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Author and instructor of the Linkedin Course "Strategic Financial Intelligence for Business Leaders"

 Course Author - Strategic Financial Intelligence for Business Leaders

The CEO Financial Intelligence Program

Built for CEOs, CFOs and executives who want to lead with strategic financial insight and engineered performance. 

Through expert sessions, real-world cases, and a private executive community, you'll learn to connect the dots between vision and results, challenge financial assumptions, ask the right questions, and make confident decisions that drive enterprise value.

Founder

Financiario

Financiario delivers the financial foresight of a strategic CFO — automated into real-time dashboards — to unlock capital, drive growth, and lead with confidence.

Always know how today’s decisions impact cash flow, profitability, and long-term value — without the guesswork, spreadsheets, or delays.

Designed for mid-market companies, Financiario connects financial planning, forecasting, and reporting into one powerful, fully managed platform.

From multi-entity consolidations and scenario modeling to capital allocation and debt management, every dashboard and report is engineered to align financial performance with strategic objectives.

Experience real-time financial intelligence. Book a demo at Financiario.com.

Founder & CEO

OanaLabes.com

Hi, I'm Oana Labes.

As one of the top worldwide Linkedin content creators, my strategic finance content has been seen by over 140 million people over the past year.

My Linkedin following has grown to over 350,000 followers, and the business and finance Checklists and Cheat Sheets I created have been viewed and downloaded by millions of people worldwide.

My 'Cash Flow Masterclass' has transformed hundreds of careers and businesses and my Corporate Trainings have helped thousands of professionals around the world.

Join over 55,000+ people and subscribe to my free newsletter 'The Finance Gem 💎' to get strategic finance insights every Saturday and compound your impact & influence on in boardrooms and beyond.

Get in touch at www.OanaLabes.com

The Finance Gem

Join 55,000+ subscribers to get The Finance Gem 💎delivered to your Inbox every other Saturday. Don't miss the strategic finance insights enjoyed daily by my 350,000+ Linkedin Followers.

Founder & Content Creator

Corporate Finance Institute® (CFI)

Founded in 2016, CFI is the world-leading provider of practical learning and productivity tools for finance and banking professionals. Powered by expert instructors, hands-on lessons, and proprietary technology, CFI delivers the skills, certifications, CPE credits, and resources to help anyone—from beginner to seasoned pro—drive their finance career.

Guest Writer

Profitability Analytics Center of Excellence

PACE is an independent, non-profit, community of professionals dedicated to developing ways for companies to strategically manage and improve revenue, cost, and investments using causal analytic models to help make better, more informed decisions and drive greater value creation.

Advisory Board Member

I enable the financing that supports the growth and success of growing businesses operating in the Manufacturing, Wholesale and Logistics space.  I also lead RBC’s relationship with my clients at the enterprise level; I oversee the overall risk monitoring process for my portfolio and actively manage the portfolio credit risk within the bank’s risk appetite.

Senior Commercial Manager - Supply Chain Industries

Commercial Manager / Technology Banking KBI

Holidays Inc.

After working in the industry for 6 years I founded a travel concierge business at the age of 23, and bootstrapped it to 1.3MM EUR in revenues, 13 employees and 2 offices over the course of 4 years. We partnered with Thomas Cook in Germany to gain exclusive access to the full travel offering of more than 70 of the world’s largest 70 wholesale operators including Thomas Cook, Neckerman, TUI, ITS, DERtour, Schauinsland or ITS. 

Our strategy focused on product leadership, customer service, and innovation, which helped to differentiate us in the local market and afforded us record high retention rates and customer referrals.

I used to think finance wasn’t rocket science — until I saw how many CEOs and companies get crushed by it.

Great products with solid margins - consistently struggling to engineer growth with proactive cash flow planning and smart capital allocation.

That’s when I realized: it’s not just about numbers — it’s about knowing what they mean, how to plan around them, and how to make decisions that actually build value.

