Toptal Finance Blog

The Toptal Finance Blog is a hub for in-depth studies and analysis on all facets of finance, ranging from innovative strategies on raising capital to detailed coverage of new finance trends and technologies.

Toptalauthors are vetted experts in their fields and write on topics in which they have demonstrated experience. All of our content is peer reviewed and validated by Toptal experts in the same field.
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Toptalauthors are vetted experts in their fields and write on topics in which they have demonstrated experience. All of our content is peer reviewed and validated by Toptal experts in the same field.

Using AI-powered Enterprise Interfaces to Optimize Operational Efficiency

Generative interfaces can unlock insights at unprecedented speeds. A Toptal strategy consulting expert with experience at Deloitte and AWS explains how companies of all sizes can use Gen AI for sales, development, and customer support.

11-minute readContinue Reading
Raghav Nyati

Raghav Nyati

Raghav is a strategy consultant who enables digital and AI transformation at leading enterprises and optimizes go-to-market, sales, and pricing strategies. He has worked with Salesforce, VMware, J.P. Morgan, Health Care Service Corporation, Deloitte, and dozens of SaaS startups.

An AI Revolution in Finance: Opportunities and Challenges

The finance industry is beginning to embrace the power of AI to drive productivity and increase customer satisfaction. Toptal finance experts explain the options to innovate and the challenges to overcome.

13-minute readContinue Reading
Chris Holloway

Chris Holloway

Chris is a Senior Editor at Toptal with 15 years of experience researching and writing about how technology transforms sectors like banking, business, manufacturing, and healthcare. He was previously the business and technology editor at AméricaEconomía and has developed content for Sony Pictures, Johnson & Johnson, Mini, and LATAM Airlines.

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IT Integration in Mergers and Acquisitions: Structuring Synergy

Companies are increasingly using M&A as a way to acquire valuable technology. Implementing a strong IT integration strategy from the beginning is the key to ensuring the desired benefits.

10-minute readContinue Reading
John S. Doss

John S. Doss

John is a finance and technology leader with deep expertise in enterprise architecture and business strategy. With a unique blend of IT and business knowledge, he has successfully developed digital transformation initiatives across diverse industries. John has a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science, and an MBA from The Trinity College and University.

Sustainable Success: A Framework for Optimizing Profit

Conventional profit optimization methods could cause your company to miss out on opportunities to grow. This four-step approach will help your business make the most of its strengths to boost margins for years to come.

19-minute readContinue Reading
Nicholas Piscani

Nicholas Piscani

Nicholas is a corporate strategy and FP&A expert who works with businesses to optimize their operations and execute high-priority strategic initiatives. He has helped entrepreneurs raise more than $600 million.

What Designing Formula 1 Cars Can Teach You About Corporate Strategy

Whether you need to fix a roadblock or test a new idea, these insights from a former Formula 1 engineer can help speed your success.

12-minute readContinue Reading
Isaac Prada y Nogueira

Isaac Prada y Nogueira

Isaac is a management consultant, CEO, and CTO with deep expertise in electrical and automotive engineering currently focusing on AI, blockchain, and crypto projects. Applying the management methods he learned as a Formula 1 engineer for Alpine, he now helps tech startups and SMBs optimize their growth and innovation strategies and increase revenue.

From Startup to Success: Mastering Business Controls for Growth

It’s a mistake to believe that internal controls are the enemy of growth. Learn how to design smart checks and balances that manage risk while positioning your company to thrive.

10-minute readContinue Reading
Brian Nichol

Brian Nichol

Brian is a seasoned finance leader who transitioned from the enterprise world to head up finance operations for numerous startups—including his own. Leveraging his expertise as a KPMG-qualified auditor, he has also led fraud and risk analyses for businesses of every size.

Going Global: A Financial Guide for International Expansion

Offshoring can help a company reduce overhead and minimize fixed costs. Whether you’re looking to open an overseas branch or outsource to cross-border contractors, here’s what you need to consider.

12-minute readContinue Reading
Ekaterine (Kate) Papiashvili, ACCA, FMVA

Ekaterine (Kate) Papiashvili, ACCA, FMVA

Kate is an expert in FP&A, financial modeling, budgeting, and financial reporting, as well as an experienced fractional CFO. Previously, she worked at the largest bank in Georgia and at Georgia Capital, an FTSE 250 investment holding company with a turnover of more than $400 million.

C Corp, S Corp, LLC? Finding the Best Fit for Your New Business

Figuring out what type of business entity matches your new company’s needs is challenging. Choose wrong, and you could find yourself unable to grow your company the way you want to. Toptal finance expert Scott Hoover, a seasoned CPA and interim CFO, shows how to make the right decision.

