Most Important Skills For A CFO At Compass Diversified
Ryan, Compass Diversified's CFO, most enjoys "telling the story" of this unique, publicly traded company, which lacks a comparable peer group. This involves engaging with investors, highlighting the successes of their ten subsidiaries—even the "problem children"—and conveying the overall investment opportunity.
Communication, Executive/Leadership, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges, Investment
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ryan Faulkingham
CFO
Compass Diversified
Lehigh
Fordham MBA
Accounting
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Video Highlights
1. Being a CFO at a unique company allows for the challenge of telling a compelling and differentiated story to investors, which is intellectually stimulating.
2. The role involves selling the company's story and convincing investors to invest, which is a rewarding aspect of the job.
3. A significant part of the role focuses on showcasing the success and achievements of the company's subsidiaries, offering a chance to highlight their strengths to the public market, which is a source of satisfaction for the CFO.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your current role?
I'd say what I enjoy most about my current role is telling the story. We're a very unique business, which is both a blessing and a curse.
There's no other structure like ours in the public markets. This poses a challenge because when someone is trying to understand us, there's no comparable set to judge us against. It feels like we're just floating on our own island.
But that makes it fun because we get to tell a very unique story. It's a bit of a complicated story, so every once in a while, you find an institutional investor who finds it an intellectual challenge. They really dive in, and experiencing a bright individual doing so is a fascinating and fun part of the job.
Certainly, telling our unique story is what I enjoy most. It's about selling the story to investors and trying to convince them that this is a great place to park their money.
When you own ten really good companies, not all ten will be operating perfectly, and there are always one or two problem children. But in general, when you believe in the businesses, you understand their opportunities, you know their strategies, and you can communicate that, that's a fun part.
In theory, I spend most of my time talking about the great things our subsidiaries are doing. I'm fortunate to talk about how great BOA is as a business to the public markets or how amazing Luno Diamonds is. So I get to experience the appreciation for how great our companies are.
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