Finance as a coach, not a referee: building stronger partnerships

In this episode, Thomas Gavaghan sits down with Nick Dahm, CFO of Salesloft, to unpack how modern finance leaders move from scorekeeper—or worse, referee—to coach. Nick shares how a private‑equity lens (following Vista’s investment) shifted priorities from growth‑at‑all‑costs to Rule‑of‑40 discipline, tighter cash stewardship, and shorter runways. He explains how to pair data with narrative to drive alignment, why he expects every finance partner to be the “CFO of their department,” and how to focus cross‑functional peers on the top 1–2 actions that matter.

Nick also covers staying mergers and acquisitions (M&A)‑ready (systems, controls, diligence preparedness), building a low‑ego “no‑jerks” learning culture to keep teams engaged through constant change, and his two “secret weapons” for tough quarters: gratitude and relationships. Plus, advice to his 25‑year‑old self, a book recommendation (Erik Larson’s The Demon of Unrest), and a few Atlanta favorites.

Nick Dahm, CFO, Salesloft

Nick Dahm is the CFO at Salesloft, leading financial strategies designed to drive sustainable growth and enable customer success. He previously served as SVP, Finance and Corporate Development at Salesloft, where his responsibilities included financial planning and analysis, deal desk, and inorganic growth strategy functions. With extensive expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and aligning financial strategy, he has held senior finance roles at high-growth start-ups and international public companies. Before joining Salesloft, Nick most recently served as CFO at TruckIT, led corporate development at Rubicon Global and began his career in investment banking.