Run Your Business, Don't Become It

What an audience sees / experiences:

I don't do motivational finance. I do the conversation owners are having in their heads at 2 a.m. - and then I put numbers to it.

My core throughline comes from my book, *Run the Business, Don't Become It*: most owner-led companies stall not because the market turned, but because the business can't function without the person who built it. Audiences see a 30-year operator who has lived both sides of that - turnarounds, acquisitions, insurance recoveries, and four successful exits - walk them through what founder dependence actually costs in cash, margin, and enterprise value.

What that looks like in the room:

**Plain English, not accounting.** No jargon, no lecture. Real client situations (anonymized), real numbers on the screen, and the decision that followed.

**Worked examples, live.** I'll take a margin, a cash cycle, or a pricing decision and show the audience how it moves. People remember the math they watched happen.

**Interaction by design.** I ask the room questions, take live problems from the floor, and adapt. I've never given the same talk twice because no two audiences have the same pain.

**A takeaway they can use Monday. The shift starts in the mindset. Owners leave able to look at their own business honestly, see where it's drifting, and take the first step toward transparency, clarity, and getting back on track

**Zero pitch.** I'm there to be useful. The business development takes care of itself.

Signature topics

- Run the Business, Don't Become It - breaking founder dependence before it breaks your valuation
- The Six Numbers Every Owner Should Know (and why most dashboards measure the wrong things)
- Cash Flow Is a Decision, Not a Report - the 13-week forecast that prevents surprises
- Exit-Ready by Design - building value years before you plan to sell
- AI in the Back Office - what actually works in SMB finance, and what's marketing
- Pricing, Cost, and the Margin You're Giving Away Without Knowing It
- Open to tailor content to specific vertical - manufacturing, construction, distribution, and professional services audiences.

Formats I deliver

- Keynote (30–120 min),
- Workshop: 2-4 hours workshop,
- Panel participation or moderation,
- Fireside chat / Q&A

What an event planner gets

- Reliable prep - a discovery call before the event so the content matches your audience, not my slide deck
- Promotional support - I'll help fill the room through my LinkedIn platform and network
- Clean logistics - bio, headshot, AV requirements (basic), and session description delivered on time
- Optional add-ons - signed copies of the book for attendees, a post-event resource handout, and availability for informal Q&A or networking after the session
- Travel from Atlanta

Professional Bio – Stan Alhadeff

Stan Alhadeff is a seasoned Chief Financial Officer, author, and founder of Business CFO for Hire, a boutique fractional CFO firm that partners with growth-focused companies to deliver financial clarity, strategy, and transformation. With more than 30 years of international financial leadership across startups, private equity-backed firms, and public companies, Stan is known for being more than "just a numbers guy"- he's a hands-on problem solver who thrives on helping businesses unlock value, navigate complexity, and scale sustainably.

He is the author of Run the Business, Don't Become It, a practical guide for owners who have become inseparable from their companies. The book argues that clear thinking, operationally grounded financial discipline, and healthy emotional detachment are what turn a founder-dependent operation into a scalable, sellable business. Stan extends that thesis through his podcast, Going Beyond the Balance Sheet, where he interviews operators and advisors on how finance connects to the day-to-day realities of running a company, and through regular thought leadership on SMB finance and leadership.

With a proven track record of leadership and strategic insight, Stan has served on various boards of directors across multiple industries, contributing to governance, risk management, and long-term planning while collaborating with diverse executive teams to drive organizational growth and innovation. He is adept at providing oversight on financial performance, compliance, and operational excellence, ensuring each organization achieves its mission and maintains the highest standards of accountability. This breadth of experience has strengthened his ability to offer valuable perspectives and foster effective decision-making at the board level.

Throughout his career, Stan has led companies through pivotal transitions, including turnarounds, acquisitions, insurance recoveries, and successful exits - four to date. His client engagements span a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, technology, services, retail, and distribution, with revenues from $1M to over $1B. At the core of his approach is a deep commitment to tailored, data-informed strategy, including synchronizing KPIs, budgets, and models to the operational reality of each business.

