Scaling Revenue Without Breaking Finance: How SaaS CFOs Are Rewriting the Playbook
Why modern finance needs more than spreadsheets—and how to get ahead of the curve.
In a high-growth SaaS environment, finance isn't just about keeping the books clean—it's about being a strategic partner for growth. Yet while most companies invest heavily in product and sales, finance is often an afterthought, expected to scale quietly in the background.
That was the jumping-off point for a recent Younium webinar featuring three seasoned finance leaders: Dave Leaver (VP Finance at Mention Me), Tom van Dael (CFO at Hallo), and Johan Castevall (CFO at Younium). Hosted by Klara Ahlgren from Younium, the panel tackled the challenges of scaling revenue without breaking internal systems—and what it really takes to build a modern finance function.
From Number Crunchers to Growth Partners
Today’s finance leaders are expected to be more than just controllers—they’re growth architects. Klara kicked off the session by highlighting a trend that many in SaaS recognize: the CFO is no longer just a gatekeeper of spend, but a key driver of business strategy.
Dave reinforced this shift, pointing out that many companies still underestimate finance:
“There’s still an outdated view of what finance actually does… A great finance team should be a trusted partner to the business strategically—not just number crunchers at month-end."
This evolution requires a new mindset—but also new tools.
When Finance Breaks, It's Already Too Late
Growth reveals cracks before finance can fix them. Tom, who has overseen 25 acquisitions at Hallo, explained that by the time issues hit finance, they’ve usually already been baked into operations.
From outdated systems and overly complex billing structures to messy customer contracts, finance ends up stitching things together long after the damage is done.
The panel agreed that one of the biggest pitfalls is waiting too long to invest in scalable systems. Johan shared that Younium’s lean finance setup—essentially one full-time role—only works because automation and integration were built in from day one.“If your problems end up in finance—accounting, billing, collections—it’s a sign something broke earlier. Growth just exposes that faster.”
Simplicity Now Beats Untangling Later
One recurring theme from all three panelists: keep it simple while you still can.
Dave put it plainly:
“Think about the company you want to be in 18 months—not just the company you are today."
This means implementing automation early, choosing tools that align with your future state, and standardizing processes before exceptions become the rule.
Tom added that striving for 100% perfection in systems is less realistic than creating a solid 80% foundation and isolating the legacy or complex edge cases.
People and Processes > Just Tools
While much of the conversation focused on systems, the panel emphasized that tools alone don’t solve complexity—people do.
Johan pointed out that the two biggest assets in B2B SaaS are customer contracts and your people. You need tools that support both, from contract visibility to enabling finance teams to focus on high-value work—not chasing down spreadsheet errors.
Tom agreed, but took it a step further: the finance function can’t solve these challenges in isolation.
“It’s not a finance problem. It’s a business problem. If operations or sales remain in the stone ages, your AI-powered finance team won’t get far."
What They'd Do Differently
Klara closed the session with a great question: What advice would they give themselves stepping into their first finance leadership role?
Here’s what they said:
- Dave: Automate early, simplify processes, and stay close to sales and product teams.
- Tom: Don’t try to solve everything through finance. Make complexity a shared business issue.
- Johan: Review your tech stack regularly. Choose tools that scale with your company and aren’t hard to replace.
Final Takeaway
Scaling revenue doesn’t mean scaling chaos. The finance leaders in this panel all emphasized the same foundational idea: proactive finance is simple, strategic, and collaborative.
When finance owns its seat at the table—backed by the right finance tools, a simplified process, and a strong team—it becomes a multiplier for growth, not just a support function.
When finance owns its seat at the table—backed by the right tools, a simplified process, and a strong team—it becomes a multiplier for growth, not just a support function.
In the world of SaaS, where recurring revenue models bring complexity, having a solid foundation for subscription billing, accounting, and subscription management isn't just helpful—it’s essential. With real-time visibility into subscription business metrics like MRR, churn, CAC, and LTV, finance teams can go from reactive number crunchers to strategic growth drivers.
The right setup means fewer manual tasks, fewer errors, and more time to focus on forecasting, planning, and scaling with confidence.
If you're feeling the strain of scaling with outdated systems, maybe it's time for a change. A modern subscription management system can be the backbone that connects contracts, billing, and insights—all in real-time. You know where to find us at Younium.
Younium is a purpose-built subscription management platform designed with SaaS finance teams in mind. We help subscription businesses get a better grip on their finances—think streamlined billing, smart revenue recognition, and clear, audit-ready reporting. With Younium, you can spend less time fighting spreadsheets and more time focusing on strategic growth.
Watch the full webinar below to hear the full discussion and real-world examples from Dave, Tom, and Johan—plus more practical advice on how to future-proof your finance function.