That’s what I teach. And that’s what my company Financiario delivers.

📌 I’m a CPA, MBA, and Founder of Financiario — the only financial intelligence platform built to think, report, and advise like a CFO in real time — whether you have a CFO or not.

📌 My background:

→ 15+ years of mid-market capital expertise
→ $300M+ secured and deployed across growth, M&A, and enterprise value acceleration
→ Scaled hundreds of companies 10–20x by aligning capital, cash flow, and strategic planning

📌 I’m also:

→ A Top 10 U.S. LinkedIn Finance Creator
→ A LinkedIn Learning Instructor
→ Read weekly by 45,000+ CEOs and CFOs via The Finance Gem
→ Followed by 500,000+ worldwide across platforms

📌 I’ve taught over 5,000 leaders through:

→ The CEO Financial Intelligence Program – master the 20% of finance that drives 80% of results
→ The Cash Flow Masterclass – used by thousands to turn liquidity into leverage
→ The Financial Analysis Masterclass – helping leaders turn numbers into strategy

📌 Brand partners & highlights:

→ Oracle, SAP, HubSpot, Mercury, 
→ AFP speaker (largest finance conference in the world): 3 years running

If you’re a scaling company, ambitious executive, finance pro, or growing brand — I can help.

→ Follow me here, on IG and YouTube (coming soon)
→ Scale with me: Financiario.com
→ Learn with me: oanalabes.com
→ Reach me: hello@oanalabes.com

Oana Labes, MBA, CPA

AI won’t transform finance until CFOs trust it.
That’s the real barrier.
Not technology.

Every finance leader wants faster insights.
But they also want answers they can defend.

And that’s the gap.

I’ve had dozens of conversations with CFOs over the past year about AI.

Every time, the story is the same:

“We’re intrigued…
But we’re not ready to bet our liquidity on a black box.”

This isn't resistance.
It’s risk management.

And now we have hard data to back it up.

A new survey of 1,000 CFOs, commissioned by Kyriba, confirms what many of us suspected:

- 76% say security & privacy risks could threaten financial health
- 41% cite fear of data leaks as the #1 blocker
- Only 46% trust safeguards in current AI tools
- Yet 96% still rank AI integration as a top priority

This isn’t about slowing innovation.
It’s about scaling it safely.

Smart CFOs are now asking:

✓ Is our data secure, or exposed?
✓ Is this AI explainable, not just impressive?
✓ Are we solving real problems—or just piloting hype?

AI in finance isn’t just about automation.
It’s about judgment, control, and trust.

I’ll drop a link to the full CFO survey in the comments—it’s worth the 5-min read.

You can also get it here: https://bit.ly/4rAjRqB

Your move: Would you bet your liquidity on a black box?

♻️ Like, Comment, Repost if this was helpful. And follow Oana Labes, MBA, CPA for strategic insights on financial leadership. 

#ad

Brand partnership • CEO @ Financiario | Real Time CFO Intelligence for Mid-Market Companies | Rolling Forecasts • Dynamic Dashboards • Board Decks | Founder & Coach @ The CEO Financial Intelligence Program | Top 10 LinkedIn USA Finance

Justin Bateh, PhD, PMP

I write about project management, leadership, and AI | Follow to develop skills for faster, smarter, and more efficient project management and to build winning teams | Boost your career with my actionable insights

Most leaders are measured by one thing: results.

Titles don’t move the needle; execution does.

I help leaders build teams that execute with clarity, deliver under pressure, and use AI to make smarter, faster decisions.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve gone from Project Manager to COO; leading 80+ projects and teaching 25,000+ professionals at companies like Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Chevron.

Along the way, I created the Project Execution Framework™, a 7-step system that helps leaders align stakeholders, cut through chaos, and deliver projects that matter.