Among his notable accomplishments
• Grew a client's revenue from $10M to $70M, while expanding headcount and introducing mission-critical financial infrastructure.
• Negotiated multimillion-dollar insurance settlements following catastrophic events, including $7M+ for business interruption claims that he proactively structured.
• Streamlined enterprise systems to generate over $1M in savings by downgrading technology where appropriate—an approach that defied industry norms.
• Advised on capital raises and licensing deals, including international ventures and partner negotiations.
• Launched a fully functional back office for a multinational in a foreign-language environment, aligning tax, reporting, and systems from the ground up.
• Authored Run the Business, Don't Become It and hosts Going Beyond the Balance Sheet, translating three decades of CFO experience into practical guidance for business owners.

Stan's professional foundation includes an MBA from Henley Business School in the UK and dual degrees in Accounting Science (BCompt and MAcc equivalent) from the University of South Africa. His MBA thesis focused on vertical integration in mature industries, a strategy he later applied as an entrepreneur - owning and operating the Southeast's largest custom pen distribution business, earning international sales awards before successfully exiting.

Known for his creative thinking, dry humor, and unwavering integrity, Stan is a trusted advisor to CEOs and boards who value candor, results, and a broad-minded view of business. He has chaired finance committees and remains deeply engaged in community and family life in Atlanta, Georgia.

Speaker - keynote or general session

Format and duration
- 30–60 minutes, plus 10–15 minutes Q&A
- Also available as a panel, fireside chat, or moderated interview with no slides

Sound
- Wireless lavalier or over-ear headset preferred - I work the front of the room and the whiteboard (subject dependent), so a fixed podium mic limits the session
- One roaming or handheld mic for audience Q&A. Questions the room can't hear kill the back half of a talk
- Confidence monitor or floor wedge in rooms over ~150 people

Staging
- Open floor or low riser. I present from the floor, not behind a lectern
- No lectern needed, but a small high-top for water, notes, and clicker
- Whiteboard or flip chart with markers if the room allows - I build a cash flow bridge live and that moment does a lot of the work

Lighting
- Even front wash on the presentation area; nothing theatrical
- Please avoid full house-lights-down. I read the room and take questions throughout
- No strobes, haze, or moving spots

Projection (subject dependent)
- 16:9 projection or LED wall, HDMI in, with USB-C adapter available
- Slides are numbers-heavy - statements, KPI dashboards, cash models. The smallest figures must be legible from the back row, so screen size and contrast matter more than for a typical keynote
- Wireless clicker; slides sent as PDF backup 48 hours ahead
- Audio out from laptop only if the session includes video

Logistics
- On site 45–60 minutes early for tech check and mic levels; 5 minutes with the AV lead beforehand
- Send run of show, head count, room dimensions, and audience mix (owners vs. finance staff vs. advisors) - I tailor examples to the room
- Recording and streaming fine with advance notice; I ask for a copy of the file
- Attendees leave with a one-page checklist or KPI set - print-ready PDF or QR link, your preference
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Breakout - workshop or roundtable

Format and duration
- 60–90 minutes standard; half-day available for deeper build-out sessions
- Best capped at 25–30 participants. Above that it becomes a talk rather than a working session
- Interactive throughout: attendees work their own numbers, not just watch mine

Room setup
- Rounds or pods of 5–6, not theater seating. Table space matters - attendees write on worksheets and compare figures
- Room I can walk between tables in, with the screen visible from every seat
- Whiteboard or flip chart per pod if available; at minimum one at the front

Sound
- Lavalier or headset in rooms over ~40 people; smaller rooms need no amplification
- One handheld to pass for report-backs from each table

Lighting
- Full lights up the entire time. Attendees are reading and writing, so no dimming for slides

Projection and connectivity
**- Same 16:9 projection and HDMI requirements as the keynote
- Wired internet or reliable Wi-Fi if the session includes a live spreadsheet or software walkthrough
- Flip chart markers, and a way to display a working model large enough for the room to follow

Materials
- Printed worksheets required - one packet per attendee, sent to your team 5 business days ahead for reproduction, or I can bring them for groups under 30
- Pens and calculators helpful; most attendees use phones
- Every breakout closes with the six numbers an owner can actually track, on one page

Logistics
- 30 minutes in the room beforehand to set materials at each pod
- Confirm final head count 72 hours out so packet counts are right
- Recording is optional for breakouts and often discouraged - attendees share real financials in discussion and candor drops when a camera is running