The Power of the Tech Finance Community
I recently sat down with Noah Barr, CFO of TrueAccord, and Amanda Kattan, Finance & Strategy Leader at 4th & King, to talk about the vibrant finance and operations community in Silicon Valley. Our conversation reminded me that we can come together in this difficult time to help each other navigate the pandemic.
Here are some highlights of our conversation:
Noah started by sharing his perspective on community:
Our management team and our investors have to adjust as things change very rapidly. So, it’s nice to have a community both to answer specific questions and to also learn from other people’s experiences. The SaaS finance community groups I am part of are excellent and very purpose driven. Maybe you’re facing something that you haven’t dealt with before, so you go to your group. Suddenly someone in the group who’s been in your shoes reaches out and gives you the input you need. I try and give back just as much, sharing how to make improvements or avoid pitfalls.
It’s clear that he values his community, especially as he moves through his career:
It’s nice when you’re in a relatively insular role in finance or operations. Being part of a community gives you the chance to stop for a second and realize that you’re not the only one going through this stuff. When I joined TrueAccord eight months ago, budgets were in development. As a company goes from an early stage to a mid-stage company, budgets get complex. When I was trying to decide on a system, I turned to the community. There was definitely a consensus, and I saved myself a lot of time and a lot of a hassle.
Amanda has a depth of experience in start-ups and contributes that experience to her community. At the same time, the group is a “force multiplier” when she faces new challenges:
To add on to what Noah said, operations people see such a breadth of different issues and are often approaching them for the first and last time. Being able to quickly leverage the experiences of others in these situations is incredibly valuable. In the startup community, one day feels like a year in a larger business, so you need to find extra resources creatively. Being part of a group where there’s a significant level of trust, and people are willing to be very open and honest about their experiences becomes an extension of your team. One challenge I brought to the community involved opening an office in India. The community shared their lessons learned, recommended contacts, and key steps for success. I leveraged the combined wisdom of 300 people to make an informed decision and didn’t need to become an expert.
As we wrapped-up, Amanda made a great point on how to find the right group for you:
I think Noah summed it up really well: “. . .Once you recognize that you’re not alone, I think it’s finding a group of folks that you respect and you can ask questions; maybe you know someone in the group or a couple people have similar jobs in another SaaS company.”
If you’re looking for a SaaS finance group to help you through the challenges of COVID-19, reach out- we engage with most of the SaaS finance community groups across the US and Canada. Add a comment here with your suggestions, too. Let’s crowdsource this and find more ways to help each other in this volatile time.
Sign-up for our virtual Modern SaaS Finance Summit for expert guidance on managing finance and operations. Our first session, Forecasting the Future of Cash to Navigate Uncertainty had over 500 attendees. We have eight sessions running through April 28, 2020. Register for the Summit here.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- In a joint conversation, Noah Barr (CFO of TrueAccord) and Amanda Kattan (Finance & Strategy Leader at 4th & King) discussed why peer finance and operations communities matter, especially in fast-changing conditions like the pandemic.
- Noah described SaaS finance community groups as purpose-driven: members bring specific problems and get input from peers who have already faced the same situation, then give back the same way.
- When Noah joined TrueAccord and needed to choose a budgeting system as the company moved from early-stage to mid-stage, he turned to his community first and said the consensus he found there saved him significant time and hassle.
- Amanda pointed to community as a “force multiplier” for finance and operations people, who often face a given issue for the first and only time and benefit from quickly leveraging others’ experience.
- Amanda’s example: opening an office in India, where she drew on the combined input of roughly 300 community members instead of having to become an expert in a new area herself.
- Both leaders agreed the key is finding a group where there’s real trust, so people are willing to be open and honest about their own experiences.
Summary
This conversation with Noah Barr and Amanda Kattan is less about a specific tool or process and more about a habit worth building: finance and operations leaders don’t have to solve every unfamiliar problem alone. Whether it’s picking a budgeting system during a company’s growth stage or figuring out how to open an office in a new country, both leaders describe the same pattern — find a community with real trust, bring your specific question, and give back what you learn along the way.
If you’re a finance or operations leader trying to work through a decision you haven’t faced before, the takeaway from Noah and Amanda is simple: you’re probably not the first person in your network’s collective experience to face it, so ask before you assume you have to figure it out solo.
FAQ
Who was interviewed in this conversation about the tech finance community?
The conversation was with Noah Barr, CFO of TrueAccord, and Amanda Kattan, Finance & Strategy Leader at 4th & King. Both spoke about the value of the SaaS and tech finance community, particularly in Silicon Valley, and how peer groups helped them navigate decisions during a period of rapid change.
Why do finance and operations leaders join peer communities?
As Noah Barr put it, these groups let you stop and realize you’re not the only one facing a given challenge. Amanda Kattan added that finance and operations roles often mean encountering an issue for the first and only time, so being able to quickly draw on others’ experience is especially valuable.
What kind of problem did Amanda Kattan solve using her community?
She used her peer community when opening an office in India, drawing on lessons learned, contacts, and recommended steps from roughly 300 people in the group rather than having to become an expert in that process on her own.
How did Noah Barr use his community when choosing a budgeting system?
When TrueAccord moved from an early-stage to a mid-stage company and budgets grew more complex, Noah turned to his SaaS finance community for input on which system to choose. He found a clear consensus among peers, which saved him significant time and effort.
How do you find the right finance peer group to join?
Per Noah and Amanda’s conversation, the goal is finding a group of people you respect, where you can ask real questions — often people who hold similar roles at other SaaS companies, or where you already know a member. A meaningful level of trust in the group is what makes people willing to be open about their own experiences.