EPISODE · Dec 22, 2025 · 56 MIN
From CFO to Founder: Inside the Making of Mostly Media | Paul Stansik Interviews CJ
from Run the Numbers · host CJ Gustafson
In this special, table-turning episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson steps out of the host’s chair as Paul Stansik—Operating Partner at ParkerGale and author of the Hello Operator newsletter—takes over the interview. What began as a planned discussion on annual planning best practices quickly evolves into a candid deep dive on Mostly Media, CJ’s growing niche B2B media business, and the thinking behind his own operating plan for the year ahead. Fresh off exiting his CFO role in January 2025, CJ walks through the origin story of Mostly Metrics, how it scaled into a broader media platform, and what it’s like being “the boss of me” for the first time. Paul presses on the real questions—growth opportunities, monetization, and strategic tradeoffs—making this episode a transparent look at how a modern, metrics-driven media business is built and run.—SPONSORS:RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit https://www.rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Tipalti automates the entire payables process—from onboarding suppliers to executing global payouts—helping finance teams save time, eliminate costly errors, and scale confidently across 200+ countries and 120 currencies. More than 5,000 businesses already trust Tipalti to manage payments with built-in security and tax compliance. Visit https://www.tipalti.com/runthenumbers to learn more.Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runFidelity Private Shares is the all-in-one equity management platform that keeps your cap table clean, your data room organized, and your equity story clear—so you never risk losing a fundraising round over messy records. Schedule a demo at https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com and mention Mostly Metrics to get 20% off.Sage Intacct is a cloud financial management platform that replaces spreadsheets, automates workflows, and keeps your books audit-ready as you scale. It unifies accounting, ERP, and real-time reporting for finance, retail, logistics, tech, and professional services. With payback in under six months and up to 250% ROI, and eight years as the customer-satisfaction leader, Sage Intacct helps you take control of your growth: https://bit.ly/3Kn4YHtMercury is business banking built for builders, giving founders and finance pros a financial stack that actually works together. From sending wires to tracking balances and approving payments, Mercury makes it simple to scale without friction. Join the 200,000+ entrepreneurs who trust Mercury and apply online in minutes at https://www.mercury.com—LINKS:Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulstansik/Hello Operator: https://hellooperator.substack.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:Portfolio Operations: This Is What You Actually Have To Do To Make Sure a Company Is Successfulhttps://youtu.be/pOj4JwGUTSoGrindr’s $0 CAC Secret from the CFO Who Launched Disney+ | Vanna Krantzhttps://youtu.be/ijFIMmtpLNwScaling to $1B+ Revenue: From ServiceNow to Samsara | Dominic Phillipshttps://youtu.be/vBY6WZBMljw—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:02:10 Sponsors — RightRev | Tipalti | Aleph00:06:23 Episode Setup and Context00:07:22 Why This Episode Exists00:08:44 The Origin Story00:10:03 First Signs of Traction00:10:26 Memes, Early Growth, and “Big Ballers”00:12:01 Defining the Brand Feel00:13:28 Leaving a Job to Write00:15:07 Writing His Way to CFO00:16:26 Sponsors — Fidelity Private Shares | Sage Intacct | Mercury00:19:01 Growth Tactics That Worked00:21:31 First Monetization Moment00:22:13 Balancing CFO Life and Media00:24:06 Going All-In on the Business00:25:02 A CFO Lens on Media00:28:09 Asset Businesses vs Cash Flow00:31:35 How the Business Makes Money00:32:42 Revenue Compounding Over Time00:33:29 Scaling to $3M00:34:08 Partnerships and Buying Cycles00:36:19 Building the Core Team00:39:09 Adding Recruiting to the Mix00:41:01 Strategy for the Next Phase00:42:03 Boredom, Discipline, and Craft00:43:08 Defining the Core Audience00:46:09 Staying in the Game00:47:22 Advice for Creators00:49:15 Brand, Fun, and Value00:52:08 Following the Momentum00:53:14 Finding Your Unique Edge00:55:19 Enjoying the Build00:56:25 Closing and Outro#RunTheNumbersPodcast #creatoreconomy #mediabusiness #cfoperspective #buildinpublic This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com
What this episode covers
