Andy Ivanovich, the CFO of The Knot Worldwide, joins CJ to dissect the company’s business model. He sheds light on how The Knot, which functions like an operating system for weddings, has grown to expand its product suite and reach, and now touches two-thirds of adult Americans each year. Andy explains the five dimensions of the company’s transactions that make it so unique. He also breaks down The Knot Worldwide’s ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) and customer LTV (Lifetime Value), and how they optimize for a supplier's lifetime value through their subscription model. He shares some M&A wisdom, explaining the Build, Buy, or Buddy framework for a roadmap expansion, and why “burning the lifeboats” is necessary for fully committing to change. Tuning in, you’ll hear about the CFO’s job of “truth-seeking”, why your team should be encouraged to challenge conventional wisdom, and how to manage a healthy level of friction amongst your peers.

If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

—

SPONSORS:

Mercury is the fintech ambitious companies use for banking and all their financial workflows. With a powerful bank account at the center of their operations, companies can make better financial decisions and ensure that every dollar spent aligns with company priorities. That's why over 100K startups choose Mercury to confidently run all their financial operations with the precision, control, and focus they need to operate at their best. Learn more at mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.

NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 37,000 thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

Maxio is the only billing and financial operations platform that was purpose built for B2B SaaS. They're helping SaaS finance teams automate billing and revenue recognition, manage collections and payments, and put together investor grade reporting packages. 🚀 Request a demo at www.maxio.com/runthenumbers for 10% off your first year.

Leapfin is accounting automation software that automatically prepares and posts reliable journal entries. High-growth businesses like Reddit, Canva, and Seat Geek choose Leapfin to eliminate manual tasks, accelerate month-end close, and enable accounting leaders to provide faster insights to help their companies grow. To automatically standardize your revenue data with measurable business impact, check out leapfin.com today.

—

@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:26) Sponsor - Mercury | NetSuite

(05:17) The Knot Worldwide’s Business Model

(14:06) The Five Dimensions of the Knot’s Transactions

(19:11) Sponsor - Maxio | Leapfin

(21:25) High-Risk Transactions and Trust

(23:40) The Knot Worldwide’s Customer LTV (Lifetime Value)

(27:54) The ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) of The Knot Worldwide

(31:38) The Reach of the Company

(34:01) The Impact of the Pandemic

(38:53) When Revenue is Recognised From a GAAP Perspective

(40:17) The Number One Customer Request

(43:02) The Role of “Truth Seeking” in Being a CFO

(44:48) The Build, Buy, or Buddy Framework

(48:30) Encouraging Dissenting Opinions and Critical Reasoning

(52:01) Long-ass Lightning Round: The Biggest M&A Mistake

(55:49) The Knot Worldwide’s Finance Software Stack

(56:31) Andy’s Craziest Expense Story

Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Making the Complex Simple: Untying the Business Model of The Knot Worldwide With CFO Andy Ivanovich

Run the Numbers