How a top-performing IPO unraveled under scrutiny (and reshaped my leadership) — with Darryl Baker (EP 010) | Growth Under Pressure

Fractional CFO Darryl Baker shares how taking Insys Therapeutics public in 2013 and scaling its fentanyl sublingual spray product (Subsys) into over $300M in annual revenue by 2015 collided with DOJ scrutiny, leadership fallout, and bankruptcy. He unpacks what helped him lead through broken trust and personal uncertainty, plus the simple weekly discipline he uses with every client: cash position and a 13-week cash forecast. — 🌟 Highlights Why interpersonal "translator" skills matter as much as technical strength for CFO-level leadership How Darryl thinks AI will amplify finance, but still needs human judgment and risk context The Insys "growth under pressure" moment: rapid growth followed by DOJ scrutiny and a company bankruptcy Leading through broken trust, tense internal dynamics, and personal fear of legal fallout The family lesson he emphasized at home: integrity, honesty, and choosing the people you surround yourself with What he would do differently: be less trusting and push harder on uncomfortable questions The weekly metric he checks without fail: cash position and a 13-week cash forecast — ⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters 00:00 — AI + human judgment: why finance still needs people in the loop 00:43 — Early influences and why he chose accounting and finance 02:27 — Ernst & Young, CPA roots, and building a foundation for the CFO seat 04:52 — The "translator" CFO: technical skill plus interpersonal leadership 10:43 — Fractional CFO life in Scottsdale and the value of variety 11:58 — Anuncio Medical: the Reflow Mini device and why the mission matters 14:28 — A $6M Series A raise in progress and what fundraising looks like up close 15:08 — Board work at NeoLight and working with an NFL investor (Ben Roethlisberger) 20:11 — AI in healthcare: data, proof, and responsible interpretation 22:31 — Insys Therapeutics: 2013 IPO, Subsys growth, and the opioid scrutiny wave 32:34 — Dinner-table conversations: integrity, influence, and surrounding yourself with good people 37:40 — Lessons and rebuild: skepticism, purpose, and staying calm "in the pocket" — 🙌 Want more from AdaptCFO? Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results