In this special, table-turning episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson steps out of the host’s chair as Paul Stansik—Operating Partner at ParkerGale and author of the Hello Operator newsletter—takes over the interview. What began as a planned discussion on annual planning best practices quickly evolves into a candid deep dive on Mostly Media, CJ’s growing niche B2B media business, and the thinking behind his own operating plan for the year ahead. Fresh off exiting his CFO role in January 2025, CJ walks through the origin story of Mostly Metrics, how it scaled into a broader media platform, and what it’s like being “the boss of me” for the first time. Paul presses on the real questions—growth opportunities, monetization, and strategic tradeoffs—making this episode a transparent look at how a modern, metrics-driven media business is built and run.—SPONSORS:RightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit https://www.rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Tipalti automates the entire payables process—from onboarding suppliers to executing global payouts—helping finance teams save time, eliminate costly errors, and scale confidently across 200+ countries and 120 currencies. More than 5,000 businesses already trust Tipalti to manage payments with built-in security and tax compliance. Visit https://www.tipalti.com/runthenumbers to learn more.Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runFidelity Private Shares is the all-in-one equity management platform that keeps your cap table clean, your data room organized, and your equity story clear—so you never risk losing a fundraising round over messy records. Schedule a demo at https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com and mention Mostly Metrics to get 20% off.Sage Intacct is a cloud financial management platform that replaces spreadsheets, automates workflows, and keeps your books audit-ready as you scale. It unifies accounting, ERP, and real-time reporting for finance, retail, logistics, tech, and professional services. With payback in under six months and up to 250% ROI, and eight years as the customer-satisfaction leader, Sage Intacct helps you take control of your growth: https://bit.ly/3Kn4YHtMercury is business banking built for builders, giving founders and finance pros a financial stack that actually works together. From sending wires to tracking balances and approving payments, Mercury makes it simple to scale without friction. Join the 200,000+ entrepreneurs who trust Mercury and apply online in minutes at https://www.mercury.com—LINKS:Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulstansik/Hello Operator: https://hellooperator.substack.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:Portfolio Operations: This Is What You Actually Have To Do To Make Sure a Company Is Successfulhttps://youtu.be/pOj4JwGUTSoGrindr’s $0 CAC Secret from the CFO Who Launched Disney+ | Vanna Krantzhttps://youtu.be/ijFIMmtpLNwScaling to $1B+ Revenue: From ServiceNow to Samsara | Dominic Phillipshttps://youtu.be/vBY6WZBMljw—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:02:10 Sponsors — RightRev | Tipalti | Aleph00:06:23 Episode Setup and Context00:07:22 Why This Episode Exists00:08:44 The Origin Story00:10:03 First Signs of Traction00:10:26 Memes, Early Growth, and “Big Ballers”00:12:01 Defining the Brand Feel00:13:28 Leaving a Job to Write00:15:07 Writing His Way to CFO00:16:26 Sponsors — Fidelity Private Shares | Sage Intacct | Mercury00:19:01 Growth Tactics That Worked00:21:31 First Monetization Moment00:22:13 Balancing CFO Life and Media00:24:06 Going All-In on the Business00:25:02 A CFO Lens on Media00:28:09 Asset Businesses vs Cash Flow00:31:35 How the Business Makes Money00:32:42 Revenue Compounding Over Time00:33:29 Scaling to $3M00:34:08 Partnerships and Buying Cycles00:36:19 Building the Core Team00:39:09 Adding Recruiting to the Mix00:41:01 Strategy for the Next Phase00:42:03 Boredom, Discipline, and Craft00:43:08 Defining the Core Audience00:46:09 Staying in the Game00:47:22 Advice for Creators00:49:15 Brand, Fun, and Value00:52:08 Following the Momentum00:53:14 Finding Your Unique Edge00:55:19 Enjoying the Build00:56:25 Closing and Outro#RunTheNumbersPodcast #creatoreconomy #mediabusiness #cfoperspective #buildinpublic This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com
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From CFO to Founder: Inside the Making of Mostly Media | Paul Stansik Interviews CJ
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