Joe Jessup is an accomplished CFO who uses his broad business and finance experience to solve funding challenges, execute against bottom-line profit/cash flow objectives, drive the creation and implementation of strategic plans, and rethink/restructure operations and finances in times of need. He bridges the gap between effective, detail-focused leadership of essential financial management functions and big-picture strategic thinking.
Joe brings a unique level of insight and analytical skill to the table, quickly grasping key business drivers and taking a hands-on approach to solving problems for his high-growth, venture-backed clients, who are principally in consumer products, eCommerce, and SaaS businesses.
Among his accomplishments, Joe served as:
CFO & C-Suite Advisor, JCJCo., Inc. – As an interim and fractional CFO for startups and businesses in strategic transition, Joe partnered with multiple founders and CEOs. His clients have included a data analytics SaaS startup, a Ben & Jerry’s backed food manufacturer, a PE-sponsored NYC food service venture, and two separate high-growth training and education companies.
CFO, Scentbird, Inc. – Scentbird is a Y Combinator-backed, $60 million, high-growth, eCommerce consumer products company in the perfume, beauty, and wellness space. During Joe’s tenure as CFO, the business grew from $18m to $60m in annualized MRR, expanded the product line 10-fold, and brought all outsourced operations in-house (packaging and fulfillment). He oversaw a $20m A Round and put in place a $5m venture debt facility. Joe also built out the 8 person finance team from scratch, implemented inventory tracking and reporting, completed Scentbird’s first audit, and directed the combined efforts of tech and finance to create business analysis, KPI tracking, and periodic financial reporting.
President & CEO, Sawin Company – Joe led this consulting practice, supporting investment or fund-raising activities of business owners in real estate, technology, consumer products, and medical services industries.
Global Corporate Banking, Citigroup – Joe held several executive positions over a 15-year banking career. These included Vice President, Citicorp Real Estate, where he was instrumental in the sale of a $2B multifamily real estate portfolio. He also served as Vice President, Citicorp International in London, where he coordinated capital raising for Citicorp VC’s first Mezzanine debt fund and was responsible for numerous client-focused corporate finance transactions in the shipping industry. As VP for Citibank Institutional Recovery Management, he worked with troubled agribusiness, shipping, and other companies, completing hundreds of millions in restructurings and loan recoveries.
Joe is a CFA, and he received his BA in Economics from DePauw University and his MBA in Finance from Indiana University.