Beyond AI Hype: A CFO's Guide to ROI for AI
I've spent the past 18 months in the trenches with CFOs just like you, and here's what I'm seeing: while AI is transforming finance, the path to success isn't about chasing the latest tech—it's about making smart, strategic choices that deliver real results. Let me share what's working for your peers, and more importantly, why it's working.
The Conversations We're All Having
You know that moment when you look at your tech stack and think, "How did we get here?" Trust me, you're not alone. Just last week, a CFO told me, "I inherited six systems that don't talk to each other, and now the board wants an AI strategy?" Sound familiar?
Here's what I'm hearing in every CFO conversation:
"I've got B2B and B2C platforms that feel like they're from different planets." "My best people are drowning in manual work, but we need to modernize." "Everyone's talking AI, but where do we actually start?"
Let's talk about how your peers are tackling these challenges—and winning.
Four Approaches Getting Real Results
1. Start Smart, Not Big
One CFO recently told me, "I thought we needed a complete overhaul. What we actually needed was a framework for deciding what to tackle first." Here's what worked for her team:
- Morning coffee sessions: 15-minute AI updates that got her team excited, not overwhelmed
- Quick-win Wednesdays: Weekly demos of simple automation wins
- "Show me, don't tell me" training: Hands-on practice with real data
As she put it, "Two weeks of getting the team aligned saved us three months of false starts."
2. Pick Your Path (And Yes, You Have Options)
Here's something refreshing: there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Let me share three strategies that are working right now:
The 90-Day Foundation Builder Perfect if you're thinking: "We need to move, but carefully."
- Morning huddles to build AI literacy
- Quick wins using tools you already have
- Minimal tech investment, maximum learning
The 180-Day Accelerator For when you're ready to say: "We've got some momentum, let's scale it."
- Targeted pilots that solve real problems
- Strategic tool selection
- Balanced resource allocation
The 12-Month Transformer When your mandate is: "We need to lead in this space."
- Full-scale integration
- Comprehensive team upskilling
- Strategic platform adoption
3. Make the Numbers Tell Your Story
Let's talk ROI in language your board will love. A CFO I work with framed it perfectly: "We needed to show both quick wins and long-term value. That's what got us the budget for bigger projects."
Here's her framework:
Today's Wins:
- Hours saved (real numbers, real dollars)
- Error rates slashed
- Processing time cuts
- Cost per transaction drops
Tomorrow's Value:
- Team capacity created
- New capabilities unlocked
- Risk factors eliminated
- Growth bottlenecks removed
4. Start Where You Are (Not Where You Think You Should Be)
Here's a truth bomb from a recent success story: "We tried to boil the ocean with AI. Then we stepped back, automated one invoice process, and suddenly had 30% of our AP team's time back. That's what got everyone on board."
The best first projects I'm seeing:
- Take 4-6 weeks (not months)
- Use data you already have
- Fix one clear pain point
- Show improvement you can measure over coffee
Real Talk: What's Actually Working
Let me share what we're seeing across 50+ implementations:
- Teams that start with clear rules win 60% faster
- Early training cuts headaches by 40%
- Small pilots are 3x more likely to grow
- Clear metrics double your speed to ROI
Let's Avoid the Hard Lessons
Can we have an honest conversation about where things go wrong? Here's what I'm seeing teams struggle with:
- "We bought the tool first" syndrome
- Skipping the ground rules
- Trying to automate everything yesterday
- Forgetting it's about people, not just tech
As one CFO told me last week: "Slow down to speed up" isn't just a cute phrase—it's how we actually got results."
Your Next Cup of Coffee
Let's make this actionable. Here's what I want you to do over your next coffee break:
- Grab a notepad and list:
- Three processes that make your team crazy
- Two metrics you wish you had instantly
- One win you could get in 30 days
- In your next team meeting, ask:
- "What takes too long?"
- "Where do we keep hitting walls?"
- "What could we automate tomorrow?"
Moving Forward Together
Here's what I know after working with dozens of CFOs: The pressure to transform is real, but the path forward doesn't have to be painful. Whether you're just starting or ready to scale, success comes from matching your approach to your team's reality.
I'd love to hear what challenges you're facing. Every conversation teaches me something new about what's working in the field, and I'm happy to share those insights with you. Let's talk about your path forward.
I spend my days helping CFOs turn AI from a boardroom buzzword into practical results. After guiding 50+ finance teams through this transformation, I've learned what works, what doesn't, and how to make the journey smoother. Drop me a line—I'd love to compare notes about what you're seeing in the field.