Today, I teach these methods through live workshops, corporate training, and cohort-based courses, where leaders learn to:

--Build trust and alignment across teams
--Focus on outcomes that truly matter
--Leverage AI to automate, analyze, and accelerate

Because here’s the truth:

--Leadership without execution is just talk.
--Execution without leadership burns people out.
--Ignoring AI makes both slower and less effective.

Let’s Connect
📩 justin@projectsright.com
📰 Join my free newsletter for weekly insights
🎓 Enroll in my top ranked cohort-based course
➕ Follow for daily posts on project execution & leadership

How I Help
🤝 Team Workshops 
🎯 Corporate Training
🚀 Cohort-Based Courses 

Highlights
🏆 8x Award-Winning Educator
🏢 Former COO | 🎓 PhD & PMP 
🛠️ Creator of the Project Execution Framework™
📊 80+ Projects Delivered | 👨‍🏫 LinkedIn Learning Instructor


*Disclaimer: Views expressed on social media, courses, newsletters, or emails are my own and do not represent those of my employer or any affiliated organizations.

I teach Project & Operations professionals the skills to drive sustainable growth, change, and profitability using data-driven decision making, lean tools, six sigma methodologies, agile projects, and data analytics. I have worked with executives and managers from numerous organizations, including Walmart, Verizon, Amazon, Pearson, UPS, Wiley, Cengage, Medtronic, US Department of Health, CSX, USPS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Crowley Maritime, US Air Force, US Navy, Novartis, FedEx, McKesson, and many others.

Justin Bateh, PhD

11 Ways To Retain Top Employees

Before it's too late:

1/ Stop Forcing “Fun”
→ Mandatory fun isn’t fun.
→ Forced bonding feels fake.
→ Let culture form naturally.

2/ Let Them Be Autonomous
→ Stop the micromanaging.
→ Trust drives performance.
→ Freedom fuels ownership.

3/ Pay Them Enough
→ Money shouldn’t be a stressor.
→ Remove financial anxiety.
→ Compensation keeps talent.

4/ Give Real, Challenging Work
→ Not busywork.
→ Growth comes from stretch roles.
→ Challenge keeps people engaged.

5/ Actually Fire Toxic People
→ Even the high performers.
→ One toxic hire drains everyone.
→ Protect the culture first.

6/ Recognize Performance With Money
→ Not just praise.
→ Rewards should match results.
→ Appreciation must be tangible.

7/ Don’t Make Them Wait for a Title
→ Waiting breeds resentment.
→ Move when the performance proves it.
→ Titles should reflect reality.

8/ Offer Brutally Honest Feedback
→ Not corporate fluff.
→ Clarity beats comfort.
→ Truth builds leaders.

9/ Let Them Have a Life Outside Work
→ For real.
→ Respect their boundaries.
→ Burned-out people leave.

10/ Don’t Punish Competence
→ More work isn’t a reward.
→ High performers need support too.
→ Protect your best people.

11/ Accept They Will Eventually Leave
→ And that’s okay.
→ Great talent grows.
→ Your job is to develop them.

Retention isn’t luck.
It’s leadership.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

Expert in AI-Driven Project Management, Strategy, & Operations | Ex-COO Turned Award-Winning Professor, LinkedIn Instructor & Corporate Trainer

10 Project Management Skills AI Still Can't Replace

(because humans run the room, not algorithms)

1/ Managing Difficult Stakeholders
→ AI briefs you on facts.
→ It can't calm egos or navigate power plays.
→ Human tension decides outcomes.

Your move: Read the person before reading the problem.

2/ Executive Buy-In
→ AI builds perfect presentations.
→ Executives buy trust, not slides.
→ Influence is earned, not automated.

Your move: Lead with outcomes, not features.

3/ Conflict Resolution
→ AI detects tension.
→ It can't broker peace.
→ People kill projects before data does.

Your move: Address issues at 30%, not 90%.

4/ Setting Direction
→ AI offers paths.
→ Humans choose priorities.
→ Vision comes from judgment.

