Dilution in Corporate Communition (or is it Value Addded?)

Programmer to Team Leader:

"We can't do this proposed project.**CAN NOT**. It will involve a major
design change and no one in our team knows the design of this legacy
system.
And above that, nobody in our company knows the language in which this
application has been written. So even if somebody wants to work on it,
they can't. If you ask my personal opinion, the company should never
take these type of projects."

Team Leader to Project Manager :

"This project will involve a design change. Currently, we don't have any
staff who has experience in this type of work. Also, the language is
unfamiliar to us, so we will have to arrange for some training if we
take this project. In my personal opinion, we are not ready to take on a
project of this nature."

Project Manager to 1st Level Manager :

"This project involves a design change in the system and we don't have
much experience in that area. Also, not many people in our company are
appropriately trained for it. In my personal opinion, we might be able
to do the project but we would need more time than usual to complete
it."

1st Level Manager to Senior Level Manager :

"This project involves design re-engineering. We have some people who
have worked in this area and others who know the implementation
language. So they can train other people. In my personal opinion we
should take this project, but with caution."

Senior Level Manager to CEO :

"This project will demonstrate to the industry our capabilities in
remodelling the design of a complete legacy system. We have all the
necessary skills and people to execute this project successfully. Some
people have already given in house training in this area to other staff
members. In my personal opinion, we should not let this project slip by
us under any circumstances."

CEO to Client :

"This is the type of project in which our company specializes. We have
executed many projects of the same nature for many large clients. Trust
me when I say that we are the most competent firm in the industry for
doing this kind of work. It is my personal opinion that we can execute
this project successfully and well within the given time frame."

The Startup CFO : The Shared CFO

Who is a start up CFO? Is he a CFO who is starting his career or a CFO of a start up? Well both are the same. As a CFO for a start up you need to learn everything new. If you were a CFO earlier you need to unlearn what you learnt earlier. What makes a start up different from any other organisation?

• Entrepreneurial (read no processes)
• Passionate (read no bottom line focus)
• Committed (read no Job descriptions)
• Flexible (read delays in salary payments)
• Value creation (read the ESOPS are worth the paper now)
• Building the foundation (read you have no secretarial or admn help)

The list can go on.....From a large global organisation to the start up. The ride is all the way down hill into the gorge. The turbulent river will teach you to swim, dodge the boulders, face the crocodiles and if lucky get rescued or reach the other side.

Having tasted this adventure you will not go back to the glass house on the cliff top for the beautiful view except to go up again to para glide down....

The journey of a start up CFO is not one that all individuals can perform. It is one which requires passion. stretch, commitment, thinking out of the box, hands on, so on and so forth. Most of all ability to work in uncertainty and a 'can-do' attitude.

At the same time the start up CFO is still the conscious keeper, moral and ethical officer, a good book-keeper, protector assets, devils advocate and most importantly after having done all of above, a trusted friend.

Does a start up need a CFO? It jolly well does as much as it needs money.

Can it afford one? Most often not.

Can it keep one? (motivated, charged up and occupied)? Most often not

Can a few start ups share a CFO? I think they can.

India has hundreds of start ups and many without a CFO. I think it is time for a shared CFO for the start ups.