Date: 20.01.2026 (2026-01-20)
Michel Kull (20.01.2026) Context: • https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-kull-93268329/ • Director Finance & Controlling | $4B+ Budgets | 15+ Years | Founder | ex-Bain | ACCA • European League of Football • MUC • • My message: • I came across your profile because I find your posts on LinkedIn incredible insightful. • • I am currently building / founding in finance - would you be willing to exchange ideas? • • If you have time, I’d be happy to do a quick 30-minute call via phone or Teams. Would be great to talk! • • Best regards, • Maximilian Brandstaetter • Reply: • thanks for reaching out and I'd be happy to give you a few pointers. My number is 01753271007 and I'd have time for a call at 17:00. Let me know!
Notes: • Notes: • He talks a lot - a bit shady - also stopped his job after 4 months • Per DU (“Mischel”) • He comes Hersteller / Manufaktur & Öl und Gas Branche • Dubai, UAE • Big differences between Ausland und GER • GER is not good (Kacke) • A lot of time to make decisions • A lot of downside protection and risk awareness • SaaS: • Churn is important • FP&A • There you are at all Hebel within the company (“health check”) • After 1st quarter you have to react based on Actuals vs. Budget -> talk to departments / people • Budget often has a plus / minus buffer • He wants to be proactive • Also review suppliers • Everyone loves data -> a lot of KPIs • Most KPIs are bullshit -> often just for bonus • Every euro that is spent has to have a ROI • Has to be justified by the department • He uses Excel a lot -> everyone knows it • Integrations are super helpful -> manual work is a pain -> he does not want to do it • He has targets: • Minimum balance on bank account from management • Important: • Rolling Cash Forecast (most important): 12 bis 13 weeks into the future - based on last 12 months • He has to talk to Dienstleister to manage his Cash Flow -> delay payments • Current process: • He knows payroll and big invoices • He sees other invoices • He pulls it from Datev and then does it manually (he has a few sheets) • They have on and off season • CSV export of invoices • They book invoices manually into Datev (1 FTE) -> bus factor (vacation etc.) • Effort: • Rolling forecast in Excel directly (12 tabs) • Minimum account balance • Einfache Aufstellung: Plus / Minus • Quality: • There are no larger amounts out of the blue • He is in negotiations of larger contracts • They plan the whole season upfront -> they have clear contracts -> not much changes • But some changes always happen -> you cant plan for everything • Quality wise not much to win • He does not have a Buchhalter in der Firma -> he does not have enough work for 1 FTE -> if he has one person, he needs another one for vacations etc. -> they give it to tax advisors • They are 1.5 FTEs in the finance team • • Automation: • What would help him: • Budgeting Template would be helpful • You ask departments for FTEs, costs etc. • e.g. they do a lot of ticketing (DAZN) • He built heatmaps for departments with probabilities how many customers they will loose due to ticket price increase -> they in the end reduced the prices • His challenge is explaining other departments how changes affect certain variables • -> help finance teams to communicate to departments what impact certain efforts have • Usage of AI • TV production: AI is used for a few things • They sell archive material to AI companies to train -> AI revenue • Finance: • ChatGPT & Gemini -> for company • None in finance • He thinks AI does not help him -> he seems that he does not think AI will help him • Largest cost factor are employees - like for most employees -> important that people understand development • e.g. production costs rose 12%, but nothing changed -> why is that -> how can we reduce costs again • Biggest challenge: • Get people on board to change things -> educate them and motivate them • He knows how to communicate things - many people are tech / devs / Produzenten • AI: can maybe help visualise things - he has to vermitteln • Team: they are small -> they can’t really replace people - larger companies can replace more • Consultants are often taken for politically critical topics • He worked at Bain • AI can have a bit of a role for internal legitimation -> especially for SMEs • Aufsichtsrat hat limitierten Mehrwert -> no ROI • Monthly closing: should be very quick to do -> good direction -> he thinks this is easier / better to sell • He was also in procurement: • his contracts was 3 + 1 year -> they spoke about price every few months • Is price dependent on the market etc. • When to start price negotiations? What arguments are important? Is short term or long term contract better? (e.g. price is currently low -> better to get longterm now) • What are the big levers - e.g. is it energy? • Both directions are important • He bought raw material • He had to check which other industries bought the raw materials -> he should talk now because there is a surplus in the market -> 3 year contract • 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? • • 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? •