Your move: Ask "What are we really trying to achieve?" before planning.

5/ Navigating Politics
→ AI reads org charts.
→ It misses unspoken power.
→ Smart PMs read between the lines.

Your move:  Track who influences decisions, not who makes them.

6/ Motivating Teams
→ AI finds blockers.
→ It can't spark belief.
→ People follow energy, not reports.

Your move: Celebrate progress publicly, address problems privately.

7/ Facilitating Alignment
→ AI maps dependencies.
→ It can't make humans agree.
→ Alignment is leadership work.

Your move: Get everyone to repeat the goal back in their own words.

8/ Leading Through Chaos
→ AI organizes mess into charts.
→ It can't lead humans through uncertainty.
→ Calm beats smart every time.

Your move: Breathe before reacting when stakes are high.

9/ Reading Subtext
→ AI hears words.
→ PMs hear intentions.
→ Real communication happens beneath the surface.

Your move: Listen for hesitation, not just agreement.

10/ Making Final Calls
→ AI gives perfect data.
→ It doesn't own consequences.
→ Accountability stays human.

Your move: Decide with incomplete information, own the result completely.

AI handles the tasks.

Humans handle the humans.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more

Expert in AI-Driven Project Management, Strategy, & Operations | Ex-COO Turned Award-Winning Professor, Founder & LinkedIn Instructor | Follow for posts on Project Management, AI Fluency, Leadership, and Career Growth.

Project Management Tasks AI Still Can’t Replace

Your team smiles and nods in every meeting.

(and you think that means you're winning)

Silence isn't agreement. It's surrender.

Here are 10 signs your team doesn't trust you yet:

1/ They Never Disagree with You
→ Silence is compliance, not debate
→ Real trust fosters healthy conflict
→ Ideas die when no one challenges you
→ They've stopped thinking critically

2/ You're the Last to Know Bad News
→ They fear your reaction more than value transparency
→ Problems grow in shadows
→ Whisper networks replace open communication
→ You're managing in the dark

3/ They Always Ask for Permission
→ Initiative gets paralyzed by fear
→ Decision-making becomes theater
→ Ownership dies with dependence
→ Constant clarification signals micromanagement

4/ They Over-Document Interactions
→ Protection mode, not collaboration mode
→ Paper trails for self-defense
→ Trust deficit in action
→ CYA culture takes over

5/ They Avoid Casual Conversation
→ Relationships stay transactional
→ Interactions feel strictly professional
→ Personal wins stay hidden
→ Vulnerability becomes weakness

6/ They Rely on Private Channels
→ Real opinions shared in DMs, not meetings
→ Honest feedback goes underground
→ Team meetings become performance
→ You're excluded from real decisions

7/ They Never Share Personal Wins
→ Success feels unsafe to celebrate
→ Vulnerability seen as career risk
→ Connection opportunities missed
→ Distance grows instead of trust

8/ They Focus Only on Their Own KPIs
→ Collaboration feels dangerous
→ Silos are safer than teamwork
→ Competition replaces cooperation
→ Team becomes collection of individuals

9/ They're Always 'Too Busy' for Feedback
→ Avoidance beats honesty
→ Path of least resistance
→ Improvement stops happening
→ Growth conversations die

10/ They Seek Clarification on Everything
→ Afraid of overstepping boundaries
→ Initiative paralyzed by uncertainty
→ Second-guessing becomes default
→ Autonomy disappears

Here's what's really happening (personal notes from my experience):

Your team decided you can't handle the truth. They created a parallel universe where real work happens without you.

You're not leading a team. You're managing a performance.

Trust isn't built through good intentions. 

It's earned through consistent reactions to difficult moments.

How you handle the first disagreement sets the tone. 
How you respond to bad news decides what news you get. 
How you react to initiative impacts how much you'll see.

Real leadership happens when your team trusts you enough to tell you you're wrong.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

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The Battle

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