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Mailbag

CFOs answering reader questions


CFOs of The MLB and The North Face answer reader questions

Aug 25, 2026

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9 min read

CFOs of The MLB and The North Face answer reader questions

Mostly Mailbag: Sizing brand marketing bets, the value of an MBA today, learning to negotiate well, and how weather impacts business seasonality

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
How to Classify Your LLM Costs on the P&L

Jul 9, 2026

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4 min read

How to Classify Your LLM Costs on the P&L

Plus, reporting usage based ARR, and adjusting metrics post RIF, all in this week's CFO Mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
How to talk about ARR for Consumption Based Businesses

Jun 4, 2026

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7 min read

How to talk about ARR for Consumption Based Businesses

Plus, hard pivots to AI, rising CAC, and what to include in Gross Margin, all in this week's CFO Mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
When should you switch from cash to accrual accounting?

Apr 30, 2026

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17 min read

When should you switch from cash to accrual accounting?

Plus, ERP implementation disasters, and running your first annual planning process... all in this week's CFO mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
How Long Can You Realistically Put off Your First Audit for?

Mar 26, 2026

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5 min read

How Long Can You Realistically Put off Your First Audit for?

Plus, when to hire your head of FP&A, best business book you've read, and how to run a great weekly pipeline call. All in this month’s CFO mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
Do CFO / COO / CIO Become 1 Role?

Feb 19, 2026

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9 min read

Do CFO / COO / CIO Become 1 Role?

Plus, accelerating month end close using AI, defining 'expansion revenue' and choosing who presents at the board meeting, all in this week's CFO Mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
How to Fire Someone

Jan 22, 2026

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8 min read

How to Fire Someone

Plus, reviewing term sheets, and rolling off a fractional accounting firm, all in this week's CFO Mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
Guidelines for Running Employee Secondaries

Jan 8, 2026

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8 min read

Guidelines for Running Employee Secondaries

Plus, tying exec bonus plans to profitability, and SPIFF structures that work... all in this week's CFO mailbag!

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
What's the best vendor proposal you’ve seen, and why?

Aug 28, 2025

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19 min read

What's the best vendor proposal you’ve seen, and why?

And other August reader questions from the mailbag

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson
The Mostly Mailbag

May 30, 2025

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17 min read

The Mostly Mailbag

May's best reader questions, sponsored by MUFG

CJ Gustafson
CJ Gustafson

yo, btw…

none of this is intended to be financial or legal advice. do your own homework. call your mom once a week. and make sure to hydrate.