If I Gave You $250,000, Would Your Business Waste It?

What would actually happen if you injected $250,000 into your business tomorrow—would it create real value, or disappear into unfocused spending? In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney sits down with Rodrigo Rodriguez-Novás to tackle one of the most common (and costly) challenges facing founders and business owners: the gap between big ideas and disciplined execution. If you’ve ever felt confident in your vision but uncertain about where to invest time, money, or people, this conversation will give you a clearer path forward.

Rodrigo is the founder and CEO of NORDES Consulting, a former global finance leader, business school professor, and author of The CFO Myth. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across finance and operations, he introduces his practical CPR Framework—Core, Priorities, and Resources—a simple but powerful way to stop building your business backwards and start allocating resources where they actually create value.

Throughout the episode, Rodrigo explains why raising money is often easier than using it wisely, and how many businesses fail not from lack of capital, but from poor spending discipline. He unpacks the idea of “building backwards,” where founders focus on shiny tools, roles, or growth initiatives before validating the core problem they are solving. You’ll also hear why responsible spending culture matters at every level of a business, why not every company needs a CFO (yet), and how treating company money with the same care as your own can dramatically improve sustainability.

This is a grounded, common-sense conversation about slowing down to grow stronger—perfect for business owners who want to turn vision into execution without burning cash or momentum.

Rodrigo Rodríguez-Novás is the Founder and CEO of NORDES Consulting, a boutique firm specializing in financial leadership, operational efficiency and M&A execution.

With more than 20 years of global experience in finance, operations, and executive leadership, he brings a sharp, strategic mindset to every challenge—paired with the steady focus of a former competitive freediver. Rodrigo holds an MBA from EGADE Business School and has pursued advanced studies at The London School of Economics, Wharton, and the University for Peace.

A certified Project Management Professional, author, entrepreneur and business school professor, Rodrigo is passionate about building resilient businesses, leading with purpose, and helping others navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.

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