Date: 09.01.2025 (2025-01-09)
Jakson Peters (09.01.2025) Context: • https://www.linkedin.com/feed/ • CFO Tourradar (130ppl) • Vienna based • • My message: • I came across your profile because I am looking for experienced CFOs in Austria with international experience. • • We are currently at a crossroads regarding our product roadmap and are looking for a "view from the field." • Specifically, we’re weighing where AI will provide the most long-term ROI for finance teams: supporting monthly close & financial closing, or in procurement & purchasing (transparency, cost savings, supplier management)? • • For context: We’ve built technology that automates Accounts Payable with minimal human intervention. The system only flags ambiguous cases for manual approval, providing the full context needed to resolve them instantly. • • Given your experience, I’d really value your feedback (this is not a sales conversation) - happy to keep it to a simple 15-minute phone call. • Reply: • Hi Maximilian, it would a pleasure to jump in a call with you. Does Friday afternoon work for you? After 2pm would work well for me • •
Notes: • Notes: • There is a lot of companies that are active • One area that is greenfield: budgeting and forecasting • Reality: • They use Excel and Slides -> very flexible • No major challenges • Wish: • For big companies: detect seasonality; holidays; election of US -> what is the impact; • Actuals vs. budget • They use Netsuite -> Actuals are there • They do not use the budget module • He exports data and puts it into Excel • Reporting: • He has it automated from GSheets to GSlides (12 to 13 pages) -> mainly qualitative storytelling • He uses ChatGPT a bit - only slight value • CF Management: • Not sophisticated • They do not have a lot of cash lying around - he keeps it on fixed deposit • They have a small volume of AP and AR and Purchase -> not much sophistication • They do not have POs • In the last two companies he implemented POs • Their current process: they have a VCC for me to pay it or email for reimbursement • They use hyperwallet from Paypal -> if customer books a tour -> ones the tour starts, operator can take the money out • Working capital: google, rent -> they do it manually • They do not need an investment there (only one FTE) • 3k bookings per month (automated) • 200 invoices per month • In his old companies: • Procure to Pay automation with AI is very valuable • Automation: • • Biggest objections / challenges in his daily life? • • Most valuable flows for him? • • Context: team setup? internal and external? • • Which tasks are the biggest pain? With magic wand -> what would he solve? • Tool that gets invoice, checks with budget, and books it into GL -> end to end • When they grow further - currently it does not seem urgent -> 18 months in the future • Which tasks would he focus on? • • Do they already have automations? Which ones? How well do they work? • • Which companies would he target? • • General feedback to pitch? •