In this episode of Leadership Lens, Taylor Robinson sits down with Paul Cronin — CPA, Kellogg MBA, and private equity-backed CFO — to unpack what it really takes to scale a business the right way.
From Big 4 audit to entrepreneurship during the Great Recession… to leading finance in PE-backed companies, Paul shares hard-earned lessons on:
• Why ERP implementations fail
• How private equity actually scales companies
• The accounting talent shortage no one’s talking about
• What aspiring CFOs should focus on
• Why culture beats credentials in hiring
• The difference between founder instinct and data-driven growth
If you’re a CFO, finance leader, founder, or private equity operator — this conversation is packed with practical insights you can use immediately.
00:00 – Introduction & Paul’s Background
02:10 – Why Paul Chose Accounting (and Why It Still Matters)
03:45 – The Accounting Talent Shortage Explained
05:30 – Advice for Aspiring CFOs
07:00 – ERP Implementation Lessons (What NOT to Do)
09:00 – “Don’t Believe Everything Your ERP Vendor Says”
12:15 – Using Consultants vs Internal Teams for ERP
14:30 – Hiring Finance Leaders: Culture vs Technical Skills
16:00 – Case Studies in Interviews: Helpful or Harmful?
18:45 – The Paper & Pencil CPA Exam Story
20:00 – From Family Business to Entrepreneurship
23:00 – Why Paul Went Back for His MBA at Kellogg
25:30 – Private Equity vs Founder-Led Businesses
27:00 – Scaling with Data vs Shooting from the Hip
29:30 – Final Takeaways