20-minute readContinue Reading
Scott Hoover

Scott Hoover

Scott is a seasoned CPA and interim CFO who has helped clients achieve financial clarity in a wide range of industries. He specializes in high-level monthly financial oversight, accounting software projects, and corporate tax planning.

How to Build Your Startup’s Financial Model to Grab Investor Interest

Hook investors with a financial model that instantly shows them what they need to know about your startup.

10-minute readContinue Reading
Jeffrey Fidelman

Jeffrey Fidelman

A veteran of VC, Jeffrey now provides investment banking services to early- and mid-stage startups and has served as interim CFO for more than 300 companies and funds.

Remote or On-site? The Real Cost of Office Space for a Venture-backed Startup

For funder-backed startups, brick-and-mortar offices cost more than just money–they dilute founder equity.

13-minute readContinue Reading
Erik Stettler

Erik Stettler

Erik is a co-founder of a global venture capital fund that has invested in 50 startups (raising more than $500 million) and has realized six exits. He serves as Toptal’s Chief Economist.

Why Your Startup Pitch Needs Sensitivity Analysis

To impress risk-averse investors, you have to prove that you’re ready for whatever may come.

18-minute readContinue Reading
Nicholas Piscani

Nicholas Piscani

Nicholas is a corporate strategy and FP&A expert who works with businesses to optimize their operations and execute high-priority strategic initiatives. He has helped entrepreneurs raise more than $600 million through financial modeling and pitch deck development.

Exploring the Post-crash Cryptocurrency Market: Blockchain, Regulations, and Beyond

The 2022 crash shook the cryptocurrency market to its core, but investors are still buying digital coins. How does crypto work, and what does the future hold for it?

17-minute readContinue Reading
Jeffrey Mazer

Jeffrey Mazer

Jeff is a former CFO, financial expert, and lawyer specializing in financial and investment analysis, as well as legal and regulatory issues relating to business and finance. He was previously Director of Global Liquidity Investment Solutions, Western Regional Manager, at Bank of America and Head of Bankruptcies and Restructurings at Allstate Insurance.

Advantages of Google Sheets: Why It’s Time for Finance Pros to Switch From Excel

Work is more collaborative than ever, and finance pros need a spreadsheet program that can keep up. Google Sheets is ideal for the way we work today.

9-minute readContinue Reading
Stefan Thelin

Stefan Thelin

Stefan is the Director of Data-Driven Insights and Analytics for Cargotec, a leading provider of cargo and loading solutions. He has also served as an M&A director and a startup CFO, and led financial modeling and analysis as a leveraged finance manager at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

How Forensic Accounting Can Supercharge Your Financial Risk Analysis

In an increasingly volatile business environment, companies need to step up their risk management game. Forensic accounting can help spot oncoming problems before it’s too late.

10-minute readContinue Reading
Christopher Holloway

Christopher Holloway

Christopher is a Senior Writer at Toptal with 13 years of experience researching and writing about how technology transforms sectors like banking, business, manufacturing, and healthcare. He was previously the business and technology editor at AméricaEconomíca and has developed content for Sony Pictures, Johnson & Johnson, Mini, and LATAM Airlines.

Strategic Financial Leadership: 6 Skills CFOs Need Now

Succeeding as a modern CFO is more demanding than ever before. Here are the skills you need to become a strategic partner who leverages technology and insights to drive growth and plan for the future.

11-minute readContinue Reading
Puneet Sapra

Puneet Sapra

Puneet is a finance expert who has worked for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Pfizer, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has held CFO positions at public companies, middle-market private-equity-backed companies, and startups.

Tough Times Don’t Have to Mean Tough Terms: Leveraging Financial and Cap Table Modeling in VC Negotiations

When capital is scarce, VCs may tighten their terms to reduce their risk. Here’s how to think through three of the most common preferred terms to ensure you don’t give away too much of your company.

12-minute readContinue Reading
Erik Stettler

Erik Stettler

Erik is co-founder of a global venture capital fund that has invested in 50 startups—which have raised more than $500 million—and has realized six exits. He serves as Toptal’s Chief Economist.

Toptal Finance Expert

Neil Portus | CFA, CMA

Neil is a CFO for growth companies and a former equity analyst at Goldman Sachs in NY where he helped lead numerous transactions including Zipcar's $1.1 billion IPO. He was also an equity analyst at Barclays Capital & Lehman Brothers and began his career at a boutique investment bank (M&A, restructuring, debt financings). He's built his operational skills both as a startup founder and as the CFO of an East Africa-focused impact investment firm.
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Previously At

Goldman Sachs

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