Next Exit
Bringing stories and advice from industry leaders, on running a business to maximise your next exit.
Next Exit
#04: Owning the CRM: How CFOs Build Investor-Grade Forecasts with Richard Simons
In this episode, Dan Thompson talks with Richard Simons, seasoned CFO with four PE-backed exits and a career spanning Sky, Microsoft, and DMGT. Richard shares why today’s CFOs must take a hands-on role in CRM strategy and how the right data inputs power forecasts that drive confident decisions and maximise exit value.
He explains how finance teams can avoid the common trap of disconnected sales data, what to track in SaaS metrics, and how to build models that hold up to due diligence. Richard also shares a cautionary tale of a failed exit and the hard lessons CFOs should take from it.
Key Takeaways:
✔️ Why CFOs must own CRM strategy to align sales and finance
✔️ How to model revenue from pipeline and sales efficiency data
✔️ What private equity sponsors look for in forecast credibility
✔️ Common forecasting pitfalls that can derail an exit
✔️ Why running a growth strategy and an exit process in parallel is a major risk
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Check out Dan’s Private Equity-Grade Forecasting software, Kluster, here: https://www.kluster.com/
Send podcast guest pitches to: dan.thompson@kluster.com