GrowCFO Show
The GrowCFO Show is the podcast produced for finance leaders by finance leaders
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In the ever-changing world of finance, resilience and determination have become indispensable qualities for modern CFOs. In this episode of the GrowCFO Podcast, Kevin Appleby speaks with Ademola Odewade, CEO of K-Dems Consulting Limited and host of the Diary of a CFO Podcast. Together, they explore why hard work consistently outperforms raw talent in the journey to leadership. The discussion highlights the critical role of perseverance, adaptability, and a growth mindset for finance professionals navigating complex business environments.
Ademola shares his inspiring path from Nigeria to the UK, illustrating how overcoming adversity, embracing continuous learning, and leveraging effective communication have shaped his success. Through candid stories and practical advice, he and Kevin discuss the expanding responsibilities of CFOs, the necessity of self-belief, and the power of taking ownership. This episode offers actionable lessons for finance leaders, demonstrating that resilience and relentless effort are the true drivers of sustainable achievement in today’s demanding corporate landscape.For further support, explore our BetterHelp partner link.
Key topics covered:
- The importance of rational, well-supported business valuations for CFOs
- Common mistakes founders and finance teams make in the valuation process
- Why valuations are often driven by optics rather than true economic value
- The impact of market cycles and AI hype on company valuations
- The critical role of management quality and organized financials in achieving accurate valuations
- Actionable tips for CFOs preparing for a valuation process
Links
Timestamps
- 0:04:22 Introduction of Dan Eyman and the importance of business valuation
- 0:05:17 Dan Eyman’s background and entry into the valuation field
- 0:09:00 Common mistakes in valuation and the need for early CFO involvement
- 0:13:51 Why valuations can be “smoke and mirrors” and the reality behind headline numbers
- 0:18:41 The impact of AI and market cycles on valuation trends
- 0:39:07 The role of management quality and organized financials in valuation
- 0:45:13 Practical tips for CFOs preparing for a valuation
- 0:51:09 Final advice for businesses: be rational, organized, and build a compelling valuation story
Find out more about GrowCFO
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode.
GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here.
You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net
The Next 100 Days
The Next 100 Days Podcast is a leading UK business show. Through this podcast, Kevin and Graham reveal strategies you can use to improve your business and take it to the next level. In addition to featuring their own advice, Kevin and Graham host amazing guests from across the business world. Often the guests are successful, but lesser-known business owners and entrepreneurs, enabling the show to bring fresh content and stand out from many of the US based business shows.
Graham and Kevin believe that business change comes about when a business owner focusses on just one thing that will make a real difference to his business. That might be product development, a new product launch or a marketing campaign. Focussing for less than 100 days, or focussing on too many things generally won’t deliver the results you need, Equally, its difficult to maintain effective focus for much longer than 100 days without re-assessing priorities.
The Next 100 Days Podcast is your source to learn how to move your business forward, with practical advice and guidance that you can put into action and make a difference in your own organisation within the next 100 days.
Callum Gracie, founder of Otto Media and GIAI, is an expert in SEO & AI. On this podcast he shares an inspiring journey from professional musician to SEO & AI expert. Before COVID-19, Callum worked as a trumpet player and manager for The Bake Boys Band in Australia, booking over 500 events annually and managing approximately 100 creative professionals. When the pandemic hit, Callum lost everything due to severe Australian lockdowns that restricted events to 30-40 people. This crisis forced a career pivot into DJing (which was more pandemic-resistant as a one-person show) and eventually into digital marketing, where Callum now leads a team that has grown from 2 to 12 people in just 12 months.
Summary of the Podcast
The Evolution of SEO in the AI Age
Callum emphasised that traditional SEO tactics are becoming less effective as AI transforms how people search for information. Key points about this evolution:
- People can now get answers directly from AI tools without visiting websites
- Technical SEO remains important as a foundation but is no longer enough
- Content marketing and authentic storytelling are becoming crucial differentiators
- Digital PR is increasingly valuable – getting mentions from authoritative sources helps establish credibility with AI systems
- Business owners should focus on the EEAT guidelines (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust)
- Optimize for Bing, not just Google, as ChatGPT uses Bing’s search API to find relevant information
Leveraging AI for Business Growth
Callum shared several practical applications of AI for business:
- Used ChatGPT to analyze and improve sales funnels for clients
- Created AI-generated promotional imagery (including a branded vehicle with local landmarks) for a client website
- Developed AI workflows with a data scientist partner to analyze complex datasets
- Used AI to identify target journalists and publications for digital PR efforts
- Created project-specific AI agents that understand brand voice and specific business needs
Client Selection Philosophy
Callum emphasised the importance of working with the right clients:
- “Find your ideal client…figure out who you like”
- Turns away more potential clients than accepted
- Seeks partnership relationships with deep trust and common goals
- Values clients who are excited about the work and aligned with the company’s approach
- Focuses on being “relentlessly honest” with both clients and oneself
Action Items
- [ ] Implement EEAT guidelines on websites to establish credibility (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust)
- [ ] Consider optimising for Bing search in addition to Google
- [ ] Focus on getting reputable publications and websites to mention and link to your business
- [ ] Incorporate authentic storytelling and personal elements into marketing content
- [ ] Explore how AI can automate repetitive customer communications (like annual service reminders)
Future of Marketing
Graham described the current moment as a “gold rush” for AI implementation in marketing. Callum agreed but suggested Australian businesses are generally a few years behind the US and UK in adoption. The most successful approach combines authentic content marketing with strategic digital PR, focusing on building relationships with journalists and creating shareable stories that demonstrate expertise and build authority.
The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-Hosts
Graham Arrowsmith
Graham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. He’s the founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, where he introduces AI Agents that you can talk to, that increase engagement, dwell time, leads and conversions. Now, Graham is offering Answer Engine Optimisation that gets you ready to be found by LLM search.
Kevin Appleby
Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He’s the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com