Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them.
Today, G-P’s Simone Nardi discusses building a global team, his passion for music, and the importance of taking calculated risks.
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G-P
- Helps companies build and manage global teams without setting up branch offices or subsidiaries.
- Founded: 2012
- Size: 1,200
- Annual revenue: $300M ARR
Morning Routine
Walk us through your workday morning routine: I start my day at around 6:30 a.m.; I rarely go to sleep before midnight. After a quick workout routine with music, I grab breakfast with my two kids and my wife, walk the boys to school, and return ready to start the day with a nice coffee. I check emails earlier, of course. Occasionally, I’ll treat myself by adding in a bit of chocolate to enhance the coffee’s flavor and give me extra energy.
How do you adapt when a morning doesn’t go according to plan? I am naturally used to improvising, so when things are unexpected, I can think quickly, adapt, and prioritize to put it all into perspective. It’s a daily lesson in the importance of being flexible and adaptable. Both in life and business, you get thrown curve balls. Routines can change on a dime (and I am actually often the one changing them), but by remaining flexible and agile, I’m able to turn unforeseen circumstances and uncertainty into opportunity.
How do you structure your first few hours after you log on at work? I always begin my workday by taking stock of our business priorities and reviewing my to-do list to organize my daily workflow. Early in the week, I’ll schedule senior leadership meetings and calls with the teams to make sure we’re aligned on key priorities and adjust for any unexpected news.
As a leader of a global, remote-first team, I also make sure to start each workday by fostering team connection. Whether through email or Slack, I’ll send a quick message to my teams to make sure everyone knows I’m here and ready to chat if needed, with the goal of establishing an open line of communication and encouraging a collaborative work environment.
Leadership
Favorite quote or mantra: I have many and like to pick different ones over time. Recently, I have been thinking of these two quotes, independent but complementary.
“Begin with the end in mind.” When you start something important, you may not know how you will get there, but it is important to aspire to what you want to get out of it. But do not be so rigid on it, and “Adapt, improvise, and overcome” to make the best of every situation with an agile mindset and resilience.
Favorite leadership lesson: In my time as a leader, I’ve learned that our world is remarkably small and interconnected — that what happens somewhere eventually impacts everyone everywhere. I’ve come to recognize success extends beyond local boundaries and building a global team and global relationships that bring diversity is key. Embracing different perspectives has empowered me to lead with more foresight, empathy, and effectiveness.
Another favorite leadership lesson of mine is the value of playing the long game. Short-term gains offer immediate rewards, but focusing on long-term objectives ensures sustainable growth. By investing in a growing global talent pool or building a diverse company culture, leaders can build a lasting legacy that extends beyond quarterly results.
Lastly, over the years, I’ve learned the importance of taking calculated risks. Be bold but thoughtful. The role of the CFO, like the world around us, has evolved significantly, being strongly strategic and operational — the way I like it. It's more important than ever for CFOs to find the right balance between risk and return. Those that do it well set their companies up for sustainable growth and success.
Something that you wouldn’t know from your business bio: My role as CFO at G-P is the ultimate intersection of all my professional experiences to date. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with several global brands — many of which have become household names — like General Electric, Hulu, NBC, Universal, Food Network, HGTV, and FuboTV. These experiences reinforced my appreciation of the value of international and diverse teams and ultimately drove me to join G-P, a company dedicated to helping organizations expand beyond traditional geographic boundaries to reach their full potential, globally.
I am also passionate about travel — I have visited 58 countries and lived on four continents, and my travels won’t stop there. In my spare time, I am an avid consumer of sports: play, read about, and watch.
What was the last job you did at your company that fell outside your traditional scope of work? I recently had the honor of accepting the 2023 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 award on G-P’s behalf. While I have launched the production for Downton Abbey in the old days in London and entertained guests on the red carpet in previous roles in media, this may be the closest I get to winning an Oscar!
How have you learned to manage work-induced stress? From my early days at school or playing a sport or a game, and then in my jobs, I always managed to “keep cool” under stress, focusing quickly on what matters, simplifying the issue, and finding ways to solve it. I try to take a step back and look at the problem at hand from many different angles. Rather than being caught in the frenzy of the moment, I like to tackle problems with a clear head and an open mind. Focusing on the various facets of a problem without analyzing always leads me to the right solution.
Listening to music or having a chat with family or friends is another way that I manage work-related stress. Taking a step back and reassessing difficult situations with fresh eyes after a quick break — when possible — always provides better results. I listen to very different genres of music too, finding the one good for the moment. I play different genres depending on my mood. Sometimes I go for smooth jazz, and other times, I gravitate towards more upbeat genres.
Favorite number: As CFO I favor the largest numbers when talking about revenue and profits. Kidding aside, my favorite number is eight because of its likeness to the infinity symbol which represents limitless possibilities, a concept that is a fundamental aspect of my leadership philosophy. In thinking beyond conventional boundaries, I like to foster a team culture where diverse perspectives, creativity, and innovation are encouraged and that is where the magic happens. And it was the shape of the remote cars track I was playing with when I was a little kid!
The most noteworthy items in your workspace: A picture of my family and the drawings that my kids have made for me. It is a little touch of home, making my professional environment a little brighter.
I’m also a huge sports fan, so I keep my most cherished memorabilia on my desk. My family and I have always rooted for the New England Patriots, and lucky for me I now work for a company that has relationships with them. G-P is the official international employment platform of the Patriots and we have access to the G-P Atrium venue at Gillette Stadium. We also have business relationships with other teams, for example, the Golden State Warriors, and recently enjoyed a great event with their team in San Francisco with a few colleagues.
Do you have a pet sitting in your office right now? No pets at the moment, but I love dogs.
Favorite phone apps that are unrelated to work: Spotify and WhatsApp. The Spotify app because music is not only a passion of mine, but it serves as a powerful de-stressor and energy generator for me. WhatsApp is also a favorite as it allows me to stay connected with my family and friends around the world.
What’s the most important book you’ve recently read? Right now, I am reading, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth. In her words, without effort, your talent is nothing more than your unmet potential. Without effort, your skill is nothing more than what you could have done but didn't. With effort, talent becomes skill, and, at the very same time, effort makes skill productive.