Cool Careers in Accounting Ep. 37 - Leading Through Transformation: How to Build a CFO Toolkit with John Szczepanski

How do you go from graduating into a recession to becoming CFO of a publicly traded retailer? John Szczepanski shares the real story: the 200-resume grind, pivoting from audit to finance, building a toolkit across treasury, FP&A, M&A, and an 18-year run at Ralph Lauren. Now CFO of The Children's Place, he breaks down leading through transformation, tariffs, investor pressure, liquidity management, and where AI is already boosting productivity in finance. This interview is practical, candid, and packed with career lessons. Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription. Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit. Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/] Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company's LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin. Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts