Building a lasting finance strategy: 5 lessons from the field

Key takeaways: 

• Focus on growth that sustains itself
• Be ready to change your approach
• Set up regular check-ins that work 
• Fix problems at their root 
• Keep software costs in check with strategic oversight 

Welcome to The Efficiency Code, your guide to unlocking peak performance in finance and procurement. In this series, we decode the strategies of top industry leaders who are redefining efficiency and optimization. From embracing technology to effective spend management, discover how to achieve more with less. Join us as we crack the code to sustainable growth.

Keri is a seasoned financial leader with a unique background that spans professional sports and finance. After an impressive career as a professional basketball player, including a season in the WNBA, Keri transitioned into finance. Keri has over 20 years of accounting experience and brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the table. She's been with Torrent Consulting for over eight years, starting as a Finance and People ops manager and working her way up through various leadership roles, including VP of Finance.

Drawing from her experience working in both Swedish and American markets, Keri offers fresh perspectives on sustainable growth and team management. She breaks down practical strategies for everything from expense tracking to cash flow optimization, proving that sometimes the best financial insights come from unexpected places.

Whether you're building a finance team from scratch or looking to streamline your existing operations, Keri's candid insights on budgeting, technology, and team communication offer a refreshing take on modern finance leadership. Read on (or watch the video above) to learn more. 

Focus on growth that sustains itself

"Growth needs to feed itself to be sustainable," explains Keri. Instead of chasing quarterly numbers, successful finance leaders build businesses that can grow steadily over time. This means making decisions that might not show immediate results but create lasting value.

‍Be ready to change your approach 

Financial processes aren't set in stone. Keri shares how her team regularly adjusts their expense management strategy: "We've done this accordion thing a lot—sometimes centralizing, sometimes spreading things out." The key is understanding that as your organization grows, your processes need to evolve too.

‍Set up regular check-ins that work 

Regular meetings don't have to be a chore. Keri's team uses a simple system of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual check-ins to keep everyone informed. These consistent touchpoints help catch problems early and keep projects moving forward without last-minute rushes, especially during budgeting season. 

‍Fix problems at their root 

Quick fixes are tempting, but they often cost more in the long run. When Keri's team faced slow payment collection (52 days on average), they stopped patching the problem and rebuilt their entire process. The result? They now get paid within 30 days on average.

"Eventually, you get to the place where you have to build this thing correctly from the start," Keri notes. Sometimes, taking a step back to fix underlying issues is better than adding another temporary solution.

‍Keep software costs in check with strategic oversight 

With so many digital tools available, it's easy to end up paying for more than you need. Keri's team reviews their software subscriptions every quarter to spot overlap and remove unused tools.

"You have to know your tech stack because there's a lot of overlap in what tools can do today," she explains. A regular review of your software spending can reveal surprising savings—many tools have similar features, and you might be paying twice for the same capability.

‍The bottom line.

‍Building a financially healthy organization isn't about following trends or finding shortcuts. It's about creating clear processes, staying flexible, and making decisions that support long-term success. By focusing on these fundamentals, finance leaders can build organizations that don't just grow quickly, but grow steadily and sustainably.