How to Run Finance in a Creative, 'Hit-Driven' Business, with Diya Sagar

In creative businesses, the art drives the upside — but the numbers determine whether the art can exist at all.In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl sit down with Diya Sagar, CFO of AWA Studios, a young media company that publishes original graphic novels and brings them to life in film and television.Diya leads finance in this truly hit-driven business. There’s no recurring revenue, outcomes are unpredictable, and every project is a bet. She shares how she brings financial certainty to an inherently uncertain environment - without slowing creativity.Chapters:01:55 Diya's Career Journey and Role at AWA Studios03:40 Transitioning from Large Corporations to a Small Creative Company05:02 Managing Multiple Roles in a Small Organization07:41 Navigating the Unpredictable Nature of Creative Businesses08:53 Evaluating and Investing in Creative Projects15:30 Competing with Industry Giants17:10 Balancing Creativity and Financial Stability18:34 Providing Certainty in Creative Businesses20:26 Building Trust with Creative Teams21:17 Effective Communication with Creatives22:44 Transitioning Her Career gto a Creative Environment27:49 Challenges of Establishing a Finance FunctionIn this episode, you'll learn:What it means to run finance in a creative, hit-driven businessHow CFOs can create certainty in an uncertain environmentManaging volatility without killing creativityWhy guardrails matter more than controlHow to think in portfolios when every project is a betWhat financial excellence looks like in an early-stage studioThis conversation is essential listening for CFOs, finance leaders, and operators working outside traditional recurring-revenue models - or anyone navigating creative, nonlinear businesses.Prefer to watch? Check out the full video of the interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MfFEkYmPMQY?si=cXsfD_dOLfn3L73X👉 SUBSCRIBE for more real-talk with modern finance leaders👉 SHARE this episode with a CFO or operator who’ll find it valuable.The Growth-Minded CFO podcast challenges the status quo and explores how the best CFOs approach their work and lives. Hosts Lauren Pearl (Fractional CFO, 3-time Founder, and Startup Finance Instructor at NYU) and Alex Louisy (Fintech CEO and Y Combinator graduate) talk with inspiring finance and business leaders about what it takes to support high-performing organizations.This podcast is powered by Upflow - a Financial Relationship Management platform enabling faster payments, stronger customer relationships, and efficient growth for your business.Join thousands of next-level finance leaders and go from chasing invoices to engaging customers. Find out more at ⁠upflow.io⁠.Want to get in touch? Reach out to our producer at ⁠joseph.sweeney@upflow.io⁠Want to recommend a guest or apply yourself? Fill out our form: https://insights.upflow.io/apply-to-be-a-guest-on-the-growth-minded-cfo-podcast