Jeff is available for hire
Hire JeffJeff Mikes
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
Atlanta, GA, United States
Toptal Member Since
May 30, 2018
Jeff has built, led, and advised dozens of companies over 25 years, with a focus on financial services, retail, technology, and digital experience. He co-founded and scaled a digital transformation advisory company that was sold to a major consulting firm. A former CFO and Managing Director with global experience, he joined Toptal to help clients find new avenues of profitable growth while building scalable organizations.
Career Highlights
Global Managing Director
Zemoga
Managing Partner, Founder
Trade NTE
Chief Financial Officer
IQ Agency
Education Highlights
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree
Arizona State University - Thunderbird
Bachelor's Degree
Miami University
Case Studies
Industry Expertise
Other Expertise
Work Experience
Global Managing Director
2016 - PRESENT
Zemoga
- Grew revenue by 30% annually for a nearshore digital production firm with 120 FTE personnel. Repositioned firm’s offerings and pricing strategy to “managed resourcing” approach, increasing average contract term commitment by 40%.
- Repositioned firm’s offerings and pricing strategy to better align with the market opportunity (high-end near-shore staff) and shift away from project-based, one-off efforts. Coordinated a rebuild of the company’s go-to-market model to align operations and staffing with new operations and financial model.
- Led business and product strategy for the launch of a “robo-advisor” offering targeted to millennials for a major financial investment firm. This effort included UX, design, and development for mobile, web, media assets, and CRM.
- Restructured finance and accounting processes, team, and systems. Implemented controls and procedures to manage expense growth and profitability monitoring in real time. Standardized valuation approach for internal and external stakeholders.
Focus areas: Revenue & Expense Projections, Business Planning, Profitability Optimization, Profit & Loss (P&L), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Pricing, Finance Strategy, Corporate Finance
Managing Partner, Founder
2009 - 2016
Trade NTE
- Built a high-performing team across four offices in the US, scaled through great work, and sold the firm to a major international consulting firm for 9x EBITDA.
- Advised consulting and technology buyers on marketing firm acquisitions (digital, PR, data) worth over $400 million.
- Developed business model and digital marketing strategy for GE Capital Bank that helped drive deposit growth to over $32 billion.
- Created and implemented a content marketing strategy for Bank of America Merchant Services, driving down customer acquisition costs by 30% versus traditional search engine marketing (SEM) and repositioning the firm as an industry thought leader.
Focus areas: Business Advisory, Pricing Strategy, Investments, Working Capital Management, Profitability Optimization, Revenue Management, Private Equity Valuation, Cash Management, Market Models, M&A Earn-out Agreements, M&A (Sell-side), M&A Modeling
Chief Financial Officer
2006 - 2009
IQ Agency
- Managed the doubling of revenue and headcount while increasing profitability and tripling company valuation.
- Oversaw implementation of a new corporate technology stack, including integration of data insights, media planning, project management, and financial reporting tools.
- Delivered financial training for all staff on the firm's business model and their contribution. Advised clients on risk and growth potential for multi-million dollar investments.
- Led operating logistics in the founding of the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA), an international industry trade and peer group of over 100 firms.
- Prioritized investment in new channels and technologies tied to increasing market demand, especially in mobile platforms and social media.
Focus areas: Operating Expenses (OPEX), Balance Sheets, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Tax Credits, Capital Structuring, Revenue Modeling, Profit & Loss (P&L), Working Capital Management, Cash Flow Forecasting, Accounting Systems, Finance Operation Improvements, Operational Finance
VP Finance & Operations
2002 - 2005
Publicis S.A.
- Managed the integration of agencies in a roll-up of marketing services organizations. Responsibilities included equity valuations, client conflict resolution, and financial and operating process harmonization.
- Oversaw North American client finance teams across five offices with total sales of $120 million. Led all contract negotiations, pricing, and sourcing decisions. Managed adherence to revenue growth and profitability targets globally and member of the executive planning committee on investment and scaling.
- Served as Finance & Operations lead for the largest business unit (Digital) with billings of $40 million. Managed scaling and sourcing, scope risk assessment, and profitability.
- Partnered with account directors on strategy and planning. Led procurement relationships for Philip Morris, Diageo, and Purina globally.
Focus areas: Working Capital Management, Profitability Optimization, Profit & Loss (P&L), Cash Flow Modeling, Revenue Management, Operational Finance, Valuation
Director of Corporate Development, Director of Project Finance
1999 - 2002
Fluor Corporation
- Modeled, structured, and negotiated project finance deals totaling over $1 billion with a primary focus on the engineering and construction for Telecom Infrastructure and Chemical Production.
- Served as a member of incubation and launch team for a web-based trading platform focused on the global used heavy equipment market. This project was Fluor’s first internally incubated digital business with $50 million in internal committed funding.
Focus areas: Cash Flow Modeling, Debt Structuring, Equity Financing, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), M&A Modeling, Market Models, Project Finance
Education
1996 - 1998
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in International Management
Arizona State University - Thunderbird - Phoenix, AZ
1989 - 1993
Bachelor's Degree in Finance
Miami University - Oxford, Ohio
Collaboration That Works
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