Not the Big 4! Implementing success from SpaceX to CFO 4.0 Host and ITAS MD, Hannah Munro

Not the Big 4! 

“I think everybody wants Elon to fail” Mike Rose

Join Chris and Mike for an enlightening conversation with Hannah Munro as they explore the intricacies of collaboration and the risks associated with relying solely on individual contributions in the SpaceX launch discussion.

Get ready to uncover the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in recruitment, where values take precedence over checkboxes.

Discover the potential pitfalls of depending on a single person and the transformative power of collective effort in achieving ambitious goals. Stay tuned as Hannah emphasises the significance of embracing an entrepreneurial mindset in recruitment.

Experience the excitement of envisioning a future where individuals are empowered to contribute their unique talents while working towards a shared vision. Imagine the possibilities that arise when values aligned recruitment practices lead to a diverse and high performing team, capable of tackling even the most daunting challenges.

Tune in to Chris and Mike's conversation with Hannah Munro, with insights and strategies for  collaboration, nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset, and prioritising values in recruitment.

Episode Quotes 

What Hannah Munro said…

• "I love challenges. So that keeps me in my happy place." - On enjoying her busy schedule.
• "Horse Riding is amazing for that. I don't know about anyone else that's listening to this. I struggle to put the phone down to put the laptop down." - On recharging activities away from technology.
• "I think there's a danger where I've been, I've been the loan consultant on a project. And I think one, it's a really lonely place for a consultant to be." - On the risks of solo consulting.
• "I treat every customer as  if they were my friend, as in, not as in like, joking around, though we do we like to think I have a decent sense of humour." - Her philosophy in working with clients.
• "We are higher on values, not on the tick boxes, you know, and I love it when a rocket and I end up going on a go. Oh, I'm not sure if culture that's a good fit." - On her unique recruitment approach.

What Chris Argent said…

• "I think sometimes people go into meetings without a plan or without having prepped and they let it just unfurl in front of them. And that's definitely not the way to manage these things." - On the importance of preparation for meetings.
• "I reckon they'll do it without a doubt. You know, yes, it's costing them a lot of money. But what's the upside of them doing this multi planetary rockets? So you know, the last thing around the solar system? You know, that is just crazy." - On his belief in SpaceX achieving multi-planetary travel.
• "I think there's a book in me somewhere, because I think what when I talk to people, it's almost like the startup approach that I think would be really helpful to any CFO, enterprise, CFO, midsize CFO, they're not, they're not going to start up a company." - On lessons from startups being applicable to finance leaders.
• "Your point around recruiting, on values and behaviour, it's a really simple thing to do. If you do it consistently, you get an incredible team, you know, supporting your goals in the way that you want them to be supported." - Praising Hannah's recruitment approach.
• "Subscribe to CFO 4.0. It’s a brilliant podcast. And I love the name. Also subscribe to it's not just got to finish on that because the algorithm might, you know, take the wrong one if you do want to send us any shoutouts as well." - Promoting the podcasts at the end.

What Mike Rose said…

• "Inconsistent sleeping is a real energy sapper for me." - Discussing his busy week in London.
• "I had a real sense of imposter syndrome sitting with two generative AI experts." - Reflecting on his experience at a panel event.
• "I think everybody wants Elon to fail." - On public perceptions of Elon Musk.
• "I don't think it's any different. It's just I think everybody wants Elon to fail." - Comparing SpaceX testing to historical test pilots.
• "I've gone with listening to the weather forecast when travelling back home today, and it's going to be minus 10 degrees tonight in places in the UK." - His bad data point about cold weather.

Episode Summary

Hosts Chris Argent and Mike Rose welcomed listeners to the podcast along with guest, Hannah Munro. They discussed their busy weeks leading up to the Christmas season.

Mike shared experiencing imposter syndrome at a recent event but receiving positive feedback. Hannah found the busy schedule energising but challenging.

Chris discussed attending a successful London Stock Exchange event and a dim sum dinner with limited vegetarian options.

Hannah emphasised finding mentally stimulating hobbies like languages to recharge, away from technology. They debated Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket failure, agreeing the iterative approach will lead to success like reusable Falcon rockets. Hannah argued better stakeholder management could have framed it as a test flight to reduce backlash.

The discussion shifted to finance technology implementation and failure prevention. Hannah described her role as a Solution Architect, helping clients design successful projects. She stressed challenging assumptions around requirements and technology fit. Proper resource allocation and a tailored approach are crucial for implementation success. Understanding the problem and exploring options before procurement is important.

Hannah's team implements projects collaboratively to leverage diverse strengths. She credits trial and error, training, and rigorous processes for success. Chemistry is also vital when matching clients and consultants.

Her boutique agency prioritises values over tick boxes in unique recruitment focusing on diversity of thought. She has declined clients lacking alignment.

Entrepreneurial mindsets in finance were discussed. Measuring value added by finance teams and driving value innovation were identified as opportunities. The importance of "go no go" meetings before major decisions or launches was explained. Advance planning and preparation ensures readiness and avoids last minute changes.

In closing, the hosts looked forward to reconnecting in London. Hannah promoted her CFO 4.0 podcast available everywhere. Concerns were raised about AI-generated content lacking originality and creativity. The potential for biases from self-feeding was noted.

Episode Time Stamps

0:00 - Introduction and welcome from Chris Argent

4:30 - Updates on their weeks - Mike discusses imposter syndrome

9:00 - Hannah shares techniques for recharging - like learning languages

12:30 - Discussion on Elon Musk's SpaceX launch failure and iterative approach - We touch on the potential success of SpaceX’s mission to create multi planetary rockets, with a focus on team’s excitement and NASA’s reliance on their success.

16:30 - Hannah describes her role in finance technology implementation - Hannah speaks on her role as a Solution Architect, helping clients build the picture of what they need for a project to succeed.

20:00 - Importance of understanding problems and tailoring solutions - Mike asks about the effort required to understand the problem and choose the right technology before making a decision in an organisation.

23:30 - Hannah's team approach to collaborative implementation - Hannah describes their approach to building a consulting team as “multi-skilled” and “playing to the strengths of the individual”.

27:00 - Finding the right implementation partner through values not tick boxes - Hannah emphasises the importance of chemistry in finding the right implementation partner. 

30:30 - Bringing an entrepreneurial mindset to finance leadership

34:00 - Explaining the purpose of "go no go" meetings in projects - Using a “go no go” meeting to make a formal decision and have a formal sign off before implementing a new project or software. 

38:00 - Catching up and looking forward to future events

41:30 - Promoting Hannah's CFO 4.0 podcast and parting thoughts

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