Ellen Wood on The Friday Habit Podcast: The Power of Financial Strategy, Culture, and Early Planning

Ellen Wood, CEO of vcfo, was recently featured on The Friday Habit podcast in a candid conversation with host Mark Labriola II. Drawing on her decades of experience advising founders and leading one of the first fractional CFO firms in the U.S., Ellen shared practical advice for building long-term value starting from day one.

In the episode, Ellen and Mark explore key decisions that shape a company’s trajectory, from choosing the right entity structure to navigating equity partnerships and planning for a future exit. Ellen also discusses the early years of vcfo, the gaps she saw in financial leadership, and how those lessons continue to influence her work today.

Topics discussed include:

• When and how founders should start thinking about exit strategy
• Common financial blind spots that reduce valuation
• Why culture is a financial asset and how to treat it like one
• How recurring revenue and cash flow planning increase both predictability and enterprise value
• Equity ownership pitfalls in early-stage entities

The conversation offers straightforward, founder-focused insights with a long-term view—whether you're growing a business, preparing for investment, or simply working toward stronger operations.

Listen to the full episode here.