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Of the three traditional paths to the finance chief\\u2019s seat, Bluesnap CFO Chris Menard took the approach less traveled, and it\\u2019s made quite a difference. Most fledgling finance executives begin their journey in public accounting or investment banking, Menard parlayed an undergraduate experience rich with entrepreneurial grooming (along with an MBA) into financial planning and analysis positions at several high-growth software and fintech companies. One early career assignment \\u2013 where he assisted the finance team in completing an IPO, six acquisitions and a stock buyback before the company\\u2019s lucrative sale to Oracle \\u2013 proved especially valuable. \\xa0Menard talks about applying his operational finance expertise and commitment to \\u201cleading with analytics\\u201d to the online payments technology company that he joined in May 2018. He also explains the two-step approach \\u2013 assess and strengthen the accounting team first and then build up the finance function\\u2019s analytical chops \\u2013 he favors when taking the CFO reins at a new company.