Topic: General Posts
Message:
FENG colleagues,
A hello from Dallas Fort Worth, TX!
Despite a strong seven year career in my firm in Finance, my role will be terminated at year end. Blame strategic restructuring and cost containment efforts!
First about me: I had multiple, professionally valuable, stints in my current company. They took me from a Manager of Finance, and finally catapulting me into a Director of Finance role, leading a team of five. I worked with, and had to think like a functional leader i.e. folks in Sales, Marketing, Logistics, Operations, and Procurement, while always being a 'steward of the P&L'.
Here's the $1,000 question: I could obviously pursue the same type of opportunity, a Director/Senior Director of Finance for a Dallas Fort Worth opportunity. But 'Rites of Passage' that was highly recommended in this site gave me another insight. What about contemplating a Financially Savvy General Manager role?
What do you think? If there are friends in this site who navigated such an opportunity, could you share your experiences, or even connect/message me on LinkedIn, would love to chat with you.
Warm regards,
Ananth Subramanian
www.linkedin.com/in/subramanian
Subject: Re:My next opportunity
Message:
Ananth,
I would like the same opportunity also as I feel I ave more to offer to a business than just my fiance experience. Let me know how you have been making out or pivoting to suc a role. Presumably it is all in the marketign and branding which I am not particularly good at.
My best,
Gerry
Subject: Re:My next opportunity
Message:
Gerry -- as of 1/1, I'm in between jobs. So, I'm practicing the 'thought experiment' right now SMILE.
In other words, I'm actively seeking roles in FP&A where Finance is a key partner in business decision making. "Finance should have a seat at the table". Who knows -- this may allow a person to attain that 'General Manager' reputation that ultimately leads to the role itself?
Thoughts invited from the experts in the forum :).
Ananth
Subject: Re:My next opportunity
Message:
This a great topic and here is my input.
My path was not exactly what you are describing but I definitely took a left turn. I have an accounting background, an MBA, and was the Director of Finance for retail operations for Panera Bread for a number of years. I was an FP&A guy through and through. I took that experience but then really utilized the fact that it was acquired with companies in the franchise space to my current role. I am a Franchise Consultant helping clients navigate the franchise research, matching, and purchasing process.
It's easy to get pigeon holed or assume our talents are not transferrable but with some good success stories and solid examples of how you can bring value from your prior career, it is achievable.
Happy to chat someday.
Subject: Re:My next opportunity - be an entrepreneur
Message:
@Dana Hall's reply was right on - to have a seat at the table, your FINANCE background is only part of your assets. APPLYing your FINANCE background is when you really start to be an asset and start adding value to the operations.
As an example in my background, I am a merchant banker now helping restructure companies for growth and bringing financing to the table to accomplish that. That was the realization in 2007 when I was "retired" from a company that I had founded in custom client/server software development in 1993, taken it public, got funding and grew it up to 250 people. That wasn't fun anymore, but what I LOVED was the mergers and acquisition that we did.
Think about applying your skills and experience to a startup or starting your own firm - TODAY is the day for that. COVID-19 has everyone starting anew, so this is when the resources are available.
Robert Rhodes
Managing Member of DSV Consulting LLC
+1 (281) 435-3917 | [email protected]
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