You screwed up the financial model
This is a story a CFO friend told me over coffee last week. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
“You screwed up the financial model.”
That’s what the CEO screamed across the room. It was brutal. Public. Personal. And the person on the receiving end? A talented, hard-working member of this CFO’s finance team.
The CFO didn’t stay silent.
“So I went up to him and personally apologized,” he told me.
“And I said to him 2 things:
The CEO was wrong.
Even if he was right, nobody deserves to be treated badly.
That moment, more than any spreadsheet or forecast, showed me what real leadership looks like.
He continued:
“I believe mistakes happen. And we learn from them as a team. Blaming and screaming at employees doesn’t stop them from making mistakes. It can stop them from admitting mistakes. Mistakes should be viewed as opportunities for growth, not as reasons for humiliation.”
This is a story a CFO friend told me over coffee last week. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Because it’s not really about the model, or the screaming, or even the apology.
It’s about something deeper.
Something we don’t always talk about in finance circles.
It’s about courage.
It’s about empathy.
It’s about grace, shown in a moment when it would’ve been easier to blame, to retreat, to stay silent.
And more than anything… It’s about gratitude.
Not the postcard kind of gratitude. But the kind that shows up in real life.
In real moments.
Like standing up for someone who’s been humiliated.
Like believing in your people even after a mistake.
Like seeing the human behind the numbers.
That story reminded me what Thanksgiving is really about.
Gratitude changes the way you lead, the way you live, and the way you show up for the people around you.
In Finance, You Speak The Language of Numbers
You balance sheets, budgets, and forecasts. Yet on Thanksgiving, I want to balance something else, too: the blessings in our life. After all, what good is a balanced ledger if your heart is not?
For too long, you have prioritized numbers over moments.
You chase efficiency, forecasts, spreadsheets, and deadlines.
Sometimes forgetting the people behind those figures.
I’m writing today to remind you that beyond the data and deadlines, there’s something far richer… gratitude.
A CFO friend of mine shared a personal story.
“It was back when phishing was still a new thing,” he said. “Someone pretended they were me and sent an email to one of my staff, asking them to authorize a wire transfer. It was a Friday afternoon. And over the next 40 minutes, my team executed the normal procedures to initiate a one-off domestic wire payment.”
They were being defrauded.
“We caught it in time, barely. We called the bank and were able to withdraw the wire. But the employee who had initially authorized it? He was devastated. Distraught. I could tell he was bracing for me to yell.”
And then this CFO paused and said something that struck me right in the chest.
“But instead, I told him:
‘I value you deeply as a person and employee. We all make mistakes. What matters now is how we respond. Let’s learn from this, and come back Monday stronger as a company.’
That wasn’t just good leadership.
That was something deeper… Compassion under pressure.
This is real gratitude live in action.
Not the performative kind.
But the real kind.
Building a Community of Thankfulness
I started this newsletter and built our CFO community because I felt a need for something more than technical tips and market updates. We need heart. We need reminders of why we do this job.
This community quickly grew to thousands of CFOs from around the world.
This community is about support and gratitude.
It’s about learning how to offload the busywork with AI so we can enjoy what really matters.
Start or end your day by naming one thing you’re grateful for in your role. It could be a supportive mentor, a resolved challenge, or simply that your morning coffee is still hot.
Start a meeting by thanking someone or sharing what you’re grateful for.
When leaders show appreciation, teams will follow your lead and gratitude will become part of your culture.
These habits keep gratitude alive.
They remind us that finance isn’t just about numbers.
It’s about people, purpose, and the life those things allow us to live.
I’m Grateful
I’m thankful for every CFO reading this and for the dedication you bring to your work and the love you bring to your families.
Thank you for trusting me to share this journey with you.
You’ve earned this break.
Enjoy every moment.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
And that’s all for today.
See you on Sunday with an inspiring CFOTech founder story!
P.S. We’re running a Black Friday sale tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:
If you’re building an AI-powered CFO tech startup, I’d love to hear more and explore if it’s a fit for our investment portfolio.
I’m Wouter Born. A CFOTech investor, advisor, and founder of finstory.ai
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