The CFO Leading Talent, Operations & Corporate Communication Too (Kate Gulliver, CFO & CAO at Wayfair)
The path to becoming a CFO today is rarely a straight line. Finance leaders are increasingly coming from diverse backgrounds, bringing a broad range of skills to the role. After all, the best CFOs don’t just manage numbers; they shape strategy, foster talent, and drive innovation across an organization.
In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, co-hosts Lauren Pearl and Alex Louisy sit down with Kate Gulliver, CFO and CAO of Wayfair.
Whether you’re a finance leader, a business strategist, or simply curious about what it takes to scale a company like Wayfair, Kate’s insights are invaluable.
Watch or listen to the full episode above, or read through the summary below.
A CFO with a Talent for Talent
Kate’s career path is far from typical. Before stepping into the CFO role at Wayfair, she led the company’s Talent function, overseeing hiring, leadership development, and organizational strategy.
That experience gave her an in-depth understanding of what makes a company tick—not just from a financial standpoint, but from a people perspective. She explains:
“ I absolutely loved it. There are in my opinion, very few other ways where you can learn the company as intimately as you do in that role when you're hiring so many people and you have to set up the systems and the processes, and you really have to identify: who are we as a business?"
In a world where talent is a key competitive advantage, Kate’s background allows her to approach finance with a people-first mindset. She understands that long-term financial success isn’t just about cost-cutting and margins; it’s about building a culture that attracts and retains top performers.
Bringing Financial Rigor to Product Innovation: The Launch of Wayfair Verified
One of the most exciting recent initiatives at Wayfair is Wayfair Verified, a program designed to give customers more confidence in their purchases by spotlighting high-quality, well-reviewed products.
While product launches are often associated with marketing or operations teams, Kate played a key role in shaping this initiative from a financial perspective.
“ We actually have a commercial finance team that supports the commercial operation. And as an idea like this is developed, they'll actually sit and partner with that team hand in hand and say, 'Hey, this is what we think it's gonna cost. If you think that those products are gonna get X amount increased conversion, here's the likely ROI on that investment over time'...And so they'll actually work on that from the very beginning."
This hands-on involvement highlights the evolving role of the CFO. It’s no longer just about budgeting and forecasting; it’s about working cross-functionally to drive innovation while ensuring strong financial performance.
Balancing Work, Family, and Leadership
As if leading the financial strategy for a multi-billion-dollar company wasn’t enough, Kate is also the mother of three young children. She understands the challenges of balancing a demanding career with family life—and she’s refreshingly candid about how she makes it work.
“ I think what has helped has been not thinking that on a day-to-day basis it's going to be balanced. And instead acknowledging that there are going to be periods where it's gonna feel completely out of control. There are going to be periods where maybe it feels a little bit better and there are going to be times where it feels like I'm swinging from one side to the next. And that's okay.”
Key Takeaways
CFOs need more than financial expertise. Kate’s background in Talent has given her a unique edge in shaping Wayfair’s growth strategy.
Great finance leaders think beyond the balance sheet. Kate’s involvement in the recent launch of Wayfair Verified demonstrates how modern CFOs play a critical role in product and business innovation.
Work-life balance is about being present without expecting a perfect 'balance' all the time. Kate shares an honest perspective on managing a high-powered career alongside family life.
Kate’s journey offers an inspiring blueprint for finance leaders looking to broaden their impact. Her ability to blend financial rigor with strategic thinking and people leadership makes her a standout CFO in today’s evolving business landscape.
Full Episode
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