFOs, controllers, and accountants often experience the same disconnect with the CEOs and business owners they support. Gaining understanding and building ongoing rapport are keys to the success of the business.

Business Drivers - Monitor, Measure & Leverage for Future Performance

What senior manager hasn't looked into the future to plan the growth of their business? The forces that drive the market acceptance and commercial success of your organization are going to vary depending on the nature of your products and services.

Whether you're in a traditional industry or a new one, business moves faster than ever today. Every millisecond a new app is download from Apple's online store. Walgreens now offers a walk-in one-minute flu shot, and customers can drop off their Fed Ex packages in the process. Any organization that wants to ensure its future must first figure out how to measure its past performance and then leverage that information to inform current decisions that impact their ongoing success.

Topics: Planning Analysis Financial Projections