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Kimo, Sr Financial Analyst at Dexcom : Advize Career Interview
Kimo's journey from computer science to a senior financial analyst role at Dexcom is a testament to the power of self-discovery and the importance of finding a company culture that resonates.
The role involves a dynamic mix of financial reporting, forecasting, and insightful analysis, offering a holistic view of the business within the impactful healthcare industry.
A successful analyst thrives on attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to "story tell" the numbers.
Dexcom's supportive, collaborative environment, coupled with perks like Padres tickets and engaging office events, makes it an enjoyable place to work.
Overcoming challenges such as balancing the needs of different teams and navigating the nuances of corporate finance requires adaptability and a willingness to learn.
Kimo's experience highlights the value of networking, proactive career exploration, and advocating for oneself, making this a career path ripe with opportunity and purpose.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kimo Thomas
Sr Financial Analyst
Dexcom
University of San Diego
Finance
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Finance
Scholarship Recipient
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Career Path of a Senior Financial Analyst at Dexcom
Kimo's career path began with a shift from computer science to finance with minors in computer science and accounting at the University of San Diego, leading to an initial role at Thermo Fisher in their finance data science team; after feeling like "a cog in the machine" at the large Fortune 100 company, they moved to a smaller company, NeoGenomics, as a senior financial analyst but missed the work culture and collaborative environment of a larger team and ultimately landed at Dexcom as a senior financial analyst in commercial finance, where the work culture is "amazing" and the company size aligns with their preferences. This journey reflects a desire for purpose-driven work, a good work-life balance, and a collaborative environment, showing the importance of company culture and feeling valued in a role.
Main Responsibilities of a Senior Financial Analyst at Dexcom
As a Sr. Financial Analyst at Dexcom in commercial finance, Kimo's main responsibilities include reporting revenue, volume, and patient metrics both internally and externally, especially to Wall Street during quarterly reports, involving "a lot of PowerPoints" and Excel files. The role also focuses on forecasting, switching from looking at historical data to predicting performance for the current and coming years, offering variety and the opportunity to answer ad-hoc questions across the organization.
A Day In The Life Of A Senior Financial Analyst At Dexcom
A senior financial analyst role at Dexcom involves a dual focus, split between closing the books and forecasting, with a specialization in revenue and commercial finance; during the close, work focuses on analyzing revenue performance against forecasts, delving into price volume mix ("PVM") to understand drivers behind the numbers, while outside of close, automation and forecasting take precedence, especially FX analysis. The work includes dissecting performance across regions, from the US to international markets, and involves both surface-level insights and detailed analysis, such as understanding the impact of "torn exchange" rates.
Most Important Skills For A Senior Financial Analyst At Dexcom
As a Sr Financial Analyst at Dexcom, Kimo emphasizes that "attention to detail" and strong organization are crucial due to the large amount of numerical data involved, and that communication skills, specifically the ability to "story tell" the numbers, separates more experienced analysts as it demonstrates a deeper understanding of the business beyond just the data. Kimo enjoys the holistic view of the business they gain in their role because it looks at more than just one aspect of the business, like opex or revenue.
Favorite Parts of Being a Senior Financial Analyst at Dexcom
Kimo enjoys the great culture at Dexcom, particularly the supportive team environment where it's easy to communicate and collaborate, even finding time for casual conversations beyond work; furthermore, perks such as company Padres tickets and office events, like "office theme Olympics", contribute to a family-like atmosphere where even executives participate, demonstrating that Dexcom is more than just a workplace.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Sr Financial Analyst At Dexcom
Kimo's biggest challenge as a Senior Financial Analyst at Dexcom is being a "good business partner" by navigating the different objectives and data needs of various teams, and finding compromises, which is like "threading the needle" with different personalities, especially when balancing the speed and accuracy of important metrics like revenue.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Medical Device Industry as a Senior Financial Analyst
Kimo enjoys the healthcare industry because companies like Thermo Fisher, NeoGenomics, and Dexcom offer a sense of purpose by directly impacting people's lives through COVID support, cancer testing, and diabetes management, respectively, and specifically recalls seeing people "affected positively by our product". This purpose-driven work provides fulfillment, counteracting the potential disconnect from the numbers involved in financial analysis, and makes Kimo plan to stay in the industry.
What Type Of Person Thrives In Corporate Finance, According To A Senior Financial Analyst At Dexcom
To thrive as a financial analyst, Kimo emphasizes the importance of "attention to detail and good storytelling skills" alongside strong organizational skills and discipline to maintain productivity amidst numerous meetings, adding that being able to "articulate your findings" through effective communication further eases navigation within the corporate finance world.
What A Senior Financial Analyst At Dexcom Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Corporate Finance Industry
Kimo wishes more people understood the different functions within corporate finance, emphasizing that it's a "very big term" encompassing roles like revenue-focused commercial finance, operations finance dealing with "cogs," and managing operating expenses for departments like HR or legal. The different roles also have varying paces and learning curves depending on if the company is a growth company or a larger company.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Financial Analysts
Kimo suggests that "rotation programs" at larger companies are the best way for undergraduates and graduate students to break into corporate finance, noting that these programs allow analysts to explore different teams and roles, helping them discover their preferences; Kimo also advises students to start looking at rotation program opportunities in the summer or fall before their graduation year due to the competitive nature of the industry.
Significant Career Lesson From a Senior Financial Analyst at Dexcom
Kimo emphasizes being "comfortable being uncomfortable" by proactively tackling challenges, networking within the company to explore different roles, and being unafraid to seek new opportunities. Additionally, Kimo suggests "knowing your worth" by openly communicating career aspirations with managers and considering job hopping if progress isn't aligned with expectations.
College Experiences That Helped a Senior Financial Analyst at Dexcom Succeed
To prepare for a successful career, Kimo emphasized the importance of networking in college, which can be achieved through career fairs, clubs, and reaching out to alumni or professionals on LinkedIn to gain insights into different roles and companies, even discovering what career paths are _not_ a good fit. By "putting your name out there" and talking to as many people as possible, one can potentially gain inside scoops, referrals, and ultimately find a career path, like corporate finance, that aligns with their interests.
How Identity Has Influenced A Senior Financial Analyst At Dexcom's Career
As a mixed-race individual in the finance industry, Kimo acknowledges being "in the minority" and initially feeling that background impacted how people viewed them, so they focused on over-performing to combat any potential bias. With experience, Kimo has gained respect, however, early in career an "underdog mentality" was required to "fight through" the challenges.
Advizer Personal Links
LinkedIn.com/in/kimo-thomas/
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