Ep. 491 - Jennifer Barnes, Founder Optima Office - Unlock Financial Clarity: Secrets Business Leaders Don’t Want You to Know

Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief

Second in Command with Cameron Herold

Entrepreneurship, Business, Management, Careers

4.5 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 10 July 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today's episode of the Second in Command podcast, Cameron is joined by Jennifer Barnes, CEO and Founder of Optima Office, a fractional CFO service provider.

During the conversation, you'll get a glimpse behind the curtain of business leadership to explore one of the most misunderstood yet essential disciplines for sustainable growth. Cameron and Jennifer discuss how executives can move from instinct-driven decisions to data-informed strategies, and why the ability to forecast with precision might be the difference between thriving and simply surviving. With real-life examples and personal anecdotes, Jennifer highlights how even successful leaders can miss critical signs when they aren’t looking in the right places.

You'll hear cautionary tales from companies that looked strong on the surface but were blindsided by deeper operational missteps. These stories serve as powerful reminders that misjudging certain internal dynamics can have cascading effects—especially when scaling, managing rapid change, or weathering financial uncertainty. Yet, within each challenge lies a roadmap toward clarity, if you're willing to look under the hood.

Whether you're an entrepreneur wearing too many hats or part of a leadership team seeking sharper insights, this episode sheds light on how the right support structure can bring discipline, flexibility, and strategic alignment to your organization.

If you've enjoyed this episode of the Second in Command podcast, be sure to leave a review and subscribe today!

Enjoy!

In This Episode You'll Learn:

The differences between the roles of a CFO and a controller, including why a CFO looks forward to strategy and forecasting, while a controller focuses on historical accuracy and processes. (0:14)

Common pain points such as not knowing gross margins by customer or product, and the importance of understanding these metrics. (8:35)

The process of balance sheet cleanup and the importance of having accurate balance sheet accounts to ensure the P&L is correct. (14:11)

Creating a P&L budget, balance sheet forecast, and cash flow forecast to predict future financial performance. (16:20)

The potential for fractional CFOs to help companies build out their finance teams and eventually replace themselves as the company grows. (22:24)

And much more...

Guest Bio:

Jennifer Barnes is the CEO and Founder of Optima Office, a firm that provides outsourced accounting, fractional CFO, and human resources support to nearly 300 companies nationwide, with a strong focus on the West Coast. With a commitment to flexibility and employee satisfaction, Optima operates on an hourly billing model and embraces a hybrid work environment, guided by the motto “Happy Staff = Happy Clients.” Jennifer earned her Finance and Marketing degree from the University of Arizona, completed her MBA at San Diego State University, and brings over 15 years of experience as a Controller. She has received numerous accolades, including SDBJ’s Woman of the Year and the Top 50 Women of Influence in Accounting and Finance. Jennifer currently serves on several boards and is active in multiple leadership and mentorship organizations.

Resources:

Connect with Jennifer: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Cameron:

Transcript

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0:00.0	Yeah, I think one of the biggest things is, well, first, we're not, there's nothing so typical because some companies might want, they might not need a CFO yet.
0:08.7	They might just need a strong controller 20 hours a week.
0:11.6	They might have their own in-house staff.
0:14.2	They might need us to do everything.
0:15.9	So that could be 20 hours a week of a bookkeeper, staff accountant-level person.
0:20.2	That could be 16 hours a week of an accounting manager, 12 hours a week of a bookkeeper, staff accountant-level person, that could be 16 hours a week
0:21.8	of an accounting manager, 12 hours a week of a controller, and then maybe six to eight hours
0:26.3	a week of a CFO, or they could need six to eight hours a month of a CFO, and then 20 to 30
0:32.4	hours a week of a controller. So it really depends on each company's organizational structure
0:37.2	and how big they are, where they're going.
0:39.9	But typical, if I was going to say an average, is probably a business between 3 and 20 million who has some pain points where they might have a full-time controller or bookkeeper who they call controller.
0:54.1	And those are great.
0:59.1	Welcome to the Second in Command podcast, produced by the C.O. Alliance and brought to you by
1:07.4	its founder, Cameron Herald. In the Second in Command podcast, we talk to top COOs who share the insights, strategies,
1:15.3	and tactics that made them the chief behind the chief.
1:18.8	And now, here's your host, Cameron Herald.
1:25.4	In today's episode, we're covering a critical area for every business, understanding your
1:30.0	financials, and getting the right expertise. I'm talking with Jennifer Barnes, the CEO and founder
1:35.1	of Optima Office. Optima Office helps companies like yours by providing fractional financial and
1:40.6	HR support. Think fractional CFOs, controllers, bookkeepers, and even recruiting.
1:46.0	It's about getting the expertise you need, but on a part-time basis that fits your business.
1:50.3	In this conversation, Jennifer explains the key differences between a CFO, looking forward at strategy
	...

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