Investors don’t fund spreadsheets, they fund stories they believe. Yet most founders fall into the trap of overloading pitch decks with numbers that don’t connect. In this episode of The CFO Edge, I share how to turn raw financials into a compelling narrative that builds trust and attracts capital.

If you’re preparing to raise capital or just want to make your financials speak louder, this episode will show you how to build a narrative investors actually believe.

Follow Carol for more CFO and Financial insights:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zcb/

→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crunch_timez_cfo

→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crunch_timeZ_CFO

Support the show

Thanks for listening. Your financial edge starts HERE

Reaching break-even feels like a milestone but as a founder, you can’t stop there. Break-even simply means you’re covering costs, not that your business is profitable or ready to scale.

From a CFO’s perspective, break-even is actually a decision point:

• Do your margins support growth?
• Are you pricing correctly for the market and your costs?
• Should you invest in hiring, marketing, or product — or hold steady?

In this episode of The CFO Edge, I’ll break down why break-even is not the finish line, but the moment to shift from survival mode to strategic growth. You’ll learn how to look beyond the numbers on paper and start building financial clarity that positions you for scaling with confidence.

👉 Whether you’re running a startup or a small business, this episode will give you a sharper lens on what break-even really tells you about your business health.

Stay sharp,
Zahra Carol Baghdadi , Fractional CFO

Follow Carol for more CFO and Financial insights:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zcb/

→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crunch_timez_cfo

→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crunch_timeZ_CFO

Support the show

Thanks for listening. Your financial edge starts HERE

Is your startup sitting on enough runway to survive and thrive or are you heading for a cash crunch?

In this episode, we unpack the different runway strategies founders can use depending on their stage, market conditions, and growth goals. You’ll learn the three runway mindsets, the mistakes that shorten your effective runway, and the simple framework to decide your ideal number.

Follow Carol for more CFO and Financial insights:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zcb/

→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crunch_timez_cfo

→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crunch_timeZ_CFO

Support the show

Thanks for listening. Your financial edge starts HERE