How a Former Pro Musician Became the CFO of a $1B Marketplace, with Kevin Drost

<p>How does someone go from jazz musician to CFO of a $1B marketplace?</p><p>In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, Alex Louisy and Lauren Pearl speak with Kevin Drost, former CFO of Reverb — the musical instrument marketplace acquired by Etsy — about his unconventional path into finance and what it taught him about the role.</p><p>Kevin didn’t start in finance. He started by running a business. From founding a record label to navigating cash flow, trade-offs, and uncertainty in real time, he learned finance by doing — not by following a traditional path.</p><p>In this conversation, he shares how that operator mindset shaped his approach as a CFO, why finance leaders need to stay close to customers, and how the role has evolved from reporting performance to helping drive growth.</p><p>Chapters:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=158s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">02:38</a> From Jazz to Record Labels</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=318s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">05:18</a> Learning Business on the Fly</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=411s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">06:51</a> MBA While Operating</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=640s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">10:40</a> MBA Value Framework</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=853s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">14:13</a> Faking It and Risk</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=1219s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">20:19</a> Why Choose CFO</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=1437s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">23:57</a> Leaving Consulting for Reverb</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=1528s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">25:28</a> Building the Music Marketplace</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=1592s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">26:32</a> Choosing Growth Priorities</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=1645s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">27:25</a> From Strategy to CFO</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=1761s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">29:21</a> Learning by Doing</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=2105s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">35:05</a> Public Company Rigor at Etsy</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=2247s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">37:27</a> Marketplace Metrics and ROI</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=2442s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">40:42</a> New Era ADR Mission</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30D0JNJnLg&amp;t=2697s" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">44:57</a> Advice for Finance LeadersIn this episode, Kevin covers:</p><ul><li>Why learning finance inside the business builds better judgment</li><li>The limits of traditional career paths (and when an MBA actually helps)</li><li>How marketplace businesses create complex trade-offs</li><li>Why CFOs need to take calculated risks to drive growth</li><li>The importance of staying close to customers and product</li><li>How to scale a business without losing control</li><li>Why putting yourself in uncomfortable roles accelerates learning</li></ul><p>As Kevin puts it: “Getting yourself out and speaking to customers is probably the most valuable thing you can do as a finance leader.”This is a practical look at how finance leaders can move beyond reporting and play a more active role in shaping the business.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/W30D0JNJnLg?si=53lBTp2oyBHyTXBVIf you’re a CFO, finance leader, or operator, this episode wil